Reflection of Truth: Don’t Be a Copy

“ I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:14

How often do you look in the mirror and criticize the reflection? On an average, I truly believe most people do that everyday. But answer this: If Jesus was the reflection, would you criticize it?
We are made in the Lord’s image; His likeness.

Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.”

Every single person was made special and born with gifts to help the kingdom. How would you feel if you created something, and someone criticized it? I’ve had that happen. In art class, it’s called critiquing, which is actually positive criticizing. But there were times it felt negative because I had created something personal, and that connection was strong only to the creator.
What if that person picked at every small detail, maybe even thinking of it as not being good enough? Well, how good is enough? Where does the line stop?

Genesis 1:31 says, “ And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold it was very good.”

If we really believe in our King’s wisdom and love, then we should also accept and appreciate all He has created, including ourselves. Loving who we are inside and out means loving the Lord too. After all, if we have His spirit inside of us, living, isn’t that something to appreciate?
Now, I am not suggesting we love our sin. I am not saying we need to accept those things that hinder our walk with God. I am saying, however, we need to accept our physical attributes as well as the skills and abilities we have been equipped with that God has assigned to our character. We are all different, and God has a special purpose for us individually.
It wasn’t in God’s plan to create vain children. What good is a soul if it’s seeking acceptance within temporal guidelines? It will be difficult for Him to use you if you keep looking at everything or everyone else, but Him! This world is a vain and materialistic world, and it’s just too easy for His people to fall into it’s lies and deceits. When we question why we don’t look like someone else, we are ignoring God’s true value and being very unappreciative of the Lord’s work.
He didn’t make us in a magazine’s image! He didn’t make us in a celebrity’s image! We are not a carbon copy of Vogue, or a cookie cutter Victoria Secret model! No, we are much more than that!
It was God’s image alone! We are beautiful because we are made in His likeness, and Jesus is beautiful.
When God reveals to us to our hearts who He really is, we begin to see the Lord’s invisible realities. Key word is “REALities” There are many ways the Lord reveals Himself to His creation. The main and most important way is through His word; the Bible.

Ephesians 4: 4-7 says, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

The next time you see your reflection, I hope your will be happier because everything you see was made by God’s hands, using Himself as a model. Not like the models that we know. Better than that!

“O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?” Jeremiah 4:14

Everything in our character was the work of Jesus, and we may not be happy with any of it. But He didn’t create us to obsess over that, or even question it. And He definitely didn’t create us to obsess over other people’s features, appearances or skills! Accepting ourselves as a whole goes hand in hand when we accept Jesus.
There is only one God and only one of you! Don’t try to be a copy. When your wishing to look like someone else, think about how someone may be thinking that same way about you! I know for me, I’d rather them see the beauty the Lord has done for me and His work in me, then having them see and notice the old me.

We should be thankful and happy that the Lord Jesus Christ loves us so much, He is willing to put His attributes inside of us, so that the rest of the world may see Him.

“If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”
I Corinthians 11:14

Thanksgiving, Every Day!

"For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving." I Tim. 4:3

In just a couple of days, we will be gathered around a table with loved ones and preparing to feast on a glorious meal.
I just wanted to take a short time to remind myself that thanksgiving should be every day!
God is good all the time, not just one day a year!

I want to thank Him for my beautiful family. They have always been there through everything, and have always encouraged me. For my loving friends. Thank you for accepting me the way that I am! (crazy lol)
Thank the Lord for freedom, truth and honesty. For His grace & mercy. I thank Him for true love, for my husband who has been so much more than a best friend, and so much more than a soul mate. Continue to keep us in your hands, Lord. We praise your name through our marriage.
And lastly, I want to thank Him for saving my soul. For being the living sacrifice for my sins, and allowing my heart to be as white as snow! You are truly a wonderful Father, and I am so thankful I can be the daughter of the King, our Lord Jesus Christ <3 Amen.

