Tag: heart

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How Real Heart Transformation Begins

If rules and regulations could transform hearts and make us clean, why would God send Jesus? I write this from a place of having felt that I am never good enough, clean enough, or holy enough. I write this from a place of vulnerability hoping that you know that you are not dealing with this alone. The truth is, without Jesus, we are not good enough. But when we get a revelation of who Jesus is and why God sent us him as the PERFECT sacrifice, we are given a new hope.

Maybe you are like me and deal with perfectionism, an unrealistic expectation of never making mistakes. In reality, it is our mistakes and our weaknesses that draw us closer to the Father’s heart. We cannot do this on our own, we need saving. We need saving from our own messes that we sometimes uintentionally or maybe even intentionally create. We need to be saved from perfectionism and not feeling good enough. We need a love that is not based upon what we do or don’t do.

We need Jesus.

When you get to know Jesus, you realize how true John 3:16 is. You begin to realize that this verse is weighty. Jesus came to die for both you and I when we had nothing to offer.

So why do we get caught up in the notion of doing rather than drawing close to God through who he is, love? I think that we unintentionally compare God’s love to an earthly love. That somehow what we do or don’t do will seperate us from the love of God. Which couldn’t be further from the truth. Remember Romans 8?

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38‭-‬39 NKJV

It is only after realizing how much God loves you that you stop performing and heart transformation begins. I am a firm believer that as a new creation a heart transformation must take place. But it is not through trying to hard you run ragged that we get there. It is through our new hope, Jesus Christ.

Let us join together remembering that nothing we do or don’t do will add or take away God’s love for us. We are new creations with a new identity. We are his masterpiece. He is the potter and we are the clay. While the process of being molded and refined can be quite painful at times, reflect on when Jesus came to save you. It wasn’t when you were put together and your outfit was just right. He loves us right in the middle of our mess and that is why his love is so profound and different than the rest.

Prayer

God, I am sorry for the times that I thought your love was based upon what I do or don’t do. I thank you that it is through your love that I am drawn to repentance. I thank you for Jesus washing me clean as snow. Today I ask you Holy Spirit to stop performing and start surrendering every part of me to you. Thank you for loving me in my mess and making it a message for those to hear. In Jesus Name, Amen.

More Scripture To Meditate On:

  • Romans 8
  • John 3:16-17
  • John 14:6
  • Hebrews 10:14
  • Isaiah 54
  • Psalm 51
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My Messy Prayers

I have been going through a lonnnnnng season of trial and tribulations. I want to share a little bit of what God has put on my heart and taught me during this season.

He has pointed out many people throughout the bible who have been straight up vulnerable with God. It didn’t matter what they were going through they didn’t leave a piece of their heart hidden from God. Their prayers and calls to God were in deep anguish, agony, and sorrow. We see this throughout the Psalms a lot! Another example that God has had me focus on is in 1 Samuel 1-2.

Often times it wasn’t that I was intentionally keeping what I was going through hidden. I just didn’t want to complain. I didn’t want to be negative. What really happened when I didn’t tell God what was on my heart, was my thoughts of hurt and negativity later spread to my heart and soon my actions began to change. I was no longer acting in the spirit, I was acting in my flesh. In a sense, I was trying be independent instead of relying on God. Instead of speaking to him what was on my heart, I buried it down deep and it blossomed into one ugly rotten mess. Oh man was it a mess. It seems silly now, but I almost didn’t want God to feel like I was burdening him with my problems. What I was doing was keeping God out the equation. I was not coming to a solution because I was hoarding the problem. By not being real with God about what was going on, I was carrying a burden I was never meant to carry. I didn’t give room for God to be God. I was acting in pride. Not being real didn’t allow him to change my heart and see things from his perspective.

God spoke very clearly to me and said:

Be vulnerable with me. Give me enough time for me to speak. Listen to my voice. I already know what you are going to say before you say it. I am not like anyone else. I am not like those who have hurt you. My love is not conditional based upon circumstances. I am the one you can count on. I am like no one else you know. I want every piece of your heart. I am all knowing. I keep my promises. Follow the Spirit. Be a woman of prayer, endless faith, and constant worship.

