Prisoner of Christ

What does Prisoner of Christ Jesus mean? We all know that Paul was a prisoner and in chains but how do we become a prisoner of Jesus Christ? 
1) We need to sacrifice our entire beings ( Romans 12:1)
2) We need to Love God and our fellow brothers and sisters above all (Deuteronomy 6:5 & Leviticus 19:18)
3) Go, make disciples and baptize in the name of the Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19

I think these (notice this is just my opinion) three things are the basics.  Sure God has a lot of other things we need to follow and be totally committed to, but I think these are the things God wants to  focus on the most.  Sacrificing ourselves so he can bend us to His will.  Loving Him and other people so we will do what he asks for others.  And last making disciples and preaching His Word, God wants us to help save people, to spread His word like wildfire!

I think this is what Paul did, he sacrificed himself, loved God and people and went out to make disciples! He even made some while in prison!  Now that is what I call a follower! He could've sat and sulked but NO! He preached! So lets all set out to be Pauls today or better yet mini Christs.  Because that is what God calls us to do!

~J~

Sent from Heaven

For all those new parents out there, here is a poem I wrote :)

After two, fell in love
There came a third from above.
Riding the wind all the way
To the arms where it would stay.

Love would wrap around it's life
Papa would wonder at his wife.
While Mama laughs and sweetly sings
Little songs that rhyme and ring.

The smallest gift that God can give
Happens to be one he made to live.
To walk and jump and play
Across the earth every day.

*The List*

What I want to achieve before too long. . .
1) Full blown servant for God, opening myself up for what ever he puts in front of me
2) A better sister and daughter, a young woman that is selfless and full of God
3) A role model, one that is humble, but willing to be there for other young women
4) An encourager far greater than the norm. . .one that God would be pleased with
5) Willing to accept the will of God, take things the devil throws and hand them to God
6) A cheerleader for God, a young woman ready to stand up and proclaim God's Word

Nothing Is Impossible With God!!! I can become those things, but only through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Tell me what you would like to be for God  : D
~J~

What are you living for?

"Is what you live for worth dying for?" 

idols. . .gods. . .addictions. . .you can call them anything you want but they are there.  Here are a few.

*Money
*Relationships
*Shopping/Clothes
*Appearance
*Work/jobs

Do these sound familiar? They do to me.  Like any human being I have trouble with 'other' idols, apart from God.  I have to constantly remind myself that my eyes need to be on God and not on worldly things.  God talks about storing up the right kind of treasures in Matthew 6:19-24.  I think Mary had it right, she treasured up what she experienced and pondered it on her heart, in Luke 2:19.  Paul also says we need to think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. Those are the things we need to think on and ponder.  :) So try that, whenever you are pondering things ask yourself if they meet the qualifications of above. 

So what are you living for?  Are you living for that next paycheck so you can go shopping?  Are you living for the next set of new make-up?  Are you living for that moment that you get to see that special someone?  We should be living in a way that glorifies God.  

God's Girl
~J~

Rise and Sing!!!

If you were bound but now you're free, rise & sing, rise & sing.
Lift up a shout of victory, rise & sing, rise & sing.

Our God is risen and reigning and we're elevating the glory of our God and King, everybody rise & sing.

It's in your heart rings a melody, rise & sing, rise & sing.
If you have tasted and you have seen, rise & sing, rise & sing.

Our God is risen and reigning and we're elevating the glory of our God and King, everybody rise & sing.

Let the redeemed of the Lord sing hallelujah, hallelujah.
Let the redeemed of the Lord sing our God reigns, our God reigns.

Let the redeemed of the Lord sing hallelujah, hallelujah.
Let the redeemed of the Lord sing our God reigns, our God reigns.

Our God is risen and reigning and we're elevating the glory of our God and King.
'Cause Our God is risen and reigning and we're elevating the glory of our God and King
'Cause Our God is risen and reigning and we're elevating the glory of our God and King, everybody rise & sing. 

~Passion

Lets make Him proud!

Nature. . .Creation. . .God's Gift
You can name the universe and everything in at anything you want but do you realize that God can hold it all in His one hand?  He says in the bible that he knows our going out and coming in.  He knows our thoughts and actions before we think them and do them.  God loves us so much, after all he gave His Son for us!   He wants us all to make the right decisions but sadly most often we make bad ones.  He has given us free will, and I say lets use that wisely!  Lets make God proud, because even though other human beings (even ourselves at times) let us down, we can always count on God to bring us back up!

