Junior Year!
Well, it's been a month already and so much has happened! I can't believe it's already my third year, and so many of my dreams and hopes have come true. Thank you Lord!
This past weekend, I had the opportunity and privilege of finally achieving my biggest college dream to date- performing (and making) the Belmont Christian Showcase. The experience was invaluable. Not only did I get to perform my music (for the first time ever to anyone besides my family) to over 2,000 people, but I got to further relationships with my band and all the people involved that will last a lifetime.
Christian showcase isn't about performing, but about getting the opportunity to glorify our Father in Heaven through the gifts and talents He put inside of us.
It's about community, and fun!
It's about networking, and possibilities.
It's about using music to see others changed, grown, and developed! Not us!
I really enjoyed the fact that my family got to come as well, from 3 different states all around the country! We visited all around Nashville, including some of my favorite restaurants- Silly Goose in East Nashville and Jeni's Ice Cream!
Another one of my favorite restaurants, The Pharmacy, I wanted to go to but we didn't have time this time. My parents love it too!
In fact, here's an awesome blog post that my friend Danielle posted about the Pharmacy! Check it out!
http://nashvillenashville.com/the-pharmacy-nashville-tn/
Just when I thought life would slow down, there are 500 other things to do for school! But with God, there's total grace and wisdom! He shows me every day how to lean on Him and it's so fun to feel myself growing! Jesus is my everything, and Who makes me whole!
MJS.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
A few things I've learned...
Wow! I haven't written in over a month! Sorryyyyy!
I cannot describe all the Lord has done and is doing in me since DMS. (Read last post)
I've been studying out His grace, love, and really feel like a veil has been taken off of my eyes in so many aspects of life. But all of that is for another post.
Today (2:45 am woo!) I want to briefly talk about how as we are more in tune with the Holy Spirit (which comes from being "God-inside minded" as Kenneth Copeland says, which comes from getting to know Him, which is the Word, better). (Ha, you follow that?)
Since DMS, like I've said a lot has changed.
One of the biggest things is my prayer life, accompanied by the wonderful teachings I have been sitting under at my church here in Nashville.
-I've learned so much about intercessory prayer, and praying on the behalf of so many other things other than myself. God already knows what I want and need... I need to pray on the behalf of others who aren't making their requests known to God, the ones who aren't saved!
WOW.
So like I said... it's almost 3am and I could literally talk for forever about this because prayer is so EXCITING and God is moving in both of my homes and both of my home churches BEAUTIFULLY and LARGELY! AMEN hallelujah praise woo all of that!
But anyway, one example of how I've increased in being led by the HS is just taking my eyes off of myself all the time and learning to LISTEN to what God would have me do.
-Something that SOUNDS so simple... but with our busy American lives.. we're always doing something and usually just call upon the name of the Lord when we're in the dumps and neeeeeeed something desperately.
-We are called VICTORS in Christ! (again.... another post in itself)
So, I have been asking the Lord that, amongst a lot of other things... who can I intercede on the behalf of?
(For sake of privacy of course I'm not revealing names)
But it's been really really cool to see how God truly leads us to pray for people and how quickly we sometimes see results! Fruit is SO cool to see manifest! :)
-but remember, we don't have to see, feel, smell, or sense ANYTHING for prayer to be real, for prayer to work, and to have faith in the FINISHED WORK of Christ. He's already done the heavy lifting! We just have to learn and grow to have the faith to BELIEVE so we can RECEIVE those answered prayers and reap the harvest!
So in this area, (because faith produces BOLDNESS which I've also prayed and believed for) I've found myself being so much bolder in my faith to speak in tongues over whoever the Lord drops in my spirit! What an incredibly powerful and amazing feeling it is to know that you're literally helping someone out in the most efficient, powerful, and effective way! Doesn't matter if you know for whom it's for or not! God said that tongues have power! And Lord knows we can pray in tongues for a minute and it's a million percent more efficient than English! Haha. God sure has a sense of humor! :)
But speaking over others doesn't HAVE to be in tongues, and there's nothing WRONG with English! Not at all! The evidence of speaking in tongues is just the evidence we have of the true POWER of the Holy Spirit working in our lives! AWESOME and not freaky, ever. Gosh I love the Holy Spirit.
He's really been leading me and showing me that taking leaps of faith truly sometimes are leaps, but obedience always always ALWAYS pays off and is rewarded. God can't bless those who don't walk in obedience! Gosh it's so much easier finally giving up MY way to trust His. I walked in my plan for my life for so long, and although I produced some fruit, I wasn't walking in but a fraction of what God's plan was. So I'm on track now, stronger than ever, bolder than ever, but also more LOVING than ever.
I'm so passionate for people! All of God's people, no matter who you are, what color you are, where you come from, where you're going. I love you! And God loves you!
-Through God's love, all of life changes. Literally. I know that's the biggest blanket statement ever, but walking in love takes away every problem in life.
For example: strife, envy, pride, offense... to name a few.
In every circumstance, there is ALWAYS MORE grace, MORE love, and MORE power available to those who are in Christ Jesus- (James 4:6)
-So whenever the devil tries to make me stressed, mad, emotional, or make me feel helpless or alone... I just remember that God has given me grace (which means unmerited favor) for everything. He loves me more than ANY human could. He CANNOT and WILL NOT fail me. He IS POWER. There's nothing more powerful, and He's ALWAYS WILLING to give me MORE of all of that!
Like... what?
-How can I not just praise and thank You all day long God?
I think I WILL!
Everything flows from a heart of thanksgiving and praise!
Wake up and start thanking God for things tomorrow... really, ANYTHING.
See how your outlook changes! Then let me know I'd love to hear your feedback!
I hope this blesses you dear reader!
<3 MJS
I cannot describe all the Lord has done and is doing in me since DMS. (Read last post)
I've been studying out His grace, love, and really feel like a veil has been taken off of my eyes in so many aspects of life. But all of that is for another post.
Today (2:45 am woo!) I want to briefly talk about how as we are more in tune with the Holy Spirit (which comes from being "God-inside minded" as Kenneth Copeland says, which comes from getting to know Him, which is the Word, better). (Ha, you follow that?)
Since DMS, like I've said a lot has changed.
One of the biggest things is my prayer life, accompanied by the wonderful teachings I have been sitting under at my church here in Nashville.
-I've learned so much about intercessory prayer, and praying on the behalf of so many other things other than myself. God already knows what I want and need... I need to pray on the behalf of others who aren't making their requests known to God, the ones who aren't saved!
WOW.
So like I said... it's almost 3am and I could literally talk for forever about this because prayer is so EXCITING and God is moving in both of my homes and both of my home churches BEAUTIFULLY and LARGELY! AMEN hallelujah praise woo all of that!
But anyway, one example of how I've increased in being led by the HS is just taking my eyes off of myself all the time and learning to LISTEN to what God would have me do.
-Something that SOUNDS so simple... but with our busy American lives.. we're always doing something and usually just call upon the name of the Lord when we're in the dumps and neeeeeeed something desperately.
-We are called VICTORS in Christ! (again.... another post in itself)
So, I have been asking the Lord that, amongst a lot of other things... who can I intercede on the behalf of?
(For sake of privacy of course I'm not revealing names)
But it's been really really cool to see how God truly leads us to pray for people and how quickly we sometimes see results! Fruit is SO cool to see manifest! :)
-but remember, we don't have to see, feel, smell, or sense ANYTHING for prayer to be real, for prayer to work, and to have faith in the FINISHED WORK of Christ. He's already done the heavy lifting! We just have to learn and grow to have the faith to BELIEVE so we can RECEIVE those answered prayers and reap the harvest!
So in this area, (because faith produces BOLDNESS which I've also prayed and believed for) I've found myself being so much bolder in my faith to speak in tongues over whoever the Lord drops in my spirit! What an incredibly powerful and amazing feeling it is to know that you're literally helping someone out in the most efficient, powerful, and effective way! Doesn't matter if you know for whom it's for or not! God said that tongues have power! And Lord knows we can pray in tongues for a minute and it's a million percent more efficient than English! Haha. God sure has a sense of humor! :)
But speaking over others doesn't HAVE to be in tongues, and there's nothing WRONG with English! Not at all! The evidence of speaking in tongues is just the evidence we have of the true POWER of the Holy Spirit working in our lives! AWESOME and not freaky, ever. Gosh I love the Holy Spirit.
He's really been leading me and showing me that taking leaps of faith truly sometimes are leaps, but obedience always always ALWAYS pays off and is rewarded. God can't bless those who don't walk in obedience! Gosh it's so much easier finally giving up MY way to trust His. I walked in my plan for my life for so long, and although I produced some fruit, I wasn't walking in but a fraction of what God's plan was. So I'm on track now, stronger than ever, bolder than ever, but also more LOVING than ever.
I'm so passionate for people! All of God's people, no matter who you are, what color you are, where you come from, where you're going. I love you! And God loves you!
-Through God's love, all of life changes. Literally. I know that's the biggest blanket statement ever, but walking in love takes away every problem in life.
For example: strife, envy, pride, offense... to name a few.
In every circumstance, there is ALWAYS MORE grace, MORE love, and MORE power available to those who are in Christ Jesus- (James 4:6)
-So whenever the devil tries to make me stressed, mad, emotional, or make me feel helpless or alone... I just remember that God has given me grace (which means unmerited favor) for everything. He loves me more than ANY human could. He CANNOT and WILL NOT fail me. He IS POWER. There's nothing more powerful, and He's ALWAYS WILLING to give me MORE of all of that!
Like... what?
-How can I not just praise and thank You all day long God?
I think I WILL!
Everything flows from a heart of thanksgiving and praise!
Wake up and start thanking God for things tomorrow... really, ANYTHING.
See how your outlook changes! Then let me know I'd love to hear your feedback!
I hope this blesses you dear reader!
<3 MJS
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
And now that it's over, it's time to begin!
So, DMS is officially "over" but life couldn't feel more like its beginning!
Yesterday we had amazing worship that led us into like an hour to two hours of prophecy, and WOWWWWWWW things could not have been more accurate!!!
God is good God is great God is better than anything!
I'm so so so excited for this new season of my life and to take the tools I've used to grow so so so much more and to use the family here I have gotten through this to grow in all of those!!!
God answered so many prayers this week. It will probably take a little bit to process every good thing that happened. And the good thing is, Gods given it even if I can't understand or process it!! :)
Anyway, that's vaguely all for now... But if you're in the Nashville area and looking for a home church, CHECK OUT NASHILLE LIFE!!! They preach the real word and real truth and things that will set you free! And come to the next DMS in the summer! Your world will be entirely flipped upside down in the BEST WAY! Hallelujah!!!!
Megan
Yesterday we had amazing worship that led us into like an hour to two hours of prophecy, and WOWWWWWWW things could not have been more accurate!!!
God is good God is great God is better than anything!
I'm so so so excited for this new season of my life and to take the tools I've used to grow so so so much more and to use the family here I have gotten through this to grow in all of those!!!
God answered so many prayers this week. It will probably take a little bit to process every good thing that happened. And the good thing is, Gods given it even if I can't understand or process it!! :)
Anyway, that's vaguely all for now... But if you're in the Nashville area and looking for a home church, CHECK OUT NASHILLE LIFE!!! They preach the real word and real truth and things that will set you free! And come to the next DMS in the summer! Your world will be entirely flipped upside down in the BEST WAY! Hallelujah!!!!
Megan
Monday, January 21, 2013
A fork in the road...
So...
I wish it were possible to exclaim in words how much my life was changed this week.
Simply put, however, it's not in fact possible without literally writing a novel around minimum 100 pages long.
...and we still have 2 days left!
2 huge, powerful days!
So I have compiled a wonderful list of ten great little snipits of what has stood out to me! This is off the top of my head... Again, there's so so so much more I can't even process it all fully yet!
1. Being free is worth it. If you don't know Jesus, you aren't free. If you do know Jesus, you still probably aren't walking in the freedom you could be.
- his yoke is easy and His burden is sooooooo light. He brings no guilt, no condemnation, and He already paid the price for every "horrible sin" you've committed.
- I thought I was free, I wasn't.
- my life has LITERALLY TURNED INSIDE OUT.
-7 days ago I was a weeping horrible mess in my room homesick and miserable. I had what felt like no hope left and was absolutely letting the enemy rule my thoughts and kill my dreams.
- wanna know what DMS taught me? How to laugh in that idiots face and kick him out for good!
2. Tithing is for everyone,
- I now know 50 scriptures why and 50 reasons why! So empowering and such a privilege!
- we are giving back to God what's already His!
- god already gave His 10%.... His only Son.
- do you get that? Could you... Do that? For the whole world and all it's messed up people?
