Sympathy With God

30 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Here is a tough one for most people to get a grasp on, myself included…

When God disciplines someone, in the way that He sees fit, we often want to comfort the one being disciplined. We want to be sympathetic and say, everything is ok, and you don't deserve that kind of treatment… But the truth of the matter is, God knows exactly why He did what He did, and He will continue to do it in a just, Godly manner. God does not tolerate sin, plain and simple…and when you sin, you will be punished for it. Remember, it could be a lot worse…as the bible states "for the wages of sin is death." God sacrificed His son as that death penalty for our sin. So, putting that into perspective, the punishment you receive from God for committing the sin you did is really just a slap on the wrist in comparison to the ultimate "payment of sin."

So, that being said…Take sympathy with God…Think about what He is going through…Having to discipline His own loving creation, because they/we have done wrong. He still loves you unconditionally, but every now and then we need a wake up call…Just like our earthly parents have to do to us when we disobey them.

It's Not Difficult

29 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Living for Christ should not be difficult. The same God that lived a sinless life two thousand and change years ago, (as a human) is alive in you today, to live it out again. It's our turn to step up to the plate.

The only difficult part about it, (and it's all on us) is if we want to choose live for Jesus or not. If you choose to, then show it!

God's word is very clear; if you have any questions just consult Him or the bible. It's all written out for you. No where in the Bible does God excuse your bad behavior because you didn't quite understand what He was saying or it was to vague or confusing. Those are some pretty weak excuses. If you have questions, they will be answered, one way or another.

I know this may seem harsh, to non-believers and EVEN to some believers who might be on the fence, but it's truth. God gave us life and then gave us a command…Go forth and make disciples. Not, go forth and live for yourself and if you find someone that you can tolerate talking to, maybe talk to them about Jesus.

So, where are you in your walk? What can you do to change? What SHOULDN'T you change? What is taking precedence over Jesus in your life?

Confession

28 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays message is another on of those message that needs to come right out of the book. It's so important that I don't want to mess it up. So with no further delay…

Confession is Gods provision to clear obstacles that hinder our relationships with God and with others. Confession is not just for those who don't mind admitting their faults. Confession is a command, given to every Christian. James advised that when we sin, it is important for us to confess not only to God, but also to our fellow Christians. There is a tremendous freedom that comes as we openly acknowledge the sinfulness of our actions to others.

If confession does not come out of repentance, it is merely admission, and not true confession. It is important to confess your sins specifically and not hind behind generalities. It is one thing to pray, "O Lord, forgive my sin." It's quite another to identify your sin specifically in painful honesty. Whenever possible, confession ought to be made directly to those whom your sin has hurt. You are not to confess the sins of others but only your offenses. Confession is not a sign of weakness; it is evidence of your refusal to allow sin to remain in your life.

Significantly, James linked confession with prayer. Your prayers will be hindered if you hold on to unconfessed sin. When James promised that the "effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much," he did so in the context of confession. If you wish to have a powerful prayer life, you must regularly confess your sin. Only when there are no obstacles separating you from God and others will your prayers be effective. Pride will discourage you from admitting to others the sinfulness of your heart. A desire to please God will compel you to confess your sin and rid yourself of its oppressive burden.

Casting Your Cares

27 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

In this messed up world, who can you trust? I mean REALLY trust beyond a shadow of a doubt? Your bestie? Your parents, your neighbor or co-worker?? Sure there is a bond there, and there is trust, but not an undying, I'll never tell, kind of trust. You can only find that in God. God won't look down upon you, He won't call you names, or think your problems are silly. God wants us to come to Him as often as we can to tell Him whats happening, to ask Him questions and ask for help. He is our Papa, our best friend and our confidant. 

While you may have made a pinkie swear with your best friend in 2nd grade to always be true to each other and never disappoint one another, it just doesn't work out that way. We are all human, we all make mistakes and we have all stabbed someone in the back once or twice. Not Jesus; He is the real deal, the only person you can go to with 100% confidence, knowing that He will listen, love and respond with a joyful heart.

