Let's get risky

Risky for Jesus! I love adventure. I love the idea of living life on the edge. Some things that turned me away from Christianity some years ago is having this image that the Christian life is boring. That the only way I could enjoy myself is running with worldly fun. Enjoy God sunday mornings and the rest of the week have "fun". That "fun" is so unfulfilling and you know it! Doing the same thing ever night. boring. It's momentary joy and it's gone. Life with Jesus is the most adventurous, exciting, joy filled life you could ever have.
Who doesn't want this kind of life? Full with not only excitement but purpose. Listening to the voice of God and being obedient. Dan was saying that a lot of the time when God speaks to us were to scared to step out thinking "maybe I didn't hear God right" or " I want more confirmation than that..." Dan bowman spoke the other night. Totally changed my outlook on listening to the voice of God ( even if it's a small quiet voice) and walking out in it.His life is lived day by day with Jesus and just his stories of Gods provision over his life is crazzyyy. God is real, let's just say that.
3 key areas of risk.
1.) the safest place is right where God wants you!
- in the garden of Eden God told Adam and eve " you may eat the fruit of every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil"
Put in today's perspective, we can do anything in this world that you want ( he created the material world. He loves the material world) but don't let the material world become your reality. Don't let the knowledge on this world consume your mind. I created your mind to be consumed with me(God). What if we stopped letting the "knowledge" of this world say this is to dangerous and don't go there or dont do this and let the knowledge of God determine that!
2.) the reality of losing control.
He glorifies in our weakness! Losing control of something gives God the opportunity to step in and show his greatness. His love for you.
3.) reputation
Have a simple pure heart. Things will come against that. The driving force is that I'm a son of the living God. I just want to enjoy Jesus. Dan was saying a good indication of your rep creeping in is in your heart your more excited about doing things for God than just enjoying God. Boom! Love y'all. thanks to all my supporters and everyone reading. I'm so blessed that y'all believe and invested in my life.

Fearing the Lord

I always pictured "fearing the lord" as someone bigger than me telling me/scolding me because He is all powerful and ruler! That kind of fear is a lie that has been put on my mind. Fearing the lord is looking through Gods eyes, his grace, and living my life with His guidance. (Gods view gives us context for life.) look through His eyes and walk boldly through it with faith! Our education doesn't define us, our limited view of accomplishments/ failures in this world doesn't define who we are. Bottom line I realized is that I am a son of the living God. By Gods grace I have a place for eternity in his kingdom, in his loving arms and I'm never ever going to lose that. Come on! We know the end. Let's live boldly spreading this good news for others!. If our God is for us then who could ever stop us, and if our God is with us then who can stand against. Our God is greater.( think that's a song, ah but what a good song) This life is so fulfilling, exciting, adventurous, joyful(true joy) when your walking next to Jesus. If you still have no desire to walk out in this life with Jesus, no stir in your heart to follow/obey Him then you haven't really experience Him. Just ask for it, I promise He is faithful to fill you up! Ahh I beg you to try it, be filled with His love and you'll never be the same.
For me it was a huge weight lifted off. My value will NEVER change. A college degree doesn't change my value, what I accomplish in this life even for Jesus doesn't define or put anymore value to me. So you might wonder why we do anything if there's no gain of value for us in it? Well we live this life to EXPRESS Jesus, NOT to gain/ get closer to Jesus. Very Important to grasp. It's all for Gods glory. Little intense blog but hope Gods speaks and challenges! He sure is challenging me everyday. Love y'all!

The power of words

Let me start with the definition of "words"-It's a unit of language that functions as a principle carrier of meaning.
So this week our speaker is breaking our little perception of God and revealing the true power that comes from the words( bible) that he has given us. It's all VERY new to me and I'll do my best to explain all that I have learned thus far. Ohh by the way he is a genius with a degree in architecture from Yale! He denied Harvard because he didn't like the environment. Anyways, he says," I believe that we are all brilliant if we learn to not live off other people thoughts, so I'm treating you like Yale students." and he sure has with his theology and his large words. Lol
He has just been challenging our view of words and where our mind goes when we hear a word. For example, when we hear cup- where/ what does our mind revert to, to bring us to imagine the reality of a cup? Another example-women- what in the past does our mind go to that distorts our image of a woman? We all have our own signifiers( emotions, ideas) that have distorted our meaning of words. Which is very dangerous as words is "the principle carrier of meaning" we all have different reality when it come to women. Some might revert back to a good reality, angry reality if a girl hurt you or you might view them as just a prize.. Ect. You get the gist of how words are different to everyone. SO HOW IN THE WORLD DO WE FIND THE SAME MEANING IN OUR WORDS?
The only true word is Jesus. His character, his love for you is always the same. Never diminishes. FOREVER the same. He is the first and the last. God said that I am the word! That I am the way, i am the truth, and I am life! Everything else we just name. So if we grasp that God is the word.( and God never lies) And words are the principle carrier of meaning. THEN, God is the principle carrier of meaning! Ahh if we just get that God is the only true reality, it doesn't only change our words but the emotion and ideas that come from these words. Ask God to reveal this world we live in through the lenses of his reality.

Christian showed us a scientific experiment that might help to blow your mind a little bit more!
So there was two water bottles and the one you talked bad to, cussed out, ect literally changed its molecular structure. What!? by cursing it or blessing it you changed waters make up. Insane. Our body is made of 70% water. You can literally change the molecular structure of someone by the way you talk to them! Watch your words:) love y'all!

Steps in handling a crisis

In times of happiness and joy we give thanks to God for blessing our lives and for showing His love...why don't we show that same happiness and joy in hard times? Do we not believe that our God is faithful? We should rejoice and be excited that God is using our lives to prove to everyone "HOW GREAT I AM!"
Some steps to help prove Gods greatness in hard times:
1.) REMIND OURSELVES OF GODS CHARACTER.
Who he is and how he acts is the very essence of holding on to our faith! Remember we are designed in the very image of God. Let's live our lives as an expression of Jesus.
2.) REMIND YOURSELF OF WHAT HE HAS DONE IN THE PAST!
Now it's linking the character of God to times in your life, in the bible, in other peoples lives of how faithful the God we serve really is! "God you have had your loving hand on my life, and right now lord i want you to prove yourself great to me!"
-the God of the bible is the God of today!
-in everything give thanks
-gratitude and faith go hand in hand
-"gratitude increases faith,
Grumbling increases unbelief"
Darlene Cunningham.
3.) TRUST HIM
don't just say I trust you... NOOO. God sees our hearts. We cannot hide anything from him. Lay down any disbelief/ doubt that the enemy is throwing at you... This is the time the he is trying the hardest to intrude and distort the character of God. ( but good thing we already proclaim Gods character 👍) Cast the enemy away and he is gone just like that. Do not fear the future. Fear doesn't come from God. Neither does worrying. God showed me how ridiculously stupid worrying is. He is the created of the universe, so powerful and loves me so much and in times of my puny crisis I worry as if my God is not smart or efficient enough to handle my problems? WHAT! So stupid! Trust that the lord has your grace ticket! Wait and trust on it because many times it come the last minute. God is all about making situation happen that give him the most glory! Wait for His grace.
"when anxious thoughts take over,
I lay on my bed and meditate of his word"