Thats how long its been since I've been on here. One whole week. Wow.
Time flies, apparently, but that's okay because in that week I have gotten a few things accomplished. I start classes today, well some started yesterday but today I am on campus. So happy to be back in school.
I cleaned my room! I know, I know, youre thinking that sounds like a little kid's happy face when they did something themselves for the first time! Well... I did! I cleaned out a few things that have been cluttering up my space, and got them into boxes in the basement where I can sort through them. I have a room! And you can see the top of my dresser! don't believe me? Ill prove it :) later. right now I am working on refreshing my math skills because, today @ 4pm, I have my college algebra class that is workin my nerves. Will I remember all the formulas? Will this class be too difficult for me to get an A? Aaah the thoughts going through my head.
The other thought that is there is... How have you come on your daily goals? Have you been workin at them every day? Have you even kept one of them since you posted about them last week? Well... I have. I taped the list of things that I want to work at onto my mirror in my bedroom. I look at them when I get up. I look at them when I lay down. I look at them when Im working on homework in my room. Its kind of nice to have a reminder. I tend to get sidetracked and forget about something or other.
I have to get back to what I was working on before I started this post... MATH. :) scared to fail, dont want less than an A.
until later... <3
About Me
- ~Blessed Servant~
- A follower of Christ, an amazing woman n mother to three beautiful children, I have a passion for people to know Jesus, another passion of mine ~ music that glorifies Him ~ Christian Rap/Holy Hip Hop, Gospel, a little of every thing... you name it I probably have sampled it... I Love To Bring People To See why He means everything to ME and I want to share the Joy that He brings with everyone I know! I love helping people, and I enjoy trying new things... I love to find ways to get my children involved in volunteering and giving back to their community.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Devotion ~ January 4 2011 ~
Make A Seismic Shift By Sharon Frame
You may not have felt it. But a monster earthquake that ravaged the South American country of Chile February of 2010 shifted your life too. It registered an 8.8 magnitude. That's mammoth! NASA's geophysicists say the massive jolt likely shifted the earth's axis by about eight centimeters, and shortened our days by 1.26 microseconds. That might not seem like a lot. But in life, every second counts. Over time they add up to minutes. And like grains of sand in an hour glass, enough minutes make days, which stretch into years.
Now, thanks to that quake in Chile, we are one microsecond shorter on time.
But way before the killer quake struck, we have been selling ourselves short by not registering the seismic shifts in our own lives. The Bible urges us to “redeem the time, or make the best use of it.” Do not waste it. (Ephesians 5:16a)
Geologically, seismic shifts occur in the earth's crust and can cause major eruptions above ground. Practically, seismic shifts are those little changes that make a big difference in our lives. Such shifts can be negative or positive. Let's examine a case in point.
What if you wanted to enjoy a rich, more joyful life? Begin by taking small, simple steps to make it happen. Start by doing a blatantly honest self- assessment. Examine what needs to be fixed in your life. Face the truth about your power-draining habits. Identify the impediments that stand in your way. With that done, it's time for another shift. Tackle your issues one at a time. If bad spending habits are the demons keeping you from being wealthy, commit to taking a money management class that offers practical and sustainable results.
The third shift is to earnestly stick with your plan of action until you conquer that weakness. I call this the FTC approach. Face. Tackle. Conquer.
Shift one: Face the problem. Shift two: Tackle the problem. Shift three: Conquer the problem.
This results in positive seismic shifts. Enough of these small steps will yield monumental changes. But remember, if we want true and lasting success, it’s imperative that we factor in God. Proverbs 16:3 instructs us to: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
Doing nothing also causes a shift. Like the earthquake in Chile, you may not have felt the tremor. But it happened. You may not see how taking-no-action hurts your chance at a better, more fulfilling life. But it does. “The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” (Proverbs 13:4)
Like it or not, what we do everyday creates seismic shifts. They eventually trigger major eruptions. For some, personal success will break through. Others will just shift further into a life of self-defeat. With God as your guide, you’ve got a slight edge. Make it count.
Scripture Of The Day: "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." - Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)
Devotion ~ January 3 2011 ~
First Things First By Greg Laurie
I have often said of the Bible, "Sin will keep you from this book, and this book will keep you from sin." If you obey God's Word, it will keep you from sin. But sin will keep you from God's Word.
