What do you need to believe God for? Is He capable of it? Uhhh... YES!!! Here are some scriptures that you can stand on when believing God. Meditate on these scriptures. Memorize them. Then when the devil tries to deceive you with thoughts of doubt and unbelief you can come back to these scriptures and "believe it WILL come to pass!"
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalms 37:4 (NIV)
"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." Mark 11:23 (NIV)
"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them]." Mark 11:24 (KJV)
“7Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22 (NIV) I encourage you to read the scripture before this as well (Matthew 21:18-22 or Mark 11:12-25).
When we ask these things we need to Stand Firm in believing them! As my pastor says, "God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!" We want to believe and not doubt, for we don't want to be like a wave of the see blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:6).
Don't know if you can believe it on your own? Grab a friend and follow Matthew 18:19: "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." (NIV)
God is on our side! "The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies." (NIV) Psalms 118:6-7
~ S*
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Stand Firm
Ever had one of those days where you had to stand firm on what you have been believing? For me, today is one of those days. I was just sitting here thinking about how much I want a future husband... I have not felt this way for a few weeks, and I had been enjoying my freedom! :)
I recently decided to 100% (with out any questions or reservation) give my future husband (who, when, where, how...) to God. I have done this many times before, but the last time I was more sincere and willing. I am tired of constantly wanting to have a guy; I want to let God take care of it. I know He can handle it! So why not let him? The peace and freedom I have received from this has been amazing. And I am going to continue to be thankful to God that He is in control of my future (especially, in this instance) I am going to Stand Firm on what I am believing for, and Stand Firm in my faith in God. Satan has no choice but to release me from these unwanted feelings.
If you have been feeling like you can't survive another day with out a boyfriend, husband, etc... here are a couple suggestions for you.
1. Find someone to talk to. I know we don't all have parents that we can talk to about these things, but finding someone who is in a similar situation to yours can be very helpful! I encourage you to seek God, and find someone with whom you can share your heart (and maybe you can be a listener to them as well). A win win for both parties. I recently decided to ask someone if they would be interested in sharing these kinds of feelings with me. Telling them that I wanted to know what they are doing/how God is helping them through their singleness. It has been a major encouragement for me. You don't have to meet in person, you can chat with e-mail, Facebook, IM, or even the amazing Skype. There are lots of ways to communicate that don't have to be person to person. I, for one, am very shy, so I often feel like I communicate better with a letter than I might in person. (but I am working on the boldness thing...)
2. Read the Word. The Bible talks about everything. Study scriptures that pertain to your circumstance. For example: if you are struggling with sickness read through healing scriptures. Grab a highlighter and highlight/underline text in you Bible that pertains to your situation. This will not only keep you interested, but it will make the scriptures easier to find if the situation arises again! I recently started reading the Bible from beginning to end (again). This time though I have four highlighters which I am using to "color code" if you will... Pink is all scripture relating to marriage, love stories, etc... Pencil is for divorce... Yellow is for healing scriptures... Blue is for Fear Not! (I have heard that is written 365 times in the Bible... Let's see if I can find all of them...) Orange is dedicated to extra scriptures that I may be blessed by or find interesting. I sometimes underline with the tip of the marker, or I completely highlight the text depending on how important it is/how well it falls into the color category. If you are like me and can't underline in a straight line, grab a used gift card, or small ruler to help you. I keep all of my highlighters, a pencil (or two), and a little card in a snack-sized zip lock bag, and I keep it with my Bible.
3. Pray. Ask God to give you wisdom on how to handle a certain situation. Give him your cares and burdens. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:7) God will take care of you. He has your best interests in mind. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) "4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Philippians 4:4-8) "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4)
That last scripture was one I found recently. I had thought of the "He will give you the desires of your heart." part of that scripture one night when getting ready to fall asleep, but I couldn't remember the first half of that scripture. In the morning I had completely forgotten about it, but guess what Psalm was next in line for me to read that morning? Yep, Psalms 37! That scripture blessed me so much. A desire of my heart is to get married (preferably in the near future), so if I delight myself in the Lord, he will give me that desire! How AWESOME is that?
God is in control; I am just going to do my part to Stand Firm on His Word!
~ S*
I recently decided to 100% (with out any questions or reservation) give my future husband (who, when, where, how...) to God. I have done this many times before, but the last time I was more sincere and willing. I am tired of constantly wanting to have a guy; I want to let God take care of it. I know He can handle it! So why not let him? The peace and freedom I have received from this has been amazing. And I am going to continue to be thankful to God that He is in control of my future (especially, in this instance) I am going to Stand Firm on what I am believing for, and Stand Firm in my faith in God. Satan has no choice but to release me from these unwanted feelings.
