The "Discouragement Pit"

“Wow! The view from up here is amazing!”  I find myself  in that kind of mood when I’m on that spiritual mountain. Being so close to God. Then a storm shakes that mountain and I fall. Hard.
Nothing like a little shake to test your foundation, trust, and willingness to walk towards the Lord even when you can’t see Him.
A lot of times when I’m falling, from this shake, I become discouraged. Discouragement is completely from Satan. I get to feeling like I don’t have the fire that I started out with, I’m wondering where that mountain went. I start feeling like I’m not able to serve God or God doesn’t have a plan for me. I get discouraged. It’s from Satan. It’s simple. James 1:2-3 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

I don’t know why it’s so hard to not get discouraged when God gives us so many promises that He’ll be faithful. He tells us so many times to trust Him. He has {NEVER} let me down. His will is always better than my own. Romans 8:14-16 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
Many of us fall into the “discouragement pit”. It’s deep and easy to fall into. Especially when I look around and see other Christian girls I know that are telling me about everything God is using them to do, everything they’re learning. I want that! Why can’t I have it? Why can’t I have the fire that they seem to ALWAYS have??? After I get done crying about it, I start to look at myself. No, not in a mirror, I start looking inside. Deep inside. Usually what’s holding me back from getting closer to God is from within. It’s not God holding me back or hiding from me. God will never hide Himself from someone who is seeking Him. No, it’s in {my heart}. I have to look into my heart and ask what’s holding me back from God. What is it I’m holding onto that I don’t want to give up for Him? (Something I struggle with a lot is my pride, but I’m not getting into that in this post.)
His timing is a funny thing, you know? It’s usually a whole lot different from my timing. His will is perfect. He has a plan for each of our lives.
John 16:33  “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
I look at those girls around me and have to remember, no two journeys are a like. That girl who is in God’s will and serving Him is right where God Has {HER}. As long as I’m seeking God’s will for my life, I’m right where God wants me.
Just like Jesus’ disciple Peter when he asked Jesus to let him come to Him on the water, he walked a little ways to Him, and as he was walking towards Jesus, he took his eyes off of Him and started to sink. But, he cried out and asked Jesus to save him, and immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him. Matthew 14:27-31  “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
 That sounds like just like me. I try to walk towards my Jesus, I take my eyes off of Him, I start to sink, and I have cry out for my Jesus to rescue me. The thing is, we’re going to fail, but it’s not the failing that we focus on, it’s the walking. We have to try. We have to walk. We’re going to fall and we’re going to sink, but we have to get back up and take that next step. Even though we feel discouraged, we have to keep reading His word and praying.
That’s a big one for me, when I’m discouraged I’m not reading my bible and talking to my Jesus as much.
This “discouragement pit” is deep and easy to fall into, but with Jesus, you can get out of it. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, because most of the time it’s hard. But with Christ everything is possible.
John 15:11  “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~

Saving Our Gift

A friend of mine shared this article with me the other day,  it really reminded me of what a christian girl should be, what I should be. It's very hard staying pure, especially in this world, but this is what God calls us to do. He calls everyone to be pure.  We are called to live for Christ. I really can't say how much I liked this article, so read it. It's good. :)

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~
~Psalms 37:4~

(This article was taken from http://www.terofamilyministries.com)

Saving Our Gift

One word that sends a thrill of excitement through any girl is the word “wedding.” Most of us cannot wait for that special day when we shall become the wife of a handsome young man.

The first “wedding” took place in Genesis 2, when God brought Eve to Adam to be his wife. Eve was a gift to her husband just like each of us girls will be a gift to some young man. How special it will be for our dad to walk us up the aisle and present us as a gift to our husband.

Here, we must stop dreaming and ask a sobering question: in what shape will this present be when our husband receives it? I do not mean will we be slender and attractive; we must look deeper – on the inside. Will our heart be pure and reserved only for our husband? Or will we be tattered and worn from living a life of “play” with every handsome young man we meet?