No Sin

26 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

As christians, we know we aren't supposed to sin, but we also no that we will never go through life without sinning…So, there must be a happy medium somewhere… Well, there kind of is. Here's the dealio. If we continue to sin on purpose, knowing full well what we are doing, we are not living FOR Jesus. Makes sense, right? However, if you are imperfect…like everyone, and you do end up sinning…repent! Ask for forgiveness… It's that easy. If you truly want to live a life FOR Jesus, you have to put some effort in. Think about the choices that you are making and the actions you are taking. If you have any kind of grasp on morality or common sense, you will know what you should do and what you shouldn't do.

So, while you are busy focussing on being a basically good person, let God take care of the sin in your life. All you have to do is just give it to Him.

Believing God's Love

25 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

God's love is amazing! It is unconditional, real, and unlike anything you have ever felt on earth.
You may think that God doesn't love you all the time, because He doesn't answer your prayers. In reality, God answers your prayers EVERY TIME, in the way that He sees fit, because of His love for you. God doesn't set rules and regulations to earn His love. Even if you don't accept Him as your savior, or love Him back, He still loves you, and will forever.

It's comforting, to me anyways, knowing that there is someone out there that will love me forever, without question, no matter what.

A Living Sacrifice

24 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

In the Old Testament giving a spotless sacrifice of your best livestock or grain was a sign of giving of yourself, something you could never take back once it was offered to the Lord. Today, we are asked to give our lives as a living sacrifice. Not give our lives, as in kill ourselves, but rather just the opposite. Live for Jesus, commit our lives to His service and strive to better ourselves each and every day so that we may be like a spotless lamb sacrificed to the Lord.

God gave the ultimate sacrifice to His people in the form of His own Son. In this case a LIFE truly was given as a representation of a spotless lamb. In return, the Lord asks that we do the same with our thoughts, actions, minds and souls. We are to live for Jesus, not for ourselves any longer.

Revenge!

23 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

When someone wrongs you, your first thought is usually, "how can I get back at them." We want to make people pay for their wrongdoing… we take "justice" into our own hands. That is not what God wants though. He makes it very clear in His word that we are to meet our offenders with forgiveness.

We do not have the ultimate right to judge or punish. That is up to God. It is said that no sin will go unpunished. Whether it's yours or mine, it will be taken care of; either God will take it upon himself, or punish the sinner for the wrong that he has committed. Ultimately, in the end, every sin will be accounted for at the feet of Jesus. Whether it's a sin against another person, or a sin you think you committed in secret. God know's and sees everything. You will answer for what you've done.

Prepare Your Mind

22 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

The mind is a beautiful thing… It can also be a dangerous thing. We need to make an effort to keep our minds clean and pure; to mediate on Jesus and what He wants for our lives and others.

Todays society makes it very difficult to have a clean mindset; there is so much pollution in the world trying to drag us down. Satan is at the forefront of that battle, and when we give in, we let him win. Keep this in mind though; Satan HATES it when we talk to God, but God is always there to listen. When you take your prayers to Jesus, Satan flee's because he knows that he has lost.

God gave you a beautiful and amazing tool, I like to call it your "think box." Make sure you use your mind for God, don't let it get clouded with worldly filth.

Instruments

21 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

We are to be instruments of God, spreading His name and worth to other people. When God blesses us with gifts and knowledge however, we must be careful not to take credit for it ourselves.

Its a short message today, but that is really all I got out of the book. Sometimes it's just the key points that you need to get your mind running.

A Pure Heart

20 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

What does it take to truly follow God? To hear God speaking? To understand His will?
A pure heart; Your heart must be open and malleable to the Lords teachings before you can actually understand and be effected by Him.

Give your heart to Jesus, allow Him to enter in and make it His home. Don't harden your heart, or fill it will worldly garbage. Make room for Him, make Him the most important thing in your life.

It's really quite simple…Do that one thing, and you will have an amazing platform on which to build an amazing relationship with Jesus. From there, you will be more able to build strong fulfilling relationships with others.

