I read 2 Timothy 3: 1-5... and sadly I have been guilty of all these negative attributes more then once in my life. "But understand this. that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power. Avoid such people."
Today- was not one of my finest. I kept battling these selfish thoughts. The words "I," and "me," came up more then a few times in my head. I hate those moments when you realize that all you have been doing all day long is complaining about your circumstances and feeling sorry for yourself. I felt ridiculous- I have more then my share of blessings but instead I chose to dwell on all the things I don't have today instead.
When this moment arrived today my sin nature told me that everyone deserves to have a day to complain every once in a while. I had to stop and realize that this was my carnal nature speaking and not what the holy spirit was telling me to do. This has been one of the most difficult habits to get into- hearing a thought and thinking about what was telling me to do this or that.
When I read these verses I spotted right away that today I was a lover of self. There is nothing (in my mind) more unattractive then being selfish. Recognizing that I was doing something that I cannot stand is humiliating. I can't stand it when I realize I am being a hypocrite. Now that I am settling down for the day I have been trying to think about the things said in these verses. Looking for the opposites, the things that we should represent as Christians...
Lovers of God and of others
Givers
Humble
Helpful
Obedient
Grateful
Holy
Big hearted
Self Controlled
Loving good
Thoughtful
We need to look to our Savior as our example and strive to be as He is. This is no easy task, perfection as we all know is unobtainable but if that is where our heart is God will see our true intentions.
God's word is so full of answers, He gives the best advice and it's free! So now that today is over, I think I am ready to get over those selfish thoughts and move on to bigger and better things!
Goodnight
Amy Jo
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Fandom
I had been looking for a good book to read- you know one that would benefit my spiritual walk. What I came across on that Barnes and Noble bookshelf was "Not A Fan" by Kyle Idleman. I would suggest this book to anyone who has ever experienced a 'Luke-warm' period. He discusses the essential differences between being a fan of Christ and being a follower.
I... had been living my life as a fan. I knew my stuff, bible verses, bands, I knew the right things to say. But I had been living my faith only on the exterior. My interior was in some desperate need of a renovation. Deep down I think I knew that a drastic change needed to happen- but I wasn't willing to take that imaginary shovel and uncover all the fake actions that I had been hiding behind in order to find what faith is all about. It is not knowing about Christ- take out the about and you will get it right... Knowing Christ is what faith is about. Don't get me wrong, knowing about Christ is one way to discover His attributes such as love and forgiveness. But anyone can read a few books and know about something. The amazing thing about our God is that He is as real today as He was back in the Bible times. He is never changing, never fading!
What are ways to go from being a fan to becoming a hard core follower? They are actually pretty simple steps but they involve constant commitment and hard work. Pray, read the word, pray, surrender your life daily, pray, and did I mention pray? These are all extremely important but the reason why I became repetitive in that last sentence was because you can never truly know someone if you don't put in the time to communicate and spend time with them.
I know that the honest truth is that we all suffer from the "fandom" syndrome. I think that is why having people that can keep you accountable are so important. They can easily see when you are struggling, when you start to "fake" it, when you need a little encouragement- even a small push in the right direction. So many of us want to do this on our own- I think it is part of our culture to always feel as though in order to be successful you need to be independent and do things solo.
Our faith however is not supposed to be lived out alone. True we each have a special relationship with our Savior but we need those believers to come along side us and keep us company on this journey. Verse after verse in the Bible tells us of the importance of both fellowshiping with Christ and with fellow believers. (1 John 1:7, 1 Chor. 12:27, Matt. 18:20, 1 John 4:12, 1 Chor. 1:9, Phil 2:1, and 2Chor 13:14 to name a few)
We have so many tools at our disposal today- smart phones, facebook, blogs, emails... etc. if we could use these as positive ways to further God's Kingdom and even a helpful way to fellowship with one another I believe that the impact would be HUGE. This is just some food for thought.
What I realize now though is...
I am a fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers-
But I am a follower of Jesus Christ! This is my choice! What's yours?
God Bless :)
Amy Jo
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Fashion Statement
Alright, so I am going to put it out there that I have a unique sense of fashion. By this I mean that I live 90% of my life in sweatpants and t-shirts. I have never been one to get all dolled up to go to the store, instead I settle for what is comfortable and easy! I have always stood in awe of those who know what matches and what is "in" these days. I just never had that gift- I am your average tomboy, I love being outdoors, watching a football game and chilling with my buddies. From this introduction I hope that you have gathered simply this... I don't really care about how I look. It has actually been quite the hot-topic with my family members, "you're going to wear that?" Well, I guess it's that I have never seen the point in all the work it takes to look "presentable" in the worlds eyes- I mean I am comfortable enough in who I am to wear what I like. I see where they are coming from, I am an adult now I should try to at least look like one (there is the fact that I naturally look like a 16 year old instead of a 21 year old this is something that I have no control over so we can choose to ignore it.) So I am slowly discovering what is appropriate in certain situations to wear, and I have to make a conscience effort each day so that I don't walk into my student teaching wearing my athletic shorts and a hoodie.