If you picture a gift, you might think of a beautiful package with shiny, unmarred wrapping and ribbons tied at the top. 

Change this picture to a young girl. She is pure in heart with innocence hovering over her like ribbons. This young lady reaches her early teens and her perspective of life changes. She notices that there are handsome, likeable boys that are more than willing to give her attention. So, she dangles a ribbon in their face, tempting them, saying, “You want to get a peek of what I’m like?”  This is called flirting. Many boys react to this flirting by accepting the young girl’s offer. Often, this step is repeated again and again, until the ribbons are all frayed, tattered, or torn from pulls by young men.

As a girl gets older, she begins to “date around” to find her husband. Instead of living a life of peace and contentment, her life is filled with worries about “Will he like me? What if he breaks up with me?” In the meanwhile, her wrapping is getting soiled and perhaps torn in places.

Finally, “Mr. Right” comes and the girl proceeds to her wedding. When her husband receives this gift on their wedding day, it is no longer the beautiful package we first saw – pure and innocent – with clean wrapping and delightful ribbons. Instead, it is marred and in need of repair. What godly young man would like to receive such a gift?

For those of you, who have not dangled your ribbons before boys; let me challenge you to stay pure! Do not worry about “catching” young men’s attention!! Instead, focus on serving the Lord and let Him bring your future husband to you. Purity is a gift that once opened, can never be re-wrapped in the perfect way it was before.

For those of you who have already spent your life flirting and worrying about attracting boys, may I challenge you to consider the path your feet are taking you! If the Lord is asking you to save your heart for the one young man that will become your husband, please hearken to Him! He will forgive and mend the broken heart and is so ready to help your feet find a straighter, safer path on which to travel.

“Keep (Guard) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:20) You have a precious gift in your hands . . . will you purpose to keep it pure and clean for your husband?

By Amanda Tero

{Compromise}

Compromise. An easy enough word. Doesn't sound threatening, really. But, how wrong that really is we don’t usually see, or want to see.
Was there that time in your life when you were on fire for God? Not the, I’m going to sing at the nursing home every 6 months, but the truly, earnestly, deep {Fire} for God? I know for me, when ever I get back from (SMITE) Missionary camp, I’m on fire for God. Getting back into the everyday routine of chores, school, and family can, I don’t know what it would be called, I guess deflate some of the balloon. You see being surrounded by other Christians and focusing on working for Christ is easy. No distractions, no discouragements. It’s what you do after coming down off that mountain. All the surrendering I did at  SMITE, everything God showed me that I was letting get in the way of my personal relationship with my Jesus, all of it somehow starts coming back. Trying to get it’s way back in between my Jesus and I. We have to [STAY] on fire for God!


{Compromise}

That very simple act is very dangerous. It’s compromise that comes between you and your personal relationship with Christ. It doesn’t take away your salvation, that’s not what I’m trying to say. It gets in the way of  His voice, His leading, growing with Him, and drawing near to Him.
Compromise, like for me, might be at night before bed I usually read my bible, but the book I’m half way into is calling my name. I compromise and half read through a chapter rush through a prayer and go for the book.

{Compromise}

That 10 letter word can break down your relationship with God.
It’s something God is really trying to teach me. He brings it to me, puts it on my heart, and gives me the choice.
This goes for everything in life. Don’t compromise. God gives us convictions. Those convictions that He gives us are things that He wants us to do or stop doing.
We compromise in different ways. Could be in school, everyone else is doing something, so why can’t you? For one thing, it may be wrong. It may be that your parents don’t approve, they are you God given authorities, and if you’re not under their authority you’re not in God’s will. Don’t compromise to sin. Because in the end, if you look back, and you were saying, “Oh, it’s ok. I can do it this once. God will forgive me.” Yes, God will forgive you, but it’s still sin. Once you do it once, what’ll stop you from doing that sin again? {Compromise is dangerous.}
Eph 3:14-19  “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
We are His, made by Him, for Him. Even if He has to break me to remake me, I have to keep holding on. He’ll always be there for me. He is the only one who will ever be able to love me unconditionally. His amazing gift on the cross is proof enough of His unconditional love.  John 15:13  “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” {NO ONE} can compare to my Jesus!! There’s NO need to compromise, we have Jesus! He is the Great I Am, Jehovah, Yahweh, Emanuel “God with us”, He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.
And {NOTHING} you confess could make Him love you less.

