"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord..." Jeremiah 29:13 ~Seek God; let Him find you.
With the arrival of the season of Christmas, I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about the true meaning of Christmas. Tightly wrapped packages under the tree and snowflakes dancing through the crisp night sky are entertaining thoughts. But is that all there is to look forward on Christmas? No. Santa Claus may bring us presents, but Jesus gave his life for us.
I encourage you to slow down from the Christmas rush. Take a few deep breaths. Open your eyes to the heart of Christmas. The heart of Christmas is Jesus. Remember to seek God with all your heart so you may be found by Him. The following link will lead you to a video. Its the song, "Where's the Line to See Jesus" sung by Becky Kelley. Check it out and don't forget what Christmas is all about!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OExXItDyWEY
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Empty Before God
"For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints ad marrow: it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account." ~Hebrews 4:12-13 My God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is God of the past, the present and the future. His Word was living yesterday. It is living today, and it will be living tomorrow. My God defeats time, age and wear. Seek Him.
I have been in amazement this week with all the little things He has shown me. His untameable love for me has given me a happiness I cannot describe. This kind of happiness can't be found just anywhere. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." ~Matthews 6:33 Seek God first. Seek His will in your life, and He will give you a happiness you cannot describe.
I understand the difficulty at giving up the things we love in order to give them to God. It is not easy. But God wants to work with empty vessels: things he can mold into what He wants. Take this song by Jeremy Camp into consideration. But listen, really listen, to the words. Tuck them away in your heart, and remember to empty yourself completely before God. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl85EU33jgo
Holy fire, burn away
My desire of anything
that is not of you and is of me
I want more of you and less of me
Empty me, empty me, yeah
Fill, won't you fill me
With you and less of me, yeah
I have been in amazement this week with all the little things He has shown me. His untameable love for me has given me a happiness I cannot describe. This kind of happiness can't be found just anywhere. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." ~Matthews 6:33 Seek God first. Seek His will in your life, and He will give you a happiness you cannot describe.
I understand the difficulty at giving up the things we love in order to give them to God. It is not easy. But God wants to work with empty vessels: things he can mold into what He wants. Take this song by Jeremy Camp into consideration. But listen, really listen, to the words. Tuck them away in your heart, and remember to empty yourself completely before God. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl85EU33jgo
Holy fire, burn away
My desire of anything
that is not of you and is of me
I want more of you and less of me
Empty me, empty me, yeah
Fill, won't you fill me
With you and less of me, yeah
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Trust?
What does Faith mean to you? I will be honest. Faith is one of those words that tends to trip me up sometimes. God tells us not to worry. (Matthew 6:25,33-34) I mean, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." We tend to follow this scripture in reverse: "WAIT?! So, you mean after God gives me what I want and need, I will follow Him. Right?!"
NO!!! This is not how it works. If God were to give us all we need or want before asking us to trust in Him, then there would be no real point to have faith in Him! Do you get where I'm coming from?! Unfortunately, I'm one of the many who get a little mixed up on the order of things! But God has constantly been telling me, "Kassy! Get your head out of your butt and listen to me!" Okay, so God doesn't really talk to me like that; that's just how I translate!
Tonight, as I read through Hebrews 13, God gave me the perfect scripture. Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" In reality, we should strive to live our lives with less rather than always desiring more. When we do this, we become content with what God provides. We learn to view everything as a blessing. We trust that He always has our best interest in mind. Don't become so materialistic that you can't see all the simple things God has blessed you with. God will never leave you; nor will He forsake you. What more do we need than God? Be aware that this is a lesson I must constantly work on. But God is okay with me being a "work in progress." He still sees us as His masterpieces!
NO!!! This is not how it works. If God were to give us all we need or want before asking us to trust in Him, then there would be no real point to have faith in Him! Do you get where I'm coming from?! Unfortunately, I'm one of the many who get a little mixed up on the order of things! But God has constantly been telling me, "Kassy! Get your head out of your butt and listen to me!" Okay, so God doesn't really talk to me like that; that's just how I translate!
Tonight, as I read through Hebrews 13, God gave me the perfect scripture. Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" In reality, we should strive to live our lives with less rather than always desiring more. When we do this, we become content with what God provides. We learn to view everything as a blessing. We trust that He always has our best interest in mind. Don't become so materialistic that you can't see all the simple things God has blessed you with. God will never leave you; nor will He forsake you. What more do we need than God? Be aware that this is a lesson I must constantly work on. But God is okay with me being a "work in progress." He still sees us as His masterpieces!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Keep Climbing
You set out on a journey. You are looking forward to everything that will take place along the way. You start at the base of the mountain and begin your climb. You look forward to meeting God at the top. Everything is running smoothly, and you are already halfway up the mountain. Your foot slips. You keep climbing. You grow tired and long for a rest...one foot in front of the other. Rain pours from the sky. The terrain gets slick. The muscles in your legs burn with hatred. The edge is a straight plummet to the bottom. You grow lonely. The rain turns to snow. You lose feeling in your body. You want to turn back. Your head is fighting with your heart. "You cannot make it to the top. You will not make it. Turn back now." Your heart and faith fight back, "Just look up. Turn your face to God. Look to Him for comfort." You fight with all your might to continue. One foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other. Keep moving forward. Trust that you will make it to the top. Your lungs burn with hope. You are close to the top. Your heart continues to fight with your head. The urge to quit grows overwhelming. You pull yourself over the edge and collapse in pain. God, Abba Father, Daddy leans down and gathers you up in His loving arms. "My child, you have won the battle. You made it to the top. Be comforted, for I am always with you." ~"Be still and know that I am." Psalm 46:10
Hebrews 10:35-36 says, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." If you continue to put one foot in front of the other, God will reward your perseverance and confidence in Him. God will give us strength to weather the storms of life and make it to the top of the mountain. Psalm 29 proves His great power.