Give up your life, stop living for yourself.

Evil, Good and Good, Evil

19 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Be careful not to fall into Satan's traps, he lays them everywhere… Satan is constantly trying to creep into our lives and disprove God. He (satan) will try to convince you that good is evil and evil is good. Just like he did in the garden with Adam and Eve.

There are many ways that the devil will try to deceive you but make it look like you are worshipping God. For instance, thinking we can do more good by lying about something rather than telling the truth because we think it will spare someones feelings. Or, striving to pursue our own ambitions and taking God out of the picture altogether.

Don't let the devil sneak in to your lives. Tell him to take a hike; talk it out with Jesus…That will send the devil running.

Divine Potential

18 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Put your thinking caps on!!

Who REALLY knows what is going on in the mind of a Christian or a So-Called Christian? You don't…trust me… But God does.

We often take matters into our own hands and decide for ourselves who is a good person and who isn't…But we are merely looking at outward appearances…God looks into the the Heart, Mind and Soul of the being.

We are reminded (if you are familiar with the Bible) of the story of Saul… Saul started off as a God despising, Christian KILLING machine… But soon he became intrigued by the idea of God and ended up turning his entire life around. Barnabas became his right hand man and advocate in the matter, discipling to Saul and helping lead him on his journey.

So, how if a filthy sinner like Saul become one of the greatest saints in history, why can't the drug dealer down the street, or the atheist in your work place, do the same? They can! Through the power of Christ and discipleship on earth, we CAN save them.

Like the old adage goes, 'don't judge a book by its cover' It's not our place to judge, it's God's place to lead, and He is.

The Glory Of The Lord

17 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays message was just a short one, but pretty powerful. Im just going to take a section right out of the book and let you think on it for awhile.

Enjoy…

"There is no mistaking when God inhabits a place. God's glorious presence fills a place and it is impossible to carry on business as usual. The new testament teaches that our lives are temples because Christ abides in us. We cannon assume by this that our lives are pleasing to Him. Like Solomon, we must thoroughly prepare ourselves so that God will choose to reveal His presence in our lives. When He does, there will be no doubt that it is God."

Much Beloved

16 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

It is such a good feeling knowing that we are unconditionally loved by Jesus Christ. God loves us so much that He sent His only son to die on the cross to save us from out impending doom. That's a lot of love…

One way that God shows us His love is by answering our prayers. The tough part about that for us as humans is we don't always get the answer that we want, so we tend to think that God doesn't REALLY care about us and He doesn't want to give us what we ask for…But thats not the case… God knows exactly where your heart is in your prayer, He knows what you're asking for, why you're asking for it and if it is really necessary and helpful in your life and/or others.

The next time you think your prayers haven't been answered take a minute to think…did you pray for something necessary or did you treat God like a genie and you are just waiting for Him to grant your wish? Where is your heart, your motive and mind behind these prayers?

God loves you, He isn't going to baby you. He's going to guide you.

A Heart Of Flesh

15 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays message is a tough one for everyone, whether you are strong enough to admit or not.

Acting on worldly desires. Lust, impurity, favoritism, judgement and the likes. When these things become our identity we put God on the back burner, our hearts become like stone.

These are not easy sins to combat on our own, but through the love and power of Christ we can overcome these desires of the flesh. Ask the Lord to renew and soften your heart of stone. Seek Him in all you do, ask Him for guidance and forgiveness.

Life And Light

14 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

In a world full of death and darkness, we can take solace in Jesus Christ as our source of light and life.
If you are a Christian, Christ lives within you, therefore His light lives in you. Be the disciple God asks you to be, spread the light and life of Jesus and dispel the darkness that surrounds you. Share this gift with your friends, family, co-workers, and strangers. When they see you in their darkness they should see the light of life that you give and it should shut down the darkness that they are dwelling in. The darkness hates the light, and in the light there is no darkness.