God Bless
~J.~

Short note on prayer. . .

"Every action in heaven starts from a prayer on earth."

That is a quote I heard somewhere, and it's so true!  There is a battle in heaven between Heaven's Angels and Hell's Demons.  How many times do you pray every day?  Most people including me do not pray very often in a day.  But think about it, what if every day we spent an hour in prayer.  Do you realize how much stuff could be accomplished in heaven?  How much God could work in the lives in our friends and family?  He can accomplish a lot!

"Prayer is not getting man's will done in heaven, but getting God's will done on earth. It is not overcoming God's reluctance but laying hold of God's willingness."
Richard C. Trench

So today, what about praying for a bit?  Lets see how God works in your life and the lives around you.

God Bless,
~J.~

Fall in love. . .

Elijah, was a man of God.  He went through so much!  Telling King Ahab there would be a famine and drought, while Ahab worshiped Baal (the god of rain and reproduction). Then he trusted God and went to hide and was fed by ravens and drank from the brook.  But Elijah's works are not the things that astonish me.  The thing that astonishes me is his FAITH, it is so strong he trusts God with everything including his life.  God listened to Elijah, he talked to Elijah, I feel sometimes he probably walked (in a sense) with Elijah.  Elijah was in love with God.  Now at the end of his journey Elijah got to go into heaven in a chariot that went up in a whirlwind.  Elijah's life is a model for us.  We should fall in love with God and trust him with our own lives.  So this Valentines day are you going to fall in love with our Christ? I am!  God is worthy of everything I give him, but I'm not  worthy of everything He has given me. 

God Bless you

~J~

S & S

This is the time for sickness!  I can't go anywhere without hearing someone is down with a cold and fever or maybe aches and sneezing.  This is also a time for spiritual sickness, sin.  We are being hit with germs both human and spiritual, some bad some good.  As we run around places, we take Vitamin-C as a boost that helps to block those germs.  But is there something to help block bad spiritual germs?  The ones that seem to shimmy their way into the tightest part of our lives and hold us down?  Yes, there is!  It's called the Bible.  It is our spiritual vitamin-C, the more we read the easier it is to block those germs.  The ultimate Vitamin-C is Christ Jesus.  If we accept him into our lives then we are free of sin forever.  Now that doesn't mean we won't be hit by those germs it just means we are wiped clean of sin.  God no longer sees us as a follower of his enemy but a follower of his Son.  Which is a whole lot better in my eyes and God's :)  But we still have to arm ourselves with the bible, because it is the thing that will keep us healthy. 

~J.~

Daughters & Wives

As women we are called to be followers.  We are followers of our husbands and fathers but also above all Christ.  In 1Peter 3:1-6 he talks about following our husbands.  Like Sarah, wife of Abraham did, she called him her Master.  We are called, not only to be daughters of Abraham but to be daughters of Sarah!  We are to be submissive to the men in our lives.  We came from Adam, not the other way around.  God wanted a mate for him, thus he made us.  And also remember we are the ones who led Adam to the fruit.  We have an influence in our men's life, but is it good or bad?  It is our choice.  We can be his spiritual follower and be there for him, or we can be pushy and try to be the leader.  God has set the men above us for a purpose, but he has given us our freedoms within that area.  Lets use them wisely. 

~J.~

Paying the Price

Well I went couponing for the first time today and all I can say is I'm excited :)  I got some pretty good buys.  But it got me thinking, whenever I got something for a lower price I got so excited.  And I wonder if that is how God feels, when we as His children easily and smoothly surrender to Him without raising a ruckus or not trusting in Him fully it seems like he got a good price if you know what I mean.  Can you imagine how much Jesus trully paid for us?  Okay just think about this. . .
We lust
We covet
We murder
We lie
We worship other idols
We turn away from God
We cuss
We surround ourselves in earthly things!