The devil will do everything in his power to keep you from reading and memorizing Scripture. As he did with Eve by first questioning God's Word, then distorting it, and finally adding to it, he will keep you from it as well.
In Ephesians 6, we are told as believers to take up the whole armor of God. But have you ever noticed there is only one weapon listed that is both defensive and offensive? God has given us the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. That is what Jesus used. And that is what we need to use. As the psalmist said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11).
What shape is your sword in today? Is it polished from daily use and sharpened on the anvil of experience? Or is it rusty from lack of preparation or dulled by disobedience?
Take time for the Word of God. Make it a top priority to not only read the Bible, but to memorize it. It will prepare your heart for what you will face throughout the day.
Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." - Deuteronomy 11:18–19
I have often said of the Bible, "Sin will keep you from this book, and this book will keep you from sin." If you obey God's Word, it will keep you from sin. But sin will keep you from God's Word.
The devil will do everything in his power to keep you from reading and memorizing Scripture. As he did with Eve by first questioning God's Word, then distorting it, and finally adding to it, he will keep you from it as well.
In Ephesians 6, we are told as believers to take up the whole armor of God. But have you ever noticed there is only one weapon listed that is both defensive and offensive? God has given us the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. That is what Jesus used. And that is what we need to use. As the psalmist said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11).
What shape is your sword in today? Is it polished from daily use and sharpened on the anvil of experience? Or is it rusty from lack of preparation or dulled by disobedience?
Take time for the Word of God. Make it a top priority to not only read the Bible, but to memorize it. It will prepare your heart for what you will face throughout the day.
Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." - Deuteronomy 11:18–19
Devotion ~ January 2 2011 ~
Living For An Audience Of One By Dr. Jack Graham
Who would you say today is the most important person in your life? Who is that one person of whom you would say, “I live my life for him…or her?” Maybe you are living your life for your spouse. Or maybe you find yourself living your life for your children…or for another family member. Or maybe you’re honest enough to admit that you are living your life for yourself!
Whatever your answer, I want to help you understand that there is just one Person worthy to be the primary focus of your life. And that Person is Jesus Christ.
One of the greatest examples of a man who lived for Christ was Stephen, the first Christian martyr. When we meet Stephen in Acts 6, we find that the first century church has a serious problem. Some within the congregation are grumbling and causing dissension because they feel they are not being adequately cared for.
So the leadership of the church chose seven godly, devoted men to serve as deacons to help minister to the growing congregation. And the first man on their list was Stephen. Acts 6:8 says that Stephen was a man full of faith and power. Yet as a result of his beautiful testimony for Christ inside and outside the church, Stephen eventually began to draw fire for his faith. In fact, a group of Jews--because they hated Stephen’s passion for Christ so much--began to falsely accuse Stephen of blasphemy. And their lies eventually led to Stephen’s violent murder.
Let’s pick up the end of Stephen’s story in Acts 7:54-60: "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep."
Notice that Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. In Ephesians 1:20, Paul tells us that after Christ’s resurrection, He was seated at the right hand of the Father. But now, as Stephen is martyred for His faith, we see Christ standing.
I can’t help but believe our Lord was standing to applaud Stephen’s commitment to Him. Stephen was living a beautiful, godly life in the midst of the ugliness around him. He stood for Jesus…even to the point of death…and Jesus stood to honor Stephen’s unwavering faith. When you live your life for Jesus Christ, you may face the fire, face the flack, and even face the fury of those who reject the Lord Jesus. But they should not be your concern. Your concern ought to be Jesus. Will He be standing to honor your commitment to Him?
While you may never face the threat of execution for your faith, I want to ask you today, What are you willing to pay to carry the cross of Christ? Are you willing to make Christ your Audience of One…that He might be glorified and magnified in your life? Stephen was… and, as a result, God used him in a powerful way. In fact, the life of a young terrorist who celebrated Stephen’s stoning would be changed. That young terrorist was Saul of Tarsus, a rabid religionist who thought he was doing God a favor by killing Christians. The day Stephen was murdered, something began to happen in Saul’s life that he would talk about years later. There was something about the shining face of Stephen, something about the dying grace of Stephen, something about the powerful life of Stephen that Saul couldn’t get past! Saul would ultimately be confronted by the risen Christ on the way to Damascus and his life would be changed forever. Saul the murderer would become Paul the missionary. And it all began that day as he watched Stephen die for his faith!