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~
~Ephesians 4:6~

Christian Homes Torched by Muslim Mob Over Blasphemy in Pakistan

This article is from www.persecution.org.  We need to be praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ.  3/11/2013 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) - International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that more than 100 Christian homes were torched on Saturday by an enraged Muslim mob, following reports that a Christian man had blasphemed Islam in Lahore, eastern Pakistan. Thousands of Christians demonstrated throughout the country the next day demanding justice and criticizing the police for failing to protect them. A mob of some 3,000 Muslims set fire to approximately 178 Christian homes and two churches in the Joseph Colony of Lahore on March 9 following accusations that Sawan Masih, a Christian sanitation worker, had made derogatory remarks about the Muslim prophet Muhammad. Masih had allegedly made the blasphemous comments on Wednesday during a dispute on religious issues with Shahid Imran, a Muslim, while the men "were drunk," said local resident Altaf Masih. The violence began after Friday prayers when about 100 Muslims pelted Masih's house with stones and beat his elderly father, according to ICC sources. After the mob had gathered, Masih was taken into police custody and charged with blasphemy under Section 295-C of Pakistan's Penal Code. Hundreds of Christians fled the area later that night in fear for their safety. On Saturday, thousands of Muslims returned to the area and attacked Christian-owned houses, shops, and two churches. No Christians were reportedly injured, but their possessions were stolen or destroyed during the raid. "[Christians] don't want to return to their burnt houses as they are petrified," Gulzar Bibi, a local Christian resident, toldThe Express Tribune. "I have nothing left to me apart from these clothes. Nothing is left behind in these charred houses for me." Thousands of Christians in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad protested the violence on Sunday, accusing the police of failing to protect the Christians of Joseph Colony while also condemning the country's blasphemy laws. Though the Pakistani government claims it instituted blasphemy laws to seek religious harmony through uniformity, in practice blasphemy laws provide cover for personal vendettas against religious minorities. Approximately 1,400 blasphemy cases have been registered since the law was first enacted in 1986, according to Human Rights Watch. There are at least 16 people currently on death row, including several Christians, in Pakistan for blasphemy, and 20 serving life sentences. If convicted, Masih could be given the death sentence. Aidan Clay, ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, "Not a month goes by in Pakistan without Christians being attacked, arrested, or threatened and forced to flee their homes because of accusations of blasphemy. Now, an entire colony in Lahore has been emptied of Christians because local Muslims felt justified by law to avenge one Christian's 'blasphemous' remarks by punishing the entire Christian community. The ordeal once again proves that blasphemy laws are fundamentally flawed. Rather than protecting Pakistani citizens, as the law should, blasphemy laws provide cover and embolden extremists to commit violent acts against innocent minorities. As long as such laws exist, the country will continue to be plagued by abuse in the name of religion and Christians and other religious minorities will continue to suffer. ICC calls on the Pakistani government to arrest those responsible for the attack, rebuild the Christians' homes and shops, and replace all their possessions, including their life's savings, which many families lost in the raid. No one should be attacked by mobs and disdained by their government simply because they are a member of a minority religious community."