- for anyone...?
- under the law, killing and stealing was wrong... Sound now under the new covenant of grace we still don't go around killing and stealing in society as an ok thing... It's still wrong, so "I'm under grace I don't have to tithe" equals fail.
3. Worship and Praise are different, but also similar.
- praising Him gets everything else going!
- sets your spirit on fire!!!!!!
4. Everything in life is all about getting to know Him better!
5. Everyone can have the baptism of the Holy Spirit through tongues.
- its not freaky, it's not scary.
- its the most natural, beautiful, wonderful power we have been given as Christians.
- tongues IS the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
6. People from Australia are SO COOL.
7. You can learn so so much from teaching of others even though it's all Bible and the same topics... A teachable spirit is a wonderful thing to learn to have!
8. Freedom brought my joy back!!!
And it's never going away hallelujah!
9. Persecution is a cause for rejoicing!
- I'm not Luke warm and the devil, that little speck of a punk is afraid of me!
- wooooooo! I'm powerful with Jesus!!!!
10. I'm never alone, I'm free, I'm loved, I'm saved, and I'm changed.
FOR GOOD.
Megan
I wish it were possible to exclaim in words how much my life was changed this week.
Simply put, however, it's not in fact possible without literally writing a novel around minimum 100 pages long.
...and we still have 2 days left!
2 huge, powerful days!
So I have compiled a wonderful list of ten great little snipits of what has stood out to me! This is off the top of my head... Again, there's so so so much more I can't even process it all fully yet!
1. Being free is worth it. If you don't know Jesus, you aren't free. If you do know Jesus, you still probably aren't walking in the freedom you could be.
- his yoke is easy and His burden is sooooooo light. He brings no guilt, no condemnation, and He already paid the price for every "horrible sin" you've committed.
- I thought I was free, I wasn't.
- my life has LITERALLY TURNED INSIDE OUT.
-7 days ago I was a weeping horrible mess in my room homesick and miserable. I had what felt like no hope left and was absolutely letting the enemy rule my thoughts and kill my dreams.
- wanna know what DMS taught me? How to laugh in that idiots face and kick him out for good!
2. Tithing is for everyone,
- I now know 50 scriptures why and 50 reasons why! So empowering and such a privilege!
- we are giving back to God what's already His!
- god already gave His 10%.... His only Son.
- do you get that? Could you... Do that? For the whole world and all it's messed up people?
- for anyone...?
- under the law, killing and stealing was wrong... Sound now under the new covenant of grace we still don't go around killing and stealing in society as an ok thing... It's still wrong, so "I'm under grace I don't have to tithe" equals fail.
3. Worship and Praise are different, but also similar.
- praising Him gets everything else going!
- sets your spirit on fire!!!!!!
4. Everything in life is all about getting to know Him better!
5. Everyone can have the baptism of the Holy Spirit through tongues.
- its not freaky, it's not scary.
- its the most natural, beautiful, wonderful power we have been given as Christians.
- tongues IS the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
6. People from Australia are SO COOL.
7. You can learn so so much from teaching of others even though it's all Bible and the same topics... A teachable spirit is a wonderful thing to learn to have!
8. Freedom brought my joy back!!!
And it's never going away hallelujah!
9. Persecution is a cause for rejoicing!
- I'm not Luke warm and the devil, that little speck of a punk is afraid of me!
- wooooooo! I'm powerful with Jesus!!!!
10. I'm never alone, I'm free, I'm loved, I'm saved, and I'm changed.
FOR GOOD.
Megan
Sunday, January 13, 2013
When in doubt... READ ON! :)
John 16:32-33
32 But take notice, the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
We all go through trials and tribulations in life.
Some are trials are situations, some are places, some are people.
But regardless of the trial, it is important to think on and set our minds on what is truly important: how God has absolutely, positively, 100% provided the way OUT of these trials 100% of the time!
Just in 2 verses, Paul writes through the unction of the Holy Spirit that despite every stint of tribulation (which if you know the story of Paul at all, was persecuted more than ANY other person in the Bible; was known as the ugliest and hardest to look at person in the Bible because of how many times he had been beaten and stoned and persecuted for his faith STILL called tribulation "light affliction" (2 Corinthians 4:17)) WE MAY HAVE PERFECT PEACE AND CONFIDENCE! Because Jesus has overcome the entire world!
-This includes every person, place, or thing in the entire world.
You see, the devil (who I like to refer to as "the stupid one") tries to steal, kill, and destroy in any way he can in our life (John 10:10)m but he CANNOT unless we let him in!
Our spirits don't belong to the stupid one as children of God. In fact, they couldn't be more opposite.
But because we ARE spirits who LIVE in a body, we through free will can choose what we listen to, think on, and let permeate in our spirits!
This being said, through any trial or tribulation, the devil will try to throw thoughts at us in our minds, to try and get us to act out of our worldly instincts, our flesh! But We can "be of good cheer, taking COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, being CERTAIN AND UNDAUNTED because JESUS has OVERCOME, past tense the ENTIRE WORLD! When we resist the devil that stupid little tiny thing HAS TO FLEE!!! (James 4:7) He has no right to stay, and he is TERRIFIED of the Name of Jesus and the power that is behind it. He cannot stay, and neither can his stupid minions he tries to get to mess with us.
1 Peter 5:6-11
READ ON!
1 Peter 5:9-11 says to withstand the enemy FIRM in faith, because after a little while, (however long we allow the devil to have authority, or if we choose to quench his fiery darts with the WORD and speaking out our faith) (<-- Ephesians 6:16) that God of ALL grace who imparts ALL blessing and favor, who has called us to His own eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will HIMSELF COMPLETE and MAKE US what we ought to be, ESTABLISH and GROUND us securely, and STRENGTHEN and SETTLE US!
Wow! So in just reading on, we find out that because the fall of men thousands of years ago, sin in this world, and the stupid one, we are going to have trials and tribulations. Life is going to be sticky and messy and icky sometimes. But we can have CHEER and rejoice and be thankful! We aren't to worry, get down in the dumps, or stay down, because God has done ALL of these things:
1) Imparts ALL blessing
2) Imparts ALL favor
3) called us to His OWN eternal glory in Christ Jesus
4) Himself will complete
5) and Himself MAKE us what we ought to be
6) Establish us
7) Ground us
8) SECURELY (secure us)
9) Strengthen us
10) and Settle us!
Woah! 10 things in one verse! I'm glad I kept reading.
Not to mention verse 11, which I like to think as an extra punch in the face to the enemy, Jesus also says that oh by the way, "I have the dominion, (power, authority, rule) forever and EVER. Amen (so be it)."
-and yet that stupid devil tries to REAR ITS UGLY HEAD acting LIKE (because he ISN'T a lion, he's an impostor who fakes himself in whatever way he can to make himself SEEM bigger and badder than he actually is.)
-talk about a sucker punch to the... well... nevermind.
Bottom line is: The devil has NO NO NO NO NO authority unless we give it to him! He cannot win and he will NEVER win, unless we choose to violate the will of God for our lives which we know is for him to be all of those 10 things above and more!
And Lastly...
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
51 Take notice! I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God). We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed (transformed)
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed).
53 For this perishable [part of us] must put on the imperishable [nature], and this mortal [part of us, this nature that is capable of dying] must put on immortality (freedom from death).
54 And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the Scripture that says, Death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished forever) in and unto victory.
55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
56 Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercises its power [upon the soul] through [the abuse of] the Law.
57 But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].
I just love these few verses! Talk about something to be encouraged by and stand on!
We have already been given the promise that God has already provided our victory in every sense!
It tells us that death is swallowed up and utterly vanquished FOREVER in and unto victory!
That sin only exercises its power upon the soul though the abuse of the Law...
- but if we read on we see that we STILL are to have thanks unto God, for He STILL gives us the victory, making us CONQUERORS through Jesus Christ over that sin and death!
We can be firm, steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, are always superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord... all over the stupid one! He has NO power unless we don't exert our authority and let him in! Hallelujah he is already defeated!
So be blessed and encouraged! Nothing in this world has the power to defeat you unless you let it!
You have total victory through Jesus Christ! So walk around like you've won!
Megan. :)
32 But take notice, the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
We all go through trials and tribulations in life.
Some are trials are situations, some are places, some are people.
But regardless of the trial, it is important to think on and set our minds on what is truly important: how God has absolutely, positively, 100% provided the way OUT of these trials 100% of the time!
Just in 2 verses, Paul writes through the unction of the Holy Spirit that despite every stint of tribulation (which if you know the story of Paul at all, was persecuted more than ANY other person in the Bible; was known as the ugliest and hardest to look at person in the Bible because of how many times he had been beaten and stoned and persecuted for his faith STILL called tribulation "light affliction" (2 Corinthians 4:17)) WE MAY HAVE PERFECT PEACE AND CONFIDENCE! Because Jesus has overcome the entire world!
-This includes every person, place, or thing in the entire world.
You see, the devil (who I like to refer to as "the stupid one") tries to steal, kill, and destroy in any way he can in our life (John 10:10)m but he CANNOT unless we let him in!
Our spirits don't belong to the stupid one as children of God. In fact, they couldn't be more opposite.
But because we ARE spirits who LIVE in a body, we through free will can choose what we listen to, think on, and let permeate in our spirits!
This being said, through any trial or tribulation, the devil will try to throw thoughts at us in our minds, to try and get us to act out of our worldly instincts, our flesh! But We can "be of good cheer, taking COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, being CERTAIN AND UNDAUNTED because JESUS has OVERCOME, past tense the ENTIRE WORLD! When we resist the devil that stupid little tiny thing HAS TO FLEE!!! (James 4:7) He has no right to stay, and he is TERRIFIED of the Name of Jesus and the power that is behind it. He cannot stay, and neither can his stupid minions he tries to get to mess with us.
1 Peter 5:6-11
6 Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you,
7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.
9 Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the dominion (power, authority, rule) forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
_________________________________________________________________________________
So often I've seen many pastors focus on the verse 1 Peter 5:8 where it talks about how we need to "Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour." But it boggles my mind how often this is taken out of context! Shouldn't we know by the thousands of other verses in the Bible that our God doesn't leave us hangin?_________________________________________________________________________________
READ ON!
1 Peter 5:9-11 says to withstand the enemy FIRM in faith, because after a little while, (however long we allow the devil to have authority, or if we choose to quench his fiery darts with the WORD and speaking out our faith) (<-- Ephesians 6:16) that God of ALL grace who imparts ALL blessing and favor, who has called us to His own eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will HIMSELF COMPLETE and MAKE US what we ought to be, ESTABLISH and GROUND us securely, and STRENGTHEN and SETTLE US!
Wow! So in just reading on, we find out that because the fall of men thousands of years ago, sin in this world, and the stupid one, we are going to have trials and tribulations. Life is going to be sticky and messy and icky sometimes. But we can have CHEER and rejoice and be thankful! We aren't to worry, get down in the dumps, or stay down, because God has done ALL of these things:
1) Imparts ALL blessing
2) Imparts ALL favor
3) called us to His OWN eternal glory in Christ Jesus
4) Himself will complete
5) and Himself MAKE us what we ought to be
6) Establish us
7) Ground us
8) SECURELY (secure us)
9) Strengthen us
10) and Settle us!
Woah! 10 things in one verse! I'm glad I kept reading.
Not to mention verse 11, which I like to think as an extra punch in the face to the enemy, Jesus also says that oh by the way, "I have the dominion, (power, authority, rule) forever and EVER. Amen (so be it)."
-and yet that stupid devil tries to REAR ITS UGLY HEAD acting LIKE (because he ISN'T a lion, he's an impostor who fakes himself in whatever way he can to make himself SEEM bigger and badder than he actually is.)
-talk about a sucker punch to the... well... nevermind.
Bottom line is: The devil has NO NO NO NO NO authority unless we give it to him! He cannot win and he will NEVER win, unless we choose to violate the will of God for our lives which we know is for him to be all of those 10 things above and more!
And Lastly...
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
51 Take notice! I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God). We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed (transformed)
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed).
53 For this perishable [part of us] must put on the imperishable [nature], and this mortal [part of us, this nature that is capable of dying] must put on immortality (freedom from death).
54 And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the Scripture that says, Death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished forever) in and unto victory.
55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
56 Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercises its power [upon the soul] through [the abuse of] the Law.
57 But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].
I just love these few verses! Talk about something to be encouraged by and stand on!
We have already been given the promise that God has already provided our victory in every sense!
It tells us that death is swallowed up and utterly vanquished FOREVER in and unto victory!
That sin only exercises its power upon the soul though the abuse of the Law...