Our Purpose is not just Marriage

Oh, yes, it the famous “M” word, heard throughout the crowded hallways in today’s bible colleges across the country; or from two best friends secretly eyeing a crush; or from the mouth of a pastor, who is sitting down counseling a young couple desperate to take the plunge.
I have only been married a short time myself, about 4 months and three weeks, so I am no way an expert about this subject. But there is one thing I found out fairly quickly.
Marriage is not our only purpose alone!
One of the reasons I say this is because it’s easy to get carried away with the whole concept of what marriage is, and forget what the Lord wants for your life comes first above all. Yes, He may bless you with a beautiful covenant and family. If a man and a woman are fond of each other and feel that this is the path to take, God will allow that unity to take place because He created it to be unified and wonderful. He did say that it was not right for man to be alone.
However, I have been noticing that many young ladies, especially in our bible colleges, have been obsessing over this very subject. And it makes me wonder:
Are they still following God’s ultimate purpose? Are they still seeking Him for what He needs them to do?
Marriage is not the end of the road! I get the sense a lot of them are thinking once they get married, they are fulfilling God’s ultimate call. But that can’t be far from the truth! No man can fill what God is supposed to. But as a team, you can accomplish the call He has set for your lives, whether it’s separate or together. That is, if the Lord brings you to that place with another. But He may not, and it is a waste if you’re just sitting on the sidelines waiting for Mr. Right.
Right now, instead of pondering about when your turn will come for marriage, realize the freedom you have that your turn to fulfill the Lord’s ultimate purpose is right now! Do not waste your talents and skills that God has blessed you with! Seize the opportunity!
Marriage is a beautiful and glorious thing. I am happily married and love my husband. But I know this isn’t the end of the road. There is much work to be done for the kingdom, and I challenge you to seek the Lord first, and ask Him:
Jesus, what do you need from me right now? Where do you need me?

This life is only temporal. But eternal life is grand, and we need to remember that Jesus is waiting for us to get in to the game. If that’s with a teammate, great! If not, great! Whatever the Lord wants for your life should be sufficient! After all, whom are we serving here? God or us?

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Eph 1:11

Church Experience

How can I experience God by going to church?

Many questions circle through a person’s mind, especially about this subject: CHURCH. It is possibly the most controversial subject to discuss, because there are so many different views.
But it’s so easy to forget whose view matters the most…God himself!

I recently ready a write up that answered the question above. I truly believe what the writer was trying to say, and I couldn’t be more satisfied in knowing how the Lord sees the church, and how that view is so much better than my own!

Even though God lives in the heart of every believer, he also lives in the community of the church. When the church is gathered together, God is there in a special way. Just like actually being at a concert or sports event is much more exciting than watching it on television, participating with other believers in worship is so much more meaningful than worshiping only by yourself.

Just as out bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
Romans 12:4-5

God has given every believer special gifts. Some people are great organizers or administrators; others are gifted musicians, teachers, or dishwashers! When the members of a congregation use their gifts to serve, the church becomes a more powerful source for good, a strong witness for Jesus, and a mighty army to combat Satan’s attacks against God’s people. The church needs you, for the body of Christ is not complete unless your there!

Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but to encourage one another, especially not that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25

Good friends are a wonderful gift, but fellowship at church among other believers is unique because Almighty God is there. The church brings people together who have a common perspective on life. Christian fellowship provides a place of honest sharing about the things that really matter, encouragement to stay strong in the face of temptation and persecution, and God’s wisdom for dealing with problems.”

Book: Divine Moments for Women

This is just my little side note, but church is not about a building. It is not about how much money or time to give, who gives the most, and certain levels of status.

The church is God’s people! Assembling together for the glory of His holiness & worth! Why do we exist if it’s not for Him? And how great it is to serve him together!
I have seen so many young ladies stop walking with the Lord because of certain situations within the church that discouraged them. How much pressure are we putting on our precious children? Or how much are they feeling?
It’s so quick to blame everybody else or everything else for the reason why you don’t go to church. But the fact is, looking at the bigger picture, it’s only between you and God. And when it comes time to meet God Almighty, there will be no one else around to point fingers. It is our responsibility to seek God through everything. Even when times are tough, just holding our breath and trusting that the Lord has your best interests at heart, is the best we can do.

We have to "stop telling God how big our storm is and start telling the storm how big our God is!" unknown

From someone who’s been out in the world, when I first stepped into the Apostolic Church of Enfield, Connecticut, I can honestly say I have never felt so warm in my life! It was not just the wonderful greetings of the people…it wasn’t just the amazing hymns echoing through the ceiling…though I never felt like this before, I knew God was there! His spirit flowed through the pews like a beautiful stream and just poured over me. This wasn’t just any church, as society would see it. No. I knew this was God’s church because I met him there!
Not because of the name on the sign, or that it was a part of the UPC, or that it was a building. It was the gathering of His people, pouring out their heart & souls, and allowing the Lord to fill them with his great love. The beauty of brokenness within a sinner, and their complete surrender. What an experience!
Being Pentecostal is not a religion, it is not another fad or trend…it is an experience. It is living for God everyday, walking with Jesus every moment, and having a real relationship with Him. We have many faults just like any other denomination.

