Fear vs. Faith

Recently, I have noticed how our world is getting worse in many ways and fear has come up within me. I see so many terrible things happening within my peer groups and friends and around the world and it has really bothered me. So many don't really know the love of God and don't know Him in a personal way, as Lord and Savior and as Master and Father of their lives. Several of my, once close friends have fallen away from God and the reason I know this is because of the fruit I see in their lives. The "fruit" is not Godly fruit in no way. They aren't growing, in fact several of them are running away from the Bible and the truth and God's word. It really breaks my heart and I am a very sensitive and emotional person. I have a super compassionate heart, which makes me cry or makes me sad when I see people I know not following after God with all of their hearts, soul, mind and strength. It is very hard to see and watch. With all of this happening it has brought some fear into my heart about them, life and the future of our world. Some thoughts that come to me are, "If my "Christian" friends or once Christian friends are falling away from God, who will stand? What will our world look like in many, many years to come? Why are so many falling away? etc...?" I am just filled with thoughts, concerns, prayers and uncertainty. I don't want to be fearful or weak, I don't desire to be "drowning" in this. I want faith, not lack of faith. I want and I know God's heart and desire is that He wants those He made to worship and love Him with all that they are. I want to stand firm in my faith until death, always growing and loving God. I want to follow in His path and in His way. I can't walk my fear, but by faith!

Please remember that "without faith it is impossible to please God." If you are living or struggling in fear, I encourage you as I am beginning to do as this fear has creeped up, to replace fear with prayer and faith! We can and will walk by faith and not by sight. We will have faith and not fear, we will believe and not doubt. I will live and pray God's promises and pray for those I know and for the world and all people to know God. Faith is what I want, not fear!

Humble Amish and Denominations...My Thoughts

I watched a documentary on the Amish last night and I really enjoyed it, but it also got me thinking "Are we doing something wrong in the way we live? Are they? Or does God consider all of hearts when they are humble and all of our lives when they actually do follow after Him, a good thing and not sin, etc...?" Cause I want God to guide and move my life to honor Him. I want to do the right thing...As I thought about it, I have realized that God has many colors of worship, many different styles of people who love and honor Him and not one of them is "wrong" necessarily, or within reason, but I believe that He enjoys our lives to reflect Him in the way we live our lives and the way we think and what we do and say-that it does reflect the awesomeness of our Creator! People love God in different ways and to have different denominations and say that ours is "the correct/right way" over another form of love and worship to God, is not our place. Only God can do the judging, we just have to follow where GOD leads us in our lives, not where man or ourselves lead us and then I believe and know that God will honor us as we honor Him and put Him and others above ourselves!

I remember that God does say in His word that He hates it when we bicker and fight and argue with one another. If we are truly humble we wouldn't say we are, because that could be pride if we say "Ya! I'm Humble! I've learned it..." That's the whole point of humility, we are all growing and learning and changing. We are not perfect and in our imperfection and in our pursuit and love towards God and in our daily lives of worship, we can see and know that our lives will be Holy and Pure and Humble as we pursue our God-the God who made us and forgave us even when we fail and mess up, the God who is our Father and still speaks to us even when our righteousness that we try to do is like dirty rags to Him, but He is ALWAYS there and ALWAYS loves us and is pursuing our hearts. He wants all people of all races, of all backgrounds, of all denominations and all non Christians to love Him and to really KNOW HIM! He is a God of love and a God of mercy, but He is also a Righteous God who loves us and corrects us to help and lead us into the right direction for our lives!