- but if we read on we see that we STILL are to have thanks unto God, for He STILL gives us the victory, making us CONQUERORS through Jesus Christ over that sin and death!
We can be firm, steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, are always superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord... all over the stupid one! He has NO power unless we don't exert our authority and let him in! Hallelujah he is already defeated!
So be blessed and encouraged! Nothing in this world has the power to defeat you unless you let it!
You have total victory through Jesus Christ! So walk around like you've won!
Megan. :)
Thursday, December 6, 2012
We have the Victory... everything will be ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!
Have you ever heard the song "We Have Overcome" by Israel Houghton?
Well, it's an incredible reminder of the VICTORY we are to walk in at all times!
Here's a link: "We Have Overcome" Israel Houghton
Not only is it catchy, but it underlines very important elements of our faith that we sometimes forget.
The first lyric "Thanks be to God who ALWAYS causes us to TRIUMPH in His name!!!"
- always. That's a bold statement. Always causes us to triumph?
Why, yes He does. Always.
The Bible never says we won't go through trials and tribulations, in fact it says we'll definitely face them when we're walking in righteousness with our Lord Jesus Christ.
But as the song says... we have OVERCOME!! HALLELUJAH!!!! By the POWER of Your Name!!! Jesus You're the One!!!
The One who made a WAY for us to TRIUMPH in His Name!!!
HERE is a great website with verses about trials and tribulations... but guess what! Jesus already fought EVERY battle we'll ever face, and if you notice in these verses... they always end with VICTORY, PEACE, LOVE, and HOPE! We don't have to worry no MATTER how big the mountain SEEMS! God is BIGGER than our problems! Our problems only seem bigger when we let them and don't take those thoughts captive and surrender the situation to the PEACEMAKER!
John 16:33 says it so well...
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
-The world? That means the WHOLE world, and everyONE and everyTHING in it.
-Your problem is NO match for God.
But my most favorite part is honestly the WOAHHHHHH's that come in the bridge.
-There's something SO freeing about just screaming WOAHHH at the top of your lungs! God said lift a joyful noise up to Him!
-Even if you aren't the best singer, God wants us to sing our hearts out to Him and worship Him!!!
-When we sing something as simple as woah, at least for me, it allows me to link to God in a way where I don't have to worry about the words, and can just praise Him!!! And God definitely wants us to praise and edify His name!!! (Psalm 30:4)
On another note... I was meditating in Sparkling Gems, the devotional by Rick Renner this morning and flipped to November 29th. Even though today is definitely December 6th. Haha, I love when God leads me somewhere "random." In which the "randomness" has a totally exact purpose. Hehe ;)
It was talking all about how we should be ELATED for Jesus' return and again, the POWER that Jesus has over the enemy.
With the basis of 2 Thessalonians 2:8 which reads:
"And then shall that Wiked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
This verse is SO powerful. Without just saying word for word what this incredibly revelatory 2 pages said, I will highlight a few of the words Pastor Rick highlights and shows us what mean in the GREEK (the original language which the new testament was written).
the word "consume" is anairo, which means to kill, to murder, to slay, to slaughter, to do away with, or to abolish.
-aka, when the Lord comes, He will obliterate the antichrist. He will wipe him out and permanently do way with him. AMEN!!! How's that for victory!?
-How will He consume? With the spirit of his mouth, which [spirit] is the Greek word pneuma, which means that even through Satan energizes the antichrist with all the power he posesses, this evil leader doesn't stand a chance in the Presence of Jesus.
-mouth in the Greek stomos, which describes (along with the word spirit) that the Lord will open his mouth and speak - and when He does, so much power will be released that it will permanently remove the antichrist from the world scene. Hallelujah!
Paul says this final encounter with the Lord will "destroy" this evil leader.
-Destroy in the Greek is the word katargeo, which means to bring to nothing, to reduce to waste, to render inactive; to abolish, to put out of commission.
Wow! That's powerful!
Lastly, Renner describes how although it's fantastic to hold true that this power is coming to conquer the devil, we also can latch on to this power of God NOW! When we serve Jesus Christ, we have JOINED the GREATEST CHAMPION in the universe. There is no power that can equal or surpass His power! We are joint heirs with Christ!!! Everything He possesses - including His power and His victory - becomes OURS!!!!! Woo!
Jesus has given us His Mighty Power to use in this life too!!!
So if some kind of evil is resisting us right now in some area of our life, we are to open our mouths and let the power of God be released to OBLITERATE that attack!
"Shock the devil with a sudden manifestation of God's power that permanently immobilizes him in every area of your life!" <-- What a great statement Pastor Renner! IMMOBILIZE! Great word.
So walk in VICTORY today because You have it as a child of God!!! :)
You can do ALL things through Christ, who STRENGTHENS you!!!
Merry Christmas and good luck on finals students!!!
Megs <3
Well, it's an incredible reminder of the VICTORY we are to walk in at all times!
Here's a link: "We Have Overcome" Israel Houghton
Not only is it catchy, but it underlines very important elements of our faith that we sometimes forget.
The first lyric "Thanks be to God who ALWAYS causes us to TRIUMPH in His name!!!"
- always. That's a bold statement. Always causes us to triumph?
Why, yes He does. Always.
The Bible never says we won't go through trials and tribulations, in fact it says we'll definitely face them when we're walking in righteousness with our Lord Jesus Christ.
But as the song says... we have OVERCOME!! HALLELUJAH!!!! By the POWER of Your Name!!! Jesus You're the One!!!
The One who made a WAY for us to TRIUMPH in His Name!!!
HERE is a great website with verses about trials and tribulations... but guess what! Jesus already fought EVERY battle we'll ever face, and if you notice in these verses... they always end with VICTORY, PEACE, LOVE, and HOPE! We don't have to worry no MATTER how big the mountain SEEMS! God is BIGGER than our problems! Our problems only seem bigger when we let them and don't take those thoughts captive and surrender the situation to the PEACEMAKER!
John 16:33 says it so well...
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
-The world? That means the WHOLE world, and everyONE and everyTHING in it.
-Your problem is NO match for God.
But my most favorite part is honestly the WOAHHHHHH's that come in the bridge.
-There's something SO freeing about just screaming WOAHHH at the top of your lungs! God said lift a joyful noise up to Him!
-Even if you aren't the best singer, God wants us to sing our hearts out to Him and worship Him!!!
-When we sing something as simple as woah, at least for me, it allows me to link to God in a way where I don't have to worry about the words, and can just praise Him!!! And God definitely wants us to praise and edify His name!!! (Psalm 30:4)
On another note... I was meditating in Sparkling Gems, the devotional by Rick Renner this morning and flipped to November 29th. Even though today is definitely December 6th. Haha, I love when God leads me somewhere "random." In which the "randomness" has a totally exact purpose. Hehe ;)
It was talking all about how we should be ELATED for Jesus' return and again, the POWER that Jesus has over the enemy.
With the basis of 2 Thessalonians 2:8 which reads:
"And then shall that Wiked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
This verse is SO powerful. Without just saying word for word what this incredibly revelatory 2 pages said, I will highlight a few of the words Pastor Rick highlights and shows us what mean in the GREEK (the original language which the new testament was written).
the word "consume" is anairo, which means to kill, to murder, to slay, to slaughter, to do away with, or to abolish.
-aka, when the Lord comes, He will obliterate the antichrist. He will wipe him out and permanently do way with him. AMEN!!! How's that for victory!?
-How will He consume? With the spirit of his mouth, which [spirit] is the Greek word pneuma, which means that even through Satan energizes the antichrist with all the power he posesses, this evil leader doesn't stand a chance in the Presence of Jesus.
-mouth in the Greek stomos, which describes (along with the word spirit) that the Lord will open his mouth and speak - and when He does, so much power will be released that it will permanently remove the antichrist from the world scene. Hallelujah!
Paul says this final encounter with the Lord will "destroy" this evil leader.
-Destroy in the Greek is the word katargeo, which means to bring to nothing, to reduce to waste, to render inactive; to abolish, to put out of commission.
Wow! That's powerful!
Lastly, Renner describes how although it's fantastic to hold true that this power is coming to conquer the devil, we also can latch on to this power of God NOW! When we serve Jesus Christ, we have JOINED the GREATEST CHAMPION in the universe. There is no power that can equal or surpass His power! We are joint heirs with Christ!!! Everything He possesses - including His power and His victory - becomes OURS!!!!! Woo!
Jesus has given us His Mighty Power to use in this life too!!!
So if some kind of evil is resisting us right now in some area of our life, we are to open our mouths and let the power of God be released to OBLITERATE that attack!
"Shock the devil with a sudden manifestation of God's power that permanently immobilizes him in every area of your life!" <-- What a great statement Pastor Renner! IMMOBILIZE! Great word.
So walk in VICTORY today because You have it as a child of God!!! :)
You can do ALL things through Christ, who STRENGTHENS you!!!
Merry Christmas and good luck on finals students!!!
Megs <3
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Lean on Me, when you're not strong...
I've always loved the song "Lean on Me," by Bill Withers heralding from way back in the late 1970s.
-But today, it gleaned a deeper meaning within me.
If you've been keeping up with me, you know that there's always literally approximately 9 million things going on in my life here at college, at one time.
But, then you also know that I've been making adjustments and lifestyle choices for the better so that as a result, life is easier, life is better.
Well.....
Today I decided to test my trust in God.
Notice how I said test MY trust in God, not test God.
"Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God."
-iDONTwannaANSWERforTHATthankYOUhaha :)
Anyways...
So I woke up around 10:30 am today, pleasantly greeted by the beautiful rays of sunshine coming through my window. It's such a joy to wake up to sunlight, when you want to, not when you have to! Therapeutic of sorts!
I immediately thought to myself: "Hey God! It's Saturday! Woah... I don't have anything planned til Footloose tonight! What's on my agenda?"
I began to think...
the list began...
Well. I need to eat breakfast.
-went to the fridge, ate a modge podge of things (in my head thinking break ahead... must clean out fridge and eat what's there!)
-breakfast/lunch/brunch/what?
--check.
Well, I should probably work out...
-how nice is it outside? It looks sunny.
-Should I run? Do insanity? Go to the gym and lift?
-oops. ended up doing none of these today. Oh well, I worked out 5 times this week already, one day skipping is fine.
Well, then I should prob go put real clothes on.
-didn't happen.
Well, what homework do I have?
-Music history paper and reading... check did that last night
-Math none, Theory IV none, Performed in Classical on Thursday so that'll be over break... Commercial done... Aural skills transcription... over break....
-HISTORY RESEARCH PAPER..... (begin weeping on the inside)
Woof. Don't want to do my paper.
Then... literally some how... I'm looking through my fridge and realize I have a crap ton of meat that has been frozen in there for the last month or so. (It's fine... not gross or spoiled or anything... not the point of this story) I think to myself again:
-(keep in mind people, you're getting the play by play of Megan's mind. This is monumental...)
-Wow, I really don't think I want this sitting in the freezer over Thanksgiving break. Much less Christmas. I better eat this.
-(Takes out of freezer and tries to cut off one patty's worth)
-fail, it's totally frozen.
-I better thaw this.
-So.... 30 minutes go by and the beef is thawed.
Then... I realize I have enough meat for literally 8 hungry people.
-well crap, I can't eat this much!
So, I call a few of my guy friends and tell them that I have delicious hamburgers cooking and that I can't eat it all.
The first males arrive 5 minutes later.
Now, I was extremely proud of myself because
1) I'd never cooked hamburgers in my life.
-Also, College apartments don't exactly come stocked with grills. Plus I eat more chicken and fish rather than steak. (I'm from a state where you know the cow's name that was shot... that's how you eat beef... there's no such thing as buying it from Wal-Mart. Gross)
2) Literally using a frying pan. Not a struggle, but it was annoying sopping up the grease every 2 minutes. New found appreciation for the George Foreman Grill. Thank you George.
3) I WANT THESE TO TASTE GOOD IF I'M GOING TO FEED THEM TO MALES WHO LOVE MEAT. And I love meat.
-What should I marinate this with? Do people do that or do they just cook it? Well... better wing it.
So... I throw 3 tbsp (or... more) of Grandma Foster's BBQ sauce in there, with lots of lemon pepper, garlic salt, all-encompassing no salt seasoning, minced garlic, and minced onion, and make me some patties.
THEY.WERE.SO.GOOD.
The burgers resulted in 5 people's happy stomach's, and 4 more people in love with GF's BBQ.
Visit their site at http://www.grandmafostersbbq.com/Home.html They're our really good family friends, all the proceeds go to a children's/teenage home to keep kids out of gangs, and it tastes SO GREAT!!!! It's won like a hundred awards, and you'll know why!