I’m really not sure where I began to feel like I was “burdening God with my problems” but that is not how God feels when we come to him in surrender. We are never meant to be without the guidance of the Spirit. God wants us to come to him with our prayers being real and raw and messy. He is the one we should be coming to like that. God is the one who can turn the worst situation, feelings, or unpleasant thoughts into a thankful heart.

When we withhold what is truly going on with us from an all knowing, steadfast, everlasting, loving God, we are really cutting ourselves short. We aren’t avoiding complaining. We aren’t avoiding negativity. God wants us completely surrendered in every part of our heart. He wants us to completely trust him and be vulnerable and messy. There is nothing that can surprise him. There is nothing he can’t do. He wants to love on us through our messes. He wants to love on us through our hurt. There’s never a moment he doesn’t want to be with us.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

 “Because of Christ and our faith in him,we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.”-Ephesians 3:12 NLT

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”-Ephesians 3:16-20 NLT

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”-Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

Side note:I am so sorry I have been sparingly posting on here. College has slowly taken over my life but God is still at work in my heart and life. I try to post a verse of the day every single day on Instagram and Facebook. So be sure to get connected. You can find the links on My Mission & Vision page 🙂 I can’t wait to be able to write more soon but feel free to search through old posts and share what God is doing in your life. I would love to hear from you!

 

 

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He Turns Your “Cant’s” Into “Cans”

We are nothing without Jesus. I can’t even breathe a breath without him because he is breathing his life into my lungs. So when it comes to your dreams, that position you just recieved, or maybe a calling God has placed on your heart. Remember God needs your heart, not your resume. Throughout scripture, God seemed to pick the outcasts or what the world thought were outcasts. Those people ended up being the great and noble individuals we still talk about today due to their obedience, faith, and open heart to what God had planned for their life.

The next time you are discouraged, remember God chose you for a specific purpose. So whoever told you that you couldn’t, remember your heavenly father is the one who enables the can.

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Help Me With My Unbelief God

Sometimes, we are faced with circumstances or situations and are first initial reaction is in our flesh instead of in the spirit. We hope to one day immediately line up our thoughts with biblical truth and not react with emotion. However, we need to keep in mind we are a work in progress. We will continually grow and we will have growing pains. It is okay to ask God to help you with your unbelief. It is okay to call on Jesus’ name to increase your faith. Not acknowledging that we need God for everything, including hope, faith, and to fully believe and trust in his promises makes us become reliant on ourself instead in one accord with God. Two examples in scripture really stand out to me when it comes to this:

In Luke 17 Jesus is talking about temptations of sin and how they are going to come if someone sins over and over against you, we are called to repent and forgive them. Then in verse 5-6 the apostles and Lord have this conversation:

“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”-Luke 17:5-6 ESV

The apostles ask God to increase their faith and he responds with how powerful even the faith the size of a mustard seed is. If you don’t know how big a mustard seed is go look!

The second example is in Mark 9. This is where a father is asking Jesus to cast out a spirit from his son.

“Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!””-Mark 9:23-24 NKJV

Here we see another example of someone crying out to help their unbelief or lack of faith. So if it is in the word, why are we so hesitant to call out when we need a little help with our unbelief or lack of faith? When I got news from the doctor a couple weeks ago, my mind didn’t immediately go to healing even though I have been healed before. My thoughts went worldly. As they went worldly I realized that I had some unbelief in my heart and called out upon God to help me.

He has been faithful to show me the promises that I need to hold onto. God’s word is full of promises and he cannot lie. God waits to hear from you the things you need. He is a good father and wants to bless you and help you in times of trouble. We just simply need to ask.

Is there something in your life that is causing a lack of faith or you are struggling with some unbelief? It is okay, the apostles, the father, and I did too. Call upon the Lord and he restore your faith, strength, and give you a new found hope in his promises.

