New Year, New Me, Same Jesus

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 NIV

Testimony - evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something.

OR

Testimony - a public recounting of a religious conversion (meaning change or transformation) or experience.

The first definition of Testimony above was given in a sermon by my Pastor and he explained that a Testimony should be about giving glory to God about what he's brought you through. Proof of his existence and the appearance of something he's done in your life. 

The second definition of Testimony ties into the scripture above. Romans 12:1 tells us as God's people to give ourselves as a living sacrifice for God to use. We should be holy and pleasing to God which shows our true worship of Him. Romans 12:2 as above, tells us not to conform to THIS world (Earth in 2017), but be TRANSFORMED (there goes that word again) by the renewing of our mind. Transforming ourselves for the will of God is our testimony. Once God brings you through something you should testify to someone else who does not know the Lord. The second definition says a PUBLIC recounting of a religious conversion and further more God's word says in Psalms 96: 3 to declare HS glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.

Everyone has a testimony about how God has changed them, how God has brought them through hardship, trouble, and out of a bad situation. Every one's testimony is different and will be shared with His people in different ways. As Romans 12:6 says,  "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us." God has given each and everyone of us a gift. Your gift could be prophecy, serving, teaching or giving. Whatever your gift may be, use it to glorify the Lord. 

Multiple facebook statuses on New Year's said new year, new me! But what are you really transforming into? New Year, New Me, Same Jesus. Continue to transform yourself every ever year to become more like Jesus. 

Guide to Transform for the Glory of God

1. Continually renew your mind to be set on Jesus (who saved/can save you from your sins)

2. Do not conform yourself to this present and cruel world that we live in today. Who cares what the latest trends are or if this or that celebrity is in the latest news. Jesus should be in your news every morning. The good news that comes from reading his Word..

3.Transform spiritually to prove the perfect will of God.  Transforms into a spiritual being and living sacrifice for the Lord, willing to spread his gospel to the people who need it the most.

4. Change your ways and use your gifts for positive influence on others.

"And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, and who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Happy New Year!

Great is the faithfulness of God for his mercies renew DAILY.

Tis the time of year for posts about New Years Resolutions. I pray that your first resolution includes God. Closer relationship with God, daily bible reading, work in the house of the Lord, and stronger prayer life are my resolutions for this year. My goal is to be a living vessel for Christ to use as he pleases. Nothing wrong with the occasional weight loss and financial stability resolutions, but know that "all things work together for good to them that LOVE God and are called according to HIS purpose." (Romans 8:28)

"It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. " Lamentations 3:22-24 (KJV)

Spiritual Understanding

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 KJV

I couldn't decide on what to blog so I decided to flip through my prayer journal for ideas (and oh how I've grown). The first journal entry is from April 8, 2015. The last from this Tuesday's bible study. As I read through my entries I've noticed that I have more spiritual understanding now then when I first began to write about my journey with God. I find that in earlier entries I would just jot down scripture or two and interpret as I felt fit. Now my prayer journal actually includes more prayers, scriptures and application of scriptures to my daily life. 

For example; April 9, 2016 Journal Entry

"But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice." Luke 11:28

Read the bible daily in order to get closer to God. Reading with him is a way to get closer and therefore secure your bond. 

-End of Entry-

July 29, 2016 Journal Entry

Let go of the past...

Lamentations 3:22-23

Lamentations 3:22 - Our Lord is merciful, loving, kind & compassionate. He loves us and never fails us. We are not consumed (devour, ingest, destroyed) because of his great mercies. 23 - Every morning his faithfulness to us is abundant (plentiful).

Therefore, our faith should be as abundant to the Lord in return. Our love for him as equally plentiful. Our faith should renew daily, letting go of the past.

Lord, I pray that I become as faithful to you as you are to me Lord. Today is a new day and I choose abundant faith, compassion and love to all Lord. Help me Lord so that I may be a blessing to your kingdom. Thank you for your continuous faithfulness, mercies and abundant love. I praise and magnify your name. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

-End of Entry-

I've learned how to spiritually dive deeper into the word of God and APPLY it directly to my life. I've learned how to pray according to the word and not to rely on my own understanding but on the truth that lies inside my bible.

Have a teachable heart, be ready to learn the Word that God has set forth.

"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." Proverbs 30:5 KJV

Filled with His Precious Gift

"But the advocate, the HOLY SPIRIT, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (NIV John 14:26

Happy Sunday!

Have you ever went to church (sometimes after not going for awhile) and as soon as you enter you were an emotional mess? Maybe crying on the inside trying not to show it on the outside? That was me a couple years ago. I would cry in church not knowing why I was crying. Not understanding why church made me so emotional. Now I realize the reason for my cries, God was working IN me. Unknowingly I as crying out for God. He was trying to get THROUGH to me and I wasn't allowing him. My doors were locked.  God has the key but he's not going to use it, you have to let him in!