I challenge you today to make Jesus Christ the one Person you are seeking to please…the one Person you are standing for no matter what difficulties you face. As you stand for Him, the lives around you will be impacted for eternity...and Jesus will stand in honor of your commitment to Him!
Scripture Of The Day: "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6
Who would you say today is the most important person in your life? Who is that one person of whom you would say, “I live my life for him…or her?” Maybe you are living your life for your spouse. Or maybe you find yourself living your life for your children…or for another family member. Or maybe you’re honest enough to admit that you are living your life for yourself!
Whatever your answer, I want to help you understand that there is just one Person worthy to be the primary focus of your life. And that Person is Jesus Christ.
One of the greatest examples of a man who lived for Christ was Stephen, the first Christian martyr. When we meet Stephen in Acts 6, we find that the first century church has a serious problem. Some within the congregation are grumbling and causing dissension because they feel they are not being adequately cared for.
So the leadership of the church chose seven godly, devoted men to serve as deacons to help minister to the growing congregation. And the first man on their list was Stephen. Acts 6:8 says that Stephen was a man full of faith and power. Yet as a result of his beautiful testimony for Christ inside and outside the church, Stephen eventually began to draw fire for his faith. In fact, a group of Jews--because they hated Stephen’s passion for Christ so much--began to falsely accuse Stephen of blasphemy. And their lies eventually led to Stephen’s violent murder.
Let’s pick up the end of Stephen’s story in Acts 7:54-60: "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep."
Notice that Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. In Ephesians 1:20, Paul tells us that after Christ’s resurrection, He was seated at the right hand of the Father. But now, as Stephen is martyred for His faith, we see Christ standing.
I can’t help but believe our Lord was standing to applaud Stephen’s commitment to Him. Stephen was living a beautiful, godly life in the midst of the ugliness around him. He stood for Jesus…even to the point of death…and Jesus stood to honor Stephen’s unwavering faith. When you live your life for Jesus Christ, you may face the fire, face the flack, and even face the fury of those who reject the Lord Jesus. But they should not be your concern. Your concern ought to be Jesus. Will He be standing to honor your commitment to Him?
While you may never face the threat of execution for your faith, I want to ask you today, What are you willing to pay to carry the cross of Christ? Are you willing to make Christ your Audience of One…that He might be glorified and magnified in your life? Stephen was… and, as a result, God used him in a powerful way. In fact, the life of a young terrorist who celebrated Stephen’s stoning would be changed. That young terrorist was Saul of Tarsus, a rabid religionist who thought he was doing God a favor by killing Christians. The day Stephen was murdered, something began to happen in Saul’s life that he would talk about years later. There was something about the shining face of Stephen, something about the dying grace of Stephen, something about the powerful life of Stephen that Saul couldn’t get past! Saul would ultimately be confronted by the risen Christ on the way to Damascus and his life would be changed forever. Saul the murderer would become Paul the missionary. And it all began that day as he watched Stephen die for his faith!
I challenge you today to make Jesus Christ the one Person you are seeking to please…the one Person you are standing for no matter what difficulties you face. As you stand for Him, the lives around you will be impacted for eternity...and Jesus will stand in honor of your commitment to Him!
Scripture Of The Day: "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6
Devotion ~ January 1 2011 ~
A wonderful resource if you have never heard of it, www.streamingfaith.com, I get the daily devotionals to my inbox and I share them everywhere (email, facebook, here, twitter, well you get the point) and I love to do what I can to promote understanding, so here it is...
Living a Disciplined Life By Dr. Frederick K.C. Price
No one can be successful in ministry who is undisciplined. There are too many undisciplined pastors, too many undisciplined evangelists, too many undisciplined ministers of the gospel. To be successful, one must be disciplined!
In I Corinthians 9:27, Paul says: But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Notice what Paul tells us here: But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection.... The "I" that Paul is talking about is the spirit man on the inside. "I" is the real you. "I" is the you that has been born again. Your body is not you. You are not flesh and blood.
