Better to Worse to BETTER Revelation

Matthew 12:43-45 NLT

“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none.  Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.  Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”

I often hear from others that when they give their lives, hearts, and struggles to God - finally laying it down - that things get better but only for a little while and after that short while, things seem to get worse; worse than even what they were before. This scripture makes it even more clear for me for why that happens. There is a continuous attack on our identity, purpose, and will. It swings hard over and over, getting stronger and more forceful, more vengeful, with each swing, hoping to ultimately conquer its victim. I believe the moral of this scripture is to NOT GIVE UP, KEEP SWINGING BACK, AND STAND FIRM IN YOUR FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE OF WHO YOUR GOD IS! We will win because God has already won!

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Mark 4:3-9, 14-20 NLT

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.  As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.  Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.  But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.  Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.  Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”  Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.  The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.  The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.  But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.  The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word,  but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.  And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday, the day Jesus fulfilled a prophecy written in Zechariah about the entrance into Jerusalem of the coming king - the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people of Jerusalem, familiar with Scrpture and witnesses of Jesus' miracles, teachings, and authority, threw their coats and palm branches on Jesus' path shouting in praise, "Hosanna in the highest!" Hosanna means save us now and essentially became a cry of praise. These people believed Jesus was the coming king but thought he was going to save them right then from the Romans. Jesus, following the will of his Father, instead had a much greater plan; a plan that these people could not yet comprehend.

Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Good Friday is the day these same people dispised, betrayed, mocked, and rejected Jesus, ultimately leading to his blood being shed on the cross for our sins. Easter Sunday is the day Jesus rose from the dead, overcoming the world and purchasing our freedom with his blood.

Matthew 21:1- (NIV)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’"

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”



SaMmM123. "Hillsong - Hosanna (High Quality)." Youtube. March 2008.

Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGJdTpMUcU to watch the video.

Hosanna in the highest!

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

"1 Corinthians 1 (New International Version)." Biblegateway.com. 11 August 2012. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%201&version=NIV. 

Luke 18:1-8 (NLT)

As I was spending time with God last night, I came across this scripture and it was exactly what I needed. Again, it is about persistence in praying. It can be difficult persistently asking anyone, especially God, for something. I know from personal experience. It makes your mind start wondering things that it shouldn't. This scripture proves that instead of feeling discouraged and defeated, we should fight the fight all the more. I hope this message blesses you and speaks to your heart.

Parable of the Persistent Widow


One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have [persistent] faith?”

"Luke 18 (New Living Translation)." Bible Gateway. Web. 5 May 2012. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2018&version=NLT.

*Another great version of this scripture can be found in The Message: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2018&version=MSG.

KEEP Asking & You Shall Receive; KEEP Seeking & You Shall Find

Many people are familiar with the "ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find" scripture but did you know that the scripture has an even deeper meaning? Persistence. I have included passages from Luke 11 (story also found in Matthew 7:7-8) and Jeremiah 29.

Luke 11:5-10 (NLT) – Then, teaching them more about prayer, [Jesus] used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV) – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity."

God has a reason for everything and His timing is always perfect. He is near. Is there a prayer or need that you keep asking for and seem to get no answer? Or is your need so big that you do not even bother asking for His help? I hope this encourages you to ask, seek, not give up, and be persistent! God is interested in you and every detail of your life. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6, NASB). And remember, God may just be answering "not yet." In waiting, we develop strength in who we are in Christ and also learn to trust not in ourselves but in God.

Great (short) devotionals by Rick Warren:

When God Says 'Wait'

The Difficulties While God Delays

God Wired Us to Be on Mission by Rick Warren

"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35 TLB)

Why don’t we feel more fulfilled? Far too many people are asking themselves that question. We’re not happy, we’re not satisfied — in fact, we’re miserable.

Why? In his book Rich, Free, and Miserable, sociologist John Brueggemann shared a great story that illustrated why. Climbing Mount Everest is one of the challenges that inspire people to do something big. Lots of people try, even though nearly 10 percent of the people who do, die in the process. Many of the corpses still line the path up the mountain. Yet people still want to climb the mountain — though it has no real redeeming social value.

A few years back one climber, David Sharp, was clearly in trouble on the mountain. There were 40 climbers who noticed his obvious need but passed him that day. He died on Mount Everest because none of the other climbers were willing to put their personal goal on hold to help him.

That’s us. Our own personal drive to have more, be more, and do more causes us to lose sight of what really matters. But that isn’t how God wired us. Life isn’t about what you make, who you know, or what you do. Life is all about love — loving God and loving others.