It's Time To {Wake Up}

It’s time to wake up from this spiritual coma America has fallen into. It’s steady decline in value, morals, and faith is putrid. But, you know what the truth is? You know what the bottom line, the big white elephant in the room, the irritating itch you just can’t scratch is??? It’s the American Christians. Did you read me?? It’s America’s [CHRISTIANS] fault. Yes, that is what I said. It’s {OUR} fault!! It’s the believer’s fault for not {standing} for what is right, just, moral, biblical, worthy, and constitutional in this country. We stand on the side lines and moan, groan, and debate about other people who aren’t taking a stand. HELLO!! While we stand, twiddling our thumbs about others, this country is falling to pieces. It’s time to stand for Christ. Phillipians 1:15-21  “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
If God is giving you a passion for something, then {STAND} for it! Pray and ask God to show you what it is He wants you to do. Ask Him for wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding“.  It may not be a big part, it may be raising a God fearing, faith building, praying together kind of family. If so, stand for family and it’s rights.
God gives us each a mission. Where ever He leads you, He’ll hold you. Psams 139:10  “Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” Stop trying to live your life for you. Matthew 6:33  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” God’s way has much more fulfilling, more peace, more blessing. Ephesians 2:14a  “For he is our peace…”
 If you’re trying to do something, anything, weather it be buying a house, going on a mission trip, getting into a relationship, going to college, or just everyday things around the house, pray about it. Give your plans to God. If it’s His will He’ll give you peace. If you’re a teenager, like myself, pray about what ever it is you think God is wanting you to do. If it’s His will He’ll give you peace, and He’ll give your parents peace.
One thing I’ve learned, and still am learning, is that if my dad doesn’t have peace about something I don’t get peace about it. Until God gives my dad peace about something, I won’t have it either. I’m learning to pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians  5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
It’s time to wake up! We were made by Him and for Him. He made you! He has a journey for each of us to embark on. No two journeys are the same, each are unique, in their own unique way, with God’s unique time.

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~
~Zechariah 12:1~

You Lead, I'll Follow

There’s those times in my life, when I’m going along and start to take my hand from my Jesus’. I try to walk on my own. This is my life, I can lead right??? WRONG! 
He knows what tomorrow holds because He holds tomorrow. He’s there already. Give it up, give it to Him. We can’t handle this world on our own. We aren't strong enough. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9,  "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Don’t give up when you fall. Proverbs 24:16,  "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief." 
I am constantly struggling with stumbling over my past mistakes. God tries to use me and I’m asking Him how he could ever use me after something I've done in my past. I ask in pain, how? How on earth could He use me or want to use me for anything? But, God looks at me and tells me, He knows nothing about what I’m talking about. It’s forgiven. I’m forgiven. As far as the east is from the west. I’m forgiven. 
It shouldn't be, “Will God lead?”, it’s really, “God will lead.” There’s no question to if He’ll lead or not, the real question is, “Will I follow?” Psalms 139:10-12, "Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." It doesn’t matter how dark your corner of the world is, how far away you’ve gotten from Him, or if you think He wouldn’t want you anymore. He can see you. He wants us. He loves us. He paid the ultimate price for us.  
When I’m down, feeling like I can’t take this world anymore, I’ve taken my eyes off of my Jesus and started looking at everything around me. I start worrying about those mole hills that I see “growing”. Those mole hills force me to my knees before Christ confessing my worrying. Worrying is not the greatest thing to do. God has told us not to worry. Not to fear because He is with us. Psalms 27:1,  "A Psalm of David. 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?" He’ll lead us. We just have to follow. 

I like to sit in my comfort zone, as I’ve said before, but God has His ways of getting me out of that comfort zone. It’s one of His ways to give me a humble heart. I’ll be the first to say I have a lot of pride.  I forget how big my God is and how little I am. My pride is one of the ways my heart rebels from my Jesus. Rebellion gets you nothing worth having. 
Everyday is a second chance. A new day to walk closer to God that I did the day before. I fail, but I’ve been made new in Christ.
I’ll let God lead, I’ll follow, because His hands hold tomorrow. Just knowing that my Jesus holds tomorrow helps me through everyday.
Let God lead.