Now imagine this. . .you have a son.  The doctors tell you he is the only one you will ever have no other children.  And he is the perfect child.  You are proud of him because by twelve he is already learning college courses.  When he gets older he doesn't devote himself to girls or lustful thinking he devotes himself to you.  Wherever he goes you know he is safe.  That most people love him and care about him.    Then one morning you see him for breakfast and by afternoon he is dead.  Men have whipped him till he had no skin on his back.  They pushed thorns into his head making his hair fill with blood.  They have put nails in his hands and feet and nailed him to a tree.  Then all you can see is how your perfect son got piled with all the sins of the world.  Do you realize that it wasn't just Jesus who went through pain (and it was REALLY REALLY REALLY horrible pain) God did too.  Jesus came from God, he's part of him, so whatever pain Jesus was feeling God was feeling to.  So after we've already made God go through pain thousands and millions of times before shouldn't we let him have a little relief?  Try tonight surrendering your whole self and nothing but it, and see what God asks you to do!  The results are amazing!  Give him a good deal because we aren't worth it but he is paying every penny anyway!!!!

Treasures <>O<>

Matthew 6:19-24 Tells us about the treasures we must keep.  He warns us about keeping earthly treasures becasue the dust will destroy it and thieves will take it.  He encourages us to store up treasures in heaven, where dust and soot can't get to them and thieves cannot take them.  God tells us in this simple passage that we must keep our eyes on heavenly treasures becasue if we let our eyes stray our body and heart will stray.  And if we keep our eyes pure then our body and heart will be pure also.  We can't serve two gods, that is impossible. We have to choose between serving a God who is kind, forgiving, never-ending, selfless and loving or a god who is greedy, selfish, unforgiving and damned forever.  Which one will you choose?  The wide gate that looks perfect from the outside, but will lead to damnation?  Or the narrow gate that will lead us to eternity in heaven?


Until Tomorrow
J.

Love

"I love that color on you!"  "Now that is something I could learn to love."  "Your dog really loves you."
How many times a day do we say *LOVE*?  What really is love?  Is it the way we feel passionately about someone or something?  Or is it the way we feel when we try on a new sweater that is just perfect on us? 
God showed us true love when he let His Son die for OUR sins.  And Jesus showed us true love when he CHOSE to die for us.  Now how can we show True and Real Love to others?  The sincere love that is unconditional and irrevocable.
Well, try this. . .
Next time you walk into a store find a person that looks sad or down (which believe me in a world without God there are a lot of sad people) smile to them.  The kind that is genuine and loving and try to show Jesus through that simple act, the one that could sometimes change a person's life.
Read the bible, pray and ask God to show you some ways to love people.  There are a lot of ways to show God's love and kindness.

Now with all God's love, Have an awesome God experience this week!
J.

Dandelions

Dandelions. . .
Weeds or flowers?  I remember when I was about five I loved it when our yard would fill with these pretty things!  They were small and easy to pick and then put in my hair.  They were my favorite plant.  As I remember the Pharisees in the Bible were the same as these dandelions.  They wore just the right things, did just the right things.  They were beautiful and perfect on the outside, but when you got to the roots they were destructive.  Their ways spread like wildfire.  Humans were foolish (we still are) to buy that kind of stuff, but Jesus didn't!  Jesus warned his disciples about 'the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'  That is in Matthew 16:5-12.  There are A LOT of hypocrites in our world today but Jesus said that he despises them!  So why?  Why do we think that just becasue we go to church that we are Christians?  Mini Christs, is that what we are when we walk out of those church doors and go ignore God and try to write our own life story? NO!  WE, as God's children need to stand up for our Father!  We see him scoffed at and we already saw what they did to our brothers!  John the Baptist, beheaded.  Peter, was crucified upside down, WITH his wife.  Thomas was speared to death.  And we saw what they did to our Christ!  In Revelation, God says he will bless us (those who believed and sacrificed) exceedingly!  We will live in the new Jerusalem, with the river of living water, and the tree of life!  We will see Satan and the False Prophets go to their second death.  I honestly can't wait for that day. . .but in order for me to see it from the view God wants for me I have to follow Him.  Follow Him every step of the way,  I WILL NOT become a Pharisee! What about you?  You want to stand by the angels and watch as God defeats evil?  I want to see you there!  We must be the pure flower in the field of weeds.

As you wish Father.  May your will be done, not mine but Yours.