We as God’s people are spending more time defending our doctrinal beliefs, then actually living them! If we spent more energy loving than fighting, just think of what we can accomplish!

I can truly say, as a person who surrendered fully to the Lord a little over two years ago, I know that this is where God wants me to be. Part of His church. Part of His plan. Being a working part of the body of Christ.
And if this is where The Lord Jesus Christ really wants me, then doesn’t everything else seem pretty harmless?

True Value

“To dream of the person you want to be, is to waste the person that you are.” Unknown

It is much harder to be female these days, let alone a young lady. The many pressures that consume our environment have tripled thanks to technology & media, but I have noticed a dangerous rippling effect that is flowing through the upcoming generations of all young people. Many of the pressures we are not putting on ourselves, and we are losing the mentality that we have worth & value.

Instead, we feel we need to compromise our true selves for things that are actually lower than the bar that is set for us. We are walking through a society where people are being taught they have no value. That the many things that surround us everyday, should take precedence over who we truly are.
Where morality is questioned, and immorality flaunted.
As a twenty-something in this new day in age, I understand & see, first hand the opportunities we as ladies are given to trade in our respect that we have for ourselves for nothing quite as valuable. We are bombarded by daily issues, and we have not been equipped properly to handle them.

The Bible shows us how we should look at ourselves.
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and my soul knoweth right well.”

We know what’s right and what’s wrong, but sometimes the lines get blurred by our own vision. Sometimes, it’s our own fault why we aren’t happy with ourselves. We have allowed ourselves to compromise the true essence of how God made us.
Answer these questions. If we are worth nothing…
Than why did God decide to save us?
Why did Jesus die for our sins, if we are worthless?

If this world has no real respect for who you are, be comforted by the fact that you mean something to the Lord. And yes, it is a fact. If you need proof, read His words.

How powerful words are on earth, think how much power is behind Jesus’ word?
“It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man” Psalm 118:8

As human beings, we can’t do things right without God. That does not mean we have no value; it means that the Lord values us more than this world, and it is better to seek His ways first above all else.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

God gets sorrow when He sees his children fail or fall. He doesn’t want that to happen, but because of the power of choice, He leaves it up to us to choose Him.
Just like we would if we were a parent. It will sadden us when our child does not perform with the best of their ability. If they were simply “coasting” through life.
We were born into sin, a fleshy nature. But we don’t have to be subject to it. We have a choice. We have true value.

When we grow in the knowledge of the Lord, we begin to grow in the knowledge of ourselves. We begin to see and understand why God had made us a certain way and why He has given us special characteristics and skills.
God deals with everyone as individuals. He has given us all gifts for a purpose.
When we begin to seek the Lord, He will begin to show us how we must use those gifts.
When we see how valuable our God is, then we begin to see the value in who we are.

If God didn’t care, why are we still here? Why hasn’t He just killed us off? He can do it. He can speak us out of existence in a moment. But He doesn’t because He loves us, and wants us to flourish.

God is our soul cleaner, and we must not allow ourselves to just look into the water.
If you know the water is there to purify, how long are you going to wait for it to pull you in?
Last time I took a bath, I actually had to take a step into the water first before I became clean.
I didn’t just sit on the rug in front of the tub, waiting for the water to jump out and wash behind my ears.
If that’s ever happened to someone, let me know because that would be an incredible trick!

Have you ever wondered if maybe you’re not waiting on God, but he’s waiting on you?
Don’t be the nail in your own crucifixion. Because there are going to be a lot of people in and out of your life who will try and be that nail. Your not dead yet, and with Jesus you don’t have to be.

The word of the Lord says in Isaiah 1 verses 16-18:
“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

God doesn’t want us to hold ourselves back from His hands. And when we realize it’s us and not Him who are putting up the walls between darkness and light, that is when the building can stop. That’s when the light will shine through, to reveal the beauty of how God made you.

We have to remember it’s our responsibility to preserve our own worth. We cannot leave it up to somebody else on this earth because we are all on the same page.
The only thing between you and cleansing, is your own wall.
If anything, be the nail in your own wall.
And allow the Lord’s light to shine on your true value.