Matthew 6:33

Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  The principle of this verse should be the theme of your life.  As you can tell by the tag line, this blog is based on this principle, and I guarantee you that every post will in some way point you back to God.  I write this way because I know that everything else is useless.  Knowledge without truth is useless.  Love without God is lust.  Life lived for self is a waste.

So much of our life we spend worrying about the next chapter or wondering how this or that will play out.  We consume ourselves with the worldly things, rather than instantly giving them to God  (John 17:15-16.)  Many people ask me for dating advice but then turn there backs on it, claiming it was too hard.

This is because it is unnatural.  God didn't ask us to date in and of the world like non-Christians do.  Everything you see on TV, at the club, with your friends...this is the world's way of dating, and as a life-committed follower of Christ, you were called to be more than that, why?  Because you are called to seek God FIRST.  

When we seek God more than popularity, status, comfort from a close friend, love from the opposite sex, sex from the opposite sex, family, friends, and EVERYTHING else, then and only then will our lives, purpose, and heart fall into place.  I'm not saying you will self-destruct if you put something before God, but I am saying your life will be more chaotic because of it.

Most Christians today are half in and half out.  I think it is because the calling to take up your cross daily is a hard one.  It's not something natural or easy, so most people try it for a few days, months, or weeks, and then give up because the cross is too much to bare, but the calling only becomes too much when we begin to take our eyes off of the one who gave us the cross.  

When worries hit your mind, temptation stings your flesh, and defeat is in your spirit, take a look at your focus. It's probably a few marks off of the bulls eye, which is Christ.  When we are careful to move our focus back to Him one hundred and ten percent, everything else falls back into the background.

So how do we get our focus back on Christ?

Spend an extended amount of time in prayer.  Ask God to reveal the focus of your heart.  Start by praying about whatever comes to mind.  Pretty soon you will find yourself praying about a particular person or circumstance extensively.  More than likely this is the root of your problem, the incident that shifted your focus.

Commit that "thing" to God, not only in your prayer but in the depths of your heart.  Promise yourself that if you begin worrying, fantasizing, or wondering about this "thing" again, that you will quote a verse referring you back to God, or pray for God to once again take the "thing" out of your focus.

Next, get in the Word and hear what God has to say to you.  God is always ready to help us and talk to us about our life-altering drama we encounter from day to day.  Many times we will even pray to him to help us with this drama, but how many times do you actually give him a turn to talk?  One way God speaks to us is through the Bible.  Reading the Word of God should be a daily activity in your life.  If you are always talking and doing and thinking, when does God have a chance to respond?

Start with a devotional book from the nearest bookstore, or try this website for free online devos http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/ or this one for a short and sweet starter http://odb.org/.  However you choose to begin getting in the word, make it a commitment and a part of your everyday routine.  It should be as natural as asking your loved one about their day.

Completely to You

So what can I say? 
What can I do? 
But offer this heart O God 
Completely to You

This is a beautiful song by Hillsong United entitled The Stand.  As I was getting ready for church yesterday morning I was listening to Air1 when this song came on.  The snippet above is what hit me.  It captured my life at that very moment and God spoke through it.

After an intense weekend full of God-thoughts, worship services, and the emotions of life shared with friends, I realize just how easy it is to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and forget about the one thing that really matters.

As humans, we worship by design.  What we worship is specific to each individual.  The receiver of our worship can range anywhere from sports to boyfriends, music to backpacks, and Star Wars to baking.  None of these things are bad in and of themselves, however the Bible says anything we worship more than God is an idol, and idolatry is a sin.  (Luckily we already knew we were sinners and God has already taken care of that for those who ask!)

For biblical reference:

• Exodus 20:3-4 “You shall have no other gods before me.  You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneat or in the waters below.”
• Matthew 4:10 “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”
• Matthew 22:37-38 “Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and the greatest commandment.”

Something I hadn’t thought much about until recently, is that even ministry can be an idol if our motives are wrong.  An example of this would be a youth pastor obsessing over how many kids are coming, what they are going to eat, how to get them to listen to the gospel, etc. rather than focusing on God, what he wants for the children, and asking Him to use the event to glorify himself. 

This isn’t cold hard fact, just an opinion, but I think girls are more vulnerable to making people our idols, whereas men are more vulnerable to making things their idols. 

For most women, idolatry easily creeps in to our relationships because of the Genesis 3:16 curse.  Our desire is for relationships, and more specifically our husband.  How many girls do you know that check their phone every 5 seconds waiting for that guy to text them?  Or what about the women who are so starved for love (like many of us) that they reach out for whatever male figure they can cling to.

