You are loved!

Even in your lowest sin, you were still worth the sacrifice of Christ Life. Yeah, He loves you that much!
John 3:16, Romans 5:6-11
#RealLove #YouWereWorthIt
#YouAreLoved

"In His JOY!"

Read the Word, Share the Gospel, Be Accountable. 

http://consumedbyjoy.blogspot.com/

Trusting a quiet God

Silence does not mean God has not answered you. I often find when I pray for God to be glorified in a situation in my life I have no need for a sign or to hear audibly from God. Because I am confident that regardless the outcome, God's Will, will be done. And the method He chooses to do His Will is of no concern to me. I give God thanksgiving through praise and I feel an unfathomable peace that over takes me. When we seek God for an answer He is under obligation to answer us but when we seek to know God and bring glory to His Name, He responds with His Peace and directs us by His Spirit.
Philippians 4:6-7, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 46:10, 62:1-2,5-6

"In His JOY!"

Read the Word, Share the Gospel, Be Accountable.

http://consumedbyjoy.blogspot.com/

Who are you looking at?

Worry takes the focus off of God and puts it on you, faith keeps your focus on God and takes it off of you.
Matthew 6:27-34

"In His JOY!"

Read the Word, Share the Gospel, Be accountable. 

http://consumedbyjoy.blogspot.com/

"Little Pigs"

Luke 6:47-49

We all know the story of the three little pigs, it's a timeless tale. But if you don't know it, here it is. Three pigs all decide to build three separate houses. So the first pig makes a house out of straw, the second pig makes a house out of sticks, and the third makes a house out of bricks. Along comes the big bad wolf and tells the pig with the house of straw "Little Pig, little pig, let me in!" and the pig responds "Not by the hair of chinny chin chin!" So the wolf takes a deep breath and blows the house down with ease.  The first pig runs to the second pig's house made of sticks but the wolf was in hot pursuit. Again the big bad wolf shots "Little Pigs, little pigs, let me in!" and the pigs respond "Not by the hair of our chinny chin chins!" So the wolf takes a deep breath and blows the house built of sticks down. The pigs scatter like roaches when there is light! They race to the third pig's house made of bricks, he graciously lets them in. The wolf arrives and demands "Little Pigs, little pigs, let me in!" and the pigs respond "Not by the hair of our chinny chin chins!" So the wolf takes a mighty breath and with everything he has tries to blow the house down, but this time it is to no avail because the house is stronger than his mightiest effort. The pigs are finally safe and secure.

I look at this story and I see parallels with the Gospel. The Word tells us in Luke 6:47-49 that when we are disobedient to the Words of Christ we risk losing our firm foundation when trouble comes because trouble will come. The Gospel makes it very clear that we will face trouble but if we stand in obedience to God's Word we will survive no matter the storm that comes. Just like the wolf, Satan prowls at our door and desires not only to blow our house down but destroy us in any way that he can (1 Peter 5:8). If we are continually disobedient and intentionally ignore God's instruction for our life, our houses built of our plans, our thoughts, and our ways (sticks and straws) will always fall (Proverbs 19:20-21). But if we are trusting and relying on Jesus, seeking his direction for our life, actively being obedient to His Word and Will for our life we will have a firm foundation (Psalm 119:9, 89, 105). Trouble will come but through His Word, Prayer, and His Spirit we will withstand the storm and defy the wolf (Satan).

I am asking for you to commit not forsake being an ordinary person but become an extraordinary Christian. I am petitioning you to step up your faith by studying the Bible and make an eternal promise to yourself to follow Christ. I am requesting that you let Jesus guide you and direct you in every aspect of your life. Become the pig with the house made of bricks and not the house of sticks and straw.

Stay focused, you can do this.

"In His JOY!"

"Do you eat Wheaties or Weedies?"