Shine for Jesus. Turn on your lights, He will pay the electric bill. ;)

Friday Kryptonite

-An original-

Every Friday night, I see your pretty face,

I think I have the courage, but I guess that’s not the case.

I walk right up and chat with you, that I do just fine,

But to ask you out for coffee is where my courage draws the line.

Your heart for Jesus, is so strong, it knocks me off my feet,

You’re the kind of girl I thought, I’d always like to meet.

I know exactly what to say, I really am quite eloquent,

But when I see that pretty smile, I can’t remember where my words went.

To sum this up, and say my piece, this may sound so contrite

I think you may, I think you might, be my kryptonite.

Prayer Is Preparation

13 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays subject is one of my favorites!!! Prayer, Jack!!

I love praying, I love talking about praying, I love praying for others and I love praying OVER others.
So… Lets dive in.

Prayer is so important. It's a way to connect with God, a way to understand what He is saying. God answers questions through prayers, He gives you direction through prayer. Comfort, solace, relief and a sense of love, are all things God communicates through prayer, and sometimes He even leaves you hanging in your prayers…But guess what? He is allowed to do that…He's GOD!

There were two passages in todays message that really stuck out that I feel really wrap up what I just stated above, maybe a little more eloquently…

"Prayer does not give you spiritual power. Prayer aligns your life with God so that He chooses to demonstrate His power through you. The Purpose of prayer is not to convince God to change your circumstances but to prepare you to be involved in God's activity."

"Prayer is designed to adjust you to God's will, not to adjust God to your will. If God has not responded to what you are praying, you may need to adjust your praying to align with God's agenda. Rather than focusing on what you would like to see happen, realize that God may be more concerned with what He wants to see happen in you."

ALL ABOARD THE TRUTH TRAIN!!

This message gets me all kinds of excited, I hope it has the same effect on you.
Take some time out of your busy day to spend with God. The beautiful thing about prayer is its extremely portable! Talk to God wherever you are, about whatever is on your mind…He was, is and always will be there to listen.

God's Design

12 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

God knew everything about you before time began…What an awe inspiring statement. God knew that you were going to read this blog at this very moment, He knew that you were going to stub your toe at 9 years old and accidentally say your first swear word… He know what you were going to have for lunch today…even though you can't remember and it was only 6 hours ago.

How amazing to be LOVED by such a powerful God as that…

God's original design for you and I was to be made in His image… But because of the fall of man, sin entered the world and that design was destroyed. Mind you, God still loves us unconditionally and is always in control, but things are a little different, I suppose, than what He had in mind.

What are you doing in your daily walk with Jesus to become more like Him? Spreading His word to others? Loving? Praying? Spending time in His word? This are all great things to be doing as often as possible.

Keep your faith strong, live for Jesus because He died for you.

Go!

11 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

GO! The title pretty much says it all. God commands us to go and serve Him. Go out and make disciples.

One of the few real jobs that we have in our Christian faith is to listen to God's commands and go where He tells us. Though YOU may not feel lead to go somewhere, understand that God is telling you to and He ultimately knows best.

Listen to what God has to say. There is a difference between hearing what God has to say, and guessing what He is saying, or assuming what He is saying, trust me, you will know the difference. Just because you are told to go out and make disciples doesn't necessarily mean you are going to be sent to the other side of the world…You could be sent across the street to your neighbor, to the homeless guy outside the grocery store, or your desk partner at work. The world is a full blown mission field, and once you start listening to God, you become a full time missionary. No university, online videos or text books required… Well… one textbook maybe… the old B.I.B.L.E.

Pay attention to God's commands and obey with a servants heart. He's your Papa, He isn't going to lead you astray. You may end up in some tight, tough or awkward situations, but know that He has always got you. He's holding your hand the entire time, and He's not going to let go.

A Shout Out To Timeless Simplicity

Tony and Debbie Dyson are the proprietors and masterminds behind, Timeless Simplicity, a whimsical little refurbishing business in Spokane, Washington.

