My desire

There is a song called My Desire by Anthony Evans, it has been such an amazing song that always wants to make me live life right and for the honor and glory of God. I know for Christians we all desire to be the best we can be, which means purging yourself of the sins you might be holding on to. 

I've had instances in my life where I so badly wanted to let go of a sin that I knew was not helpful with my relationship with God. I could function and minister fine and my relationships with others were unaffected, so I thought. Since I could function fine with the sin lingering there I knew that I could maybe keep this one and it was approved by God. I couldn't resist the temptation. But that is where God comes in and makes it ten times easier. God will hold your hand through it all. Isn't that amazing? I'm so amazed by Gods hand in my life. God is so good. Give up that sin holding you back!! You don't need that temptation. You need the one who conquered all temptation. 

I need the one who conquered all temptation. 

1 Corinthians 10:13

The Explanation For Our Difficulties

0

22

2013

. . . that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us . . . —John 17:21

If you are going through a time of isolation, seemingly all alone, read John 17 . It will explain exactly why you are where you are— because Jesus has prayed that you “may be one” with the Father as He is. Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or do you have some other goal for your life? Since you became a disciple, you cannot be as independent as you used to be.

God reveals in John 17 that His purpose is not just to answer our prayers, but that through prayer we might come to discern His mind. Yet there is one prayer which God must answer, and that is the prayer of Jesus— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22). Are we as close to Jesus Christ as that?

God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn’t ask, “Do you want to go through this loss of a loved one, this difficulty, or this defeat?” No, He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way. The things that happen either make us evil, or they make us more saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy. If we will pray, regarding our own lives, “Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42), then we will be encouraged and comforted by John 17, knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom, accomplishing what is best. When we understand God’s purpose, we will not become small-minded and cynical. Jesus prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself, just as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far from this oneness; yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him— because Jesus prayed, “. . . that they all may be one . . . .”

-Oswald Chambers

Longing for love

Why is it that we long for love so badly? What is so special about love?
As a part of the female species I know that girls long for love, especially from boys. They make you feel special, they make you bubble in your stomach, they are the best friends you can have. But what kind of love are we experiencing? Is it a temporary or an eternal love?

I know that I can get caught up in the niceness of liking or loving someone but when trial and tribulations occur will you still love him/her. Would you still love him/her if that person betrayed you? Would you still love him if he cheated? if she cheated?

That's the kind of love that we don't really understand. We love...until something bad or unpleasant happens. But I was introduced to an eternal love. Imagine someone that loves you FOREVER, no matter what. This person will treat you special, will make you stomach tingle, will kiss your face, will hold your hand, will hug you tenderly, even when you cheat on this person, even if you leave this person. This person would die for you.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 

Nothing can separate us from God's love. 

I experienced God's love and nothing compares to it. Its a love that lifts you up higher, its a love that fills your heart and makes it overflow. 
I pray that you may experience this type of love, and may reflect it in your own relationships with others. Love, like Christ did. 

Lately

Lately I have been having a hard time balancing everything.
I'm trying to improve my health by sleeping more, I have been working a lot to pay off my school bill, I have been studying a lot to make sure I keep my grades going well, and I have been spending time with God so that I can maintain that relationship with Him.
I have been so worried about neglecting all these things because of lack of time but I forgot one thing, God. He gives me rest when I am burdened..such a simple and honest message. He is the only one that doesn't yell at me when I don't spend enough time with Him, He is the only one that doesn't make me feel bad by giving me a bad grade if I don't give my best. He is the only one that gives me REST when I come to work with Him.
He is the opposite of everything that gives me stress. I love how He just sings to me "come to me you weary Valerie, and I will give you rest, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"
Matthew 11:28
Pray for me brothers and sisters, NOT to take spending time with God as another burden to my list, but as my time to unload and rest in Christ the burden bearer.

I Am Still Alive to Fulfill a Purpose

With the recent misfortunes that have been happening lately in the lives around me, I can assuredly say that there is more to this life that what we think of it.
A friend to this campus has recently passed away. I know that this is a tragic time for his family and his friends. But I have to say that his life is a testimony and an example of what the Lord has in store for us.
This boy had a purpose in his life and praise God he fulfilled it.
His last deed on Earth was to save another's life. 

My friend told me something incredible about his death (I know it might sound wrong to call it incredible but wait!). She told me that the autopsy showed that there was no water in his lungs from drowning, instead his heart just stopped while he was in the water. She told me that he might have died that day from a heart attack whether he drowned or not.
That made me stop and ask myself...did he suffer? did God stop his heart while he was in the water? Wow God, you never leave us! Its amazing to think that perhaps he was meant to save his friend from drowning by risking his own life. Imagine if he would have not saved his friend and they both ended up dying? Lord have mercy! Was that his purpose? was that his last work on earth?
This is such an incredible lesson for us all, Why are we still alive today? Do we still have a purpose to fulfill here on earth? Lord, I pray that we find our purpose and fulfill it. I know we might be scared to leave this earth, but your purpose is much grander than ours.
Give us the courage to do your will. 

Where Am I and How Did I Get Here?

I feel like I am in a perfect place.
I wake up every morning I get together with my friends and have a morning devotion.
I eat a tasty and healthy breakfast.
I go to class where the teachers are enthusiastic and passionate
I eat again with friends
I work out in a really nice gym
I go to a Bible Study and learn more about God
I do some Academic Studying
Then I eat dinner with friends
I go to sleep after talking with friends.
I end the day with Prayer.

I don't know exactly what God wants to do in my life but He is so involved in my life that I cannot doubt Him. He won't let me doubt Him. I feel like He leads me to places and shows me what is most important. I am so thankful for His involvement in my life. I feel like He is only involved in my life though. I don't see other people thanking the Lord for small things and people don't often tell me how God has personally intervened in their life.
In Jeremiah 23:23 it says "I am a God near at hand. . . and not a God far off," God dwells within our life and He is within a hands reach. God is not far away dealing with other world and not being involved in our lives. HE IS HERE. He is within an arms reach and yet we don't see His presence in our lives? How can that be? I think before I came to Southern I began seeing Gods presence in my life. I began to realize how much God had blessed me. I don't know if before I thought my life was insignificant...but I know now for sure that I have a purpose. And that Purpose is to Fulfill Gods Will.
Looking back, wow, God has been with me all of my life. When I say all of my life, I mean ALL OF MY LIFE. As I write this, I now have become to realize that I have never been alone and I have never felt alone because the Lord has walked me through every horror of my life and every amazing moment of my life. Now all I want is for the Lord to take me home, show me the way, and never let me go.

I know that I may feel this way and others might not feel that way, But I promise you brother or sister, that God has never left your side. Look at your life and be amazed at His presence and involvement to keep you as his son or daughter. Open your eyes and see what a Loving God he is. 

The Word came

John 1:14: And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth




When we look at this verse we see that it is in the New Testament and is in the context of speaking about Jesus Christ.
Instead of saying "Jesus Christ" is says the "Word." But why would it say Word instead of plainly saying Jesus. Is there a reason for this replacement of words?
In this verse it is describing Jesus Christ as the Word. Jesus was the incarnation of God's promises, miracles, and morals. Jesus came to Earth and fulfilled the Word, He fulfilled the prophesy of His coming. Jesus kept the Law of Moses, Jesus glorified His Father and represented the truth of our loving God.
I read this and it is the entire Bible in a nutshell. God said He would save us from the very beginning and here is where Jesus actually comes and saves us. He died and now we may live eternally with God in heaven.