12/8/2020 0 Comments He is God With UsBy: Tamika M. “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.'" Matthew 1:23 (NLT) Oh, what a name is Immanuel. Oh, what a representation does that name mean. There are many names for Jesus, many names he is for us. But Immanuel, it is not just a name; it's a reminder that the most high, the one who sits on the throne, he also sits here with us! He's there when you're going through a good season, and he's there in the bad. The Bible does not say that he is only with us when everything is looking up; it reminds us that he is right there, even in the most challenging seasons of our life. We never have to walk through any season alone, we never have to face a battle by ourselves, but instead, we find hope in the Savior. The same Jesus that came as flesh to save the world wants to walk with us in all things. This time of year can bring so much joy, but it can also bring pain. It can be hard to move through a season missing loved ones. It can be hard to figure out how to move forward through challenging times in our lives. And while the hard times may not go away, we can find rest in the fact that in the hard times, we never have to be alone. We can rest in the fact that in and through the Father, we are never alone! I will say it again, we, you, I, are never alone! Immanuel is God with us, in all things, through all things, our Savior Jesus, he is always there.
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12/7/2020 1 Comment Finding Rest In The ChaosBy: Dawn B. Congratulations – we survived our first Thanksgiving during a pandemic. Not a milestone I expected to achieve in my adult life, but here we are. My energy now turns to making the Christmas season as special as possible while holding true to pandemic safety regulations. Not a small task! As the to-do list gains pages, it is time to take a moment to breathe, rest, and be present in the moment and in God's presence. We are Human BeingsOur culture focuses on production. What are you doing to make your life, the life of your family, and the world a better place? Days are measured by the number of tasks that we accomplish, while lack of productivity is deemed lazy. Looking at this formula, our society defines us as human doings when God created us as human beings. Instead of measuring our worth by tasks completed, let us take a moment to seek who we truly are. Defining SelfThe definition of self is "the nature or essence of a person." Essence is not a task. It is not defined by how well you clean the house, your ability to work 40+ hours a week at your job, or the number of hours you spend caring for people. All these things are essential and necessary, but they do not define one's being. To find your essence, you need to look deep within yourself and feel God's purpose inside your innermost soul. Take a Moment to BreatheTo seek God's purpose and hear him speaking, we need to slow down. It is impossible to hear anything when the room is filled with noise—the more tasks on the list, the more noise blocking out the voice of God. I know what you may be thinking – so who is going to do all these tasks while I'm slowing down? I get it! Life is busy, and things need to get done. Start small. Find 5 minutes sometime during the day and breathe. Breathe in God's grace, listen to His voice, and lean into your being outside of your doing. We are Meant to RestThe next step is to acknowledge it is good, holy, and necessary to rest. "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his." Hebrews 4:9-10 (NIV) If the almighty creator of the universe took a moment to stop and rest, we certainly need to plan rest into our days. It comes back to being instead of doing. Rest and take time to be with God, yourself, and your loved ones. Practice being present in the moment. In being present, we slow down, and even planned tasks can become more peaceful, allowing for more rest. Embracing Christ In ChristmasAs the journey to Christmas begins, embrace the fact that you are a human being. Take moments to breathe in God's presence and rest in His grace. Embrace the natural holiday sensation swirling around – Christmas lights, colorful stockings, nativity scenes on the mantel, and smiling children filled with excitement. Celebrate the miracle of God sending Jesus to live among us and grow to be the Savior of the world. Rest, breathe, and be present to the moment God sets before us. Dawn Marie Beauchamp is a wife and mother of three glorious children living in the great state of Michigan. She can be found at Controlled Chaos blogging about faith, family, food and everything in between. Dawn and her husband run a growing electrical company and are avid DIY-ers. In their spare time, Dawn and family love to spend time outdoors - boating, fishing, hiking, hunting, and snowmobiling. You can follow Dawn on the following social platforms -Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. 12/6/2020 0 Comments Speaking Light Into DarknessBy: Tamika M. " For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV) In the midst of the things going on in this world, and in the midst of things going on in our lives, Jesus provides hope. In 2 Corinthians 4:6, the Bible says, the same God that spoke light into a world of darkness can give light, hope, and change to our current circumstances. If I can be honest, 2020 was a rough year for many. A pandemic that NO one saw coming, deaths of innocent men and women at the hands of a deadly virus, life as we know it changing to something we have never seen. But there is still light in this midst of this season, and in the midst of this darkness, there is still a Savior! Light does not mean our problems will go away. Light does not mean that we will never see a dark season. But it does mean that the light of the world will walk us through the darkness. The light found in Jesus will never allow us to be alone. Looking at Psalm 23:4, the Bible says: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (KJV) This scripture sends us the reminder that even in the darkness, even in our hardest seasons, we do not have to fear because we have a perfect one who protects, comforts us, and keeps us in our dark seasons. That comforter is the Savior, that comforter is light in darkness, that comforter is Jesus Christ.