Debbie and her assistants scour the town and web looking for vintage items that need that loving touch; to be reborn and reused. From Shelves to tables; chairs to candle holders and everything in between, if you are looking for that perfect vintage piece, look no further. Need a custom order? Feel free to ask, you won’t be disappointed.

These two are from my personal Timeless Simplicity collection.

Tony and Debbie work tirelessly on these projects and pour their heart and soul into each piece. They are true craftsmen (and women).

Visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TimelessSimplicity. Like their page, put in an order or pick up that perfect pre made piece.

God Remembers

10 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays message is another thinker.

Do you recall what your life was like when you first became a Christian? The promises you made to God? The discipline you had on Sunday mornings to get up and go to church. The love that you spread to others through Christ?… God remembers those days, but for some of us it's hard to remember the beginning, and it's quite a wake up call when we compare our early Christian lives to our lives now. I'm not saying that everyone has dropped off the cliff and is drowning in the lake below, but for a lot of us things change. We start to get lax and slack off, we sleep in on Sunday and "make up it" next week.

Guess what? We're human! I'm not saying use that as an excuse…but I am saying it's going to happen sooner or later. However, the beauty of a loving, forgiving God is…well… just that! He still Loves and will always forgive you! He know's where your heart is, He know's where you are going to go in life. He knew what you were going to do before you were even born.

God has got your back. He should be your best friend and support system. Take a look in history, see where your heart was 1,2, 10, 20 years ago when you first accepted Christ, and compare it to now. If you're scared…Take it to Jesus. Remember, He loves you more than a fat kid loves cake.

Returning To Your Failure

9 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Failure…No one likes to fail… Why do we have to fail? In our Christian failures, much like in our normal life failures, there are lessons to be learned. Why did I deny Jesus, what's so exciting about swearing, whats one little case of grand theft auto… Lessons. Learn from your mistakes…ask Jesus for help and understanding. Above all else, rely on God's strength to lead your life, not your own. Believe me…if we tried to live on our own strength and will, we would never make it anywhere.

The basis of this post is this. We sin. God loves and forgives us. God gives us infinite do over. God STILL loves us. We fail. God STILLLLL loves us. Dead. Heaven….umm something like that. :)

Not Lost In The Crowd

8 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays message was a new one for me, something I never really thought about. God's personal way of relating to you in ways that you understand. God speaks to everyone differently; Mr. Blackeby writes that you may be in a room full of Christians and some may hear God say one thing and you may hear Him say another to you. Do not be ashamed that you do not hear they same calling from God that others hear. God knows who YOU are. He knows your past, present and future. He knows exactly where He wants you to be, and He will take you there if you are just willing to follow Him.

Don't base your relationship with Jesus on other's relationships with Him. Build your own, unique relationship, taylor made for you and God.

Long Enough On The Mountain

7 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Wow, almost didn't think I was going to get this one in on time!!!

So, today we read about highs and lows in the Christian faith, when it comes to being close to God.
There are times where you feel like you are on top of the world, that you could never be closer to God than you are now…and then there are other times where you feel like you don't even remember who God is.

Going through these seasons can be difficult. I just went through a low or dry season (whatever you want to call it) a month or so ago, and man it was rough. But think of these season whether low or high as blessings and lessons. When you are battling your dry seasons, just remember you are being prepared for trials and tribulations that may be coming your way. Trust in God no matter what; He will make a way for you to survive. He will provide in exactly the way He sees fit.

Nothing Can Separate Us

6 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays message is awesome… as most of them have been. We are talking about God's eternal love. Nothing that we do, or go through will EVER separate us from God's love. It is eternal and unconditional. I want to take a piece right out of todays message and just lay it on the line for you. Here we go…

If you base your view of Gods love on your circumstances, you will become confused. There may be times when you will ask, "How could a loving God allow this to happen to me?" you may begin to question what you find clearly stated in the Word of God. God promised that you would NEVER be separated from His love; He did not say that you would never face hardship, persecution, poverty or danger. If you doubt that God could love you and still allow you to experience difficult experiences, consider the life of Jesus.