Jesus tells us in Mark 8:35, "Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live” (TLB). God wired you in a way that you’ll never be happy unless you’re giving your life away in his work. You were made for something greater than yourself. The Bible calls this your mission in life. Significance doesn’t come from status, salary, or sex. It comes from service. Only by giving your life away can you feel that your life has significance.

Warren, Rick. "God Wired Us to Be on Mission." Daily Hope. 13 December 2011. Web. 13 December 13. http://purposedriven.com/blogs/dailyhope/index.html?contentid=9604.

James 3 (CEV)

James 3: The Tongue

My friends, we should not all try to become teachers. In fact, teachers will be judged more strictly than others. All of us do many wrong things. But if you can control your tongue, you are mature and able to control your whole body.

By putting a bit into the mouth of a horse, we can turn the horse in different directions. It takes strong winds to move a large sailing ship, but the captain uses only a small rudder to make it go in any direction. Our tongues are small too, and yet they brag about big things.

It takes only a spark to start a forest fire! The tongue is like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body and sets a person's entire life on fire with flames that come from hell itself. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures can be tamed and have been tamed. But our tongues get out of control. They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison.

My dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be like God, and this isn't right. Can clean water and dirty water both flow from the same spring? 12Can a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? Does fresh water come from a well full of salt water?

"James 3 (Contemporary English Version)." BibleGateway.com. 1995. Web. 11 December 2011. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+3&version=CEV.

Rick Warren's Daily Devotional

“Some men arrived carrying a paraplegic on a stretcher. They were looking for a way to get into the house and set him before Jesus. When they couldn't find a way in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down in the middle of everyone, right in front of Jesus. Impressed by their bold belief, he said, ‘Friend, I forgive your sins.’” (Luke 5:18-20 MSG)

You must believe God can work through you to reach people for Jesus.

No one is hopeless. When the four friends looked at the paralytic’s condition, they could have responded in doubt: What could Jesus do? Instead, they believed God could heal him — they had faith. The Bible said the paralytic’s sins were forgiven when Jesus saw the faith of the four friends.

There are people all around us who are paralyzed this Christmas season — not necessarily physically paralyzed, but a paralyzed faith. Whether they’re paralyzed by doubts, loneliness, fear, or anything else, the result is the same: They need the faith of the others.

Warren, Rick. "Your Faith Will Bring Them to Jesus." Daily Hope. 6 December 2011. Web. 6 December 2011. http://purposedriven.com/blogs/dailyhope/index.html?contentid=9549.

My 24th Birthday

Yesterday was my 24th birthday! Thursday, we went over to Billy's Mom's house and she made chicken alfredo. Friday, Billy took me to Applebee's and we rented the movie "Takers." Saturday, I had fun at Posados with my girls. And yesterday, we went to the 11 AM church service at the Covenant Church in McKinney, enjoyed lunch at Rockfish with my parents, Billy, and the Nelsons; and then enjoyed dinner (chicken fried chicken and pork, mixed vegetables, and macaroni) at Billy's brother's house. Yum Yum Yum!

At church, I learned that God calls those who are weak, not noble, not mighty, and not wise SO THAT if they chose to answer and obey their callings, HE can make them strong, noble, mighty, and wise.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (GNT) - Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. This means that no one can boast in God's presence. But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free. So then, as the scripture says, Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done.

I feel so happy and blessed beyond words. God saved me on June 16, 2005 and since then has blessed me with 7 birthdays, revealed the areas of my life that needed corrected, opened my heart to forgiveness, and allowed me to see just how much my parents, sister, and boyfriend love me. Thank you God. I love you Mom, Dad, Tacha, and Billy so much. AND God has answered 4 of my prayers this week in my favor. Thank you God. When we obey God, even in small ways, “we find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.” (Romans 5:2 MSG)

Hebrews 12:1-12 (CEV)

Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God's throne! So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won't get discouraged and give up. None of you have yet been hurt in your battle against sin.

But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God's children, "When the Lord punishes you, don't make light of it, and when he corrects you, don't be discouraged. The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own."

Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their children? God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to him. Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?

Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.

Now stand up straight! Stop your knees from shaking and walk a straight path. Then lame people will be HEALED, instead of getting worse.

"Hebrews 12 (Contemporary English Version)." Biblegateway.com. Web. 26 June 2011. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews%2012&version=CEV.

AMEN & PRAISE GOD FOR GUIDING ME TO THIS VERSE!

Happy Easter!