If you have been feeling like you can't survive another day with out a boyfriend, husband, etc... here are a couple suggestions for you.
1. Find someone to talk to. I know we don't all have parents that we can talk to about these things, but finding someone who is in a similar situation to yours can be very helpful! I encourage you to seek God, and find someone with whom you can share your heart (and maybe you can be a listener to them as well). A win win for both parties. I recently decided to ask someone if they would be interested in sharing these kinds of feelings with me. Telling them that I wanted to know what they are doing/how God is helping them through their singleness. It has been a major encouragement for me. You don't have to meet in person, you can chat with e-mail, Facebook, IM, or even the amazing Skype. There are lots of ways to communicate that don't have to be person to person. I, for one, am very shy, so I often feel like I communicate better with a letter than I might in person. (but I am working on the boldness thing...)
2. Read the Word. The Bible talks about everything. Study scriptures that pertain to your circumstance. For example: if you are struggling with sickness read through healing scriptures. Grab a highlighter and highlight/underline text in you Bible that pertains to your situation. This will not only keep you interested, but it will make the scriptures easier to find if the situation arises again! I recently started reading the Bible from beginning to end (again). This time though I have four highlighters which I am using to "color code" if you will... Pink is all scripture relating to marriage, love stories, etc... Pencil is for divorce... Yellow is for healing scriptures... Blue is for Fear Not! (I have heard that is written 365 times in the Bible... Let's see if I can find all of them...) Orange is dedicated to extra scriptures that I may be blessed by or find interesting. I sometimes underline with the tip of the marker, or I completely highlight the text depending on how important it is/how well it falls into the color category. If you are like me and can't underline in a straight line, grab a used gift card, or small ruler to help you. I keep all of my highlighters, a pencil (or two), and a little card in a snack-sized zip lock bag, and I keep it with my Bible.
3. Pray. Ask God to give you wisdom on how to handle a certain situation. Give him your cares and burdens. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:7) God will take care of you. He has your best interests in mind. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) "4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Philippians 4:4-8) "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4)
That last scripture was one I found recently. I had thought of the "He will give you the desires of your heart." part of that scripture one night when getting ready to fall asleep, but I couldn't remember the first half of that scripture. In the morning I had completely forgotten about it, but guess what Psalm was next in line for me to read that morning? Yep, Psalms 37! That scripture blessed me so much. A desire of my heart is to get married (preferably in the near future), so if I delight myself in the Lord, he will give me that desire! How AWESOME is that?
God is in control; I am just going to do my part to Stand Firm on His Word!
~ S*
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Rejoice!!!
"Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again! Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
How difficult is it to rejoice? I know there have been a few times where I found it very difficult, but recently I've been learning to rejoice, especially in my job! Choosing to rejoice or be joyful, even when things are not going exactly as you would have like them to, is one of the best things you could ever do with your time! Your spirits are immediately lifted, and a lot of times God will change the circumstances around you when you choose to honor and glorify Him!
I personally had been struggling with my job recently... I was getting so bored, and I was finding very little to rejoice about. Then the pastor at my church taught us about rejoicing in our job! This message was taught on Labor Day. :) So I decided to start rejoicing in my job. Whenever I had a day in which I didn't feel very happy/eager to do my job I would change my attitude and choose to rejoice in the fact that I had a job; I focused on the parts of my job that I did enjoy or was happy about. This changed everything! Immediately I began to enjoy my job (even the parts that I had not enjoyed before)! Then after a few weeks I began to receive some of the things I had been asking for (the opportunity to switch positions, encouragement from bosses, co-workers, even customers)! Every day I still have to choose to set my attitude in a rejoicing and positive manner, but when I do the results are more AWESOME than I could even imagine!! God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think! (Ephesians 3:20) Isn't that so amazing!
I encourage you to set your attitude on things which are positive! Rejoice and be Thankful for everything He has given you!! "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
What are some areas in which you find it hard to rejoice? How could you change the situation? Can we be a better example to others by rejoicing in everything? Have you seen a difference in the way people respond to you when you choose to rejoice? What are some things God has done for you since you chose to change your attitude?
I look forward to hearing from you!!
~ S*
How difficult is it to rejoice? I know there have been a few times where I found it very difficult, but recently I've been learning to rejoice, especially in my job! Choosing to rejoice or be joyful, even when things are not going exactly as you would have like them to, is one of the best things you could ever do with your time! Your spirits are immediately lifted, and a lot of times God will change the circumstances around you when you choose to honor and glorify Him!
