Are You a Good Person?

We can never make our way into heaven by being good....

Motivational Factors

What motivates you? Is it so that you can recognized and applauded? Oftentimes, I find myself hoping someone will notice my accomplishments. When someone compliments you, do you gloat? This does not mean we should walk around in defeat and in-confident. Absolutely not! We must be confident and courageous to fight this battle that we are living in. However, Jesus wants us to glorify Him in every decision, thought, and ambition by allowing Him to be the striving motivation for everything we do.

Unfortunately, I oftentimes am motivated by the world. It's so easy to allow others approval to take precedence over the approval of Jesus Christ. God is teaching me that everything should be about bringing His name glory. Every single little decision of every moment should be weighed in the light of eternity.
 Our sole motivation for everything we do should be to give God glory. We have to realize that it is only His approval we need.

As a college student, it is natural to desire good grades. In fact, I should do my best. However, I should not do my best simply to gain appraisal or recognition. My main motivation should be to give glory and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ. Doing my best gives glory to my Heavenly Father. However, I shouldn't give my best only out of selfish ambitions.

Similarly, our motivation for fashion should be fueld by a desire to glorify God. Furthermore, we should show respect to ourselves, God, and others in the way we dress.Girls, if every-time we got dressed, we asked ourselves what would glorify God, I am sure a lot of our wardrobes would change. Our motivation must match our actions. For instance, I am motivated to honor God in my dress; therefore, I strive to dress modestly. It wouldn't make sense for me to say my motivation is to glorify God in everything I do, and then dress immodestly seeking approval from the world....my actions should reflect my motivations.

In the same light, our everyday decisions about who reach out to all reflect our motivation. If our sole motivation is Jesus Christ, then we will find ourselves befriending the friendless, reaching out to the hurting, and releasing the oppressed from their bondage. Only Christ can fuel these motivations. People will not pat us on the back for reaching out to the outcasts or even smiling at a rude person in Walmart. However, Jesus does. After all, didn't He go to the cross for us? Brothers and sisters, let's strive to give God glory in every single decision we make- whether it be the mundane tasks of life, homework, or work, we can give God glory. Blessings my friends! Solo de gloria!

hahahahaha Oh my goodness!

My dream is to someday be able to play like that.....She is absolutely oustanding!!!!!

No turning back....No turning back.

"And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James, the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him."
~Matthew 4: 18-22

This Scripture really convicted me when reading it today. I got to thinking about my allegiance to my Lord. I feel I am very devoted to Christ, but would I obey regardless of what he called me to do? If I had to step out of my comfort zone, would I risk it all for the Kingdom of Christ? I must immediately follow him and not delay in my obedience. I must witness to others and make disciples, not when I have the time, but because that is God's plan for me. His still voice whispered in my ear, "Be so close to me that you don't doubt what I told you to do. Abide in me so that my thoughts become yours and my plan for your life becomes yours. Fall in love with me so that you will desire what I desire. You need to just surrender everything daily so that you can follow me with passion."

I remember a wise preacher saying, "Delayed obedience is disobedience." It stuck in my head forever, but sometimes I try to ignore the advice when I feel God prodding me to do something uncomfortable. It's not easy showing love to those that mistreat you. God says, "Love them." If I don't, then I am not obeying God. If God tells me to encourage a stranger that is having a hard day, I should be light to that individual. If I have to risk my life to take the gospel to someone that has not heard of Jesus Christ, then I must be willing to obey. Following God should be my sole desire in life. All else will fall in place when I seek God with all my heart.

Oh, how God's whisper made me realize that I don't have to obey Him in my own strength. Since Christ lives within me, His strength is mine. I hold a renewed passion for my King of Kings. I desire to share with others about His grace, His mercy, and His holiness. I desperately need to show His love to everyone, not just the people that are easy to love. His voice should become mine and his feet should be where I go. "Here I am, Lord. Send me!!!"

May we remember what Christmas is really all about.
http://youtu.be/eVqqj1v-ZBU

“If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is an
absurdity and there is absolutely no need for it. What the world needs is not "a
little bit of love," but major surgery. If you think you are helping lost people
with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You
must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life
out in helping others in His way— not in a human way that ignores God. ” -Oswald
Chambers

Sign the Petition for our sister in Christ, Asia Bibi who had the bravery to stand up for Christ and is now being persecuted.
http://www.persecution.com/public/newsroom.aspx?story_ID=NDMx

Courage and Boldness at the Heart of Christianity

Philippians 1:12-30

"Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in [the cause of] Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter [do it] out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but [that] with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if [I am] to live [on] in the flesh, this [will mean] fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both [directions], having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for [that] is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. And convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by [your] opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that [too], from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear [to be] in me."

For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

Holy Anguish

May I live each day with an urgency to share the gospel.
Father, I pray that I will show others Your love and Your grace.
May I deny myself and take up my cross and follow You everyday.
You have changed me and lifted me out of death.
I will share my story with others about how I was dead and bound in sin.
About how You lifted me up, and now I am fully alive.

I have no right to live my life in mediocrity.
Instead may I live each day with burning passion for my King of Kings.
May I see each person as one for whom Christ died.
Oh Father, please give me a holy anguish for those who so desperately need You.

Grace

"But God who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." -Ephesians 2:4-7