Watch what fills your hearts.

The other day I realized that I hadn't blogged in a really long time.  Kind of depressing because honestly I haven't really journaled or studied the word in quite some time either.  I got to thinking about the Word, and our lives, and the verse that came to mind was Proverbs 4:23.  This says, "Above all else guard your hearts, for everything you do flows from it."  So if I'm not filling my heart with Godly things, what do I expect others to see from me?

That is what this whole life is about, leading others to the cross.  If we aren't being a light then there is no purpose to us, and how can we be a light if there is not light in us?  Basically we have to be filled to fill others.  It is a constant struggle and a daily battle that Christians face.  But it is so important to remember every day is a new day to pick up your cross.  This meaning, be united with Christ every single day and let him lead you. 

I have really been struggling with this lately.  It's so hard to get into the word and remember to read it everyday, but without it it's so easy to let your actions show what is going into your heart.  So many times I don't show the love that Christ gave me to others.  

I feel like if you are constant in the Word, you will find it so much easier to share the fruit of the spirit.  Each of which is so dependent on the other.  Without love you can't have joy, without love and joy you can't have peace, without love, joy, and peace you can't have patience, without love, joy, peace, and patience you can't have kindness... goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  All of the fruit build on each other.  Sometimes I wonder why it is so hard to have self-control, and then I remember there is a reason that God put it last.  Without all of the other fruit it is impossible to have self-control.  It is so important to read and study the word to gain all of the fruit.  They are God's gift to us, but we have to want them and work towards obtaining them.  With the fruit you can lead the life that God has called you to lead. 

So the main points from today are....

-Watch what you put in your heart, because your words and actions are a result from what is in your heart.  

-Take up your cross daily, and be united with Christ throughout your day.  Everyday is a new challenge and a new chance to live for 

Christ.  

-Know God's word and study it daily.

-Remember that the fruit of the spirit build on each other and work to gain all of them.  Remember to build your relationship so that all of the fruit are constantly shown in what you do everyday.  

Seventy Times Seven

Over the past few days I have been reading the book Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. (great book.. everyone in the world needs to read it!!!)  I got so much out of that book, but one of the main ideas of the book is forgiveness.  It truly shows you that it is impossible to love without forgiveness.. But forgiveness isn't easy.. most of the time its the hardest thing to do.  When people cause you pain or grief or anger the last thing you want to do is forgive them for it.  It is so easy to fall into the sin and so hard to hand it to God.  Your pride is constantly telling you that the people that did this to you deserve it.. And it is so easy to hold on to all of the anger but all along you know God wants you to let it go. We are called to let it go...

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who has sinned against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven" -Matthew 18:21-22

Jesus wants us to forgive our brothers and sisters seventy times seven, because thats how he forgives us.  He never stops.  And when you think about what someone may have done to you to cause you all that pain and anger just think of all of the pain and anger that you have caused Jesus.  Our sin weighed on his shoulders on the cross but he loves us enough to not only forgive us for it but to forget about it... that sounds like a pretty good promise to me!  So without all the bitterness built up inside, its easy to love.  Without the anger you can show others the grace of God.

And so make that your prayer today.. Ask God to forgive you and for you to be able to forgive others, because once you have forgiven, you can be capable of God's love.

But the Greatest of These is Love:

So recently my entire Facebook newsfeed has been filled with hate for Chick-fil-a.  I kind of just want to say exactly how I feel about gay marriage and just about everything in reference to God's word...

"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the women and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons due penalty of their error.  And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper." -Romans 1:26-28

It is pretty clear that homosexuality is against God's will from this verse.  However, is it my place to condemn someone for their sins?  If all sins are equal then how is it that we find it so easy to condemn others for theirs? (With that being said, I don't think it is wrong to state your opinion like Chick-fil-a has done)  Also there is a big difference between being tempted and falling into the trap of sin...