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The Book of Ruth (Chapter 1 Focus)~Bible Study Notes~April 5th 2018

The Book of Ruth Background Information

Timeline:

During the time of the Judges, a period of social and religious disorder when “everyone did whatever seemed right to him” (Judges 17:16)

Era bridged the time between the conquest of the land under Joshua and The Rise of King David (1150 BC-1100 BC)

Facts:

After reading the book of Judges which paints a dark and depressing picture of Israel, Ruth is a welcome relief.

One of the five scrolls read during the Jewish festivals, in particular The Festival of Weeks.

Chapter 1:

(1:1-5)

  • famine in the land of Moab
  • Killed Naomi’s husband and two son’s (one being Ruth’s husband)
  • Famine was also known as a natural disaster or a means of testing to strengthen the faith of the people of God
  • Which in turn was a test of Naomi & Ruth’s heart
  • Moab where they were, not in favor of the Promised Land

(1:6-9)

  • During this time your husband was your voice
  • Whatever was your husband’s if he passed went to the next male or next of kin
  • (1:6)-God is still faithful to his people
  • (1:8)-Naomi tries to send them back home. We see Naomi looking at the best interests of others. She had absolutely nothing to offer Ruth. This showed kindness and humility in Naomi’s heart.
  • (1:9)-Despite emotions running high (weeping out loud) Naomi’s heart was still focused on others

(1:10-14)

  • Naomi tells Ruth and Orpah to flee because she has nothing to offer (Remember your husband was your voice)
  • She also feels like the Lord has turned against her
  • They all weep together

~Have you ever been in a position where you did not understand why?

~Did you continue to trust in God’s promises or look at your circumstances?

  • Ruth clings to Naomi (this shows empathy, sympathy, and kindness)

(1:15-17)

  • Naomi demands them to leave
  • Ruth, however, has a different plan. Ruth says with authority what seemed like wedding vows to her Mother-in-law.
  1. emotions are running high still
  2. “your God will be my God” (just after Naomi spoke of the Lord “turning against her…)

Lets Put Ourselves In Ruth’s Shoes

  1. Husband and father-in law just died in a famine
  2. Your voice in society was your husband (male)
  3. Weeping together with mother-in-law and sister-in-law
  4. Live in the land of the Moabites (not in favor of the Promised Land)
  5. Naomi feels the wrath of God BUT Ruth chooses to lay down her life for her mother-in-law (leaving everything she knows behind, including her beliefs)
  6. Ruth ultimately loses her life to find it

Ruth is…

  • compassionate
  • understanding
  • sympathetic
  • empathetic
  • dedicated
  • heart of a servant
  • sacraficial
  • has an attitude of determination
  • bold and courageous
  • obedient
  • a heroine

Heroine: an ordinary woman doing extraordinary things

(1:18-22)

  • even though Naomi is still distressed we see later on that Ruth’s decision to follow God changed not only her future but her mother-in-law’s and future generations including our own

Ruth is a great great great……grandmother of King David. (See Matthew 1)

Take Away Questions:

  1. Have we ever felt like Naomi, where God’s discipline or test seems to be too much? (See Psalm 30:5)
  2. Are we willing to drop everything to follow the will of God? (Example: Ruth left everything she knew would you stay at Fort Polk or move across the country because God called you to?)
  3. How can we be like Ruth? (She was a heroine, but so are we. She sought out God’s will so should we. Read God’s Word. Be aware of the spiritual war we are in and fight!!)
  4. What are some qualities you admire about Ruth or Naomi?
  5. Are you in complete submission to God?
  6. Did you realize the choices you make now effect future generations?

~Later we will see the Lord’s favor not only upon Ruth, but Naomi and future generations because of the choice Ruth made to be obedient. She followed God’s plan instead of her own.~

“Don’t let your limited understanding of an unlimited God, limit his potential to equip you in the season you are in.”-Todd Lane