Loves

Finding Approval in People.

~ DL ~ Leave a comment

I think we all do it. We have that one person we like or have ‘favor’ towards and your searching your Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat to see if they liked it or saw it, somehow when they haven’t seem to have like it yet, you feel less about yourself.

Maybe it’s just me or the people around me but I find my sister, friends, and of course myself doing it and when you start to realize a pattern in that, you start to think why? What’s wrong with me? Do you not like my humor? Do you not like me? WHY DON’T YOU LIKE ME?!

We live in a world where we try to find people’s approval and it’s honestly going to get us nowhere. Why are we searching for our value and worth in a thumbs up of another person? Being Christian it’s really unhealthy to search for that source of completeness in oneself when we have a Father that calls us so precious and loves us so much with the power of a million thumbs up blasting at you every second. I pray for me and for those who struggle with this to really feel the vastness of His love 24/7, to understand that he’s always present, that our security would come from Him alone who is above all things, and we would be free from our bindings to a blue thumbs up.

Matthew 27 – God’s Gifting and Working

~ DL ~ Leave a comment

The Crucifixion.
Many people had tested God that day by saying,“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” I would feel so suffocated in this situation holding in the truth to cover all man’s sins even the ones before me. They even sent a guard to guard the tombstone for three days to test to see what he had said was true.

From this passage it makes me think of all the times I’ve “tested” God before by asking Him, “God if you really exist, please _______ right now.”  And the blanks would be filled by ‘fix my family’, ‘heal his bitter heart’, ‘stop the rain’ without having faith and seeing that God has a bigger picture for us than just right now. God was already moving and is always moving in us and for us to ask of him to work right now is pretty selfish. He has been working with the beginning by placing the big bright sun in the sky that starts our day, through sending Jesus to cover us so that we may have the privilege to have this precious relationship with God now and forever.

50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Father God, it seems sometimes that we take your love for granted. This precious gift that you gave to us shouldn’t be reminded only by reading Matthew 27 but in all chapters everyday. Everything we have wouldn’t be without you and I thank you so much for sending your only son Jesus to die for us so that we may be forgiven even today to question your existence and works. God you love us so much, I’m sorry for all the times I was afraid. Search my heart and fill it with your Spirit God and help me to use this gift you gave to walk in courage and serve your kingdom. I love you God, In your son’s most precious name, Amen. 

Matthew 25 – God Gave us a Gift

~ DL ~ Leave a comment

In the end of Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, (v. 14-30) the Master told the one who brought back what was the Master’s without any interest, 28So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

I thought about what this meant and to me it represents the freedom and gift of salvation he gave us. It’s a great gift that we don’t deserve but we received it but as a Pastor once said, it’s not a permanent golden ticket. Here in the parable it shows it necessary for us to do something about the salvation we received. Instead of questioning and doubting my faith in God about career and Christian life for the future, I should just do what I know is true that pleases him like spending more time with him and just doing my work to build up my career rather than trying to figure out everything before I start. 

Verse 28 humors me because it reminds me of my mom trying to feed me something and I was too late to respond so she passed it over to my brother and missed out on good food. Not only will our gifts from God will be taken away but given to someone who can use it for His Kingdom. When he puts it that way, I want to be more jealous for this precious gift that he gave and work to build his Kingdom.

Father God in Heaven, thank you for opening my eyes to this awesome gift of salvation. Lord it’s a bit different here on earth with your gift all in good ways only that sometimes I’m blind to your goodness. Lord I pray that you would continue to unravel your truth through scripture and with spirit and relinquish any form of darkness and lies from my heart. I keep forgetting I was a slave to this world trying to follow what the world called beautiful and right. Thank You God for sending Jesus to call us beautiful and worthy. Help me to work for your Kingdom, be motivated and enthusiastic to work for your everlasting kingdom and lead me on the right path in the wilderness. Thank You for my community and thank you for opening up my heart again from bitterness. I love you, In Jesus name, Amen.

I no longer a slave to fear
I am a Child of God

No longer Slaves – Bethel Music

Matthew 21 / 22

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Matthew 21: 28-32
“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

Matthew 22: 11-14
 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

There is a definite difference between hearing and doing. My mom yells at me all the time for it. “Doris, I told you to clean your room but did you do it? No. That’s why I’m here nagging you because you said you would but didn’t!” I’m sure God’s thinking the same thing. After OTR missions I told myself and God that I would try to take up my cross and follow him and so far its been almost the exact opposite. Am I following if all I’m doing all day is watching Netflix and play Smash with my brother? If I’m cooking or cleaning to avoid doing the real work?
After reading Matthew 22’s passage of the inadequate guest, I thought, am I dressed for God’s banquet? Do I have a wedding banquet? Maybe I received one but its being eating away by cloth eating bugs or dusting away in the corner of my life?

Lord, help me draw near to you that I may desire for your presence 24/7. God you reminded me of how much you love us, how big of a heart you have for each and every one of us individually and it amazes me the heart you have for such faulty people. God let me be able to spend time with you. May I be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19). Help me to become more than just a responder but a do-er. In Jesus name, Amen.