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~
~Psalms 139:14~

It's Planting Season

Planting season is here. Personally I enjoy planting. I didn't use to when I was little, but now it’s just amazing to see God’s work through seeds. We planted row after row and it won’t be long till it’s shooting out of the ground trying with all it’s might to reach it’s tiny tendrils to the sun above.
It’s amazing to think about our corn, usually growing to about 7 feet tall, starting out as little seeds. Seeds that are in somewhat of a coma until we till the ground, plant the vulnerable seed, water, and it starts to push it’s way through the dirt to find the sun. Then it’s harvest time.
It’s like our lives before we've accepted Christ. We’re vulnerable, small, and in a spiritual coma. We aren’t growing because Christ isn't in our hearts fertilizing us to maturity.
God puts those people in our lives to till the ground of our heart, those who will come along and plant the seeds of Christ, those who shine the light of the Son, and those who water.
God ultimately reaps the harvest. We may have the honor of leading someone to Christ, but God reaps the harvest every time. The angels in heaven rejoice whenever someone gives their life to Christ.
Being Christians, God has called us to be His light. We are to be those who till the ground of people’s hearts, water, show them the Son. It’s our job to share Christ’s love.
Our job to plant. It’s planting season. God puts people in our lives because He knows they need to know His love. He may have picked you to share it with them. Ask God to show you who it is He’s put in your life to share His love with. Plant the seeds of His love in their hearts. Luke 10:2  "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest." There are too many Christians who tell themselves, "Oh, someone else will tell people about Christ. They don't need me." The harvest is truly great.
It’s [planting season].

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~
~Ephesians 2:8-9~

Hitting A Brick Wall

A friend of mine sent out an e-mail, it's part of her e-mail blog, and it really helped remind me that God is in control of every situation. When it seems like you're praying your hardest, but nothing seems to be happening, that's when we're to trust God the most. He sees every aspect of life, we see a small portion.

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~

I don't suggest you try hitting a brick wall. It doesn't budge, bend, or sway.

I had this experience where I felt like I'd hit a spiritual wall. Recently my girls were working with a couple other girls from Hedges on a Bake Sale. The four of them with the Mom's help seemed to have thought of everything. They had set up at a local lumber yard to entice a good match between fathers, granddaddy's and the tummy. It seemed like a no fail plan.

I was sickish that day. I'd taken my oils and was trying to veg in the truck while keeping one eye open on the kids. An hour had ticked by and not but one customer. At this rate, I thought it will be a long day. I began to pray, every thought and concerned captive to the Lord. Yet, no change. The children need this, they've worked so hard- my plea continued. And then like a spotty cell phone I thought, Hello? Are there.. I was pouring out my heart for these kiddo's and nothing seemed to help. 

Just then the girls joined together in a circle. Holding hands, they bowed their heads and began to pray. I couldn't hear the prayer- yet, I could see the evidence of one in motion. Just then cars drove in one, two, three. Before they could hardly get the Amen out here they came. In droves, all four girls were busy selling. It continued that day at a constant rate. They raised over $500. for a children's home.

Are you on the inside or the outside? My point is this, I was on the outside God heard my prayer and was ready when their hearts were ready. He had to get all of his ducks in a row before the shower of blessing. Because you don't see results, doesn't mean that things are not happening. If you are on the inside, yield to God. Especially, if you don't feel worthy or like you don't have a claim. He is there – waiting – and willing to answer all of us ungrateful spoiled children.

~Celina

March 6,2013

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

The Only Way

Looking down and watching all the sad, lonely, and sinful people, there was a pain in His heart. A dull ache and growing sorrow that had been there since the beginning. He knew that day would come, though he wished there was another way, and didn't want to endure such pain, though He followed His Father's will. He followed His Father’s will through pain, torture, mocking, betrayal, and death. (John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”) He loved these people more than they would ever know. They would have to wait to get to heaven to truly understand how much love His Father and He had for the world. (John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”)

He looked back at what it had been like to become all man, but still be all God, never sinning.

Standing in the clouds, looking down, He felt the sorrow for the world and of how He wanted all of them to know His love. He remembers when He had to leave. Leave His throne above, His Father who loved Him so deeply, and His home in heaven. Left to be born of a virgin, in a lowly manger, in the city of David. (Luke 2) He could have been born in a palace, born to be on a throne like He deserved, but He humbled Himself for us. He grew up learning his step father’s trade, learning how to read, how to play, learning how to be a little boy. Never back talking, never fighting, because He was PERFECT.  He knew no sin, and He knew that someday He would be betrayed by one of the men who said they would always follow Him, He would be denied by one of the men who said He could never deny Him. 