Have you ever heard someone say, "Well, what do you expect? I am only flesh and blood. What do you want me to do, be an angel or something? I'm just flesh and blood." You are not flesh and blood. You are a spirit! You have a flesh and blood body, but you are not flesh and blood. Flesh and blood is where you live. You are a spirit made in the image of God. The great Apostle Paul said that he kept his body under and brought it into subjection. That tells me that the body is out of subjection, and if I do not bring my body in line, it will stay out of subjection. Notice what Paul did not say: He did not say, "I put my body under." If he had said that, he would only have to do it one time. But he said, "I keep my body under." The reason he had to keep it under was because it wanted to get out from under--the same way your body does. And if you do not keep that sucker under, it will get out from under and do something it is not supposed to do. Unfortunately, we hear about it getting out from under all the time in the ministry fraternity. A minister of God has to be disciplined, and it starts with the flesh. If you cannot discipline your body, you will not discipline your spirit. You cannot! It is impossible! You cannot see your spirit, yet you are looking at your body every day, and it will get out of control if you let it. How are you going to control something you cannot even see?
You have a body that you are looking at all the time, you haul it around, you push it in and out of cars, you feed it, you are stuffing it, undershirt it, you shave it, you spray cologne on it, you deodorize it, you bathe it; and sometimes it gets out of control--while you are looking at it every five minutes! How are you going to control your spirit that you have not even seen? Paul said, but I keep under my body and bring it screaming and hollering into subject, because screaming and hollering is what it will do. It does not want to conform to God's Word. It is not subject to the laws of God. You have to bring it into submission and keep it there. If you want to be successful, you have to discipline yourself. And it starts with your body. If God cannot trust you with the house you live in, why would He give you 5,000 church members?
It costs something to be disciplined. It will make you scream sometimes. It will make you holler sometimes, because your body does not want to conform, but you have to make it conform and bring it into subjection. Subjection to what? To the Word of God and to your own recreated spirit. It does not work automatically; you have to stay with it all the time. I like to eat. I love good food. I particularly enjoy ice cream. Sometimes I will get a craving for it just as they say some women who are pregnant have a craving for some particular food item. Sometimes when I get that craving, just to let the devil know that I am in control, I will deny myself, and I will refuse to eat it. I tell my body, "I am in control--me, the spirit man. The man on the inside is in control. Body, you do not control me!" No ice cream is going to have me crawling the walls at midnight trying to find a fix, like some preachers do with cigarettes. I will say it again, because it bears repetition: A disciplined life is what you have to have in order to be successful in your Christian life, as well as in the ministry!
Scripture Of The Day: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5
Living a Disciplined Life By Dr. Frederick K.C. Price
No one can be successful in ministry who is undisciplined. There are too many undisciplined pastors, too many undisciplined evangelists, too many undisciplined ministers of the gospel. To be successful, one must be disciplined!
In I Corinthians 9:27, Paul says: But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Notice what Paul tells us here: But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection.... The "I" that Paul is talking about is the spirit man on the inside. "I" is the real you. "I" is the you that has been born again. Your body is not you. You are not flesh and blood.
Have you ever heard someone say, "Well, what do you expect? I am only flesh and blood. What do you want me to do, be an angel or something? I'm just flesh and blood." You are not flesh and blood. You are a spirit! You have a flesh and blood body, but you are not flesh and blood. Flesh and blood is where you live. You are a spirit made in the image of God. The great Apostle Paul said that he kept his body under and brought it into subjection. That tells me that the body is out of subjection, and if I do not bring my body in line, it will stay out of subjection. Notice what Paul did not say: He did not say, "I put my body under." If he had said that, he would only have to do it one time. But he said, "I keep my body under." The reason he had to keep it under was because it wanted to get out from under--the same way your body does. And if you do not keep that sucker under, it will get out from under and do something it is not supposed to do. Unfortunately, we hear about it getting out from under all the time in the ministry fraternity. A minister of God has to be disciplined, and it starts with the flesh. If you cannot discipline your body, you will not discipline your spirit. You cannot! It is impossible! You cannot see your spirit, yet you are looking at your body every day, and it will get out of control if you let it. How are you going to control something you cannot even see?
You have a body that you are looking at all the time, you haul it around, you push it in and out of cars, you feed it, you are stuffing it, undershirt it, you shave it, you spray cologne on it, you deodorize it, you bathe it; and sometimes it gets out of control--while you are looking at it every five minutes! How are you going to control your spirit that you have not even seen? Paul said, but I keep under my body and bring it screaming and hollering into subject, because screaming and hollering is what it will do. It does not want to conform to God's Word. It is not subject to the laws of God. You have to bring it into submission and keep it there. If you want to be successful, you have to discipline yourself. And it starts with your body. If God cannot trust you with the house you live in, why would He give you 5,000 church members?