I am saying all this to bring us to the "meat" of this post- Colossians 3:12 and 14 gives us some insight on how we should dress ourselves, "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience... above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony."
Now this is exactly what I need, specific directions on what I need to wear in order to be presentable. I think it is a brilliant word choice to use "clothe" in these verses. Not carry, not think about or remember to use- but clothe. Why do you think this is? I can tell you what it made me think of the instant I read it, I thought of the way my family reacts to my wearing sweats to a nice restaurant. People are going to see you- they don't need to have a relationship with you to see what you are wearing. It is something that you chose to represent, something that shouts "THIS IS WHO I AM AND THIS IS WHAT I AM ABOUT," it is a testimony to anyone and everyone that crosses your path.
God is the essence of all of the things that we are called to wear each day: mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love. He is our example and our guide when we lose sight of what these characteristics look like. His word is our cheat sheet- all of the answers are written out for us if we simply take the time to study up on the material. Verse 14 tells us that above all the other accessories that we put on we must clothe ourselves with love. I think that this is an area that I struggle with at times. When I come across a non-believer it is easy to place myself on a pedestal and say "look there at that sinner, they don't see what has been so obviously placed in front of them." In all honesty, I am no different then they are- a natural born sinner, whose sin separates me from my Creator. They are merely lost, as I once was and the solution to showing them the way to Christ is... Ding Ding Ding, you guessed it love. We as Christians, are called to a higher standard. We are required to adjust our lives so that we are "Christ-like" and when we look at the Word we see time and time again that Jesus did not point a finger at the sinful masses around Him and tell them that they are headed straight for hell- instead He showed them love and compassion. He heard their heart cries and He showed them the way to healing. This my friends is our job as well.
I may need help in the fashion department, but I can clearly see who I am to present myself spiritually. It could not have been spelled out any better then it is in Colossians. I pray that this is a simple reminder to you that in the morning, before you pick out what clothes you will be wearing for the day, you will choose to put on a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love.
God Bless,
Amy Jo
I am saying all this to bring us to the "meat" of this post- Colossians 3:12 and 14 gives us some insight on how we should dress ourselves, "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience... above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony."
Now this is exactly what I need, specific directions on what I need to wear in order to be presentable. I think it is a brilliant word choice to use "clothe" in these verses. Not carry, not think about or remember to use- but clothe. Why do you think this is? I can tell you what it made me think of the instant I read it, I thought of the way my family reacts to my wearing sweats to a nice restaurant. People are going to see you- they don't need to have a relationship with you to see what you are wearing. It is something that you chose to represent, something that shouts "THIS IS WHO I AM AND THIS IS WHAT I AM ABOUT," it is a testimony to anyone and everyone that crosses your path.
God is the essence of all of the things that we are called to wear each day: mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love. He is our example and our guide when we lose sight of what these characteristics look like. His word is our cheat sheet- all of the answers are written out for us if we simply take the time to study up on the material. Verse 14 tells us that above all the other accessories that we put on we must clothe ourselves with love. I think that this is an area that I struggle with at times. When I come across a non-believer it is easy to place myself on a pedestal and say "look there at that sinner, they don't see what has been so obviously placed in front of them." In all honesty, I am no different then they are- a natural born sinner, whose sin separates me from my Creator. They are merely lost, as I once was and the solution to showing them the way to Christ is... Ding Ding Ding, you guessed it love. We as Christians, are called to a higher standard. We are required to adjust our lives so that we are "Christ-like" and when we look at the Word we see time and time again that Jesus did not point a finger at the sinful masses around Him and tell them that they are headed straight for hell- instead He showed them love and compassion. He heard their heart cries and He showed them the way to healing. This my friends is our job as well.
I may need help in the fashion department, but I can clearly see who I am to present myself spiritually. It could not have been spelled out any better then it is in Colossians. I pray that this is a simple reminder to you that in the morning, before you pick out what clothes you will be wearing for the day, you will choose to put on a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love.
God Bless,
Amy Jo
Friday, November 25, 2011
Col. 2:6-7
"6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
Because of the holiday weekend, the idea of thankfulness has been weighing heavily on my heart! On Wednesday I was reading in Colossians, I thought it quite appropriate that verses six and seven in chapter 2 talk about thankfulness. These are 2 rich verses in my own opinion. First it brings us to the core of our existence- which is our relationship with Christ, surrendering our entire lives to the furthering of His Kingdom. I find it frustrating that so many of us (I am speaking of myself here because I don't know where any of you are at in your walk) forget the way we felt as we gave over our lives into Christ's hands. It is a moment where we cannot see ourselves going even one more moment living this empty life without the sole purpose for our existence here on earth.