I was SO PROUD OF MYSELF. I should make it an official recipe and put it online sometime.
Yes? No? Thoughts?
Anyway... then a few of my friends stayed and we did laundry for like 2 more hours...
Moral of the story: It was 330 pm when they left and my paper was still... not started.
PROBLEM. Due Monday.
But... you know what? I actually rested for the first time in months.
The first Saturday where I didn't HAVE to be somewhere, or do something.
I spent valuable time with friends and still had a couple hours til Footloose.
so... as my friends left, I sat down and said to God:
"Dad, it's 4pm and I haven't started my paper. I know I've procrastinated and literally had so much time to complete this, but I thank You for the wonderful fellowship with friends today and I thank you that the burgers were good and blessed others! Let that seed of food grow and produce a harvest! And now, thank you Lord for quickening my mind and showing me exactly what to write in this paper. To You be the Glory Lord, I believe you're good and You can do ALL things through me! Thank You for stamina and energy and wisdom to complete this with joy and contentment! Also God... I have to shower and stuff before and be there really soon so... REALLY quicken my mind!"
at 4:57 pm I looked up from my laptop.
I had just been completely focused and typing for an hour. Sources flowed easily through my paper, every argument supported with factual evidence.
Click: "See Word Count"
Almost 900 words had been typed.
Then: took a shower.
It's now 5:45 and I have to be at the show at 7, and eat dinner.
Sat down at 6:15 to start writing, stopped at 6:45.
500 more words typed!
Thank you Lord!!!!! :)
Footloose was INCREDIBLE and I'm so so happy I went!
Got home, ate some snacks, and finished my paper in an HOUR! :)
1,764 words, and 7 pages later, and God is good!
Now tomorrow, despite church in the morning, a rehearsal from 12-3, pictures from 330-430, and sorority chapter at 7, I can rest and peacefully edit my paper and put in the footnotes, knowing that my God provided like he promises He always will do.
It's so cool to trust God and lean on Him.
We get to have fun with our friends, while trusting He can bring wisdom to us.
Disclaimer: I still shouldn't have procrastinated, and I'm not condoning it, but God is very very good, and is our Helper for a reason!
Be encouraged. You can do it because He can do it, and His strength lies WITHIN YOU!!!
Philipians 4:13
Megan. <3
-But today, it gleaned a deeper meaning within me.
If you've been keeping up with me, you know that there's always literally approximately 9 million things going on in my life here at college, at one time.
But, then you also know that I've been making adjustments and lifestyle choices for the better so that as a result, life is easier, life is better.
Well.....
Today I decided to test my trust in God.
Notice how I said test MY trust in God, not test God.
"Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God."
-iDONTwannaANSWERforTHATthankYOUhaha :)
Anyways...
So I woke up around 10:30 am today, pleasantly greeted by the beautiful rays of sunshine coming through my window. It's such a joy to wake up to sunlight, when you want to, not when you have to! Therapeutic of sorts!
I immediately thought to myself: "Hey God! It's Saturday! Woah... I don't have anything planned til Footloose tonight! What's on my agenda?"
I began to think...
the list began...
Well. I need to eat breakfast.
-went to the fridge, ate a modge podge of things (in my head thinking break ahead... must clean out fridge and eat what's there!)
-breakfast/lunch/brunch/what?
--check.
Well, I should probably work out...
-how nice is it outside? It looks sunny.
-Should I run? Do insanity? Go to the gym and lift?
-oops. ended up doing none of these today. Oh well, I worked out 5 times this week already, one day skipping is fine.
Well, then I should prob go put real clothes on.
-didn't happen.
Well, what homework do I have?
-Music history paper and reading... check did that last night
-Math none, Theory IV none, Performed in Classical on Thursday so that'll be over break... Commercial done... Aural skills transcription... over break....
-HISTORY RESEARCH PAPER..... (begin weeping on the inside)
Woof. Don't want to do my paper.
Then... literally some how... I'm looking through my fridge and realize I have a crap ton of meat that has been frozen in there for the last month or so. (It's fine... not gross or spoiled or anything... not the point of this story) I think to myself again:
-(keep in mind people, you're getting the play by play of Megan's mind. This is monumental...)
-Wow, I really don't think I want this sitting in the freezer over Thanksgiving break. Much less Christmas. I better eat this.
-(Takes out of freezer and tries to cut off one patty's worth)
-fail, it's totally frozen.
-I better thaw this.
-So.... 30 minutes go by and the beef is thawed.
Then... I realize I have enough meat for literally 8 hungry people.
-well crap, I can't eat this much!
So, I call a few of my guy friends and tell them that I have delicious hamburgers cooking and that I can't eat it all.
The first males arrive 5 minutes later.
Now, I was extremely proud of myself because
1) I'd never cooked hamburgers in my life.
-Also, College apartments don't exactly come stocked with grills. Plus I eat more chicken and fish rather than steak. (I'm from a state where you know the cow's name that was shot... that's how you eat beef... there's no such thing as buying it from Wal-Mart. Gross)
2) Literally using a frying pan. Not a struggle, but it was annoying sopping up the grease every 2 minutes. New found appreciation for the George Foreman Grill. Thank you George.
3) I WANT THESE TO TASTE GOOD IF I'M GOING TO FEED THEM TO MALES WHO LOVE MEAT. And I love meat.
-What should I marinate this with? Do people do that or do they just cook it? Well... better wing it.
So... I throw 3 tbsp (or... more) of Grandma Foster's BBQ sauce in there, with lots of lemon pepper, garlic salt, all-encompassing no salt seasoning, minced garlic, and minced onion, and make me some patties.
THEY.WERE.SO.GOOD.
The burgers resulted in 5 people's happy stomach's, and 4 more people in love with GF's BBQ.
Visit their site at http://www.grandmafostersbbq.com/Home.html They're our really good family friends, all the proceeds go to a children's/teenage home to keep kids out of gangs, and it tastes SO GREAT!!!! It's won like a hundred awards, and you'll know why!
I was SO PROUD OF MYSELF. I should make it an official recipe and put it online sometime.
Yes? No? Thoughts?
Anyway... then a few of my friends stayed and we did laundry for like 2 more hours...
Moral of the story: It was 330 pm when they left and my paper was still... not started.
PROBLEM. Due Monday.
But... you know what? I actually rested for the first time in months.
The first Saturday where I didn't HAVE to be somewhere, or do something.
I spent valuable time with friends and still had a couple hours til Footloose.
so... as my friends left, I sat down and said to God:
"Dad, it's 4pm and I haven't started my paper. I know I've procrastinated and literally had so much time to complete this, but I thank You for the wonderful fellowship with friends today and I thank you that the burgers were good and blessed others! Let that seed of food grow and produce a harvest! And now, thank you Lord for quickening my mind and showing me exactly what to write in this paper. To You be the Glory Lord, I believe you're good and You can do ALL things through me! Thank You for stamina and energy and wisdom to complete this with joy and contentment! Also God... I have to shower and stuff before and be there really soon so... REALLY quicken my mind!"
at 4:57 pm I looked up from my laptop.
I had just been completely focused and typing for an hour. Sources flowed easily through my paper, every argument supported with factual evidence.
Click: "See Word Count"
Almost 900 words had been typed.
Then: took a shower.
It's now 5:45 and I have to be at the show at 7, and eat dinner.
Sat down at 6:15 to start writing, stopped at 6:45.
500 more words typed!
Thank you Lord!!!!! :)
Footloose was INCREDIBLE and I'm so so happy I went!
Got home, ate some snacks, and finished my paper in an HOUR! :)
1,764 words, and 7 pages later, and God is good!
Now tomorrow, despite church in the morning, a rehearsal from 12-3, pictures from 330-430, and sorority chapter at 7, I can rest and peacefully edit my paper and put in the footnotes, knowing that my God provided like he promises He always will do.
It's so cool to trust God and lean on Him.
We get to have fun with our friends, while trusting He can bring wisdom to us.
Disclaimer: I still shouldn't have procrastinated, and I'm not condoning it, but God is very very good, and is our Helper for a reason!
Be encouraged. You can do it because He can do it, and His strength lies WITHIN YOU!!!
Philipians 4:13
Megan. <3
Monday, November 12, 2012
Rainy Days equal... Joy?
Unless you're partial to living in Seattle or places like it... this post will absolutely resonate with you.
So in Nashville, it rains, a lot.
And with rain at least for me, it's extremely easy to become unmotivated and sad.
Something about cloudy days, cold, and moisture just don't resonate well with me, making me honestly in a blatantly negative mood. I've in the past blamed it on stress, hunger, or even "female problems," but all in all, being negative is never okay. It all boils down to letting my emotions control me and not controlling them.
The Bible says that we have been given the victory. POWER over EVERY force and the principalities of darkness. It tells us darkness FLEES from light. It tells us that light ALWAYS overpowers darkness.
And yet... we allow mere things of the 5 senses to inhibit us from walking fully joyous, peaceful, and victorious lives!
... What? Why!
We are all imperfect, and taught in society that it's ok to get to a point where you have to rant or cry your eyes out til you feel black and blue to feel better. Society tells us that gorging in a bucket of ice cream or punching someone in the face are the only ways to resolve the issue of inner sadness, but what does God have to say about this?
The Bible tells us that we have the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, (Love, Joy, Peace, discipline, Self-control... etc)
I would like to focus on self-control.
We have been GIVEN the power to control and be the victor over our emotions! The POWER to CONTROL... OURSELVES! This may seem trite and a minute thing to focus on, but how many times do we not take our thoughts captive (Like Romans 12:1-2 says to do) and then before we realize a negative emotional attack happening, we're in a world of emotional hurt and just wanna crawl back into bed and sob?
How do I know this? Because it literally happened to me yesterday, after church.
Saturday night I spent my evening with my best friend, gabbing about our plans to study abroad this upcoming May in Ireland. We fellowshipped immensely and for hours on end talked about the Lord and His calling on our individual lives. I went to bed so overjoyed!
Sunday morning, I woke up before my alarm and spent time in the word before I got ready to attend a new church that was recommended to me. I went to church, filled with more word and BAM! all of a sudden on my drive home Satan launches a HUGE emotional attack on me and it takes everything in my power not to start bawling my eyes out over... what. NOTHING!!!!!
So I began to use the power I knew was inside of me, the power that Jesus promises we have, the power to SPEAK over the situation and CHANGE what we can sense through the 5 physical senses. (Keep in mind the Bible says what we see and feel are carnal and changing, but the things of the spirit are steadfast and unchanging! (2 Corinthians 4:18: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.)
So I began to speak, but after a minute or so, gave in.
I arrived back at my apartment and in a fit, secluded myself to my room.
I didn't feel better until I meditated on what the TRUTH was, while talking to my mother she spoke the word over me and told me what the Bible said.
Immediately, as if snapped out of a stupor, I was fully able to again take a situation, whether my workload, home sickness, and everything that was going on in perspective, and not in a fit of emotion that tried to tell me I had a million things to do IN THAT MOMENT and not later.
Hebrews 4 tells us that we are given the peaceable REST of God. He's always there to comfort us and guide us and that if we put him FIRST, (like for me... above school) God will always ALWAYS work everything out. So as I'm growing, I'm learning these things, and I cannot tell you how much it's made a difference.
I recommitted my time to putting God above school 4 weeks ago after fall break.
In that time span, I've had a huge test pushed back a week
A Paper pushed back 2 days.
A class cancelled
Another class cancelled twice.
God CANNOT fail, and when we ask in His name and BELIEVE He HAS to deliver.
We just don't give Him enough LITERAL "time of day" to learn to lean on and trust in Him! He has already said He has provided all of our needs unto His riches in glory!
Whether that means pushing back a test, helping pay for your car payment, or blessing someone else so He can bless you, it's all about putting God first so He can have the ability and allowance to operate fully in our lives!!!
So be happy!
God has provided SO much for us, and the devil blow by blow uses STUPID tactics (that are always the same) to trick our minds into thinking the 5 physical sense things we see, feel, touch, hear, or smell are forever set in stone. God can change anything. God can do anything. He IS our peace, IS our happiness, and through the fruit of self-control, we can control our emotions.
Megan <3
So in Nashville, it rains, a lot.
And with rain at least for me, it's extremely easy to become unmotivated and sad.
Something about cloudy days, cold, and moisture just don't resonate well with me, making me honestly in a blatantly negative mood. I've in the past blamed it on stress, hunger, or even "female problems," but all in all, being negative is never okay. It all boils down to letting my emotions control me and not controlling them.
The Bible says that we have been given the victory. POWER over EVERY force and the principalities of darkness. It tells us darkness FLEES from light. It tells us that light ALWAYS overpowers darkness.