I personally had been struggling with my job recently... I was getting so bored, and I was finding very little to rejoice about. Then the pastor at my church taught us about rejoicing in our job! This message was taught on Labor Day. :) So I decided to start rejoicing in my job. Whenever I had a day in which I didn't feel very happy/eager to do my job I would change my attitude and choose to rejoice in the fact that I had a job; I focused on the parts of my job that I did enjoy or was happy about. This changed everything! Immediately I began to enjoy my job (even the parts that I had not enjoyed before)! Then after a few weeks I began to receive some of the things I had been asking for (the opportunity to switch positions, encouragement from bosses, co-workers, even customers)! Every day I still have to choose to set my attitude in a rejoicing and positive manner, but when I do the results are more AWESOME than I could even imagine!! God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think! (Ephesians 3:20) Isn't that so amazing!
I encourage you to set your attitude on things which are positive! Rejoice and be Thankful for everything He has given you!! "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
What are some areas in which you find it hard to rejoice? How could you change the situation? Can we be a better example to others by rejoicing in everything? Have you seen a difference in the way people respond to you when you choose to rejoice? What are some things God has done for you since you chose to change your attitude?
I look forward to hearing from you!!
~ S*
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Out of the Box...
(In a singsongy way...) "Out of the box... Out of the box..."
Sometimes all someone needs is for you to think outside of the box... What could you do to make a situation better/more appealing for another person... Kinda like "thinking of others ahead of yourself." Sometimes we try to do something for someone, and if we don't do it in an entirety then they don't appreciate it... That can be so frustrating... We tried, but it wasn't good enough.
What if we would have thought "out of the box" in that situation??? Would the outcome have been better? Probably...
Example: I need to clean up after dinner, and I put all of the dishes in the dishwasher, washed the empty pots and pans, and wiped the counters. But I don't put away the leftover food, for I don't know what my mom wants me to do with it... (in this situation I can't ask her, for she is busy...) So though the kitchen is mostly clean, I leave a few things out that I am not sure what to do with. Thinking out of the box I might have thought this way, "It would probably bless mom more (and make her happy) if I just clean everything up. I am smart enough to have some kind of idea as to what to do with most everything."
How could you think out of the box? What situation have you been in where you have thought out of the box? I would love to hear your stories!! :)
~ S*
Sometimes all someone needs is for you to think outside of the box... What could you do to make a situation better/more appealing for another person... Kinda like "thinking of others ahead of yourself." Sometimes we try to do something for someone, and if we don't do it in an entirety then they don't appreciate it... That can be so frustrating... We tried, but it wasn't good enough.
What if we would have thought "out of the box" in that situation??? Would the outcome have been better? Probably...
Example: I need to clean up after dinner, and I put all of the dishes in the dishwasher, washed the empty pots and pans, and wiped the counters. But I don't put away the leftover food, for I don't know what my mom wants me to do with it... (in this situation I can't ask her, for she is busy...) So though the kitchen is mostly clean, I leave a few things out that I am not sure what to do with. Thinking out of the box I might have thought this way, "It would probably bless mom more (and make her happy) if I just clean everything up. I am smart enough to have some kind of idea as to what to do with most everything."
How could you think out of the box? What situation have you been in where you have thought out of the box? I would love to hear your stories!! :)
~ S*
Sunday, September 12, 2010
What to do... What to do...
Have you ever wanted to do something more with your life? Recently I have reconsidered starting a group (kinda like a Bible study but a little less... Shall I say... Boring?). I have thought about it in the past, but nothing ever came of my thoughts. My biggest struggle would be who to invite! I have plenty of ideas for the group itself, but who I would invite has been a struggle... Should it be girls only? If it is, where will we hold the group? Should it be for Christians only? Should there be a specific theme (or idea/message) for the group? Should we include guys... If so do we need a male leader of some sort... All kinds of things need to go into something like this.
I would like to create a fun entertaining environment for the group. As I said above, not "Boring". I have been to Bible studies where I am dreading the day when I need to go to it. I have also been to some that I liked, but there wasn't the kind of fellowship that I desired... I am not an outgoing person, so it will take a bit for me to open up to people. I don't want to have a group where we push someone away because they don't feel included. (I have felt that way before.) I want people to be excited about coming, not dreading it! And I think God would like that too.
Do you have any fun ideas for a group? What kind of things would you like to see at a Bible study, or, what I think I will call, a fellowship group? Games of some kind are a must right!?! And we need something to break the ice... What kind of questions should we ask? Let me know your thoughts!