It costs something to be disciplined. It will make you scream sometimes. It will make you holler sometimes, because your body does not want to conform, but you have to make it conform and bring it into subjection. Subjection to what? To the Word of God and to your own recreated spirit. It does not work automatically; you have to stay with it all the time. I like to eat. I love good food. I particularly enjoy ice cream. Sometimes I will get a craving for it just as they say some women who are pregnant have a craving for some particular food item. Sometimes when I get that craving, just to let the devil know that I am in control, I will deny myself, and I will refuse to eat it. I tell my body, "I am in control--me, the spirit man. The man on the inside is in control. Body, you do not control me!" No ice cream is going to have me crawling the walls at midnight trying to find a fix, like some preachers do with cigarettes. I will say it again, because it bears repetition: A disciplined life is what you have to have in order to be successful in your Christian life, as well as in the ministry!
Scripture Of The Day: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5
New Year, New Me... New Goals, in Him...
Okay, so here it is, January 3 2011!!!
Wow...can you believe its already 2011? I know it really feels like I missed a whole year, Im not exactly sure what happened, but I dont like that feeling at all... so here are my new year life goals, I haven't finished my 100 life goals yet (great idea thanks to Courageous Church, www.courageous.tv ) and I will be working on those for a while I think.
NEW YEAR NEW ME GOALS...
** spend at least 30 minutes a day UNINTERRUPTED with the kids, one on one interaction... (not that we dont have this, but it isnt necesarrily one on one or uninterrupted)
** spend time in the morning every morning in prayer over my daily devotionals, then again with the online devotional (you can find it here www.YouTube.com/60SecondDevotional again thanks to my friends over at Courageous Church) and throughout the day as I find my mind wandering over those things I am worried about
** worry less, and Trust God More ***
** stop apologizing for the way I FEEL... my feelings are JUST as VALID as anyone else's feelings and I am tired of thinking how I feel should be downplayed because no one else feels the same ... or looks at things the same way I do - in case you havent noticed, I am a bit anal about certain things, okay well about almost everything, and I am also a nuts and bolts kind of person... more about that in another blog this week...
** always voice my love and concern, in the most loving non destructive way possible (see the daily devotionals section)
** always make it to Bible Study On Tuesday nights (Ill be starting classes again next week and one of them is on Tuesdays so pray for travel mercies that this could happen)
** always tell the truth in love, about my life and what I see around me... this has been a goal for a LONG time and I have been doing quite well with it, until recently that has not been a problem... (and before it goes that far, no it hasnt been a big problem lately I just know there are a few instances when I havent been 100% and its still working on me...)
the rest will have to be edited and posted in another post :) I have things I have to get done today! Hahaha...
what are your goals for 2011?
Wow...can you believe its already 2011? I know it really feels like I missed a whole year, Im not exactly sure what happened, but I dont like that feeling at all... so here are my new year life goals, I haven't finished my 100 life goals yet (great idea thanks to Courageous Church, www.courageous.tv ) and I will be working on those for a while I think.
NEW YEAR NEW ME GOALS...
** spend at least 30 minutes a day UNINTERRUPTED with the kids, one on one interaction... (not that we dont have this, but it isnt necesarrily one on one or uninterrupted)
** spend time in the morning every morning in prayer over my daily devotionals, then again with the online devotional (you can find it here www.YouTube.com/60SecondDevotional again thanks to my friends over at Courageous Church) and throughout the day as I find my mind wandering over those things I am worried about
** worry less, and Trust God More ***
** stop apologizing for the way I FEEL... my feelings are JUST as VALID as anyone else's feelings and I am tired of thinking how I feel should be downplayed because no one else feels the same ... or looks at things the same way I do - in case you havent noticed, I am a bit anal about certain things, okay well about almost everything, and I am also a nuts and bolts kind of person... more about that in another blog this week...
** always voice my love and concern, in the most loving non destructive way possible (see the daily devotionals section)
** always make it to Bible Study On Tuesday nights (Ill be starting classes again next week and one of them is on Tuesdays so pray for travel mercies that this could happen)
** always tell the truth in love, about my life and what I see around me... this has been a goal for a LONG time and I have been doing quite well with it, until recently that has not been a problem... (and before it goes that far, no it hasnt been a big problem lately I just know there are a few instances when I havent been 100% and its still working on me...)
the rest will have to be edited and posted in another post :) I have things I have to get done today! Hahaha...
what are your goals for 2011?
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