And yet... we allow mere things of the 5 senses to inhibit us from walking fully joyous, peaceful, and victorious lives!
... What? Why!
We are all imperfect, and taught in society that it's ok to get to a point where you have to rant or cry your eyes out til you feel black and blue to feel better. Society tells us that gorging in a bucket of ice cream or punching someone in the face are the only ways to resolve the issue of inner sadness, but what does God have to say about this?
The Bible tells us that we have the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, (Love, Joy, Peace, discipline, Self-control... etc)
I would like to focus on self-control.
We have been GIVEN the power to control and be the victor over our emotions! The POWER to CONTROL... OURSELVES! This may seem trite and a minute thing to focus on, but how many times do we not take our thoughts captive (Like Romans 12:1-2 says to do) and then before we realize a negative emotional attack happening, we're in a world of emotional hurt and just wanna crawl back into bed and sob?
How do I know this? Because it literally happened to me yesterday, after church.
Saturday night I spent my evening with my best friend, gabbing about our plans to study abroad this upcoming May in Ireland. We fellowshipped immensely and for hours on end talked about the Lord and His calling on our individual lives. I went to bed so overjoyed!
Sunday morning, I woke up before my alarm and spent time in the word before I got ready to attend a new church that was recommended to me. I went to church, filled with more word and BAM! all of a sudden on my drive home Satan launches a HUGE emotional attack on me and it takes everything in my power not to start bawling my eyes out over... what. NOTHING!!!!!
So I began to use the power I knew was inside of me, the power that Jesus promises we have, the power to SPEAK over the situation and CHANGE what we can sense through the 5 physical senses. (Keep in mind the Bible says what we see and feel are carnal and changing, but the things of the spirit are steadfast and unchanging! (2 Corinthians 4:18: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.)
So I began to speak, but after a minute or so, gave in.
I arrived back at my apartment and in a fit, secluded myself to my room.
I didn't feel better until I meditated on what the TRUTH was, while talking to my mother she spoke the word over me and told me what the Bible said.
Immediately, as if snapped out of a stupor, I was fully able to again take a situation, whether my workload, home sickness, and everything that was going on in perspective, and not in a fit of emotion that tried to tell me I had a million things to do IN THAT MOMENT and not later.
Hebrews 4 tells us that we are given the peaceable REST of God. He's always there to comfort us and guide us and that if we put him FIRST, (like for me... above school) God will always ALWAYS work everything out. So as I'm growing, I'm learning these things, and I cannot tell you how much it's made a difference.
I recommitted my time to putting God above school 4 weeks ago after fall break.
In that time span, I've had a huge test pushed back a week
A Paper pushed back 2 days.
A class cancelled
Another class cancelled twice.
God CANNOT fail, and when we ask in His name and BELIEVE He HAS to deliver.
We just don't give Him enough LITERAL "time of day" to learn to lean on and trust in Him! He has already said He has provided all of our needs unto His riches in glory!
Whether that means pushing back a test, helping pay for your car payment, or blessing someone else so He can bless you, it's all about putting God first so He can have the ability and allowance to operate fully in our lives!!!
So be happy!
God has provided SO much for us, and the devil blow by blow uses STUPID tactics (that are always the same) to trick our minds into thinking the 5 physical sense things we see, feel, touch, hear, or smell are forever set in stone. God can change anything. God can do anything. He IS our peace, IS our happiness, and through the fruit of self-control, we can control our emotions.
Megan <3
Monday, November 5, 2012
Identity
Something has been burning on my heart for the last week or so, and I can't wait to continue to grow in it and study it out. What is this concept? Identity.
Especially an issue I think for women, but important for everyone, this concept has been pulverized, manipulated, and contorted in our minds as Americans from the time we are little.
It could be from anything, whether the media, family members, teachers, or friends. Bottom line is, that society teaches us to be something we're not, to conform to this image of perfection that is both unattainable, and ridiculous.
Growing up, I've always been that "too tall, too skinny" girl that never quite fit in with the popular girls. I was made fun of and picked at for everything that made me unique, everything that could possibly make me different or a cut above anyone else. Girls are mean, and every girl knows that, whether it's turning all the other toddlers away from you or by stealing your candy in class. Whether shunning you or picking you last for kickball. Anything that makes someone unique, is considered wrong, and one must conform to the image of something that someone else has set to be what is right.
Media through advertisements, television shows, and movies tell women that they have to be 5 foot 10 and 120 pounds with some elements big and some small in just the right places. If we don't have this, then we should always be striving to attain this. And we wonder why so many girls have eating disorders and search for love in the wrong places, constantly looking for the fulfillment of self through pathways that only lead to more destruction, and further questions.
So now, I'll get off my soap box and elicit why exactly this is on my heart, and my point in all of this.
My point is that, once you find your identity, it's the most inspiring, incredible, love overflowing, grace abounding, peaceful, fulfilling, joy-filled life you could EVER IMAGINE!
Believe me, I've lived the alternative, and although I was never a "bad kid" I have definitely been through my fair share of hardships. I heard this amazing quote this weekend at my sorority's retreat out in the middle of nowhere that stated that you can't tell someone they aren't sad just because you think your situation is worse and you're even sadder, just like if someone is happy you don't say they aren't happy because you're happier.
That being said, I believe that true identity is only found in Jesus Christ, and knowing His love. I know I know, you've all heard that before and that may seem a little blunt, but I have LIVED what it's like to not put God first, lived what it's like to be a Christian but not WALK in His love. It's impossible to put into words how incredible it feels to truly know that no matter if any person picked me last for kickball, no matter if someone told me that I was the fattest, ugliest, too tall girl in the entire world, that through ONLY GODS LOVE I can be resilient, and tell myself and walk CONVINCED that I do NOT have to accept that as truth. I walk in the truth of the Word, that through meditating (fixing eyes on, basking in, reading) on the Word of God and letting it into my spirit and affect the way I live I have truly become POWERFUL and STRONG!
There are so many scriptures I've heard my entire life that talk about "How Great is Our God" (Chris Tomlin's song everyone's heard), but really... how many times do we make our PROBLEMS bigger than a guy who in the Bible it says has a thumbnail THE SIZE OF THE EARTH? Guys, there are 7 BILLION people on here... and we let the actions or words of one person affect us when we have an ARMY of angels, and the Almighty One WITH US who says He will NEVER leave us NOR forsake us!!! What? Seriously, it's so funny and a bit stupid when we put the two on a scale side by side.
Y'all, seriously I'm NOT perfect and literally in the last MONTH I've really grasped this, and it's only by meditating on God's love. It gets me so excited! Seriously! I KNOW WHO I AM. I am His, and He is mine. There has been SO much awful honestly just... CRAP that's happened this school year, whether it be having to constantly be around people who are just inherently NEGATIVE and SEARCHING and DON'T know their identity. I'm not gonna lie, it's been EXTREMELY challenging at times. But you know what's gotten me through? God's love, and learning that I HAVE the POWER to CHOOSE what affects me. I have the power through Jesus Christ to CHOOSE what I let bring me down, or I choose to have Joy and be content in all circumstances! (Phil 4:11-13)
But it's only because I know that my identity is in Him.
He forms my image of myself.
By the principles of His word, forms what I believe.
By His stripes, I am healed.
Because He SO Loved me, He laid down and GAVE His life for me. (John 3:16)
Because I am imperfect, God sent the perfect one to SAVE ME.
I'm not too skinny, too fat, too tall, too anything. I'm not perfect, and I definitely always have things to work on. But I hold on to His grace constantly working through me to change me from the inside out. I am a living, breathing example of His love which I try my best to outpour to others, because until I understand His love I literally cannot comprehend what it means to love others, creating a wall shutting others out. I thank Jesus that there's never going to be a day I improve, move forward, and deliberately increase in faith and depth of the knowledge of Jesus. To Him be the glory for all the elements of me that other people want to be like. Every smile, every good deed, every time I have the opportunity to minister based on a past awful or great experience. It's all Him.
Thank you Lord.
Megan. <3
Especially an issue I think for women, but important for everyone, this concept has been pulverized, manipulated, and contorted in our minds as Americans from the time we are little.
It could be from anything, whether the media, family members, teachers, or friends. Bottom line is, that society teaches us to be something we're not, to conform to this image of perfection that is both unattainable, and ridiculous.
Growing up, I've always been that "too tall, too skinny" girl that never quite fit in with the popular girls. I was made fun of and picked at for everything that made me unique, everything that could possibly make me different or a cut above anyone else. Girls are mean, and every girl knows that, whether it's turning all the other toddlers away from you or by stealing your candy in class. Whether shunning you or picking you last for kickball. Anything that makes someone unique, is considered wrong, and one must conform to the image of something that someone else has set to be what is right.
Media through advertisements, television shows, and movies tell women that they have to be 5 foot 10 and 120 pounds with some elements big and some small in just the right places. If we don't have this, then we should always be striving to attain this. And we wonder why so many girls have eating disorders and search for love in the wrong places, constantly looking for the fulfillment of self through pathways that only lead to more destruction, and further questions.
So now, I'll get off my soap box and elicit why exactly this is on my heart, and my point in all of this.
My point is that, once you find your identity, it's the most inspiring, incredible, love overflowing, grace abounding, peaceful, fulfilling, joy-filled life you could EVER IMAGINE!
Believe me, I've lived the alternative, and although I was never a "bad kid" I have definitely been through my fair share of hardships. I heard this amazing quote this weekend at my sorority's retreat out in the middle of nowhere that stated that you can't tell someone they aren't sad just because you think your situation is worse and you're even sadder, just like if someone is happy you don't say they aren't happy because you're happier.
That being said, I believe that true identity is only found in Jesus Christ, and knowing His love. I know I know, you've all heard that before and that may seem a little blunt, but I have LIVED what it's like to not put God first, lived what it's like to be a Christian but not WALK in His love. It's impossible to put into words how incredible it feels to truly know that no matter if any person picked me last for kickball, no matter if someone told me that I was the fattest, ugliest, too tall girl in the entire world, that through ONLY GODS LOVE I can be resilient, and tell myself and walk CONVINCED that I do NOT have to accept that as truth. I walk in the truth of the Word, that through meditating (fixing eyes on, basking in, reading) on the Word of God and letting it into my spirit and affect the way I live I have truly become POWERFUL and STRONG!
There are so many scriptures I've heard my entire life that talk about "How Great is Our God" (Chris Tomlin's song everyone's heard), but really... how many times do we make our PROBLEMS bigger than a guy who in the Bible it says has a thumbnail THE SIZE OF THE EARTH? Guys, there are 7 BILLION people on here... and we let the actions or words of one person affect us when we have an ARMY of angels, and the Almighty One WITH US who says He will NEVER leave us NOR forsake us!!! What? Seriously, it's so funny and a bit stupid when we put the two on a scale side by side.
Y'all, seriously I'm NOT perfect and literally in the last MONTH I've really grasped this, and it's only by meditating on God's love. It gets me so excited! Seriously! I KNOW WHO I AM. I am His, and He is mine. There has been SO much awful honestly just... CRAP that's happened this school year, whether it be having to constantly be around people who are just inherently NEGATIVE and SEARCHING and DON'T know their identity. I'm not gonna lie, it's been EXTREMELY challenging at times. But you know what's gotten me through? God's love, and learning that I HAVE the POWER to CHOOSE what affects me. I have the power through Jesus Christ to CHOOSE what I let bring me down, or I choose to have Joy and be content in all circumstances! (Phil 4:11-13)
But it's only because I know that my identity is in Him.
He forms my image of myself.
By the principles of His word, forms what I believe.
By His stripes, I am healed.
Because He SO Loved me, He laid down and GAVE His life for me. (John 3:16)
Because I am imperfect, God sent the perfect one to SAVE ME.
I'm not too skinny, too fat, too tall, too anything. I'm not perfect, and I definitely always have things to work on. But I hold on to His grace constantly working through me to change me from the inside out. I am a living, breathing example of His love which I try my best to outpour to others, because until I understand His love I literally cannot comprehend what it means to love others, creating a wall shutting others out. I thank Jesus that there's never going to be a day I improve, move forward, and deliberately increase in faith and depth of the knowledge of Jesus. To Him be the glory for all the elements of me that other people want to be like. Every smile, every good deed, every time I have the opportunity to minister based on a past awful or great experience. It's all Him.
Thank you Lord.
Megan. <3
Friday, October 19, 2012
Moving forward, new great things!!!
Here is a copy of an email I sent 3 wonderful girls today.
We decided last Wednesday that God was really calling us to come together to form a real Christian sisterhood.
We all go to the same church and stand for the same things, and all wanted and needed a close knit group of Godly girls to fellowship with!