~ S*
I would like to create a fun entertaining environment for the group. As I said above, not "Boring". I have been to Bible studies where I am dreading the day when I need to go to it. I have also been to some that I liked, but there wasn't the kind of fellowship that I desired... I am not an outgoing person, so it will take a bit for me to open up to people. I don't want to have a group where we push someone away because they don't feel included. (I have felt that way before.) I want people to be excited about coming, not dreading it! And I think God would like that too.
Do you have any fun ideas for a group? What kind of things would you like to see at a Bible study, or, what I think I will call, a fellowship group? Games of some kind are a must right!?! And we need something to break the ice... What kind of questions should we ask? Let me know your thoughts!
~ S*
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Leap of Faith!!!
So today is a completely "out of your comfort zone" day for me. I will be going to someone else's church all by myself!! (if you knew me you would know that I NEVER go alone to new places... I usually take my sister). Since my sister is not an option this time, I will be braving this adventure all on my own... (And maybe meeting my future husband in the process??? We shall see...)
Do you ever get nervous? What do you do to prevent it? (I was recently told that bananas help...) What Bible verses help you through your "fight or flight" moments???
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (Verse 8 is also very good...)
I keep quoting this one to myself. I've been spending quite a bit of my time in prayer the last couple days. Have you ever felt like you just know something is coming? Even if you are not sure if it is good, bad, or indifferent? That pretty much describes me right about now! :)
My dad reminded me that my feet are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace! Amen to that!! Psalms 91 is pretty encouraging too! (a little too long to type out though...)
All this to say, be encouraged!! We all get nervous for one thing or another. God will never leave us nor forsake us! He will also guide and direct our paths, and deliver us from evil. Sometimes we just need to step out in faith, when we know we are doing the right thing!
~ S*
Do you ever get nervous? What do you do to prevent it? (I was recently told that bananas help...) What Bible verses help you through your "fight or flight" moments???
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (Verse 8 is also very good...)
I keep quoting this one to myself. I've been spending quite a bit of my time in prayer the last couple days. Have you ever felt like you just know something is coming? Even if you are not sure if it is good, bad, or indifferent? That pretty much describes me right about now! :)
My dad reminded me that my feet are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace! Amen to that!! Psalms 91 is pretty encouraging too! (a little too long to type out though...)
All this to say, be encouraged!! We all get nervous for one thing or another. God will never leave us nor forsake us! He will also guide and direct our paths, and deliver us from evil. Sometimes we just need to step out in faith, when we know we are doing the right thing!
~ S*
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Priorities
What are your priorities? Do they include doing your best, being kind to others, or checking your Facebook account? Who are the people/things that matter the most in your life? Since you know I like to make lists let's view some of mine:
People:
1. God (aka my Lord and Savior) and my relationship with Him
2. My family (currently meaning my parents and sibling and some close relatives)
3. Close Friends
4. My authorities (Bosses, supervisors, law enforcement, Pastors, teachers, etc...)
5. Acquaintances (could be Facebook friends, neighbors, etc...)
Other priorities:
1. Asking God for wisdom, guidance, and direction.
2. Reading God's Word daily.
3. Studying what God's Word says (can be through my correspondence course)
4. Being obedient and respectful
5. Being a good example to others
6. Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman for my future spouse
7. Praying for others including my future spouse.
8. Being a good listener to those who need it.
As you can see... I am trying to make God my number one priority in everything. Following what the Bible says in terms of obedience and what is right and wrong are great steps in the right direction. Are you struggling with multiple things on your plate? Are you wondering what to do about certain things going on in your life? Make a list of priorities. What things are most important to you... Your faith, your reputation, your job, doing what God's Word says no matter what... What are your priorities?
~ S*
People:
1. God (aka my Lord and Savior) and my relationship with Him
2. My family (currently meaning my parents and sibling and some close relatives)
3. Close Friends
4. My authorities (Bosses, supervisors, law enforcement, Pastors, teachers, etc...)
5. Acquaintances (could be Facebook friends, neighbors, etc...)
Other priorities:
1. Asking God for wisdom, guidance, and direction.
2. Reading God's Word daily.
3. Studying what God's Word says (can be through my correspondence course)
4. Being obedient and respectful
5. Being a good example to others
6. Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman for my future spouse
7. Praying for others including my future spouse.
8. Being a good listener to those who need it.
As you can see... I am trying to make God my number one priority in everything. Following what the Bible says in terms of obedience and what is right and wrong are great steps in the right direction. Are you struggling with multiple things on your plate? Are you wondering what to do about certain things going on in your life? Make a list of priorities. What things are most important to you... Your faith, your reputation, your job, doing what God's Word says no matter what... What are your priorities?
~ S*
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