Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

• Psalm 51:10

So often in life, we take our eyes off Christ. Some times we do not want to admit it, but we do. We’re more focused on temporary stuff, instead of our King. He blesses us and helps us daily, yet we are more thankful hearing a kind word from a person, than God.

We are more focused on temporary, earthy relationships, instead of our relationship with God some times. It’s very easy to do so, because of human nature. It’s in us to do this, we’re sinners from birth. From birth we hate God and want to act against Him. Our selfish and prideful selves want nothing to do with Him. Even when a person is saved, there is still a battle. That’s how much of a sinner we are.

Monday at Life Groups, we talked about yielding our rights. Us humans believe we have those, but we don’t. And tonight at a revival in Lewisville, the preacher talked about taking your eyes off Christ and basically not having enough faith.

I think about these two things, and oh how I fail at them both. For one, I believe I have this or that right and I don’t. It’s an ego/pride thing we have as humans. You think all we have is OURS?! HAH! It’s God’s and He can give and He can take it away. I don’t have rights to anything, it’s all His. Yet, some times we like to take matters in our own hands. We like to take our eyes off Jesus. We like to take problems out of God’s hands, and put them into our own.

Matt and I have learned to put God first and to leave things up to Him. Not just big stuff, EVERYTHING. He’s our savior and He runs our life for us. I don’t want control because I ALWAYS mess things up. A thousand or more times, we have made decisions without praying about them first, and we failed at each one. We are pretty hard headed, took awhile for us to learn. It doesn’t matter what it is now, we pray about it.

A month or two ago, we were trying to buy a house. We prayed and prayed about this. Things seemed to be going just dandy. Then things were laid out on the table, the lady wasn’t going to change a thing about the house. We pray about it, and we feel God is telling us to give this up.

But GOD!! We LOOOOVE this house! It’s right across the street from the church! It would be a schweeet setup Lord! COME ON!! God said no though, and we listened.

Now…. If we would have not listened and went through and bought this house. Meth might have been made in it.. We would never know… We could have went through with it, but we didn’t. I fear and respect my God to much to go against His word.

Before we know it, our eyes are off God. We are to busy with this or that, and we’re to busy to think about God. We get so busy, we forget to read His word. We forget to say that prayer. It happens so easy!

We need to think to ourselves, which is more important? God or this rubbish we are dealing with? What is more important? This relationship or God? Work or God?

Someone may say, I don’t have enough time to pray or read my bible. Wake up earlier! Wake up an hour or 30mins earlier. Which is more important? We forget all what Jesus has done for us, and He continues to do in our lives. We want to be selfish and think we have the RIGHT to that extra hour of sleep, instead of reading the bible or praying.

It’s very important to embed yourself in Jesus. Wrap Him around you and never take Him off! In all you listen too, make it be of Jesus. What you read, what you look at! Make Jesus be all around you! I know it’s hard because we battle with the secular world daily. You can’t even flip through tv channels without seeing someone half naked! It’s terrible! Take that time to pray for that half naked person! Shoot, they have issue’s if they have to be all half naked on tv anyways…. Okay, that’s another topic…

Back on topic! Read God’s word! Daily! I don’t care if you have read the whole bible a million times, read it again! God will show you new things. Things you might not have thought of before. Also, PRAY! I mean, how do you expect your relationship to grow with God, if you never talk to Him?

If Matt and I stopped talking today, we probably would be divorced in a month or two. Our relationship would just shrivel up and die. That’s what your relationship with God will do, if you leave it idle.

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

• Matthew 14:29-30

Are you sinking? Cry out to Jesus, He is the ONLY ONE that can save YOU! Renew your relationship with Christ. Nothing is more important!

“More”
By : Seventh Day Slumber

Do you really wanna know me?
Not just where I live?
Do you really wanna know me?
Not just by the color of my skin?

Do you really wanna know me?
Not just by things I did?
If you really got to know me?
Well it might take a little time.

Cause I am more than what I look like.
And I am more than where I’ve been.
And I am more than what they say about me.
And I’m more I’m more than what you think.

Do you really wanna know him?
The man who lives under that bridge?
Do you really wanna know him?
And hear about the life he’s lived?

If you really got to know him.
You might be just a bit surprised!
How he lost his job in 1983!
And how that cancer got his wife!

He’s more than what he looks like!
He is more than where he’s been!
He is more than where he’s lived enough to be.
He’s more he’s more than what you think.

And I am more than what I look like,
And I more than what I look like,
And I am more than what I look like,
And I more than where I’ve been,
And i am more than what they say about me,
And I’m more I’m more….

Some times we get so wrapped up in our own problems, we forget about other people. Tons of people are out there with problems! Tons of people that want to open up, but feel close to no one. They want to open up, but feel like no one cares. Where is the relationship? Where is the love?

