Philippians

Wow...could I have taken a longer blog break??? I don't know what my deal is. I do have things to blog about, I just haven't taken the time to sit and do it. So, I am back with many things to talk about. :)

First of all my pastor has started going through Philippians on Sunday mornings. I love Philippians. Our former college pastor took the college ministry (which I was serving in at the time...I wasn't in college) through it in his Sunday School class and I just fell in love with it. I learned so much and I can't wait to go through it again and see what God has in store for me this time. We've been on the first four verses the last two weeks. (If you aren't familar with my church, our pastor teaches one book at a time and goes verse by verse, passage by passage. We will probably be in Philippians for at least a year.).

I'm not going to go through all the background....I am going to just touch on what I learned or what was convicting to me.

"Keep your focus on your service to Jesus Christ, not on your circumstances."

"When we look at our circumstances, we sink; When we look at our Savior, we stand."

I think this is something I always struggle with. I believe it most of the time, but every once in awhile I sucked into the circumstance. My favorite thing to dwell on is when I'm not getting my way. Yes, I begin to act like I'm two years old. I have struggled with this for a long time, and for some reason I'm not learning very quickly so God continues to work on this area. Its like a knot in your neck or back that just won't go away...not matter how many massages you get or how hard you try to relax....its just not going away. I begin focusing on my circumstances when God's timing isn't my own.

As many of you know, marraige has been my biggest struggle. I just couldn't understand why God wouldn't let me get married. I may never know the reasons, but I do know that I have had to learn to be content with where He has me....which we will also be studying in Philippians. It was a daily adventure of learning God's character and learning to trust Him in everything. It wasn't always easy and I made some godly decisions, some not so godly decisions, and some really stupid decisions. I wouldn't trade my single life for anything!!! I really enjoyed it! One of my favorite things about being single is that I was able to focus ALL my time into serving in whatever ministry I wanted, as much as I wanted. That meant, for me, the college ministry...pretty much every night until at least midnight and some nights it was later.
The best advice I got was "Its better to be single and alone and know WHY you're alone than to be married and alone and not know why you are lonely." I knew from that moment on that I would wait for God. As much as I HATE waiting, I didn't want to be lonely in marraige....I hated it enough on my bad single days, so to think of it being DAILY and IN A RELATIONSHIP made me sick. It broke my heart to think of the college girls I knew that were so discouraged at the fact they weren't married by the time they finished college. I had been there and I felt the exact same way....but how much worse would it have been (for both people) to marry the wrong person. I am so very thankful for God's timing even though I am incredibly impatient.
I am still having to learn to be patient on His timing. I still feel like I know what's best in the relationship He has brought me. I still would like to offer God my assistance KNOWING He doesn't need it. I get so upset because I don't get my way all the time....also knowing deep down that my timing is NOT the best! Thankfully God has brought me someone that is incredibly logical, yet loving. He offsets my emotions that I love to quickly react to....and yet he loves me for me. He doesn't get frustrated with me...he gently explains the logic and godly intent that he has and keeps me going and encouraged during the wait. He helps me calm down and see what God is doing and ENJOY what God is doing.

Which kind of brings me to the next point:

"Live a life of joy in an uncertain world."

"Our joy is not found in some joy-getting-method, but in the person of Jesus Christ."

No matter what is going on in our lives or around us (especially things we can't control), we can have joy because of our faith in Christ!!!

In the first four verses ALONE, this is what I've learned:

1. We are bondservants=slaves of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)...we belong to Christ. We have been bought with a price.
2. Paul was writing to the church at Philippi and he specifically called them "saints," which means "set apart ones." As believers, we are set apart.
3. Not only are we set apart, but we are positionally set apart in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)...our goal is that our experiences and lives will live up to our position in Christ, a saint.
4. one of my favorites...when you see "Christ Jesus" in the Bible, it is emphasizing His deity; when you see "Jesus Christ" it is emphasizing Him as Savior.
5. We are to thank God for believers in our lives...whenever they come to our mind. The believers that made an impact in your life, that YOU made an impact in someone else's life, and those you have served with. Be thankful that we are ALL in this together!
6. We are to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17) and what makes that easier is to know what to be praying for. Ask people how you can specifically be praying for them....and then MAKE IT A PRIORITY!!! When you tell someone you are going to be praying for them, DO IT!
7. Joy and rejoicing are mentioned at least 14 times in the book of Philippians. WOW! We are to be characterized by joy. We can be joyful b/c no matter what comes into our lives, God is working EVERYTHING to the counsel of His will.