I myself made that choice as a very young girl, those of you that know me understand this when I say that I am an emotional girl who acts far too often on exact emotion that I am feeling at that exact moment, this has gotten me into trouble, but in the case of my relationship with Christ and coming to the place when I knew I wanted to ask Christ into my life it was an instance when it benefited me in the greatest way possible. However in the years that followed and as my mood changed from day to day I also changed my focus. I sadly admit that I have lead an extremely selfish life- wanting to further my own causes instead of Christ's. In all honesty it was not until these last few years that I have taken my faith in all seriousness.
As I began to realize my foolish lifestyle I felt overwhelmed with the burden of seeing my sin as if for the first time. Where to begin- I thought it was my job to "fix" myself before I could come to Christ to surrender my life fully to Him. This is something that many experience I believe. Saying that the devil is the master deceiver seems to be an under-statement. All this time God had been whispering into my ear telling me that it was not my job to cleanse my own sins, that is His job- no matter how hard I worked to work out the stains on my heart they wouldn't disappear. Once I realized this I gave Him my all (both good and bad) and I have never turned back. I am in no way saying that I no longer struggle with the desires of my flesh, but I have come to a place where I can catch my thoughts and actions as the first begin and I give them up to God.
When you come to that place where you are conscience of our situation and you have to decided between the easy or the difficult road and you make the choice to take that journey along side Christ (which may mean losing friendships, changing careers, or being persecuted for your beliefs) you choose life- not an empty existence but a fulfilled, meaningful, overwhelmingly joyful life. I experience this everyday, even in the midst of my worldly pain I feel strong and happy because this place is temporary and I know that my God never leaves my side.
I pray that you experience this wonderful loving God that I experience each and every moment of every day. I pray that you will see the blessings that He has placed in your life. I pray that my honesty has encouraged you in someway. I pray that you give Him full control over your life (past, present, and future) and that you are "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith" and that you are "overwhelmed with thankfulness"
God Bless you :)
Happy Thanksgiving,
that's my 2 cents
Amy Jo
Because of the holiday weekend, the idea of thankfulness has been weighing heavily on my heart! On Wednesday I was reading in Colossians, I thought it quite appropriate that verses six and seven in chapter 2 talk about thankfulness. These are 2 rich verses in my own opinion. First it brings us to the core of our existence- which is our relationship with Christ, surrendering our entire lives to the furthering of His Kingdom. I find it frustrating that so many of us (I am speaking of myself here because I don't know where any of you are at in your walk) forget the way we felt as we gave over our lives into Christ's hands. It is a moment where we cannot see ourselves going even one more moment living this empty life without the sole purpose for our existence here on earth.
I myself made that choice as a very young girl, those of you that know me understand this when I say that I am an emotional girl who acts far too often on exact emotion that I am feeling at that exact moment, this has gotten me into trouble, but in the case of my relationship with Christ and coming to the place when I knew I wanted to ask Christ into my life it was an instance when it benefited me in the greatest way possible. However in the years that followed and as my mood changed from day to day I also changed my focus. I sadly admit that I have lead an extremely selfish life- wanting to further my own causes instead of Christ's. In all honesty it was not until these last few years that I have taken my faith in all seriousness.
As I began to realize my foolish lifestyle I felt overwhelmed with the burden of seeing my sin as if for the first time. Where to begin- I thought it was my job to "fix" myself before I could come to Christ to surrender my life fully to Him. This is something that many experience I believe. Saying that the devil is the master deceiver seems to be an under-statement. All this time God had been whispering into my ear telling me that it was not my job to cleanse my own sins, that is His job- no matter how hard I worked to work out the stains on my heart they wouldn't disappear. Once I realized this I gave Him my all (both good and bad) and I have never turned back. I am in no way saying that I no longer struggle with the desires of my flesh, but I have come to a place where I can catch my thoughts and actions as the first begin and I give them up to God.
When you come to that place where you are conscience of our situation and you have to decided between the easy or the difficult road and you make the choice to take that journey along side Christ (which may mean losing friendships, changing careers, or being persecuted for your beliefs) you choose life- not an empty existence but a fulfilled, meaningful, overwhelmingly joyful life. I experience this everyday, even in the midst of my worldly pain I feel strong and happy because this place is temporary and I know that my God never leaves my side.
I pray that you experience this wonderful loving God that I experience each and every moment of every day. I pray that you will see the blessings that He has placed in your life. I pray that my honesty has encouraged you in someway. I pray that you give Him full control over your life (past, present, and future) and that you are "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith" and that you are "overwhelmed with thankfulness"
God Bless you :)
Happy Thanksgiving,
that's my 2 cents
Amy Jo
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