We all have idols in our hearts.  This week I was convicted about chasing God’s plan more than God himself.  In high school one of my big idols was popularity and acceptance from other people.  But what’s your idol?  What are you not letting God control in your life?  Is there something you deem as more important than the creator of the universe?  Something coming in between you and your walk with God?  Take some time to examine your heart today and lay down any idols you might have.  Let God be God. J he does have it figured out ya know!

For a great bible study on idols I recommend: No Other Gods by Kelly Minter

Alisson's Story-3

 (Continuing from Alisson's Story-2)

The next day I was having lunch with some friends from church. I told them what was on my heart and how God was moving. Sadly, they told me I was crazy and that Tate was perfect for me.

Yes, Tate would have been perfect for me, if he had been God’s perfect choice.  But I was beginning to realize he wasn’t much of a spiritual leader at all...

Now, the reason my “church friends” didn’t understand was because they weren’t currently digging into the Word themselves. (I urge you guys when seeking Godly counsel, be wise who you go to and make sure they have scripture backing up their thoughts on that subject.)  

After hearing this from my friends I became sick to my stomach! I was deeply hurt by what they were saying! As soon as I came home I started digging deep into Gods word! I read verses like Psalm 20:6-7, Mathew 6:33, and Proverbs 3:5-6 all which told me to TRUST and SEEK God!

 A few hours later I started having trouble with my heart. I’ve had problems with me heart for about two years now, but no cardiologist knows what’s wrong with me. Normally this is when Tate would comfort me. He would tell me everything was going to be ok and he would hold me in his arms. This made me very uneasy about everything, all I knew was I wanted Tate and our old relationship back. I didn’t care anymore.

So I called Tate and we talked. He knew something was wrong and I had told him about my heart and what I was going through with him not leading me spiritually! 

Before I called him, I was so upset I wrote him a letter and read it to him over the phone to him. It said:

Tate, where do I begin, you make me so frustrated! I have so much anger inside of me I feel like I’m about to burst from the inside. Why can’t you change? Why is it so hard to talk to you about God? Why can’t you lead me spiritually? I feel miserable; I just could never admit it to myself! I told you once already how important it is to me to be lead spiritually. I need to be lead spiritually and you need to be in the Word. I love you so much …..You have my heart…..But God doesn’t agree! I miss you all the time…I miss your hugs, your kisses, and your arms wrapped around me for security. But I don’t need security from you, I need it from my Lord. Tate, I am falling to pieces…

Then I asked him to pray for me and for us, he answered with words I will never forget.  He said, “If you want a man like that then you are going to have find someone else!”   Rapidly my thoughts began to run wild, this is the same man who just told me he was deploying to Libya in 6 months and begged me not to leave him. This is the same man who I had asked to lead me spiritually and he said he would work on it and rededicated his life 2 months later. This was the man I was thinking about marrying! How could he say that?  Did he know how badly he just hurt me? I was crushed.

He told me how stupid I was and said things I’d never even heard my worst enemy say.  He told me I was worthless and that I would never have a bright future. When I got off the phone I went to see Julie. I walked in her room and she immediately knew what had happened. She met me, gave me hug and then we sat down and talked...

(More to follow...)

I don't know about you, but I too have had a similar experience to this.  In high school I called my serious boyfriend to tell him I was going to follow hard after God.  He laughed in my face and told me he was sleeping with my best friend at that moment.  Sometimes we trust people just because they are conveniently there.  At the time I felt like it was the end of the world.  I felt like I was completely alone, but that's when God stepped in. :) 

Is there something that's been cutting in to your time with God?  Has he laid it on your heart to give up something or someone in order to better follow him?  Have you experienced the freedom in letting go?  Or the pain of disobedience?

Understanding God's Grace

During my quiet time with God earlier, I decided to study Proverbs 31 again, which is the chapter often labeled "Characteristics of a Nobel Wife." This chapter contains 31 verses of what a godly wife should look like. As I am reading however, I was reminded that the key to becoming this wife of noble character, is not to copy everything she does by buying a farm and learning to sew. Rather, it comes from knowing and understanding God more as a woman.

The woman in Proverbs 31 is a hard worker, she is a provider and nourisher for her family, she gives to the poor, fears the Lord, is wise, and is always joyful with no worries. Now if we try to be this woman in our own strength, we all know we will fail miserably simply because it is not natural to be that pleasant all the time.

However, if we depend on God to help us get there, we will most definitely succeed. You see this woman is generous to the poor because she understands God's grace in her own life. She knows that she is but a sinful woman whom God undeserving casted grace on in order that she may fall deeper in love with him. She is a provider and nourisher for her family not because her family is perfect and there are no arguments or disagreements, but because she understands the love of Christ and what he did for her--therefore she extends that love to the people around her.