So are the Baptist wrong? no, Are the Pentecostals wrong? no. Are the Jews wrong? no. Are the charismatics wrong? no, Are the non-denominational wrong? no. Are the Catholics wrong? no. Are the Presbyterian's wrong? no. Are the denominations of Christianity all wrong but the one you are in (it would take a LONG list and a LONG time to write them all out, so just add yours in your mind that that list..)? I believe that they are not, I think that every denomination and every church has a point where they struggle and are not "perfect" or are not 100% right on all things, but I do know that it is not my place to judge if someone is in the wrong or a denomination is in the wrong, but it is my job to look at the fruit of their lives and be the light that Christ has called me to be based on the Bible! We are in pursuit of GOD, not the pleasing of man. I know we all have our own issues with other denominations or even other church's within our denomination or people group, but we grow and learn and become all that God has planned. Now, I am not saying that ALL of them are right because there are Muslims and Buddhist and even Mormons who I think do not believe and follow after God because they (Muslims, Buddhist's, etc...) worship other gods that is not the TRUE and ONLY God. The Mormons have taken our of the Bible and have added things to it as well and if you read the last few verses of Revelation and several other verses throughout that BIBLE it says "Do not add or subtract...." and if they have, then that means that they have sinned and are not following in the Way, Truth and Life of God's word, but they all need to be reached and as a body and as followers of Jesus, we have to tell all about our marvelous Creator and God and Father! They need to know!

That's just my thoughts, what are your thoughts on this sensitive? Now, I am just learning about this and don't really know a lot and I am interested in what is right and what is true and I want to know what others have learned in this subject and if you have any wisdom or think I might be a little off, post a comment and help me! I want to learn and if I am wrong in this, then please use scripture of GOD'S WORD and show me what I am missing...Thank you! It's much appreciated! :) God Bless!

Learning

                              Let's climb the mountain with our Heavenly Father, not on our own!

Learning is apart of growing up. We all grow and we all experience things in this life that we can either use to help us grow or to hinder our growth. Growth is good in a person's life. In the trials and hard times in our lives we have to remember that this hurt will help us be a better us and we have a choice to either acknowledge our problems and accept correction and growth, or we will continually keep going around that same mountain over and over and over and over again until we finally "get it." It's better to learn and change our lives now while we have the chance and get over the battle than just wallowing in the mud pies that life throws at us sometimes. Every trial is really a gift! Each trial builds character and strength and the character that we need to grow in us. Each moment is a gift and if we would remember to not rely on our own strength, but on the Lord's strength we will conquer and we will feel so much better about our learning experience. I know that I still struggle with this daily, but over the years I have improved tremendously and it is something that I am continually learning-to wait and rest in Him! If we try to live this life on our own, we will fail miserably, but if we trust Him and ask Him for His help and guidance and direction for our lives, we will conquer and the enemy will not win this battle over our lives! Remember Christ already paid the ultimate price for our forgiveness of the sins WE committed! He gave HIS ALL for us! The least we can do is give Him our lives-trusting Him, even in the small trials in life. He will trust us with much if we can be trusted with little. We can show we are worthy of God's trust by living for Him and giving HIM EVERYTHING in us! That's really all Christ wants-our hearts! Learn and Grow everyday-every trial is a gift! :) 

Advent

Advent is a time to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Each candle in the advent wreath stands for one character of Christmas and of the Christmas story. For example Joy is one. In our family for advent we take one day a week for the four weeks leading up to Christmas day (Sunday is the day we chose) and we get together as a family to sing Christmas songs and read and hear a story of Christmas. We will light a candle and turn out the lights while we sing. Then one of the kids will blow out each candle that we have. We then pray and we are done with "Advent."

I really like Advent because it reminds us that Christmas is not about "Santa" or "toys" or any other thing, but it's about Jesus and how He came to earth to do the greatest thing of all. He showed love to the world the day He was born into this world. He took the form of a man and became a human for our sake. We did not deserve this wonderful gift, but He chose to give it to us. In that same way, love is a choice. Love is not forced onto anyone. We make a choice to love everyday and to celebrate Jesus and what He has done for us and in us and in the lives of so many. He has set us up, wiped the tears from our eyes and has given us a new life. This Christmas season I will rejoice and be thankful for all that He has done and I will love Him more! God is Love, so without Him I would not grow in my love for the lost and the people who need Him above all things!

The true meaning of Christmas is Christ coming to earth, showing love when we didn't deserve it at all! I encourage you to thank God for everything He's given you, even the very breath you breathe is HIS! Christ is the center of my world! I pray He is the center of your world! What are you choosing to do different this Christmas and how will you do that?