He became a man, a perfect man, preformed miracles, followed His Father’s will no matter what. He stood in front of the angry people, and beside Him stood a criminal. He knew that this cup could not pass away from Him. He remembered how angry the crowd was, they were screaming, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!” The soldiers released the criminal, and took the perfect Son of God to where he would be crucified. But on His face was not anger or condemnation, but sorrow and unconditional love for the ones He came to save. Crying out in pain as He was beaten, mocked, tortured, spit on, and humiliated. This was too much for His disciples to bare. This humble, perfect, and holy man, who was all man and all God was taking the sin of the world on His shoulders so we wouldn’t have to be separated from God (John 1:29, “next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away sin world.”) This man wasn’t just a man dying on a cross. He is Jesus Christ who died on a cross and busted the grave wide open three days later. He is the Holy and perfect son of God. John 14:6  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” He is the only way to heaven, and He’s not just a man. 

Christ's love isn't conditioned on how we preform or how many good things we do. He tells us to come as we are. The broken, the rich, the poor, the hurting, the lost. Sinners. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He's the ONLY way to heaven, the only way to not be separated from God.

Invite Christ into your heart and life today. Pray and ask Forgiveness of your sins and become a child of God.  1 John 1:9,  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~

~Philippians 1:6~

A War We Fight

The war we fight we fight not with guns, swords, and fists. But rather the war we fight is the war of our minds. One of the biggest wars we’ll fight.
We signed up for this war when we accepted Christ in to our hearts. We are soldiers in God’s infantry, ambassadors for the King of Kings.
In this war we may never hear cannons boom, rifle fire, or attack people. But, this war is real. This war between God and His children and Satan and His children.
Our minds are the battle field above a lot of things. Fleeting thoughts fly in and out. We can’t stop thoughts popping into our minds, but it’s what we do with them that determines weather it’s a sin or not. It’s not just doing something wrong that can be sin, it can be our thoughts also. Sin is anything we think, say, or do that breaks God’s law or displeases Him.
Let’s say your mom has given you a chore you [really] don’t want to do, and the thought pops into your mind to cuss at her or just in your mind, or to ignore her? This is part of the war. It’s a cross road between sin and not sin. It’s something I’ve struggled with. It’s something we all struggle with. It’s our will or God’s will. Resisting the temptation to do the wrong thing, even when no one is watching. No one knows what I’m thinking but God and I.
God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He’s always been there and always will be. There are times when I feel like I’ve walked away from God. Gotten farther and farther away till it feels like I can’t even see Him anymore. That was all me though. God didn’t leave He was there even though I wasn’t in fellowship with Him, wasn’t seeking his best for my life. The farther away I got from God the harder it is to hear His voice.
God was chasing me down and I was running away. He loves me to much to let me go. He has a plan for our lives.
A lot of times He shows me how big He is, I can clearly see God’s hands working in my life and I turn the corner and it’s like I can only see the what seems like a bigger problem. I doubt God on how He’s going to get me through this and when He’s going to get me through it. Is He going to be faithful? Why is He taking so long? It’s dumb really. I see God being faithful [No Matter What] and I still doubt, I still fall, and I still fear. I still {Sin}.
But the thing is, after all this, God still shows His sovereignty. I’m brought to my knees in repentance time after time because of doubt, fear, and sin.  That still small voice saying not to let the failures of my past slow me down. I’ve been given a mission from my Jesus. A mission to serve in His army. To fight for Him, and to share His love. This war will be won. We need to stay close to God, with prayer and studying His word.
Many people try to get to God every other way but through His Son, but He’s the [only] way. John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am way, truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  He’s the only way we can win the war in our minds also. Call on Him. He’ll help you. Psalms 144:1, “A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:”

~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~
~Psalms 130:7~