"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me."  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.  Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" -James 1:13-15

So I believe that even if you are tempted to fall into those unnatural desires, it isn't against God's will until you actually commit the sin.  With that being said, that is the same desire a man could have towards a woman when they are not married.  A sin is a sin, and sleeping with someone out of marriage is the same in God's eyes.  So why does homosexuality seem to be blown out of proportion?  After all, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"... I think that it is easy for people to judge a sin that they don't struggle with.

"When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, 'If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.'" -John 8:7

So many times we judge other people for what they do wrong, while we are sinning as well just in a different way.  It is so hard for me especially to look at the wrong others do and not point it out, but what good does that do for God's kingdom?  Hasn't he already told us that he will be the judge?  More importantly we should be focused on praying about it, and loving the sinners.  One of my favorite quotes is, "have you prayed about it as much as you've talked about it"  And that is so very true.  First and foremost God has called us to love one another, and if we are doing that then what are the chances that we are judging our neighbor? I think they are pretty slim...

"And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

What I hope for you to gain my words is this:

• First and foremost love everyone, because love covers so many different sins at once. (1 Peter 4:8) and if you love everyone the way Christ loves you, you are probably not judging other people for their sins.
• Second, always be in constant communication with God.  Talk to God about everything before you talk to others about it.
• And last but definitely not least is try not to look down on others for things that they have done... in the end the only thing that matters is God and his kingdom.  Focus more on building people up than tearing them down for their sins.  Chances are, you have probably sinned too.  

Not My Will, But God's:

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is.  His good pleasing and perfect will."

This verse has meant so much to me over the years. I guess you could say that it has been my life verse, because this is honestly one of the verses that I base my life upon.  That is why I titled this blog be transformed! 

So the other day I was thinking about this verse and about the very last sentence.  I went to a retreat this past week at church, and the last speaker was a heart surgeon from southern california.  He started off his sermon saying that you never know when God is going to take your life.  I began to think about God's will and how we are always told "not my will but God's be done".  And that is easy to hear but it is often hard to comprehend.  What is God's will?  How do I know what God wants?  What am I supposed to do in this situation?  And it was hard for me to understand and choose God's plan in situations when I didn't understand which choice was God's plan.  And as I was thinking and driving the song Give Me Faith came on the radio.  

"I need You to soften my heart; to break me apart; I need You to open my eyes; To see that You're shaping my life

All I am, I surrender

Give me faith to trust what You say; That You're good and Your love is great; I'm broken inside, I give you my life"

As I sang along it was evident to me that God's plan for my life is perfect, but I still felt like it was hard to know where exactly God wanted me to go.  But as I was thinking about Romans 12:2 I began to think about the last two sentences and how it says, "THEN you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will".  To follow God's good, pleasing, and perfect will for my life I can't conform to the world.  To follow his will I have to know God's word and stay in touch with him.  It is impossible to live a life full of worldly desires, and still follow God's perfect plan for my life.   

So that is what i'll leave you to think about today.  If it's not always clear what God wants you to do, ask yourself if you are of the world or in it.  

1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the father is not in them." 

What I hope to gain:

Ever since I started following Christ, I struggled with different ways to connect with him.  Its always been hard for me to stay in focus during prayer, and journaling always helped my thoughts remain in one place.  A place I always knew I could find them.
So, ever since I was young, my way of communicating with God was through journaling.  Not just journaling my thoughts, but journaling everything I knew about God, all the sermons I sat through, and scribbling down bible verses and passages that have stuck out during my study time.  
However, these past weeks I was looking over some of my notes from my Chrysalis flight and I came across the word Joy used as an acronym.  It said Jesus. Others. You.  The more I thought about this I realized that as of right now, Jesus and I are the only ones receiving benefits of my journaling.  Which isn't terrible.  I think it truly helps me grow more than most things would...   But what if I could share with others what I learn on my walk? That is what I hope to gain from starting this blog.  To help my walk with Christ through journaling, but also to put things that I learn out there for others to benefit from as well!