So... bam! Friday bible-study came about. And woah did God blow the roof off!! :)
Here it is: filled with wonderful scripture and revelation of stuff that all 4 of us were going through! :)
October 19, 2012
Hey beautifuls!!!
SO, I just wanted to kinda recap all that we talked about today so we don't forget the important points!!! :)
We talked about kinda what we're each going through, and each helped give input as to how we CAN FIGHT BACK POWERFULLY with the Mighty Word of God!!! :)
We talked about how WORDS mean SO much more than we could ever imagine!
Life and death are in the power of our tongue! Prov 18:21
Whosoever keeps guard over his mouth keeps himself from troubles Proverbs 21:23
God SPOKE the earth into motion.
Whenever the devil tries to get into our HEAD by speaking to our MIND, WILL, or EMOTIONS, WE OURSELVES have to take those thoughts captive, no one else can do it for us!
How do we do that?
Well, in order to stop one thought, (thoughts turn into words which turn into actions) we have to START thinking of another one!!!
So! We speak out loud, literally, saying whatever you need to do to stop that thought.
It's okay to tell the devil NO! We are MORE than conquerors in Christ Jesus! (Romans 8:37).
The devil ONLY has as much power as WE GIVE HIM. Remember! Thoughts fester if you don't stop them! Do you want them to become what you're speaking over yourself or what become your actions?
So SPEAK LIFE! Over your health, prosperity.
FAITH is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED FOR, the things UN-seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
- we can't SEE our healing, but God said that he has already given us "all things that pertain to life and Godliness" (2 Peter 1:3) and that he has already sent Jesus who "bore ALL sickness, ALL Disease, EVERY curse of the law" (Deuteronomy 28).
So if you ever have a symptom of illness, you have the legal right to say that you are HEALED and WHOLE in Jesus name!!! You have the power to believe the things unseen! That's faith!
This can apply also to prosperity, believing God for college tuition, grocery money, haha.. anything!
We limit ourselves to what we can believe and have faith for!!
We also talked about anxiety, and worry!
Matthew 6:25-32 BEAUTIFULLY states that we shouldn't worry or have any cares about today, tomorrow, or ever, because they have enough worries of their own!
We "shouldn't worry about what we eat, drink, or wear," because "isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (<-- woah, I'm convicted. I love food yuuummmm) (and clothes.)
BUT SEEK YE FIRST the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and ALL these things shall be added unto you!
YAY FOR GODLY THINGS!!! :)
Lastly, we talked about the walls that we put up sometimes, along with our identity.
Remember! If you were the only person EVER to exist, Jesus still would have had to die because he LOVES YOU THAT MUCH!
There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), so if you ever feel condemned, afraid, scared, (or remember, John 10:10, anything that's stealing, killing, or destroying in your life) it's NOT FROM YO DADDY!!!
We choose life, joy, righteousness, self control, peace, and all the fruits of the spirit because God's given us those too! YAY! (Galations 5:22-23) So we have the right to claim these and speak these out over our lives! We tell our emotions how to act, they don't tell us!
Sometimes we build walls up because we're scared of the unknown.
the good news is, Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that He knows our plans that He's specifically designed and crafted for us. They're plans NOT to harm us, but to give us a HOPE AND a FUTURE! Isn't that powerful? I know I'm holding on to that!
God is the God of the HOW. He'll figure out HOW it's gonna work out, what we're supposed to do, where we're supposed to go, and we can just rest in his beautiful peace and trust Him! Of course we do our part by going to school, getting a degree, writing hit songs, doing awesome radio tours (JORDAN) etc... but God does the heavy lifting... our burdens are on Him!!! :)
So whenever we feel uneasy about others opinions of us, it's so cool because... it doesn't matter.
We think it does, or we let those thoughts come about that ONE person that we've let bother us for what seems like forever... but guess what? That doesn't matter either.
Why? Because other people's thoughts toward you don't change God's thoughts toward you. Ever. At all.
He loves you, and wants to wrap you in His big ole' arms and comfort you until you're the most COMFY PERSON EVER. :D like this cute lil' kitty.
We also talked about pride, but it's so funny because people who talk about how they "have a pride issue" are generally way LESS prideful than they think they are. Because prideful puffed up people are too prideful to KNOW IT OR ADMIT IT!! hahaha, the devil is so stupid he tries to put that on us TELLING us we're prideful. Good thing you can crush him under your feet and tell him he's the dumbest, stupidest (is that a word) thing ever. You're victorious and humility is something God's given you, so name it claim it blab it grab it homegirl, it's yours!
Remember, in this world, there is sin, and this world functions under the laws of sin which produces death.
But as children of God, his laws SUPERSEDE and OUT-RULE the laws of sin and death, because the spirit of LIFE in Christ JEsus has made us FREE from the laws of sin and death, hallelujah!
GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME
Meggie. :)
*(Pictures from google images, I am not claiming I took them, you are more than welcome to click on them and see the sites they come from!)
We decided last Wednesday that God was really calling us to come together to form a real Christian sisterhood.
We all go to the same church and stand for the same things, and all wanted and needed a close knit group of Godly girls to fellowship with!
So... bam! Friday bible-study came about. And woah did God blow the roof off!! :)
Here it is: filled with wonderful scripture and revelation of stuff that all 4 of us were going through! :)
October 19, 2012
Hey beautifuls!!!
SO, I just wanted to kinda recap all that we talked about today so we don't forget the important points!!! :)
We talked about kinda what we're each going through, and each helped give input as to how we CAN FIGHT BACK POWERFULLY with the Mighty Word of God!!! :)
We talked about how WORDS mean SO much more than we could ever imagine!
Life and death are in the power of our tongue! Prov 18:21
Whosoever keeps guard over his mouth keeps himself from troubles Proverbs 21:23
God SPOKE the earth into motion.
Whenever the devil tries to get into our HEAD by speaking to our MIND, WILL, or EMOTIONS, WE OURSELVES have to take those thoughts captive, no one else can do it for us!
How do we do that?
Well, in order to stop one thought, (thoughts turn into words which turn into actions) we have to START thinking of another one!!!
So! We speak out loud, literally, saying whatever you need to do to stop that thought.
It's okay to tell the devil NO! We are MORE than conquerors in Christ Jesus! (Romans 8:37).
The devil ONLY has as much power as WE GIVE HIM. Remember! Thoughts fester if you don't stop them! Do you want them to become what you're speaking over yourself or what become your actions?
So SPEAK LIFE! Over your health, prosperity.
FAITH is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED FOR, the things UN-seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
- we can't SEE our healing, but God said that he has already given us "all things that pertain to life and Godliness" (2 Peter 1:3) and that he has already sent Jesus who "bore ALL sickness, ALL Disease, EVERY curse of the law" (Deuteronomy 28).
So if you ever have a symptom of illness, you have the legal right to say that you are HEALED and WHOLE in Jesus name!!! You have the power to believe the things unseen! That's faith!
This can apply also to prosperity, believing God for college tuition, grocery money, haha.. anything!
We limit ourselves to what we can believe and have faith for!!
We also talked about anxiety, and worry!
Matthew 6:25-32 BEAUTIFULLY states that we shouldn't worry or have any cares about today, tomorrow, or ever, because they have enough worries of their own!
We "shouldn't worry about what we eat, drink, or wear," because "isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (<-- woah, I'm convicted. I love food yuuummmm) (and clothes.)
BUT SEEK YE FIRST the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and ALL these things shall be added unto you!
YAY FOR GODLY THINGS!!! :)
Lastly, we talked about the walls that we put up sometimes, along with our identity.
Remember! If you were the only person EVER to exist, Jesus still would have had to die because he LOVES YOU THAT MUCH!
There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), so if you ever feel condemned, afraid, scared, (or remember, John 10:10, anything that's stealing, killing, or destroying in your life) it's NOT FROM YO DADDY!!!
We choose life, joy, righteousness, self control, peace, and all the fruits of the spirit because God's given us those too! YAY! (Galations 5:22-23) So we have the right to claim these and speak these out over our lives! We tell our emotions how to act, they don't tell us!
Sometimes we build walls up because we're scared of the unknown.
the good news is, Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that He knows our plans that He's specifically designed and crafted for us. They're plans NOT to harm us, but to give us a HOPE AND a FUTURE! Isn't that powerful? I know I'm holding on to that!
God is the God of the HOW. He'll figure out HOW it's gonna work out, what we're supposed to do, where we're supposed to go, and we can just rest in his beautiful peace and trust Him! Of course we do our part by going to school, getting a degree, writing hit songs, doing awesome radio tours (JORDAN) etc... but God does the heavy lifting... our burdens are on Him!!! :)
So whenever we feel uneasy about others opinions of us, it's so cool because... it doesn't matter.
We think it does, or we let those thoughts come about that ONE person that we've let bother us for what seems like forever... but guess what? That doesn't matter either.
Why? Because other people's thoughts toward you don't change God's thoughts toward you. Ever. At all.
He loves you, and wants to wrap you in His big ole' arms and comfort you until you're the most COMFY PERSON EVER. :D like this cute lil' kitty.
We also talked about pride, but it's so funny because people who talk about how they "have a pride issue" are generally way LESS prideful than they think they are. Because prideful puffed up people are too prideful to KNOW IT OR ADMIT IT!! hahaha, the devil is so stupid he tries to put that on us TELLING us we're prideful. Good thing you can crush him under your feet and tell him he's the dumbest, stupidest (is that a word) thing ever. You're victorious and humility is something God's given you, so name it claim it blab it grab it homegirl, it's yours!
Remember, in this world, there is sin, and this world functions under the laws of sin which produces death.
But as children of God, his laws SUPERSEDE and OUT-RULE the laws of sin and death, because the spirit of LIFE in Christ JEsus has made us FREE from the laws of sin and death, hallelujah!
GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME
Meggie. :)
*(Pictures from google images, I am not claiming I took them, you are more than welcome to click on them and see the sites they come from!)
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Back on Track
This weekend I had the honor and privilege of going back home!
What a blessing it is to be in the most comfortable environment you know.
It had been a solid 10 weeks since I'd gotten to sleep in my own bed, and gaze upon the beautiful city of Omaha. It's so funny, so many students in high school are SO ready to "get out of Omaha" when they graduate, only to find that they didn't realize how incredibly blessed they were at home.
It's been a few weeks since I last posted, so I'll try and catch y'all up quickly!
1. I was so honored to have my family come here to visit me about 3 weeks ago for Belmont's Christian Showcase! Jay came too, which was also fun!
What a blessing it is to be in the most comfortable environment you know.
It had been a solid 10 weeks since I'd gotten to sleep in my own bed, and gaze upon the beautiful city of Omaha. It's so funny, so many students in high school are SO ready to "get out of Omaha" when they graduate, only to find that they didn't realize how incredibly blessed they were at home.
It's been a few weeks since I last posted, so I'll try and catch y'all up quickly!
1. I was so honored to have my family come here to visit me about 3 weeks ago for Belmont's Christian Showcase! Jay came too, which was also fun!
- -We had a blast despite them literally being here for less than 48 hours total, with a 13 hour drive here and back starting around 10am Friday and leaving Sunday after church!
- -I'm so thankful and grateful that my family and boyfriend love me that much to sacrifice a weekend, and a whole DAY in the car for me!
- -I really needed it, it was kinda during that "mid-semester slump" time where you just want to cry and talk to your mom all day. (Ok, that's a bit dramatic, but you can get the picture!)
2. 2 weeks later, Jay came for a solo visit, YAY!!!!! :)
- - I cannot even describe how much fun we had, and how much I missed him!
- - I won't be too sappy I promise, but seeing my family and him for a mere 24 hours, you see them but you don't really "see them" if that makes sense. It's a bit of a tease, so needless to say I was pumped.
- He arrived Thursday night and left Sunday after church and lunch and we did so many different things!
- Of course, me being the planner, had a bunch of fun things for us to do planned out like the day he booked his flight.
- We ended up going to a bunch of East-Nashville restaurants, including Silly Goose, and Jeni's Ice Cream, and some West Nashville favorites too, like Amerigo's. And of course, I took Jay to Pancake Pantry, a Nashville STAPLE. He loved all of them, and we had so much fun going all around the city! (One tank of gas later by the end of the weekend.)
- It was also a blessing having someone to go for walks with, as we did one of the days. Haha, we ended up counting Land Rovers... as I described to him how Nashville is a "big city" with lots of people with money but looks like home. We counted literally 20 in about 5 minutes.
- Jay also got to see Session perform, the singing group I'm in at school, which was an interesting experience! :)
3. Fall Break
- Now we arrive at pretty near the present. Last weekend was fall break, which was a 4 day weekend that was the first time I got to go HOME!!!!!!!!!!!