Jesus was there then, and he is here now. And in this season, I want to encourage you that while life is hard, Jesus is there. While this season may seem never-ending, Jesus is the light in the midst of the tunnel. We can find an everlasting peace, grace, and rest in the arms of the Father! There is hope and help in the arms of the Savior, the Savior who speaks light into darkness and speaks life into you! 12/5/2020 0 Comments A Heart Of ForgivenessBy: Tamika M. Forgiveness is hard. Forgiveness may not always be the thing that we choose to do. But forgiveness is what the Bible calls us to do. Ephesians 4:2 states clearly: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (KJV) The Bible not only shares the story of forgiveness; it shares the truth that the forgiveness Christ gives us, we are also to extend it to others. It does not hold conditions; it does not say only forgive if the offense is small; it does not say only forgive when YOU feel like it. It reminds us that we are to walk in the truth of forgiveness in and through all things. It may not change the hurt; it may not change what that person has done to you, but when we walk in forgiveness, we not only free the other person, but we also free ourselves. When we hold onto that hurt and even sometimes anger, we do not show Christ's glory, truth, or his message. When Christ came, died, and rose, he did it to allow you access to his forgiveness. We are sinners who need a savior, and we have access to that savior through the sacrifice he made; it came through the blood. And the blood of Jesus was for us, our sins, our shortcomings, and when we fall short of his glory. And I do not know about you, but I need God's grace, I need God's mercy, I need God's forgiveness. While I am undeserving of his forgiveness, I am grateful that the Father was gracious enough to offer me a chance at forgiveness. We are not worthy...we mess up...we fall short...but the message of the cross gives us redemption amid our failures—a grace that is not meant only for us, but also others.
And today, I encourage you, whatever that person did to you, however, they hurt you, whatever wrong they did, forgive them, set them free, and allow yourself to be free. Do not be bound to unforgiveness but rather walk in the freedom of Christ. This holiday season, let us give the gift of forgiveness. Yes, it may hurt, yes it may not make sense, but you are forgiven and called to have a heart of forgiveness. Let us walk out the truth of the word, forgive others, as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 12/4/2020 0 Comments A Purpose FulfilledBy Tamika M. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" John 3:16 (KJV) Jesus, when he came to the earth, born in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes, he came with a purpose, he came with a truth, and he came with salvation and a chance at life everlasting for us all. Often, we do not see the end from the beginning; many times, we don't know the importance of what we are going through or why we are going through it. We sometimes do not understand why God is doing what he is doing when he is doing it. But whether or not we agree, whether or not we are on board, and whether or not we understand, our story comes with a purpose attached to God. Because God loved the world and wanted to offer man another chance, he sacrificed his only Son, Jesus, so that you and I could have the opportunity to spend eternity with him. A purpose that did not have to be understood in order to be fulfilled. I am reminded of Romans 8:28, which says: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (KJV) When Jesus came to the earth, he was fulfilling a purpose; and that purpose extended grace, love, and forgiveness. That purpose gives us another chance to get it right. Isn't that amazing? Doesn't that bring you joy? The truth that God loves you so much that he died for you. A love like no other, a savior like no other, a purpose fulfilled like no other.