Now as I go to church... I am filled with EMOTION but I am not emotional. My emotion comes from the Lord's gift that he has given me. I am now working WITH God, filled with his Holy Spirit that guides my life. My doors are now open to receive the many gifts, promises and opportunities that God WANTS to provide to his saints. God wants you to unlock your emotions and live for him. Like my pastor mentioned in his sermon today, "God lives in me". He lives in you too if you'll allow him.

Let Go and Let GOD.

Naive to the word of God, I thought I could get baptized (cleansed from sin) and that was it. My thoughts were "Okay, I have accepted that Jesus died from my sins and I'm going to heaven now that I've been baptized in this here church pool. Nothing else for me to do but wait until the Lord comes and takes me home".

Oh, how wrong and naive I was. There's so much more to being saved then I ever thought was possible. As I dive more into my Bible I realize that there is MUCH work to be done. Especially in this world that we live in today. A few years ago I didn't know anything about the Holy Spirit or how it is an essential tool and gift for those that are saved. As described in Acts 19, the disciples were baptized by John but did not know that they could also receive the Holy Spirit. Paul asked them "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" and They answered no, they didn't even know such a thing existed. 

This is why I started this blog, maybe someone didn't know (like me) that a Holy Spirit exists to guide them to the gates of Heaven. I received the gift of the Holy Spirit two weeks before I married my husband, Carl and what a blessing that has been to both of our lives. The Holy Spirit gives me patience, confidence and trust in the Lord, guidance, and sometimes it tells me to just be quiet. Because sometimes we do have to be quiet and realize that the life we are living is not about us, but about doing the work of the Lord. If you are saved, let God in, let his Holy Spirit descend upon your life so that you may go HIGHER in the Lord.

"When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit." (NIV) Acts 8:15

Sanctified.

Sanctify (verb): set apart as holy, purify, FREE from sin.

Salvation is a choice. Sometimes a hard choice at first but well than worth it once achieved. Personally, I struggled with my first couple of months of being saved. I had been attending a solid bible teaching church which helped tremendously in my journey to be closer to God. Definitely a major key.

Major Keys to staying saved:

1. Buy a KJV (King James Version) bible and a study bible (mines is a devotional NIV(New International Version). 
2. Join a bible based church.
3. Set yourself apart from those that are not living saved.

The latter is why I struggled with staying sanctified. I couldn't set myself apart because I was still dwelling in my old ways with people who weren't living for God. Some friends were welcoming to the fact that I decided to give my life to the Lord and even attended bible study with me when invited. Others resorted to peer pressure making salvation harder to grasp. At that point, I had to make a decision.  Fortunately, my decision was God. 

"Ye are of God, little children and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4)

I knew I belonged to God and only my flesh is tied to this world that we live in. I became victorious over obstacles holding me from Christ. According to the bible, I am greater with God than without. Now that I am almost 2 years into my faith I have not only become greater in God but the distractions of this world and society we live in no longer have a hold on my life. I am free from personal anger, lies, drinking, etc. and have never felt better. 

My starting point was becoming saved, next step was sanctification with lots of prayer to stay sanctified. Exodus 20: 1-17 is where I started my journey and 1 Peter 1:15 is where my journey continues. What path will you take today?

Will you ignore the fact that God sacrificed his only son to die for the sins of the whole world? OUR sins? Or do you have faith that there is a Heaven for all those seeking to live right before the Lord. If the latter option is what you are choosing... Seek first the Kingdom of God, live righteous and the Lord will give you everything you need.

Saved: February 22, 2015

Save: (verb) saved, saving; to rescue from danger, to keep safe and intact. SALVATION

Total prosperity begins with salvation. Jesus sacrificed HIS life so that we may have life more abundantly (John 10:10). I gave my life to the Lord (for the second and final time) on February 22, 2015. I had to add "for the second and final time" because 1. Not everyone is perfect and 2. I don't plan on going back.

Let's elaborate:

1. Not everyone is perfect (but God): I say this because the first time I sought salvation was June 30, 2014. I knew I wanted to go to Heaven but I didn't know that I had to sacrifice my old life and become new in the Lord in order to do so. 

2. I don't plan on going back: Now that I have given up my old ways of sin and have renewed my life in the Lord, I don't see a reason to go back. I have truly been blessed in more ways than one since the day of my salvation on that cold Sunday afternoon. 

Don't get me wrong, the Lord is still working with me, through me and around me but I now have learned to work with the Lord as well. I have learned to not only read his word (The Bible) but also to FOLLOW it. In that following, I have a discovered myself, obtained a wonderful career and a Godly Husband. 

Speaking of my wonderful husband. :) He accepted his calling into the ministry on October 16, 2016. His trial sermon was yesterday and the Lord was truly moving through the entire service. I am blessed to have such an amazing Man of God and blessed to be able to support him in the journey. He is part of the reason (the other part being God) I decided to start blogging again in the hopes that as a team we will be able to reach out and save lives. 

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever." (1 Chronicles 16:34)

It truly is a great day to save lives. 

Do you want to be saved?