HIATUS

Eh... I'm having mixed emotions right now. Therefore, I am taking a [maybe very short] "hiatus" from this whole "blog thing." To explain myself, I really just feel like.... I'm talking to a brick wall. I feel like, John in the wilderness and NO ONE is listening. Considering doing the same for facebook...maybe...? Yes, I know "feelings" are just temporary and change frequently, and maybe I am "making the wrong decision" by even posting this, but hey, it's not like anyone really reads these things right? Like, I'm sure no one will read this, so I'm just talking to myself right now LOL eh... just FEELING... "eh" right now about a few things. Until I hear from God, I... pretty much won't be back. God is good, and it is my hope that many people will get receive true salvation this year. Read your Bible for yourself. Partake in HOLY fellowship. Pray as often as you can. Love daily. Take care.

Au revoir until I return...

♥Mari

Daily Devotion: Loved unto the End

For the Lord will not cast off forever. -Lamentations 3:31

He may cast away for a season but not forever. A woman may leave off her ornaments for a few days, but she will not forget them or throw them upon the dunghill. It is not like the Lord to cast off those whom He loves, for "having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." Some talk of our being in grace and out of it, as if we were like rabbits that run in and out of their burrows; but, indeed, it is not so. The Lord's love is a far more serious and abiding matter than this.

He chose us from eternity, and He will love us throughout eternity. He loved us so as to die for us, and we may therefore be sure that His love will never die. His honor is so wrapped up in the salvation of the believer that He can no more cast him of than He can cast off His own robes of office as King of glory. No, no! The Lord Jesus, as a Head, never casts off His members; as a Husband, He never casts off His bride. 

Did you think you were cast off? Why did you think so evil of the Lord who has betrothed you to Himself? Cast off such thoughts, and never let them lodge in your soul again. "The Lord hath not cast away his people which he foreknew" (Romans 11:2). "He hateth putting away" (Malachi 2:16).

 -Charles H. Spurgeon

Order and argument in Prayer - Tim Conway

GREAT SERMON!!
Charles H. Spurgeon and George Mueller [Muller] Have set awesome modern examples of how to pray and how Christians should be! Though they both lived over a century ago, we should STILL be this way! Jesus has set an example for us that we are to follow. Learn how to pray.. with order and argument. This sermon by Tim Conway has blessed my prayer life and my life as a whole. Praise Jehovah for showing this to me!! I am so grateful1!!  :-)

Naysayers & Unbelievers

About a week ago I got a message on Facebook about a status that brought about some controversy. I guess they came to me seeking some type of advice or maybe defense.. however, I didn't want to get involved, I get sensitive when people talk down on my Father and... I don't like to argue. So... eh... here's what I told them once I looked at the comments on the status. 

"Wow. Well. There are a lot of people who don't want to believe in God, and their reasoning's behind their unbelief vary. Unbelievers tend to like to debate on the word of God and say things like "the bible was written by man." Though man may have physically written the bible, it is still God inspired/God breathed [2 Timothy 3:16] (even though God DID write the first original 10 commandments Exodus 31:18) But these debates are pointless because it's hard to get an unbeliever to believe, a mighty, mighty move of God would need to take place. John 3:18 says he who does not believe is condemned already. The word also says the fool says in his heart there is no God. [Psalm 53:1 "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good."] The bible also instructs us not to argue with a fool [proverbs 26:4 "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him."] With all this being said, try to avoid discussions like this because they are seemingly pointless. Most unbelievers and even "hypochristians" like to make "real Christians" feel stupid, and mocked. "Yea all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" 2 Timothy 3:12 Lastly, concerning your views, we are to be HOLY as He is holy, "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16. We CAN be holy, Jesus has already paved the way for us to walk in His footsteps. Some Christians just don't want to be Holy and unbelievers. Like she said "live and let live" We can't save everybody [that's the sad part] I'm glad you have the same conviction about living in holiness as me. Keep it up and STAND STRONG!"

What's Love Got To Do with it?

What's love, but a second hand emotion? What's love got to do with it? Who needs a heart, when a heart can be broken... Right??  WRONG!! Only in the world... would "Love" be seen/used as a "second hand emotion." Only in the world can a heart broken. And this also applies to just allowing your heart to be broken by the things that breaks God's heart. I hope you guys are following me with this.

So, what is love? The answer to that is quite easy. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 King James Version Hmmm... seems so...cliche... And when I say that I mean... It's like an automatic answer. One of the most popular scriptures from the Bible. But hey, why not... that gives Hope to the hopeless... if one could find a morsel of strength to believe in Christ they won't perish, but indeed live forever through Jesus the Christ.

So, what is love and how does the Bible define it? 
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 Amplified version "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]."

The Message version of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, "Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end."

Wow, love is a lot of things. By the looks of it, one could say... Love truly does not hurt. There is a huge difference between lust and love. Worldly "love," is to know the god of this world, which in essence is to know true lust. However, Godly love is to know our Father in Heaven, now He.... IS true love.
1 John 4:7-10 The Message version "My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God."

