Digesting the Word.

Last night when I was at bible study one of the adult leaders were explaining the whole “milk and solid food” concept in the bible. For those of you who don’t know about it read Hebrews 5:11-14. Anyways, he stumbled upon the word digest and it hit me. What does it mean to you when someone says “digest”?
Well for me, I took it in a biblical way. I wondered “How many times do we actually digest the word of God?” I find myself doing this often, I read the word or get filled up with it (whether in a service or on my own time) and I don’t take the time to truely meditate on it and digest what was just given to me. I tend to spit it out and move onto something else. The thing is, we shouldn’t be doing that. We should take the time to just meditate and actually soak in what we have just been taught or what God just revealed to us. That way we won’t be fazed about everything and would be able to fully understand, apply and teach it to yourself and others around you.

While living a life with and for God…

We experience seasons. Yes, I do mean seasons relevant to weather.
There’s Summer, Fall, Winter and of course, Spring. These seasons obviously represent different stages of our faith and often, where we are spiritually.

During Summer we’re on high with God. His fire is just living within you, nothing could ever hold you back from enduring God’s word and strengthen your faith. God just takes you up off your feet and allows you to grow and grow and grow. And then comes Fall, when all what you’ve overcome, learned and gained starts falling upon others lives, in more ways than one. Just for God. People get a dose of Him and you start to plant and water seeds in others lives. And then hits Winter, where you may find that your level of faith and spirit is very dry, dead or even, hungry. Almost like you want to just sit around and would love to pursue God, but it’s just not working out. Wonderfully and thankfully, Spring appears sooner or later and your spirit begins to livin, seeds are beginning to spout and buds are appearing. Rain pours, and those seeds are getting watered. And the cycle continues, so on and so forth.

So, my dear friends and companions, I’d like you to know that even though you may be walking through Summer, Fall, Winter or Spring these are only seasons. They will change, sooner than later. Things will pick right back up again, and no, if Winter stays for longer than you’d expected, Springs right on it’s way. 
Therefore, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” - James 4:10 and continue to “…be patient and stand firm.” - James 5:8 

Focusing on God’s power.

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” - 1 Corinthians 2:4

So, my pastor had asked me on Thursday to speak and share my testimony a bit with my youth group on Friday night. I agreed and started wondering what should I say, how should I say it and how will it touch or have an affect on my peers. I had no idea what God wanted me to say and of course, I didn’t want to go up there and not make any sense. So, I turned to the best source one could have. The Bible. I asked God to reveal something to me that would help me, somehow, understand what to say or how to say what I was going to speak about. And the verse above was the one that God has revealed to me, I’d say. It spoke to me, a lot. It was exactly what I wanted to read.
I realized that trying to reach someone or people by using cool words or saying something that will catch their attention is not enough. What’s the point of it anyways? Why be persuasive when you can just be upfront and real about it? Many times we fall into a pattern of believing in what someone says because it sounds cool, or seems like it was the right thing to say. But what good is that when you’re speaking about the goodness of God? Anywho, I noticed that the ONLY way you can reach someone by speaking is by demonstarting the power of God. Honestly, how POWERFUL is He? Very. People will be more in awe if you share God’s power than using persuasive words to try and reel them in, amen? God does things so He can be given all the glory, I think that’s MORE than enough to catch one’s attention. Also, that verse is so true. Let people and yourself rest on God’s power and Spirit because truthfully, humans are not reliable to rest your faith upon. Only God is.  
Well, for those who are having difficulties sharing the love and word of God or, might have to speak about something soon or later, remember to tell them about God’s power rather than let them think you’re so wise, because realistically we get the truth for God’s word not our own. - That way, the Holy Spirit will have it’s way, not you and God will be given ALL the glory, because that’s what He deserves.

- GITM

(Source: godisthemovement)

Faith

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also can you say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive WHATEVER you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:21-22)

How amazing, Jesus tells us all that we are able to have the exact power that he has. Jesus tells the fig tree that it will never bear fruit again and right after, the fig tree withers. God tells us that WE have the POWER to do such things if we are audacious enough to have incredible faith. We could even throw a mountain into the sea, and it will be done. I’m not sure about you guys, but to me these words are more than words Jesus spoke, they are words that Jesus said WE can do, just like Him. We can be just like Jesus.    
God created us to be great and by having audacious faith we are ABLE to do things that Jesus says we are ABLE to do.
Just by having absolute faith.
For all the one’s that say “You can’t”, Jesus has and continues to tell me, “YOU CAN.”