What a glorious and uplifting day it has been! All I can say is PRAISE GOD! We enjoyed an awesome church service at the Covenant Church. Afterwards, we went up to the front asking for prayer. They anointed me with oil and prayed for healing over my body and prayed for my parents, Billy, and my new caregiver who attended church with us. Everything has just been amazing so far today.

Thank you God for such an amazing day, and amazing church service, and for sending your son to save us from our sins in this dangerous and tempting world. I thank you that a relationship with you is now possible. Thank you for reminding us and for reopening our eyes to the cross. Thank you for my family and I pray that your will will continue to be done in our lives and in this world. Amen!


Check out AMAZING GRACE sung beautifully by 4 Men and My Redeemer Lives sung amazingly by a young girl. Great uplifting songs. Love you and Happy Easter!

http://www.clarrissegill.com:80/videoclips/amazing_grace.php

http://www.godvine.com/Young-Girl-Beautifully-Sings-My-Redeemer-Lives-379.html


"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."
Henry David Thoreau

Romans 5:8 (NLT) – “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners”

Ephesians 1:3-5 (NIV) – “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

He Holds Us Together

Absolutely amazing and truly breath taking. The cell adhesion molecule that HOLDS THE HUMAN BODY TOGETHER is in the shape of a cross. "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER." - Colossians 1:15-17 tsunkatsemaster. "Louie Giglio - Laminin." YouTube. 3 April 2008. Video. 10 April 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4.

Seeking a Feeling is Not Worship

David frequently complained of God's apparent absence; but, the truth is, God hadn't really left David, just as God will never leave you. He has promised repeatedly, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Yet God has not promised "you will always feel my presence." In fact, God admits that sometimes he hides his face from us. (Isaiah 45:15)

There are times when he appears to be MIA, missing-in-action, in your life.

Floyd McClung describes it: "You wake up one morning and all your spiritual feelings are gone. You pray, but nothing happens. You rebuke the devil, but it doesn't change anything. You go through spiritual exercises ... you have your friends pray for you ... you confess every sin you can imagine, then go around asking forgiveness of everyone you know. You fast ... still nothing. You begin to wonder how long this spiritual gloom might last. Days? Weeks? Months? Will it ever end?... it feels as if your prayers simply bounce off the ceiling. In utter desperation, you cry out, 'What's the matter with me?'" (Floyd McClung, Finding Friendship with God; Ann Arbor, MI: Vine Books, 1992; 186)

The truth is, there's nothing wrong with you! This is a normal part of the testing and maturing of your friendship with God. Every Christian goes through it at least once, and usually several times. It is painful and disconcerting, but it is absolutely vital for the development of your faith.

Knowing this gave Job hope when he could not feel God's presence in his life. He said, "I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I turn to the south, but I cannot find him. But he knows where I am going. And when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent." (Job 23:7-10, NLT)

When God seems distant, you may feel that he is angry with you or is disciplining you for some sin. In fact, sin does disconnect us from intimate fellowship with God. We grieve God's Spirit and quench our fellowship with him by disobedience, conflict with others, busyness, friendship with the world, and other sins. (see Psalm 51; Ephesians 4:29-30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Jeremiah 2:32; 1 Corinthians 8:12; James 4:4)

But often this feeling of abandonment or estrangement from God has nothing to do with sin. It is a test of faith—one we all must face: Will you continue to love, trust, obey, and worship God, even when you have no sense of his presence or visible evidence of his work in your life?

Warren, Rick. "Seeking a Feeling is Not Worship." Purpose Driven Connection. Daily Hope, 9 July 2010. 21 March 2011. http://profile.purposedriven.com:80/dailyhope/post.html?contentid=4695

The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

Great passage and a definite eye opener. May you be blessed in reading this passage.

Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me,
I was sick and you looked after me,
I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in,
I needed clothes and you did not clothe me,
I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

"Matthew 25." Biblegateway.com. New International Version, 2010. 19 February 2011. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025&version=NIV.

Encouragement to Read the Bible

If you are someone that believes the world will end in 2012, why not let that belief be the motivator that pushes you to read the Bible? When Jesus does return, I'm positive that He would like to know He means enough to us that we chose to read the book gracefully given to us that speaks about Jesus' coming, His nature, His teachings, His life, His sacrifice, and how much He loves us. Born to die... what a life. May we all find the time for God and His Word this year. A great way is listening to the Daily Audio Bible Podcast (also on ITunes). It is a podcast that goes through the Bible in a year. I did it last year and it had an amazing impact on me. Will you set aside 15 minutes of your day this year for God? I feel that it is the least we could do for Him. Good luck and let me know if you're in! There are extraordinary rewards when we seek Him and follow Him.