God suffered the ultimate pain because.... He loves us SO much, he wants to be able to have a relationship with us. Love is sacrifice, if you ask me. Jesus sacrificed His life for US. God sacrificed is only begotten Son for US! What can WE sacrifice to prove our love? Time, money, [wordly] RELATIONSHIPS, ~food~, social networking sites!! :-o [I choose to SPEAK LIFE and allow God to use me as a tool to reach others through the WORLD WIDE WEB! And, man...God has definitely been taking advantage of that! lol ] there's so much we could sacrifice. How about we.... sacrifice our lives!! Yes, give your life to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 the Amplified version says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body." WE were bought with the PRECIOUS, SPOTLESS, MATCHLESS, POWERFUL blood of OUR savior JESUS THE CHRIST!

So let me put it in layman terms, to be saved is NOT a feeling, or just reciting a prayer... it is a lifestyle, loving the things God loves and HATING sin! A renewing of the mind if you will. 2 Corinthians 4:16 Amplified version says "Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day."Coming from the heart, giving my life to the Lord was the BEST decision I have ever made! My life has made a complete 180 turn and I have SO much joy in my heart! God has loved on me so much, and in turn I want to SHARE that love with the WORLD... God's love, His unfailing love :-D

So the 2 words of this new year are: Love & Sacrifice!
Prove your love to God! Share the love of God with the WORLD!

I don't know about you, but I WANT TO BE USED BY MY HEAVENLY FATHER!! USE MEEE!! I'M AVAILABLE TO YOU MY GOD!!! I WANT TO PROVE MY LOVE!!

♥ Mari

Question: New Year's Resolution

I get these, I guess they're newsletters..?? From gotquestions.org They come to my email every so often, this is one that caught my eye and I figured I'd share it with you guys :)

Answer: The practice of making New Year’s resolutions goes back over 3000 years to the ancient Babylonians. There is just something about the start of a New Year that gives us the feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning. In reality, there is no difference between December 31st and January 1st. Nothing mystical occurs at midnight on December 31st. The Bible does not speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions. However, if a Christian determines to make a New Year’s resolution, what kind of resolution should he or she make?

Common New Year’s resolutions are: to quit smoking, to stop drinking, to manage money better, and spend more time with family. By far the most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, in conjunction with exercising more and eating healthier. These are all good goals to set. However, 1 Timothy 4:8 instructs us to keep exercise in perspective: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” The vast majority of New Year’s resolutions, even among Christians, are in relation to physical things. This should not be.

Many Christians make New Year’s resolutions to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. These are fantastic goals. However, these New Year’s resolutions fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution. Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. For example, why do you want to read the Bible every day? Is it to honor God and grow spiritually, or is it because you have just heard that it is a good thing to do? Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to honor God with your body, or is it for vanity, to honor yourself?

Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” John 15:5 declares, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” If God is the center of your New Year’s resolution, it has chance for success, depending on your commitment to it. If it is God’s will for something to be fulfilled, He will enable you to fulfill it. If a resolution is not God honoring and/or is not in agreement in God’s Word, we will not receive God’s help in fulfilling the resolution.

So, what sort of New Year’s resolution should a Christian make? Here are some suggestions: (1) Pray to the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5) in regards to what resolutions, if any, He would have you make; (2) Pray for wisdom as to how to fulfill the goals God gives you; (3) Rely on God’s strength to help you; (4) Find an accountability partner who will help you and encourage you; (5) Don’t become discouraged with occasional failures; instead allow them to motivate you further; (6) Don’t become proud or vain, but give God the glory. Psalm 37:5-6, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

Daily Devotion: Always Growing

Faith's Checkbook 

Thou shalt see greater than these. -John 1:50 

This is spoken to a childlike believer, who was ready to accept Jesus as the Son of God, the King of Israel, upon one convincing piece of argument. Those who are willing to see shall see; it is because we shut our eyes that we become so sadly blind.

We have seen much already. Great things and unsearchable has the Lord showed unto us, for which we praise His name; but there are greater truths in His Word, greater depths of experience, greater heights of fellow-ship, greater works of usefulness, greater discoveries of power, and love, and wisdom. These we are yet to see if we are willing to believe our Lord. The faculty of inventing false doctrine is ruinous, but power to see the truth is a blessing. Heaven shall be opened to us, the way thither shall be made clear to us in the Son of Man, and the angelic commerce which goes on between the upper and the lower kingdoms shall be made more manifest to us. Let us keep our eyes open toward spiritual objects and expect to see more and more. Let us believe that our lives will not drivel down into nothing but that we shall be always on the growing hand, seeing greater and still greater things, till we behold the great God Himself and never again lose the sight of Him.


-Charles H. Spurgeon

Daily Devotion: No Stranger in Heaven

**December 31** 
This is SO relevant to the New Years Eve sermon. PTL [Praise the Lord] God was on the move last night/this morning. Guess that's why I'm still up. 

Faith's Checkbook

Thou shalt guide me with Thy Counsel, and afterward receive me to glory" -Psalm 73:24
 

From day to day and from year to year my faith believes in the wisdom and love of God, and I know that I shall not believe in vain. No good word of His has ever failed, and I am sure that none shall ever fall to the ground.

I put myself into His hand for guidance. I know not the way that I should choose: the LORD shall choose mine inheritance for me. I need counsel and advice; for my duties are intricate, and my condition is involved. The counsel of the infallible God I seek in preference to my own judgment or the advice of friends.

Soon the end will come: a few more years and I must depart out of this world unto the Father. My LORD will be near my bed. He will meet me at heaven's gate: He will welcome me to the gloryland. I shall not be a stranger in heaven: my own God and Father will receive me to its endless bliss.

-Charles H. Spurgeon