And that story of purpose, that story of truth, it speaks to us. It reminds us that the purpose that God has given us, it too can be fulfilled. God calls us to share his word, God calls us to be light in darkness, and he calls us to be His hands and feet on the earth. We show that in how we love, we show that in how we conduct ourselves, we show that in the lives that we live. And living according to God's will allows us to live out his purpose fulfilled in us. So this holiday season, I leave you with this word of encouragement, let your purpose be fulfilled, live God's purpose out loud! Love the unloveable, forgive the unforgivable, and let the grace that God has given you be shown towards others! 12/3/2020 1 Comment The Love Of The FatherBy: Kari Minter It started with just a little pain in the lower back. Eventually, I couldn’t walk out of the house, driving was painful, and parenting was impossible. As the months wore on, Christians around me started saying, “I can’t wait to see what God is trying to teach you” or “sometimes God needs to completely destroy us in order to rebuild us”. As if I was somehow responsible for my pain, and God was punishing me. As if the pain wasn’t from the brokenness of our sinful world, but the pain was from the very hand of God. Their words got to me and doubt crept in. Is God withholding his love from me? Walking through suffering or pain can make us doubt God’s love. But it doesn’t have to. If you find yourself in a season of doubt, here are three scriptures to help you comprehend the depth of the Father’s love. He brought me out to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. Psalm 18:19 (CSB) David is writing this Psalm as he is running for his life from Saul. But notice God doesn’t rescue David because David is godly or going to be the next King of Israel. He isn’t rescued because of his future contribution to God’s temple. Or even because Jesus would be his descedent. No. David was rescued by God simply because God delighted in him…. And the same is true for you. God delights in you simply because you’re his child. Not because you’re godly, or raised kids well, or suffered strong. He delights in you simply because you are his child. Meditate on that truth for a bit. God simply looks on you and delights in you. That’s how much he loves you. "This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:5 (CSB) This hope, finding rest in God’s presence, doesn’t disappoint us. Why? Because our Father’s love has been POURED OUT in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. You don’t earn it. If you have put your faith in Christ, God has poured out his love to you. "Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword." Romans 8:35 (CSB) The suffering you’re experiencing or the bad decisions you’ve made? Can’t put a dent in how the Father loves you. The depression or anxiety or worry that is consuming? It has no power to take you from the love of your Father in heaven. Whatever is happening in your life does not have the power to change the love of your God towards you. God delights in you, he pours out his love over you, and his love can never be taken from you. Today I pray these truths will erase your doubts as you realize the depth of the Father’s love for you. Kari Minter is a Christian writer and Bible teacher. She longs to help women cultivate a deeper walk with the Lord, and she uses her website and shop, www.kariminter.com, her instagram, and FB page to encourage and provide resources to women. She is also a pastor’s wife of 17 years and has 3 children who she adores. 12/2/2020 1 Comment The Power Of Knowing The KingBy: Sharon Fernandez I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10-11 (NIV) As Apostle Paul has so humbly spoken of his God-Given Desire, to know Christ, I draw my inspiration for today's blog from it. Without the invitation from Christ, one can never know Christ on their own. Not by our own strength, our human wisdom, can we ever know Christ. It is purely by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; one can truly know Christ. We can't know Christ without knowing of His love. To further illustrate this, I draw your attention to the Apostle Paul, who once was against the body of Christ. Before meeting Christ, Paul, known as Saul, was on a mission to kill all who chose Christ Jesus as their Lord and savior. We see Paul's experience and testimony shared in Galatians 1:13–2:10. In 1:13–14, Paul boldly summarizes his life before meeting Christ as one in which he sought to destroy the church of God. Sharing his testimony, Paul expresses the truths of his violent persecution of the Christian community before Jesus met him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–2, 13–14). The Greek verb translated as "destroy" in Galatians 1:13 (portheō) was also used to describe the sacking of cities, and so we see how much the apostle hated the church and wanted to eliminate it. Paul's conversion has no natural explanation; rather, his transformation from great enemy to chief advocate can only be attributed to his supernatural encounter with the risen Christ. Knowing Christ starts in an individual's heart, which is the greatest miracle of all time. Jesus is touching the hearts of millions all over the world. Why does He do that?! He does it so that we, Humans, can know Christ and His passion towards us. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV) The Love Of God speaks about His heart towards us. It is always full of goodness, kindness, and long-suffering. It is so pure and divine. It completes us and makes us whole. The love of God is nothing we can find in our humanely formed relationship with one another, yet; it is so profound and true. The love that saves sinners with its amazing grace and still calls us His own. The love that is found on the cross for ages long and still stands to be the testament of God's love for humanity. His love transcends all gender, race, color, and religious tradition that we humans could ever come up with. God is Love. To know Christ, one should have the power to understand His Love. What kind of a mystery is this?! That God would send His only begotten Son to take our place as sinners on the cross so that we have a pardon for our sins and can be made right with God. We can boldly and confidently approach the throne of grace, knowing that we won't be condemned or judged. We have access to enter through the blood of the lamb; purified, sanctified, and holy. Indeed, a mystery that cannot be comprehended with human wisdom but by the spirit of God who bears witness to us, showing the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sharon Fernandez, 32, is a young Singaporean born again Christian. She sensed the calling of God as a mother of two and now dedicates her life to serve God in the worship ministry and bible sharing. She spends her time studying the word of God fervently and teaches its application in practical everyday situations. She shares her devotions in her blog and daily devotions in her Instagram. She is known for helping individuals to look for divine wisdom to solve life situations and personal emotional matters through her bible studies. She believes with the help of the Holy Spirit, anyone can truly live their life to the fullest as the will of God is done on earth as it is done in Heaven. 12/1/2020 0 Comments Unto Us...By: Tamika M. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) Unto us a child is born, Unto us a Son is given...