Trusting in God's will can be one of the biggest obstacles in our faith. This world tries to pry us away from Him. Temptations rip and pull at our faith. But cling to God's promises. He never loses a battle when we are willing to let Him fight for us. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA This skit is the perfect illustration of persevering in God's will for your life.
Hebrews 10:35-36 says, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." If you continue to put one foot in front of the other, God will reward your perseverance and confidence in Him. God will give us strength to weather the storms of life and make it to the top of the mountain. Psalm 29 proves His great power.
Trusting in God's will can be one of the biggest obstacles in our faith. This world tries to pry us away from Him. Temptations rip and pull at our faith. But cling to God's promises. He never loses a battle when we are willing to let Him fight for us. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA This skit is the perfect illustration of persevering in God's will for your life.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Why Blood?
So today I am home on the farm. The day started off so slow. I made myself a to-do list and set about completing it. Mopped the floors, mowed the lawn, went for a run with the dog, washed and cleaned my car and went four-wheeling. With each task I set about doing I would ask God, "God, reveal yourself to me. Speak to me. Show yourself to me." Well, with each task I would ask this...then I would let my mind wonder. My mind would wonder so much that I wouldn't even give God a chance to speak to me like I was asking Him to! So finally I sat down, opened His Word and said the same prayer. "God, reveal yourself to me. Speak to me. Show yourself to me."
Guess what? He did! God showed me Hebrews 9:16-18. "In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood." I asked myself the following question: Why did it take blood? Why does such a loving God require a blood? Why does forgiveness require blood?
Well we are in God's will. We couldn't receive His will without the death of Christ. A will is in force only when somebody dies, remember? God's will requires blood. What does blood represent? ...life. There is no greater symbol of life than blood. It courses through our bodies. It gives our hearts a reason to beat. It keeps us alive. Christ gave us his greatest gift: his blood ...his life. He is the source of our life. After realizing this, how can a person not be overwhelmed by the love of our God?
Guess what? He did! God showed me Hebrews 9:16-18. "In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood." I asked myself the following question: Why did it take blood? Why does such a loving God require a blood? Why does forgiveness require blood?
Well we are in God's will. We couldn't receive His will without the death of Christ. A will is in force only when somebody dies, remember? God's will requires blood. What does blood represent? ...life. There is no greater symbol of life than blood. It courses through our bodies. It gives our hearts a reason to beat. It keeps us alive. Christ gave us his greatest gift: his blood ...his life. He is the source of our life. After realizing this, how can a person not be overwhelmed by the love of our God?
Friday, May 27, 2011
What a Glorious Day
God gave me numerous reasons to be happy today. First of all, it's FRIDAY!!! TGIF! I have waited all week for this day! Next, the sun is finally shining. I was really beginning to lack some serious Vitamin D after the 5.5 inches of rain we've gotten! Finally, God really showed me his beauty this morning. As I was walking to work at 7:30a.m. He showed me just how awesome His creation really is. The grass is green and freshly cut; the trees are thick with leaves. Overly chunky squirrels bounce happily about. Joggers take to the streets, and there is a slight breeze. God is near. As I was taking in all these different sights He said, "See Kassy? I have given you no reason to be unhappy. I made this for you." For me? "Yes, for you."
Holy buckets right?! This is so true! God blesses us so much every day! And how much do we take for granted? Whether we choose to accept it or not, we are rich. God gives us our wealth. If we can see His creation as a piece of our wealth our days will be so much happier. The simple things in life should give us joy too.
Keeping this in mind, try reading Psalm 27. The first verse says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" If this verse has much impact on you as it did me, you should be dying to read the rest of the chapter! I had no other way to react to this scripture other than to smile. How awesome! My God provides my security! How amazing! No one else can do that for me!
Here's a song that perfectly describes this day...even though I've really only been awake for 3 hours! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txV29F5EKRI
My challenge to you is this: don't let the little things get you down. God has blessed us with so much. If we are unhappy all the time, we never give ourselves the chance to see Him for what He really is.
Holy buckets right?! This is so true! God blesses us so much every day! And how much do we take for granted? Whether we choose to accept it or not, we are rich. God gives us our wealth. If we can see His creation as a piece of our wealth our days will be so much happier. The simple things in life should give us joy too.
Keeping this in mind, try reading Psalm 27. The first verse says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" If this verse has much impact on you as it did me, you should be dying to read the rest of the chapter! I had no other way to react to this scripture other than to smile. How awesome! My God provides my security! How amazing! No one else can do that for me!
Here's a song that perfectly describes this day...even though I've really only been awake for 3 hours! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txV29F5EKRI
My challenge to you is this: don't let the little things get you down. God has blessed us with so much. If we are unhappy all the time, we never give ourselves the chance to see Him for what He really is.
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