Don't ever judge God's love based on your circumstances. Instead, evaluate your circumstances from the perspective of God's love.

Freely Give

5 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays message is about giving. Not just giving money or possessions, but giving of yourself.
God asks us to give of ourselves, to be a conduit of His giving. There are so many gifts that we can share with others, Christian or otherwise. Time, experience, support, LOVE, and yes, monetary items as well.

While you don't have to give EVERYTHING away, do think about what you have available to share with others that may make a world of difference in their lives. Don't become attached to what you have, don't be greedy with your possessions OR your spiritual gifts. Don't lose sight of where these things came from in the first place, namely God, and how/when they should be kept and/or dispersed properly.

The Key To Prosperity

4 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

So what is the key to prosperity in the Christian life? Simple! Follow Jesus. Accept what Jesus asks you to do, rather than accepting approving from other people.

God rejoices in those who follow His will and is happy to honor them with prosperity through Him.
I have to believe that by "prosperity" Henry and David Blackaby don't necessarily mean monetarily… But rather, happiness, perhaps health, or peace. Spiritual prosperity, which is much more valuable than money.

The next time you are stressed out because you are having a bad day, your car broke down or your farm is struggling (you know who you are, and I love you) take your worries to God. Believe that He is doing EXACTLY what He has planned for you. It may not LOOK like what you were expecting right out of the gate, but trust me…God has been doing this for a few years…He knows what He is doing.

Far Be It From Me

3 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays message is simple, and for that reason I am going to keep it short… here we go.

No one is perfect…no human that is. So! When you are speaking to God's people, Christians or otherwise, have patience with them just like you would want them to be patient with you. If they have questions, try to answer them. Don't make them feel second class just because you know something they don't, because guess what…one day you are going to come to them for help, and you're not going to like it when they treat you poorly.

It's pretty simple right? Love your neighbor as yourself! Remember, God loves those who seek help just as much as He loves you.

Working Alone

2 Sep 13 devotional from, Experiencing God

In our zeal to please God and advance His kingdom, we Christians often take on responsibilities that God never intended us to have. One of the great challenges of the Christian life is determining what God does not want us to do! Our intentions are admirable: We love God, we love His people, and we see many needs around us. But sometimes our good intentions cause more harm than good.

When you become aware of a need, do not automatically assume God wants you to meet it. The only reason to perform ministry is that God clearly tells you it is His will. If you are feeling overwhelmed by all that you are doing, you are probably doing more than God has asked. Pray carefully about the assignments you take on, so that you don't rob yourself and others of God's best.

(an excerpt from Experiencing God, by Henry and David Blackaby)

Puyear/Headman Wedding

A shout out to two AMAZING people. Eric Puyear and Hannah Headman-Puyear.

I just got back from an amazing wedding. These two people are so full of love for each other, their friends, family and above all God. I am so excited to see them grow and move forward in there new relationship and lives with each other.

Bless you guys!

I love you Eric and Hannah Puyear!

#Puyearwedding

If You Seek Him

1 Sep 13 Devotional from, Experiencing God

Todays messages kind of has a "Field of Dreams" vibe…If you seek Him, He will come…

If you wish to have a strong relationship with Jesus, you need to continually seek and reach out to Him.  It is not fair of us to treat God like a servant, asking Him to be here all the time "just in case" but ignoring him 90% of the time, just hoping that He will stick around. I don't think that not being in deep prayer or reading your bible 23 hours a day is abusing your relationship with Jesus, but I do think that if you truly want to seek God but you avoid those activities and focus on the world instead of Him, that is taking advantage of God to the N'th degree.

God wants to be a part of your life, and we should reciprocate those feelings toward Him. Take a look at where you are in your search for sincere closeness with God. Are you where you need to be? Are you on track? Or are you so far from the track that you think you can never find it?

All it takes is a little hard word, love and dedication. Talk to God, read His word. Love Him, because He loves you back more than you could ever imagine.