As Christians we need to be there for one another. No matter the color of the skin. No matter how they look, smell, or how much money they make. It doesn’t matter if you are busy, be there for them. If you have other plans, or if there problems are to much for you to handle, be there for them.

We preach on love, yet we don’t show it. We talk about being there and listening, yet we don’t. We turn a person away because we are more focused on us, than anything else. What example of Christ is this?

I was talking to two different people this week, about some issue’s they were going through. They would say, sorry to burden you with my problems. My response back to them was, I’m your sister in Christ, it’s my job to be there. Who am I to say I am there, and then when a problem accures I just run away? If I am going to tell people I am there for them, I need to live up to my word, no matter what is going on.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
- John 13:34

When you love someone, you will do anything for them. You will stay up all night talking to them, if they need you too. You will go that extra mile, you will even risk your own life for them. If Jesus can do it for our sinning selves, we can do it for other people as well. And it does not matter what this person might have done to you. Jesus knew we would keep on sinning. He knew that people would reject Him, and spit on Him. He knew all this plus more, yet He still chose the cross. If we’re Christians, we need to love.

Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home.

Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them. When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone. Dear friends, don’t try to get even. Let God take revenge. In the Scriptures the Lord says,

“I am the one to take revenge

and pay them back.”

The Scriptures also say,

“If your enemies are hungry,

give them something to eat.

And if they are thirsty,

give them something

to drink.

This will be the same

as piling burning coals

on their heads.”

Don’t let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.
- Romans 12:9-21

This is what are sins do. The people you see in the video, are no different than you and I. We have all broken God’s law, we have all sinned. I think some times a lot of people forget this(including myself).

We are more focused on others sins and shortcomings. We like to take time out of our own lives, and stick our noses in others. We are worried about what to wear Easter morning to church. We are worried about how the choir will sound, how the lights may look. How the speakers and sound equipment might sound. Where in the bible does it say, we’re suppose to be concerned about these things? I am more concerned about souls than sound equipment.

Where does it say, we’re suppose to be focused on us? Where does it say, we should judge people because of their color? Where does it say, we can choose who we love?

Why can’t we all come together and worship the one true God? Why do we have to fight and complain? Why does one church think they are better than the other? What does it matter how much money one church has? What does it matter how many attend on Sunday? The thing we need to worry about is Salvation!! Are people getting saved? Are you helping the process? Are you being the best witness you can be for the Lord? Are we all working in one accord to do so? Or are we letting selfishness, pride, and greed get in the way?

This Easter(and every single day of your life), remember what Jesus has done for us all. We spit in his face, yet he died for us. We sin and sin, and yet he still died for us. We want to follow our own way instead of his, yet he still died for us. We are terrible, sinning, humans!! Yet JESUS STILL DIED FOR US!! This amazes me and brings me to tears! That Jesus died for my sins and loves me that much! I am not worth a second look, yet Jesus loves me and died for me.

He took those nails for (your name here). He had a crown of thorns on his brow for (your name here). He saw my sins and died anyways for (your name here). I can not even comprehend God’s love for us all.

To know my bloody Jesus, walked with that cross on his back. To see my Jesus hanging there in SUCH SUCH PAIN! Pain no person can even imagine! And he did not deserve it one bit, it should have been me. I am to chicken to do that for a person, but he did. He knew the pain it was going to cost, but he still did it.

I’m just amazed at our Lord. All the things he’s done for us, and going to do. The fact he died for my sins, and still blesses me. I don’t understand our perfect savior. I would be like, ALRIGHT! I died for these people, that is it! NO MORE! I’m thankful that is not Jesus’ attitude. I am thankful that God is in control and not myself.

Please know that God loves you! He does no want to condemn you, but save you. His arms are open to you, please do not run away this time. We are all sinners, we have all broken God’s law. No matter what law God put before us, we would break it because we are sinners. We are humans and rotten people. You have to realize this, before you can turn to Christ. You have to realize that it’s not about you, but about Him. You have to realize that God is bigger than yourself.

God sent his son to die for us all. And on that cross, God’s wrath was shown on his son. God knows all things, even before they happen. He knows when you will die. He knew that before you were even born! You might die in the next 10mins, you might die tomorrow, or you might live another 40 years. Only GOD KNOWS!

Why would you take a risk? The risk of burning in Hell when you die? If there is a Heaven, there is a Hell. You can’t have one without the other. We have a soul! God does not send ANYONE to Hell, we make that choice. If you tell a kid not to touch the stove, it’s hot. Yet the kid does it anyways, that was it’s choice to do so. And because of such act, it’s hand is burned. God warns us of what is to come, of what happens when we die.

One God. One Life. One Way!

Repent and turn from your sins! Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, tomorrow might be to late. You feel him calling? Respond!

When you are burning in Hell, you can’t blame “those hypocrites” and then be placed in Heaven. You can’t make excuses for the wrong you did. Once you are in Hell, you are there FOREVER!