That verse, those words, bring so much joy to my heart. Those words are a beautiful reminder that not only was Jesus born, but it unveils the story of his truth. The story that he came, he died, and he rose, for you, and me. Isn't that amazing? This verse shows us that he came, and although he died on the cross, he is everlasting! He reigns and rules forever. No matter what life looks like, no matter what is going on in the world around us, God came in the flesh as Jesus, and he lives FOREVER! He is the Wonderful Counsellor; he is there to walk with us in and through all things. He is there to comfort us when we are lost. He is there to provide direction when we feel lost or lonely. And he is the Prince of Peace. He can bring peace to our hearts, minds, and souls, even in our hardest and darkest times. He is the one who is, who was, and who is to come. He is God Almighty. God's word speaks; God's word tells a story. A story of salvation, a story of redemption, a story of light stepping into darkness. A reminder that he came for us, he died for us, he rose for us. And the story does not end there! Unto us a child is born, Unto us a Son is given... Wonderful Counsellor, God Almighty, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, His name is Jesus! 11/23/2020 0 Comments How To Be A More Thankful ChristianBy: Sacha C. What are you thankful for? Is it the roof over your head? The food on your plate? Your friends and family? What makes you so appreciative? For me, I am so thankful for Jesus. I am so thankful for the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for my sins. Without Him, I would be nothing; I would have no real purpose in life. There are so many things to be thankful for or show appreciation towards, but as Christians, I believe that the most important thing should be our faith. God sent His son into the world to take the punishment for our sins so that we may be forgiven and receive the free gift of eternal life with God in Heaven. Isn't that amazing? The most important person in our lives should be God. He should be at the head of our household and the sole focus for how we go about our day to day lives. We should be focusing on things above and not things of this world. He is the one who gave us all of what we have in our lives. He is the one who hears and answers our prayers. He is the one who sets us free. There are so many scriptures in the Bible that talk about being thankful and practicing gratitude towards our God. But how often can you say that you do this? We need to learn to be more thankful and appreciative of our Lord and Savior. As such, here are three simple tips on how to be a more thankful Christian. 1. Read Your Bible Daily“Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). This one may seem pretty obvious, but it is so important to do. We need to read our Bible each day and focus on/meditate on the word of God. Have a look at the various scriptures that talk about thankfulness (you will find that there are many of them in the Book of Psalms). Write down, highlight, memorize, and focus on these key scriptures. This will help you become more thankful towards God once you learn and understand these scriptures. 2. Practice Journaling"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14). Have you ever done journaling before? Either way, this is a very practical form of practicing gratitude. You can do it in the morning or evening, whichever suits you best. Write down things that you are thankful for each day and connect it back to God. For example, today, I am thankful that I got plenty of rest and have time to sit here and write these tips for you all! How does this relate to my relationship with God? Because I prayed about getting plenty of sleep, and He answered my prayers. Also, He allowed me to have time to sit down and write these tips to share with fellow Christians. He is guiding me on what to say to you. 3. Stay In Prayer"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6). Prayer is the direct communication that we have between ourselves and God. It is so important for us to stay in prayer and to believe in what we pray about. When we do this, we are strengthening our faith in and relationship with God. This will help us to show more appreciation towards Him and be grateful for God to be a listening ear to us and a supportive God in our lives. Which one of these tips is your favorite? I hope you will start practicing thankfulness today and show more gratitude towards God and all you have in your life. We have all gone through so much this year, and with Thanksgiving coming up later this month, now is the perfect time to start. Sacha is a Christian blogger and owner/creator of Clothed With Dignity. She's encourages women to be strong, honorable and faithful to God. 11/15/2020 1 Comment A Thankful Heart Through It AllBy: Tamika M. As I was walking down the street, leaves crunching under my feet, looking out at the goodness of God's creation, I can not help but be thankful. Although 2020 has been rough, and there have been many challenges all around, the truth we can rest in is that God is God, and God is good! I am reminded of the passage in Psalm 7:17, which reads: "I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high." (KJV) We are to praise the Lord for who he is, not just for what he can do, not only when he moves according to our will; thanksgiving is a state of mind and a choice that we choose to make. We can choose to wallow in our problems, or we can choose to rest in the cross. We can focus on what is going on around us, or we can keep our focus on heavenly things. If I can be honest, life will give us plenty of things to concern ourselves with: money, relationships, and the economy. We can find these things being our focus and not the work and will of God. But if we learn to be content and to trust God no matter what we are facing, thankfulness becomes our heart's response. Theres a quote by AW Tozer that says: "Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it." Thankfulness and gratitude are things that we can do even in our lowest times, even when our lives may not look the way we expect them to look. When we practice thankfulness, we point back to the truth that God is greater, God's plan is bigger, and God is still and will always be in control.
So friend, as we go through this holiday season, I encourage you to be thankful. Thankful for life, thankful for health, thankful for Christ. Learn to practice thankfulness even in small things because a heart of gratitude points away from us and straight to the Father. |
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