- Despite being only 5 days after Jay left Nashville, it was the longest 5 days of my life. AHHHHHHH teachers felt the need to have a million homework assignments, and midterms. YAY. Not.
- Fall break was wonderful, getting to see the lovely Newstrom's for the first time in 10 weeks!!!! I'm so blessed to be as close to them as anyone. They're as loud and weird as my family. Wow, that could be a whole blog post.
- I was also blessed to get to lead worship again!! wooooo! It's hard here where your gift seems to lie dormant just BUILDING UP inside of you ready to be let out!!! So worship was AWESOME Sunday at FFC! God is REALLY moving and working in our midst! SO EXCITED for what's to come!
- I also got to lead worship with momma Swan at the A.M. Women's Bible Study Monday, and lead for the P.M. Ladies as well! Both were incredible, as always. I cannot even describe how much I'm blessed by these Godly women. It's like having 25 mothers! How incredible!!! :)
- Sadly, I had a TON of homework over break, (THANK YOU MUSIC HISTORY AHHHH :( ) so I didn't really FULLY get to relax, at all. But, I slept kind of more than usual... for maybe a day or two so I'm thankful for that!
- Lastly, seeing and spending time with my family is the greatest blessing I could ever, ever, did I say EVER ask for. I would not trade them for ANYTHING or ANYONE in the world.
- Whether it was running with my dad, reading my sisters mind (and visa versa), chatting with Mom, or telling Ian to stop cracking his ear, I love all the isms each of us have and how we all, despite our strong Swanson Type-A personalities, still love each other and get along so well. We are all growing and learning in our times apart, and it's so cool to see the power of "The Swanson 5" together each time we get to be one unit. LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!
Finally.
Since being back from break, I am feeling more empowered than ever.
I realized that during the past 10 weeks I haven't spent AS much time with God as I should have, and I've neglected my spirit being fed in place of things like... MUSIC HISTORY HOMEWORK CONSTANTLY. But anyways, I've been really placing the MOST emphasis on God first, trusting that He'll amplify and lengthen my time when I'm bombarded with tests, projects, and homework, and it's been working!
I've heard all that before, but it's really clicking now, and I'm happier than ever.
It's not worth it to be stressed, lonely, or sad. So I'm choosing to be empowered by His grace to walk Holy (and wholly), before Him!!!!
THANK YOU JESUS!!!
Megan :)
10/18/12
p.s. I got my sorority Lil. SO EXCITED SHES PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL AND YAY!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Be built on the solid rock.
Hello readers!
So I started studying Matthew 7 this morning, and wow! What a packed chapter it is!
It begins with talking about not judging others, which we hear all the time; however what spoke to me was that it also talks about how we shouldn't judge at all. Mind blowing, right? (kidding)
Not judging at ALL, includes not judging OURSELVES.
-We can all just admit it, we're our own harshest critics.
-More than half the things we are criticized for in life, in fact, the vast majority I would venture to say, are only things we are being criticized for INSIDE OUR OWN HEADS.
The devil will try and get at us in our minds, it's truly a battlefield. And if we don't "take EVERY thought into captivity" (2 Cor 10:5) then they have the ability to start forming lies into our heads!
p.s. if you're struggling with this, there is an AMAZING book by Joyce Meyer that deals with this titled "The Battlefield of the Mind" <-- click there for the link.
(pic from h2osermonsource)
John 10:10 states that "The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give you LIFE, and LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!" - said by Jesus.
Jesus wants us to walk like we're the greatest gift to God's earth. Now, I don't mean that you should go walking around telling people that, or acting prideful or egotistical, but you SHOULD wake up every morning thinking "wow, I'm HOT." No sarcasm there.
God wouldn't have created us if He didn't have a plan and purpose for our life, so who are we to judge His divine creation? Who are WE to deny the fact that He has given us unique gifts and elements of our personality that He DESIGNED to be the ways they are? What do we really even know? We go to school to learn things; certainly we don't already know everything, and that includes what to think about ourselves.
I am so lucky to live with an extremely encouraging roommate this year who builds me up and makes me feel so good about myself, it makes me want to encourage others. Take a leap of faith and encourage someone today, you'll be surprised how happy and beautiful it makes you feel to bless someone else! A genuine smile is one of my favorite things.
This leads into another section Matthew 7 discusses, about good and bad fruit.
(picture from blogelevationfit)
It is impossible for a bad tree to produce good fruit, and visa versa.
I have read this a thousand times, but it particularly stuck out to me recently because in my own life I have had recent conversations with people and have had to look at my own life in regards to who surrounds me.
I not only want to produce GOOD fruit (kindness, longsuffering, gentleness, self control, patience, love, joy, peace etc. "fruits of the spirit") but I also don't want to be surrounded by or associated with bad fruit.
I mean, we've all heard "Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33) but have you ever really thought about it?
Now, I'm absolutely NOT saying that Christians shouldn't hang out with nonbelievers, or visa versa, but think about the people in your life. How do they make you feel when you're around them?
-Are you around more people that build you up or tear you down?
-Do you have to have a guard up when you're around your closest "friends", weary that you may say something bad and living in fear that at any moment they may lash out at you for no particular reason?
-- If so, you may want to reorganize the amount of time you spend with each close person in your life. It's okay to find new friends or make new ones.
--When those "bad fruit-filled people" realize that the people they're used to taking advantage of or just using as a wet blanket finally walk away from them or take a stand, they'll change their ways. Even if they don't, that's NOT your care to bare!.
And lastly, I read about the importance of being built on the solid Rock.
(picture from visualphotos.com)
-Jesus + the Word (which are synonymous (John 1:1)) is your SOLID ROCK, YOUR FOUNDATION.
-We have to be built up and constantly communing with Jesus so that when the storms of life come, the things that SHOULD be our foundation don't pass away.
I wrote this quote this morning:
"We must be SOLIDIFIED in the WORD of God so that when the waves come, we aren't washed away along with the things that we WANT to be immovable, and foundational in our lives."
(picture from Ewtnreligiouscatalogue)
Without us working out of the overflow of Christ, we will never have enough to glean from when those storms come. On the other hand, when we make a constant deposit into our spirits with the Word of God, we have that reserve to use when we need it and go through hardships. Or any time!!
So go read Matthew 7 with these things in mind, it'll make your day!
Love you all!
Megs. <3
So I started studying Matthew 7 this morning, and wow! What a packed chapter it is!
It begins with talking about not judging others, which we hear all the time; however what spoke to me was that it also talks about how we shouldn't judge at all. Mind blowing, right? (kidding)
Not judging at ALL, includes not judging OURSELVES.
-We can all just admit it, we're our own harshest critics.
-More than half the things we are criticized for in life, in fact, the vast majority I would venture to say, are only things we are being criticized for INSIDE OUR OWN HEADS.
The devil will try and get at us in our minds, it's truly a battlefield. And if we don't "take EVERY thought into captivity" (2 Cor 10:5) then they have the ability to start forming lies into our heads!
p.s. if you're struggling with this, there is an AMAZING book by Joyce Meyer that deals with this titled "The Battlefield of the Mind" <-- click there for the link.
(pic from h2osermonsource)
John 10:10 states that "The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give you LIFE, and LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!" - said by Jesus.
Jesus wants us to walk like we're the greatest gift to God's earth. Now, I don't mean that you should go walking around telling people that, or acting prideful or egotistical, but you SHOULD wake up every morning thinking "wow, I'm HOT." No sarcasm there.
God wouldn't have created us if He didn't have a plan and purpose for our life, so who are we to judge His divine creation? Who are WE to deny the fact that He has given us unique gifts and elements of our personality that He DESIGNED to be the ways they are? What do we really even know? We go to school to learn things; certainly we don't already know everything, and that includes what to think about ourselves.
I am so lucky to live with an extremely encouraging roommate this year who builds me up and makes me feel so good about myself, it makes me want to encourage others. Take a leap of faith and encourage someone today, you'll be surprised how happy and beautiful it makes you feel to bless someone else! A genuine smile is one of my favorite things.
This leads into another section Matthew 7 discusses, about good and bad fruit.(picture from blogelevationfit)
It is impossible for a bad tree to produce good fruit, and visa versa.
I have read this a thousand times, but it particularly stuck out to me recently because in my own life I have had recent conversations with people and have had to look at my own life in regards to who surrounds me.
I not only want to produce GOOD fruit (kindness, longsuffering, gentleness, self control, patience, love, joy, peace etc. "fruits of the spirit") but I also don't want to be surrounded by or associated with bad fruit.
I mean, we've all heard "Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33) but have you ever really thought about it?
Now, I'm absolutely NOT saying that Christians shouldn't hang out with nonbelievers, or visa versa, but think about the people in your life. How do they make you feel when you're around them?
-Are you around more people that build you up or tear you down?
-Do you have to have a guard up when you're around your closest "friends", weary that you may say something bad and living in fear that at any moment they may lash out at you for no particular reason?
-- If so, you may want to reorganize the amount of time you spend with each close person in your life. It's okay to find new friends or make new ones.
--When those "bad fruit-filled people" realize that the people they're used to taking advantage of or just using as a wet blanket finally walk away from them or take a stand, they'll change their ways. Even if they don't, that's NOT your care to bare!.
And lastly, I read about the importance of being built on the solid Rock.
-Jesus + the Word (which are synonymous (John 1:1)) is your SOLID ROCK, YOUR FOUNDATION.
-We have to be built up and constantly communing with Jesus so that when the storms of life come, the things that SHOULD be our foundation don't pass away.I wrote this quote this morning:
"We must be SOLIDIFIED in the WORD of God so that when the waves come, we aren't washed away along with the things that we WANT to be immovable, and foundational in our lives."
(picture from Ewtnreligiouscatalogue)
Without us working out of the overflow of Christ, we will never have enough to glean from when those storms come. On the other hand, when we make a constant deposit into our spirits with the Word of God, we have that reserve to use when we need it and go through hardships. Or any time!!
So go read Matthew 7 with these things in mind, it'll make your day!
Love you all!
Megs. <3
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Update upon popular demand.
So I have been so extremely blessed lately to find out that so many people are reading my blog! What a treat! Thank you!
I have always had a passion for writing and encouraging others through my experiences in life, so hey, if that can ever bless someone else, what better way to spread ministry?
Anyways, this blog post is going to be about a few exciting, and a few not-so-exciting updates in my life right now. Don't worry, I have a positive spin for all the not-so-exciting updates!
It's actually a blog (video log) to the women's groups at home who regularly check up on me and love on me and send me encouraging messages, emails, and text. I feel their prayers every day and I miss them all along with everyone else back home VERY MUCH!!!
So enjoy! If you have any further inquiries of what's going on here I'd love to answer you! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYtA5S8ICMg
I have always had a passion for writing and encouraging others through my experiences in life, so hey, if that can ever bless someone else, what better way to spread ministry?
Anyways, this blog post is going to be about a few exciting, and a few not-so-exciting updates in my life right now. Don't worry, I have a positive spin for all the not-so-exciting updates!
It's actually a blog (video log) to the women's groups at home who regularly check up on me and love on me and send me encouraging messages, emails, and text. I feel their prayers every day and I miss them all along with everyone else back home VERY MUCH!!!
So enjoy! If you have any further inquiries of what's going on here I'd love to answer you! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYtA5S8ICMg
Love, <3
Megan
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
2 in one week. On a roll like a tumbleweed.
So I can't believe it's only Wednesday, and at the same time I just want this week to be over! So much is going on I literally need 4 of me to complete everything that needs to get done. And yet I'm blogging, haha. Oh well, it's a fantastic way to get emotion out! :)
On the bright side, Christian Showcase things are going swell, despite a few mishaps. Good thing I know how to trust in the Lord and lean NOT on my own understanding. Because a few things that have happened, well, let's just say in my own strength it's not possible.
On another bright note, today is my 2 month anniversary. Yes that's sappy and a bit lame, but I don't care, I'm blessed!
Schoolwork's favorite thing to do is pile up on me, it seems. *Random comment*
My day today:
Woke up at 7- did Insanity workout
8- showered
830 ate and made snacks for the day
9 class
10 went to Amy Grant congo- *Ask me about this, something really cool happened!!!!!*
11 another class
12 another class
1 another class
2 another class
3 finally done. Did homework. Cleaned.
530 went to Target
7 home
8 cooked dinner
Now more homework
Tomorrow I start Classical Voice lessons. Which means even MORE to do and memorize, but I'm excited about it regardless! My teacher is phenomenal.