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

The parable of the weeds tells of a farmer whose field is sabotaged by his enemy.  His adversary plants weeds next to all the farmer's wheat.  The wheat and the weeds begins to grow together.  When the workers find out what happened they ask the farmer if they should uproot the weeds, he tells them no because they will uproot the wheat by accident if they take all the weeds out.  Instead he tells them to let the weeds grow because in the end they will separate them.  The weed will be thrown into the fire while the wheat will be placed in the barn (Matthew 13:24-30)

Jesus later on explain this parable by saying He is the farmer and the adversary is the devil.  Those who follow Jesus are the wheat but those who follow the devil are the weeds.  The angels are the farm hands that will be used by God to separate His people from those who are not.  Followers of Christ will go to Heaven will those who pursued the will of the enemy will burn in Hell (Matthew 13:36-43).

This parable teaches me that in the end God will decide who is a wheat and who is a weed, not us.  It is not our job to condemn other Christians to Hell or call them workers of the devil. True we hold each other accountable, point out sin when we see it, and speak out against heresy.  But when it comes to determining the heart and intent of someone as being righteous or wicked, that is not our place.  I have found out that no one answers to me but we all will answer to God.

As Christians we want to "pluck" the weed and distinguish the wheat.  But that is not our place, God will handle that in His time.  The wheat and weeds Jesus was using in this parable looked similar and only could be distinguished when they were fully grown.  Because the weeds could not produce the grain like the wheat.  So the farmers in Jesus time would wait until the crops had follow grown to separate them.  As Christians we spend so much time calling each other "evil weeds" as opposed to praying for a "young immature wheat" .

We need to silence our mouths and stop trying "sift" each other out.  Jesus could call the Pharisees evil because He knew their hearts because He is God.  My friend, you are not.  We cannot expect to lead to people Christ if we are acting like a dysfunctional and abusive family.  No one wants to be apart of that.  Let the Lord distinguish the weeds from the wheat in His time.  This does not give us a license to sin and act any kind of way, instead it should make us consider our ways and ask ourselves "Are acting like a wheat or a weed?

Stay focused, you can do this!

"In His JOY!"

"Don't miss it"

Matthew 11:20-24, 12:1-14 Jesus had performed mighty miracles in the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. But they refused to repent (Matthew 11:20). And because of this Jesus pronounced a terrible judgement on these towns. They missed it, God had come to them and was offering more than miraculous signs, he was offering freedom from their sins and salvation in God ( Isaiah 53). But they refused to turn away from their sin and follow God. When you reject God salvation you accept his wrath. The Pharisees followed Jesus only in the hopes of trapping Him. The questioned Jesus about following strict Jewish laws. For centuries they had followed their interpretation on what it meant to keep the Sabbath day holy. To the Pharisees any form of work or healing on the Sabbath was unholy. Even after Jesus told them something greater than the Holy Temple was among them in Matthew 12:6 (Jesus was speaking of Himself) and proclaimed that He was Lord of the Sabbath in Matthew 12:8, they still missed it. Jesus was telling them that in fact He was God and to follow Him means that you are following after the Lord. But the Pharisees could not see past their pride. Instead of following Jesus the Pharisees continued to plot His crucifixion (Matthew 12:14). The question that comes from all of this is, am I missing Jesus too? Are you missing God like the unrepentant cities? Are you still freely sinning, totally disregarding what God has done in your life or where He has bought you from. The Word makes it very clear that if we continue to practice sin then we are not a child of God (1 John 3:6-9). And our fate is that of the unrepentant cities. Or maybe we are like the Pharisees who were more in love with their interpretation of God's Law as opposed to following God Himself. They viewed Jesus as the devil (Matthew 11:24) and not as the Savior of the World and Lord of us all. But Jesus told them what their end will be. He called them evil trees that bear evil fruit and in the end they would be condemned by the very words they spoke against Him (Matthew 12:33-37). God had appeared to them in the flesh and yet they rejected Him. They said Jesus was under demonic influence and denied God's Spirit working through Him. In essence He was telling the Pharisees that they were unbelievers. When we decide to follow our own path instead of God's we openly accept our destructive end (Matthew 7:13) Do you reject God and embrace your own ideals and beliefs. The Pharisees moved to the beat of their drum and not God, are you doing the same? It is easy to get lost in what we think God should be like, what He should do, and what parts of the Bible we should not follow. But understand this God's way is the only way that leads to salvation yours will only lead to destruction. This is nothing more than a gut check. We all should consider our ways and make sure we are not missing God. Stay focused, you can do this! "In His JOY!"