MISFITS.

Misfit: A misfit is someone who seems to be different than others and does not fit in with their surroundings

A pastor, Chris Durso, came to my church this friday. He said as Christians we should be misfits of this world. Therefore, we shouldn’t belong here, or feel comfortable with the ways of this world. We should be able to tackle any GIANTS that come our way and say “BE STILL”. and they will, become still because Jesus is the authority we represent.

“When you stand up to the things that make you a misfit and speak with authority that represent God, they will be tamed.”

“We should step up to our calling and be the hero God called us to be.”

Matthew 5:48

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

As I was reading the bible today that verse specially stood out to me. The reason why is because Jesus, himself, was commanding each and every one of us to perfect. I understand that when we think about the word and value of perfection we automatically think impossible. However, if God himself told US to be perfect He wouldn’t tell us to do something that is impossible. When i remember the whole concept of possible and impossible the chapter Philippians reminds me that “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (4:15)and Luke “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (1:37)
Therefore, there is proof from God’s word that we ARE infact capable of being perfect. If we do the natural God will add the SUPER infront of it. God also didn’t send down His only Son and Holy Spirit on earth with no purpose, to be our salavtion, guide and an ulimate way to reach the ways of our Father.

Afterall, we are ALL what our Father says we are, through His holy word.
Just believe.

“…Faith by itself, if it is not accompained by action, is dead.” - James 2:17

“SO WE FIX OUR EYES NOT ON WHAT IS SEEN, BUT ON WHAT IS UNSEEN. FOR WHAT IS SEEN IS TEMPORARY, BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN IS ETERNAL.” - 2 CORINTHIANS 4:18

Why is it that we can believe in love, happiness, joy and have faith with everything that is unseen but we can’t have any love, happiness, joy and faith with God who provides every unseen feeling, and him himself is the most highest unseen thing in this whole universe?
It’s so easy for us to invest ourself in the world, the goal of this world isn’t to be happy but to earn money, get a job and listen to disturbing music meanwhile doing all these things. But, do you really think God would want us to depend on money to make us happy? Or want us to do all these hard things to become happy and satisified with everything we have? That is exactly why we are so unsatifsied and always, constently, searching for something in this crazy world. Because realisticly, all we need is God and believe that His Son Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we can live this beautiful life He gave us.
God can and will give you everything you need and long for in life, YOU just got to give Him the time of day and believe a greater thing unseen.
Afterall, since He is the most highest thing in this world that is unseen it would only make sense that He made all the things on earth that are unseen as well, like love, happiness, joy and faith.

Another story.

I had a conversation with one of my friends today, well actually two. One was talking about how her teacher is having a rocky time with faith because he is wondering why God would do such bad things to people and the world. She brang up a few examples of what he was speaking about and she surprisingly had a way of disagreeing. Now, let me tell you, my beautiful amazing friend was/is also having struggles with believing in God but somehow, I KNOW by God’s beauty, He had and continues to have a way with her heart. She told her teacher how it isn’t God’s fault that people die and that it’s basically a natural thing. However, God obviously creates and destroys. My friend meant that God doesn’t necessarily want people to die, suffer and deal with pain. It’s partically our own faults, in many ways. For example, if one were to step out or run across the rode while cars we’re passing by…or they want to “j-walk”, God is not responsible for their poor decisions, they are. Sadly, we tend to only rely and TRUELY blame God during bad times in our lives and forget that He isn’t the reason why most things happen in life. We forget that with God, comes Satan and with good of course you guys can fill that one in…comes evil.
Anyways, my point is is that God gave us free will, to make our own choices and it’s our decision on whether to do what’s right in God’s eyes or not. We can’t blame God for the things He hasn’t done and have to take responsiblilities on our own actions.
Also, God is not only available during hard times. He is ALWAYS available, whether we are or aren’t.

I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 

It is a promise that He has made for all people, and we shouldn’t forget it.