If y'all could believe with me in prayer about this next... month really, it would be wonderful. I am believing God HARD for and confessing every single day my healing for this next month. I CANNOT and WILL NOT get sick. Too much is at stake. You see, sorority recruitment is this weekend, which means 6 hours STRAIGHT talking (really, shouting) one on one with hundreds of girls in a room full of 200 people. I CANNOT LOSE MY VOICE! So I'm pre-speaking life into the situation! It's going to be GREAT in Jesus name!!!!! :)
And then Sept 8 is Live auditions, and Sept 22 is the showcase. So... safe to say I gotsta be healthy! And I will be. But prayers, are appreciated.
Today, in "Jesus Calling" the devotion was all about resting in Jesus and allowing Him to work out our time and our schedule and ALL the things we have to do. When we give Him 1st place, our time expands and time seems to pass at the speed we need it to! I definitely received that today!!!!!
-They call it "waiting before working".
-Praise, Amen, Halleluyer, I needed to hear that!
We get so caught up in life, we forget to "be still and know HE is God!" Not us. We aren't in control.
We must give that control up.
Again, preaching to myself! Revelation of these simple things is so cool and life giving! Yay points for God, being right, like always. Flesh gets in the way so many times haha. Once we see it for what it is, it's pretty much the funniest thing ever. Casting down strongholds and things that try and have grips on us is fun too! Once you realize that one day we will look at the devil and say "WHAAAT!?! He's THAT SMALL!? And I let him bother me that much and mess with my mind and emotions!?" So get a head start, and CHOOSE to be joyful and positive all the time!!! :D
That's really all I have for tonight.
I'm random, I know.
But hopefully this still blesses you, whoever you are!
Megs. :)
On the bright side, Christian Showcase things are going swell, despite a few mishaps. Good thing I know how to trust in the Lord and lean NOT on my own understanding. Because a few things that have happened, well, let's just say in my own strength it's not possible.
On another bright note, today is my 2 month anniversary. Yes that's sappy and a bit lame, but I don't care, I'm blessed!
Schoolwork's favorite thing to do is pile up on me, it seems. *Random comment*
My day today:
Woke up at 7- did Insanity workout
8- showered
830 ate and made snacks for the day
9 class
10 went to Amy Grant congo- *Ask me about this, something really cool happened!!!!!*
11 another class
12 another class
1 another class
2 another class
3 finally done. Did homework. Cleaned.
530 went to Target
7 home
8 cooked dinner
Now more homework
Tomorrow I start Classical Voice lessons. Which means even MORE to do and memorize, but I'm excited about it regardless! My teacher is phenomenal.
If y'all could believe with me in prayer about this next... month really, it would be wonderful. I am believing God HARD for and confessing every single day my healing for this next month. I CANNOT and WILL NOT get sick. Too much is at stake. You see, sorority recruitment is this weekend, which means 6 hours STRAIGHT talking (really, shouting) one on one with hundreds of girls in a room full of 200 people. I CANNOT LOSE MY VOICE! So I'm pre-speaking life into the situation! It's going to be GREAT in Jesus name!!!!! :)
And then Sept 8 is Live auditions, and Sept 22 is the showcase. So... safe to say I gotsta be healthy! And I will be. But prayers, are appreciated.
-They call it "waiting before working".
-Praise, Amen, Halleluyer, I needed to hear that!
We get so caught up in life, we forget to "be still and know HE is God!" Not us. We aren't in control.
We must give that control up.
Again, preaching to myself! Revelation of these simple things is so cool and life giving! Yay points for God, being right, like always. Flesh gets in the way so many times haha. Once we see it for what it is, it's pretty much the funniest thing ever. Casting down strongholds and things that try and have grips on us is fun too! Once you realize that one day we will look at the devil and say "WHAAAT!?! He's THAT SMALL!? And I let him bother me that much and mess with my mind and emotions!?" So get a head start, and CHOOSE to be joyful and positive all the time!!! :D
That's really all I have for tonight.
I'm random, I know.
But hopefully this still blesses you, whoever you are!
Megs. :)
Saturday, August 25, 2012
How deep a deposit of love.
So I've officially been here 2 1/2 weeks now... and I've spent a lot of time observing.
I observed during TT week, I observed people in all of my classes, I observed conversations, I observed my teachers in their interactions with students and how they teach. Now, I don't say this to sound creepy or to give off the intent that I have been staring at people for the last entire 2 1/2 weeks, but what I'm saying is that I've tried to keep my eyes and ears open more, and my mouth closed.
What I saw, obviously, were some very different situations.
People's ticks, people's smiles, the way people touch their hair or face when they get nervous.
The way people shift their weight on each foot while telling a story.
The way a person may walk into a room full of people they know and not acknowledge anyone.
The dimple on someone's cheek when they smile.
A beauty mark on the side of one's face.
The way a teacher looks at you when you ask them a question they don't really know the answer to.
The look a teacher gets for a split second on their face when they're uncomfortable or thrown off guard.
All these observations, though one person might see as faults, help make up who a person is.
And... as I'm learning more and more each day, is that we should learn to love these "faults".
On another note...
God didn't create me to be anyone else but ME.
For example, I wasn't created to be...Jessica Biel. And no matter how gorgeous, talented, or famous she may be, I wasn't created to be her. Nor am I supposed to compare myself to her, or any other female on the planet. In any way.
why?... keep reading...
So as I've been looking and listening, this very principle has manifested itself in my life just in these last 2 1/2 weeks in a MASSIVE way.
Especially if you're a girl, speak this out loud.
God created me, (insert full name) to be me.
God DIDN'T create me to be (insert name of person you always compare yourself to).
If God wanted me to be (insert that person's name again), then I would have been created as them.
God never fails.
Therefore, I'm not a mistake.
I am perfect in His image JUST the was I was created.
Now, these are such simple statements, aren't they? Nothing you haven't heard before...
But these past few weeks, I don't know I guess they just finally CLICKED for me! And it's so extremely POWERFUL!
That means, that every single time I've compared myself to somebody else, I was putting my ways above Gods. I was saying that God, the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, messed up creating me, and should have created me like someone else. That means, that I was putting my own abilities above His, and WASN'T submitting to His authority or His abilities. I wasn't trusting Him. I was walking in fear. I was ashamed. I was in doubt. I was LACKING joy. I felt worthless. I didn't feel worthy of love.
Because all I was doing was letting Satan tell me I was nothing.
Too this, too that.
Well, I'm here to tell whoever is reading this that YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH!
Because Jesus was, when He died on the cross for You. (INSERT YOUR NAME HERE)
And the cool thing is, is that it doesn't matter WHAT name you put in there, the law still applies.
There's no "if and only if" property like you're solving a proof, there's no "but I have zits all over my face" or "I need to lose 5, 10, 15, or 100 lbs."
If you didn't change a SINGLE thing about yourself, right now, it's impossible that God could love you any more, or any less.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 that we are to "come as we are, those who carry burdens, that we may enter into His REST".
That word can also mean peace.
A new school year has begun. Classes are stressful, time slips away faster than the 5 hours of sleep we get a night.
But Jesus has come, to give us the Mighty Hebrews 4 rest that He has PROMISED us. And still promises us. He cannot fail, and never will fail us because His love for us is EXPLODING all around us!!!
I think of the picture of me sitting in a dark room, and flipping on a light switch... you can't see what direction the light is coming from, because it is ALL around you, it surrounds every part of you and casts away any fear that came from sitting alone in the dark.
That's what Jesus wants to do in your life! He wants to wrap His Fatherly arms around YOU, and comfort and guide you through this upcoming year, and through the rest of your life! There is a reason His name means helper, friend, love of your life, Abba Daddy, Healer, Redeemer.
So that if at any moment you NEED Him, He can meet and WILL meet your every need.
How deep a deposit of love goes.
And God, loves you SO much.
It took me so long to realize, but now that I know that I KNOW that I KNOW He loves me; I can finally outpour that same magnitude of love upon others, and let others love me back.
I now don't throw compliments out of my head within a second after they're given, because Satan tells me I'm not deserving.
I now accept a hug from a friend instead of squirming and squeezing up because I think I don't deserve the love.
I now smile and say the simple words of "thank you" whole heartedly when someone compliments the anointing on my singing voice, because I can accept God working through me and I know that my thank you goes directly to Him who gave me a voice for Him.
I'm empowered, strengthened, and have a vision and dream for my life.
There is POWER in the name of Jesus. To break EVERY chain.
Let His LOVE abide in you, and do a mighty work. You can be made whole, and made NEW.
MJS.
I observed during TT week, I observed people in all of my classes, I observed conversations, I observed my teachers in their interactions with students and how they teach. Now, I don't say this to sound creepy or to give off the intent that I have been staring at people for the last entire 2 1/2 weeks, but what I'm saying is that I've tried to keep my eyes and ears open more, and my mouth closed.
What I saw, obviously, were some very different situations.
People's ticks, people's smiles, the way people touch their hair or face when they get nervous.
The way people shift their weight on each foot while telling a story.
The way a person may walk into a room full of people they know and not acknowledge anyone.
The dimple on someone's cheek when they smile.
A beauty mark on the side of one's face.
The way a teacher looks at you when you ask them a question they don't really know the answer to.
The look a teacher gets for a split second on their face when they're uncomfortable or thrown off guard.
All these observations, though one person might see as faults, help make up who a person is.
And... as I'm learning more and more each day, is that we should learn to love these "faults".
On another note...
God didn't create me to be anyone else but ME.
For example, I wasn't created to be...Jessica Biel. And no matter how gorgeous, talented, or famous she may be, I wasn't created to be her. Nor am I supposed to compare myself to her, or any other female on the planet. In any way.
why?... keep reading...
So as I've been looking and listening, this very principle has manifested itself in my life just in these last 2 1/2 weeks in a MASSIVE way.
Especially if you're a girl, speak this out loud.
God created me, (insert full name) to be me.
God DIDN'T create me to be (insert name of person you always compare yourself to).
If God wanted me to be (insert that person's name again), then I would have been created as them.
God never fails.
Therefore, I'm not a mistake.
I am perfect in His image JUST the was I was created.
Now, these are such simple statements, aren't they? Nothing you haven't heard before...
But these past few weeks, I don't know I guess they just finally CLICKED for me! And it's so extremely POWERFUL!
That means, that every single time I've compared myself to somebody else, I was putting my ways above Gods. I was saying that God, the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, messed up creating me, and should have created me like someone else. That means, that I was putting my own abilities above His, and WASN'T submitting to His authority or His abilities. I wasn't trusting Him. I was walking in fear. I was ashamed. I was in doubt. I was LACKING joy. I felt worthless. I didn't feel worthy of love.
Because all I was doing was letting Satan tell me I was nothing.
Too this, too that.
Well, I'm here to tell whoever is reading this that YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH!
Because Jesus was, when He died on the cross for You. (INSERT YOUR NAME HERE)
And the cool thing is, is that it doesn't matter WHAT name you put in there, the law still applies.
There's no "if and only if" property like you're solving a proof, there's no "but I have zits all over my face" or "I need to lose 5, 10, 15, or 100 lbs."
If you didn't change a SINGLE thing about yourself, right now, it's impossible that God could love you any more, or any less.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 that we are to "come as we are, those who carry burdens, that we may enter into His REST".
That word can also mean peace.
A new school year has begun. Classes are stressful, time slips away faster than the 5 hours of sleep we get a night.
But Jesus has come, to give us the Mighty Hebrews 4 rest that He has PROMISED us. And still promises us. He cannot fail, and never will fail us because His love for us is EXPLODING all around us!!!
I think of the picture of me sitting in a dark room, and flipping on a light switch... you can't see what direction the light is coming from, because it is ALL around you, it surrounds every part of you and casts away any fear that came from sitting alone in the dark.
That's what Jesus wants to do in your life! He wants to wrap His Fatherly arms around YOU, and comfort and guide you through this upcoming year, and through the rest of your life! There is a reason His name means helper, friend, love of your life, Abba Daddy, Healer, Redeemer.
So that if at any moment you NEED Him, He can meet and WILL meet your every need.
How deep a deposit of love goes.
And God, loves you SO much.
It took me so long to realize, but now that I know that I KNOW that I KNOW He loves me; I can finally outpour that same magnitude of love upon others, and let others love me back.
I now don't throw compliments out of my head within a second after they're given, because Satan tells me I'm not deserving.
I now accept a hug from a friend instead of squirming and squeezing up because I think I don't deserve the love.
I now smile and say the simple words of "thank you" whole heartedly when someone compliments the anointing on my singing voice, because I can accept God working through me and I know that my thank you goes directly to Him who gave me a voice for Him.
I'm empowered, strengthened, and have a vision and dream for my life.
There is POWER in the name of Jesus. To break EVERY chain.
Let His LOVE abide in you, and do a mighty work. You can be made whole, and made NEW.
MJS.
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