Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
BUT GOD…
HAS MERCY. IS FAITHFUL. GAVE US OUR SALVATION. GIVES US CHANCES WE DO NOT DESERVE. AND LOVE US.
Regardless of our sin, we're here. Regardless of all the reasons we shouldn't be. We are.
Our parents, our pasts, our choices, our fails, our trials, our tribulations, throughout all we call our lives, you, right now, are reading this. You are alive. Even if you think you shouldn't be, even if there seems to be little purpose to your life, you are still breathing.
Obviously (or if it isn't obvious yet, it will be once you've read this, I hope,) if we're here, God has a plan. All those times when you know you shouldn't have lived through that night, He was with you then. The times you screwed up, and had no ambition of getting back up on your feet, He was there then too.
He's been with you your whole life, providing a slew of things often called 'But GOD' moments... Where everything that should be happening, happens. When His Mercy outweighs your sin, His Protection overcomes your circumstances, His Plan overrides yours.
When I look at my life, it is all a 'But God' moment. So I can't help but think "Wow, He must really have something HUGE for me to do, if He went through all that trouble to keep me here."
This thought applies to all of you too. The truth of the matter is, it doesn't matter what, who, where you are. God's there. And He's put you where you are for a reason. You might not know the reason yet, or if you do, you don't want to admit it. But every single, solitary "BUT GOD" moment in your life is HIM giving YOU a SECOND (or third, fourth, etc) chance to DO WHAT YOUR ARE CALLED TO.
"God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 3:10-11
In His Mercy, in the times of His intervention on our behalf, the BUT GOD moments, He provides for us the means to complete our callings through striving for Him and His Purpose throughout our every day lives.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
You are…a work in progress. <3
You are not the drugs you used to take, the alcohol you like to drink,
the willpower that always breaks,Or the pain that brings you to the brink
You are not the pain you drown in You are not the hurt that binds
You are not your kin Or the fulfillment you can't seem to find
You are not the scars on your arm You aren't the weight you are -
Your spirit's Above the worlds harm You are not your scars
You're life is worth more than that You're not emo or goth or lost
You are His Precious artifact And He's already paid your cost.
He spilled His blood for you So you don't have to shed yours
And He promises love and comfort too This isn't some fantasy lore.
You are not the emptiness in the mirror You are not the hopeless you feel
Oh if only you could see clearer! Then I know you'd begin to heal!
You are His beloved, His bride.You were wonderfully made!
In Him you can take your pride! In Him your debt is Paid!
He can take you were you're at No matter how dark and deep
And I know its crazy, but it's a fact You can hear Him in your sleep.
Open up your tired heart Shake the doubt from your mind
Let His Light break the hurt apart Listen to Him Divine
All the promises He has given The joy and peace as well
Showing you the way you should be livin And how He's saving you from hell.
I know this sounds so strange, That this Awesome God cares.
You might think I'm deranged, But frankly I don't mind your stares
You see, We care for you And love you all the same
God picked a chosen few, And He knows you by Name!
His presence reaching from above He takes you, broken and in pain
He can bring you light and Love And yes, I am fully sain.
My friends you are never alone, No matter how much you think
That there is no place you call Home And your life is only going to stink
He lived among us years ago He felt our suffering
He let His Love flow To take away the sting
Of sin and of faults we've done He gave us hope to live by
A Hope He calls His Son A Son that holds us when we cry
So Call out to Him now Before it is too late
Let Him show you how His love your soul will sate
Always know that He wants to heal your brokenness!
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