http://www.dailyaudiobiblemedia.com/player/dab.html

Christmas

I love Christmas time. It is so exciting. The temperature drops, the smell of pine trees is in the air, homes and streets are festively decorated, and family comes in town. But the most important part of Christmas is the rememberance of Jesus' birth. God went through so much for us. Born as an infant and crucified in humiliation for all our sins. What a blessing it is to be able to celebrate His birth!
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Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

"Isaiah 9." Biblegateway.com. New International Version, 2010. 26 December 2010. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%209&version=NIV.
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We had a great holiday. We went to Christmas Eve service. On Christmas, my boyfriend and I spent the morning at our house with my parents and sister, the afternoon at his Mom's house, and the evening at his Dad's. Billy is now into hunting and got a lot of hunting gear for Christmas. I bought him hunting boots and a massage gift card. I mainly got clothes, cds, and Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. My sister made a breakfast casserole, his Mom made oven-baked turkey and dressing for lunch, and we actually had 2 dinners! Billy's Dad made fried turkey and his twin brother Allan (who spent Christmas with Bill) made the famous Wood dressing. We loved it! My family made oven-baked ham, mashed potatoes, and steamed asparagus. I still feel full from that day!

Merry CHRISTmas to all!

November 4, 2010

This morning I was invited to speak to Collin College's nursing students by their instructor and also a family friend of ours Debra Hurd. She wanted me to share my insight from my stay and care in the hospitals and also offer any advice I could to the nurses. I shared how I became paralyzed, how my care was in the hospitals, and how much of an impact they potentially have on their patients.

I remember that it was the nurses and one particular nurse tech I had that pulled me through my depression and gave me the inner strength I needed to recover enough to be able to go home. That in itself is proof that we all make an impact on everyone that we meet. We can never know for sure how a person is on the inside or how their life at home is. All we know is how a person behaves and feels around us. You could be the very person that pulls someone out of a hidden depression and also the very person that gradually nudges someone into a depression. You have been given a gift - the ability to be impactful. How do you plan to use it?

Anytime you use your God-given abilities to help others, you are fulfilling your calling." - Dr. Rick Warren

"Now you belong to him . . . in order that you might be useful in the service of God." - Romans 7:4 (TEV)

1 John 3:14 (CEV) – “Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life."

Ephesians

Today I have been busy studying for school but as I decided to take a break, I opened the word of God to Ephesians. What a wonderful book this is. It is very impowering and just what I needed. Thank you God. I wanted to share a few scriptures with you:

Living as Children of Light
Ephesians 4:17-32

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin:" Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

"Ephesians 4 (New International Version)." Biblegateway.com. 24 September 2010. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4&version=NIV.

The Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

"Ephesians 6 (New International Version)." Biblegateway.com. 24 September 2010. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6&version=NIV.

God Says You Are Capable

It is he who saved us and chose us for his holy work not because we deserved it but because that was his plan long before the world began—to show his love and kindness to us through Christ. 2 Timothy 1:9 (TLB)

You have a right now to go directly to God; you have direct access. You don't have to pray through anybody else. You don't have to confess through anybody else. You don't have to go through anyone else to have fellowship with God. The Bible teaches that you have a direct line now.

In addition, God says you have been gifted for ministry to serve other people. Every Christian is a minister. That doesn’t mean every Christian is a pastor, rather minister. Anytime you're using your talents and gifts to help others you're ministering.

Notice the Bible verse above says, “He saved us for His holy work.” You are saved to serve. Why did God save you? So you could serve Him.

You may be thinking, “How do I know what my ministry is?” You look at your talents, your gifts, and your abilities. You look at how God shaped you. God wants you to use those talents and gifts to help other people. Every time you do that, that's called ministry: nothing fancy, scary or supernatural about it. It's just helping others.

Can you minister in a sales office? Yes, you can. Can you minister as an accountant? Yes, you can. Can you minister driving a truck? Sure! Anytime you're helping other people in His name, you're ministering.

In fact, God says you're necessary in the church. You're a necessary part of this family. Look at it this way, if I don't use my talents -- you get cheated. If you don't use your talents – I get cheated. Everybody else in the congregation gets cheated.

We're all important; we're all necessary to do our part as we fit together.

Wednesday September 01 2010 12:00 AM

Posted by Rick Warren

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Warren, Rick. "God Says You Are Capable." Purpose Driven Connection. 1 September 2010.

God's Wrath Against Mankind

Romans 1:18-32

¹⁸The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

²¹For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

²⁶Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts . . .

²⁸Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. ²⁹They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³²Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.