I am so excited to be back in Philippians again. I know I will be sharing more with you b/c this book always gets me. :)

I couldn't have said it better myself...

I read the blog, Between Here and Home, pretty much everyday. While I don't know Christy in person, she has really encouraged me in my walk with the Lord more than she will ever know. I wanted to pass along this particular blog she wrote regarding 2009. Its so encouraging and such a godly way to start the new year. The one thing that I would add to what she says is that as we look at the empty calendar for the next year....nothing written, nothing known....we can know that over the next 363 days, even though we will not know the trials or joys we will face, God knows. He goes before us!!! He knows what lies ahead and has already seen each day. We can trust Him to carry us through anything we face. I think the biggest reminder I have for myself is to praise Him as He carries me through the joys of life. So often, I get caught up in the excitement of life and realize later that I am able to have those joys because He gave them to me. Because of His grace alone....nothing I deserve, but His amazing love for me. Some years we go through and don't see many joys, but that doesn't mean there weren't blessings. Trials are blessings!!! They are blessings because we get to see God work! WOW!! He allows us to see Him working in our lives. We have the opportunity to serve Him and trust Him! We have the opportunity to be more like Christ at the end of the trial. So, no matter what kind of year you and I have, I pray that we rejoice in ALL the blessings (the joys and the trials)!

I never really made New Year's Resolutions until New Years Day 2004. I have actually kept them too! So, I am keeping with that tradition I have given myself. Here are my resolutions for 2009:

1. Live Healthy! ~ This includes my spiritual life and having that personal relationship with Christ....letting Him into all areas of my life and having Him be my best friend. Eating less and healthier....I don't want to "diet" for the rest of my life! Workout more...not make excuses why I "can't" or "don't have time." This is the only body God gives me and I want to glorify Him with it in all areas.

2. Love my family! ~ I know this sounds like a "given," but I think that most of us take for granted of our families. We worry more about serving our churches and communities than we do our own families. We take advantage of them and expect them to serve us. We love them, but also hold them to certain standards. I want to love with no strings attached. I don't really know what this looks like yet, but I have been very convicted about it lately and know its something that God wants me to work on.

I haven't picked my verse for the year....but I did find one on a website that gives you your "birth verse." The first time I read mine, I didn't really like it.....it didn't "SPEAK" to me. But once I read it again, it really fit with my 2nd resolution. Here is my birth verse:

Proverbs 8:21 (NIV)
"bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full."
I want to bestow wealth on those that love ME! Why wouldn't I??? To make their treasuries full...not necessarily monetary, but giving them back love. Making them feel "full" on love! What better witness of Christ can we have than to love as He did. When we love and serve others, we no longer appear to be the same as the rest of the world. People see a difference! That difference is Christ and we can share that with them!

Two of my favorite verses are:
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
I love this verse because in both of my resolutions, I don't want to conform to the world's standards. In all I do, I want Christ to be seen and glorified! I want others to know Him. If I am living as the world does, then no one will see Christ in me. Why live healthy? Because taking care of what God has given me is not only being a good steward of my possessions, but its the vessel that can carry out the gospel. Why love my family? Because, serving and loving show Christ and lead people to Him.

John 3:17
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
God is a loving God! He didn't send Christ to condemn everyone and make us feel unworthy. That is what Satan does. God IS love....God IS truth! He desires that ALL people be saved. I want to represent the loving God that HE IS!!! Not the "god" the world tries to say he is. He is my Savior! And He can be your Savior too! No sin is too horrible or too "bad." His forgiveness is uncomprehendable and so amazing and he extends it to every person. All you have to do is accept it.

All you have to do for salvation is BELIEVE that Christ took your place and paid for YOUR sin on the cross and rose three days later defeating sin! Its that simple! BELIEF! God sent His Son for you! Christ lowered Himself for you!

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in Him will have everlasting life.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!

Welcome to 2009!!!!
I will blog about Christmas very soon!!! Hope you all have a wonderful holiday. I will be thinking about the last year and what I want to adjust this year and picking out my 2009 Verse that I use throughout the year. I will share all of that with you when I start blogging again.

Enjoy your families!!! Love you all!