Tonight at Life Groups we went over Authority. Everything we went over tonight, really opened my eyes. And it’s really making me judge how much I really trust God. I know it’s grown immensely over these past few years, but there’s always room for improvement of course.

My husband and I have been through so much in our marriage. At one point, we almost got a divorce because we were both going in two different directions. We were not living for God at all. He was trying and I just didn’t care, it was a fight to keep us together. Then we both just gave up, we were basically just room mates.

Our marriage has improved so much over the last two years. We are now putting God first and seeking His will, and I’m grateful for a Godly husband. Tonight I learned to trust my husband even more. And I’m glad he has the authority and not myself, and because he’s the head of the house hold, I need to pray for him. I have also learned to trust in God more in my husbands judgement.

A lot of times I hate my husband’s ideas. He might say something or suggest something and I think it’s stupid. The most upsetting thing is when he tells me something and I have already been thinking about not doing it, and yet he has to bring it up! That’s when my pride creeps up and I don’t want to do something because my husband said I shouldn’t. I always tell myself, I’m grown and if I want to do something I will do it!

The more I grow in God, the more myself falls away. The more that stupid attitude goes away, and it’s awesome. I don’t want to be anything of myself, I want to be of Christ. I want to do what He wants me to do. I want to live how He wants me to live. Nothing else matters to me but God and His will. He is my career and being more like Him is my goal in life!

I’m thankful for a Godly husband. A man that seeks after God’s heart, and does his best to follow God’s will. He provides and he loves me, and I love him. And it’s not because of anything he could do for me, I just simply love him. And it’s growing more and more each day. I never thought I could love and trust a human being as much as I trust my husband. And it’s just going to grow more, the more and MORE I grow in Christ.

It’s amazing what God can do with your life, when you give Him ALL! EVERYTHING! Once you do so, your views change. You want to read His word and you want to be Christ-like. What God hates, I hate. What God loves, I love. Shoot, it’s hard, but I have to do it. What God says, I believe. What He tells me to do, I have to do it. I don’t question it, I have faith and do it. I’m thankful for that faith!

I love life and I wouldn’t without Jesus. By nature I’m a depressed person. I think negative things, and pretty much dislike every person I come across. In Christ though, I can do all things. In Christ, I’m a new person. IN CHRIST, I can be a positive person. In CHRIST I have reason to live! I am NOTHING without Him. I can’t do a single thing without HIM!

He’s taken this sinner, and forgiven her. He’s taking me to new places each day, and there’s no telling what will happen next! You’re not living life, til you’re living for Jesus!

His love is AMAZING! Steady and UNCHANGING! PRAISE GOD!

I get so mad at my selfishness some times, I was thinking this while driving earlier. I always say I want to do more for God, but I don’t read my bible daily. I don’t pray like I should, I slack off in that area a lot of times.

Selfishness alone shows how stupid we are, and how much we need Jesus. We think we can do things just fine without God. We think we can get by doing a little at a time. We sit and think how we need to be doing more for God, yet don’t lift even a finger to do so.

Earlier I walk into the living room, to grab my bible. God was like READ MY WORD YOU IDIOT! So, I listened and went to get it. On the way I am looking at the kitchen and think about how I need to clean it up some. I start doing so, then I empty the trash in our bathroom. After that I move on to something else, then I come back into the computer room.

My husband comes in and sits down as well, I run out saying SATAN IS A PUNK! At this time, Matt probably thinks I’m insane, but I already know he thinks it anyways. Hehe

I come back into the room with my bible and he’s like, why is satan a punk? Because!! I had plans to read my bible and I get distracted by all this stuff that needs to be cleaned!! And it all happened and I didn’t even realize it until I was done cleaning. Who does satan think he is?! pfft

When this selfish person FINALLY cracks open God’s word, I turn to Joshua and start reading it. I have never read it actually, only heard things. So, here I go reading Joshua. It’s all about obedience. *SLAP* SAY WHAT?! Obedience??!!!

It’s some thing I have issue’s with, I think we all do. I want to be faithful to God and do only what HE wants, but I get in the way. That flesh creeps in and does it’s best to take over, but I can’t let it.

We must remember…..

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

• Joshua 1:9

God is with us where ever we go. Because of this we need to be STRONG and COURAGEOUS! We need to say no and pray when satan is trying to pull us down, and not let it be just words, but some thing we mean and is truthful. It’s easy to ask God to make us strong, but do we mean it? Is it true? Do we really want to be obedient?

My trust is in Jesus, and I know He is above all things. I’ve been going through a weird time with my thoughts lately, thinking things I should not. Nothing I really want to share or talk about, because I already know what needs to be done to fix it. TURN IT OVER TO GOD! But it’s hard to do when half of you wants too, and the other half does not. I am selfish!

We live, we learn, then we get luvs……

Anywho, I’m trusting in the Lord. I told a friend the other day, I don’t trust people. I don’t even trust myself, that’s why I need Jesus. AMEN!