And my favorite part...this woman is not constantly joyful due to Prozac pills or the mastering of "faking it." I believe that this woman could "Laugh at the days to come" (verse 25,) because she understands God's sovereignty and therefore she has casted all of her worries and struggles on him. (1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 6:34)

When we understand that God is sovereign, meaning he has everything under control and he has a wonderful plan laid out for each of us, despite what we think, want, or worry about--then we can come into a life with a beautiful spirit. When we stop trying to control and change and plan every detail about our friends, family, and future, then we can rest and find peace and joy in the one who already has it under control.

When we understand that we are sinful creatures who are destined a life in hell, yet amazingly forgiven by a God who owes us NOTHING--then we can extend grace and love to those around us.

When we understand that GOD HIMSELF came down from heaven in order to live a perfect life and suffer a horrifying death, SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE--then we understand mercy and grace and servanthood. Mark 10:45 says for even the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. If the king of kings is humble enough to serve lowly human beings like us, why would we think we were above serving people on the same level as us, like our friends and family?

To sum it up, the truth of everything is found in the holy Bible. If you want to have better relationships, seek God. If you want to be a wife of noble character, seek God. God has displayed his love for us in this: Christ died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8.) The story of this amazing love and grace is found in the Word of God. Get in it and be transformed (Romans 12:2.)

Pre-Relationship Guidelines

So yesterday I talked about the importance of making specific guidelines before a relationship in order to keep God first and maintain purity. Today I am going to share some examples of these guidelines. However, first I would like to explain 2 things.

1. I am not saying that these are the "10 Commandments" of dating and if you don't do them you will die from HIV. I am sharing these with you all as suggestions so that you can make your own guidelines. Its not exactly the specific details that make it work, it's your motives behind it that allow it to honor God. If God is truly our main priority, as single women or as women in a relationship, we will do EVERYTHING we can to keep it that way. Hence, the boundaries.
2. "Guidelines" and "Boundaries" usually carry a negative connotation. We don't tend to like them very much. BUT I want you to view boundaries in a relationship as something very positive and rewarding. Josh Harris compared it to the yellow lines on a highway. The lines are there to protect us from something very dangerous--the oncoming traffic. If we stay on our side we will be blessed by making it safely to our destination. However, if we risk it and drive on the other side of the lines, our chances of making it to our destination safely are very low. As I said yesterday, the more you deny yourself now, the more you will have to enjoy on your wedding night and for the rest of your life. :)

That being said, I am going to start off with boundaries for pre-relationships. Where I'm from they call it "talking." Urban Dictionary describes it as this:

talking	631 up, 63 down
	buy talking mugs, tshirts and magnets When two people are not exclusive with each other nor have established what they are as a couple, but have some sort of relationship. "John and I go out a lot but we're just talking." or "We've been talking for months now but we're not together."

Now I could go into all the rights and wrongs of talking, but right now I'm not. For now, I am going to explain why we need boundaries even in this stage of a relationship.

• First of all, ladies...have you ever noticed how quickly we get emotionally attached to guys? Have you noticed how much QUICKER we get attached to guys when they text us throughout the day?? Whether you admit or not, it's true! You know that when you see that phone light up with his name on it you get all excited and giddy on the inside! Don't lie! lol There is nothing strange about that, we all get that way, I promise.

This becomes a problem however, when there is no commitment involved. When we attach ourselves to a guy who has not even asked us to be his girlfriend, we are bluntly setting ourselves up for heartbreak. ...Just something to think about.

Soooo, if texting causes our heart to jump (opposite of what God tells us to do in Proverbs 4:23,) then we shouldn't do it. Remember yesterday and 1 Corinthians 6:18? FLEE from sexual immorality!! FLEE from it sister!! Not to long ago, I figured this one out, and so now I have decided if a guy texts me just to talk I am only going to answer once or twice, if he wants to talk to me more than that he can call or ask me out. This may seem rude or drastic, but this is what I personally have to do in order to guard my heart. Besides, a true man of God will take initiative and call you or ask you out. Texting is the easy way out for guys. (More on that later.)

• My second guideline is to MAKE SURE I keep GOD, MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY, AND THE GIRLS I DISCIPLE FIRST!! His name comes way on down the list, ESPECIALLY if we're just talking or beginning our relationship. No guy should EVER come before the people who were already in your life. This means not ditching your family or changing your plans just because he calls and wants to hang out. PRIORITIES ladies!

• Last but not at all least, I want to be completely transparent with my relationship. That means involving my disciplers, my parents, his disciplers, and his parents in our relationship. I want to be able to answer any questions girls have about my relationship without being guilty or embarrassed. Mark 4:22 NLT says this, "For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light." The bible also says we are to confess our sins to one another, we can only do this if we are completely open and honest with our disciplers.

We will discuss more on this topic tomorrow, but I really want you all to think about this today and perhaps come up with your own boundaries for talking. Submit them in to share with others if you would like! Love y'all and God Bless

Proverbs 4:23

"Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."