We were asked in church last week to write down what we thought it meant to be an authentic Christian. Wow! They handed out pieces of paper to do it right away. I have to honest. I didn’t hand my paper in. That question prompted such a response in my heart and spirit that it was one of those that I really needed to chew on. I couldn’t just put an answer down. It stuck me deep. What does it mean to be an authentic Christian? Ok, after thinking about it for a few days (yes, I am a really deep thinker 🙂 ) I have to tell you I am STILL chewing on that! Why? I am really not sure. I do believe that a true authentic Christian should be DIFFERENT! Really DIFFERENT! That’s the short answer. But to explain a little more……………. Different than the normal response, the normal reaction, the normal talk, the normal thoughts, the normal mindsets. I could have just thrown out scriptures. I could have wrote down a bunch of good sounding sentences. I didn’t want to. I took the time so far to be seeking the Lord and saying how is it that people who don’t really know me would look at me and know that I am a Christian? My prayer is that I react and respond like Jesus. Hmmmmm, let’s see. When I am faced with someone talking about me and have just accused me of something I didn’t do………I desire to not defend but have a knowing that I don’t have to defend and I can still bless that person. When I have fear about something, to be able to express to my Father in Heaven and have Him speak to Me and turn my fear into faith. When I am faced with the situation to have to tell truth….my response is to tell truth in love since love is the very expression that Jesus died on the cross for us. That when faced with a situation that seems impossible and that I have to die to my own will to see God’s plan in it…..that my response would be “not my will, but your will be done” and have peace about that. That when worry wants to arise in me because I am faced with a medical diagnosis of myself or someone close, that my response would be to pray without ceasing and thank Him in everything and quote scripture like I truly believe every single word with confidence. When I need wisdom for a situation, I desire my response to be one of running to God, asking for His wisdom, not moving in my own initiative, but how the Holy Spirit directs me and not to TV, magazines, other people, etc. ………..I really could go on…..so many things made Jesus sooooo different and that is what we are to be aspiring for…..a more Christlike heart…..it starts with the heart. The difference that people see starts with the hearts that turn into actions. Words only last so long. Wanna know what I think a true authentic Christian looks like? When we are really really squeezed in life, when life has got you down, twisted all around, questions on one side or another………and you are STILL trusting God and still oozing with His peace and that LOVE is the very aspiration that you are living for and trying to achieve. The agape love for everyone just like Jesus. To be able to look past status, stature, fame, success, clothing, appearance, even attitudes and have LOVE for all that God has for us through all of our stuff, our attitudes, our wrong mindsets……He first loved us when we weren’t even paying attention or outright rejected Him……He still loves us……when we turn our backs on Him, curse HIm and put other things first, He still loves us………..Do we have that LOVE for all? My prayer is that each day my heart is broken more for the things that break His heart and I continue to learn to love the way He loves to show myself different even when the going is tough……I came to Christ because His love was different and when I finally realized how different His love was for me……..despite how I treated Him…hmmmmmm….I want people to know I love them as He does…..Lord, continue to show me how I can show true, authentic Christianity with the beautiful, agape, unconditional love to all.

Hi all! I am still in Genesis reading and God has been showing me deeper truths in His Word. I have been asking the Lord about obedience for maybe a year now. Allot of times in prayer even a year ago, I was getting the sense of this year being such a critical time of knowing whom we are serving. I love the scripture Joshua 24:15 “As for Me and my household, we will serve the Lord”. I placed that scripture up on the dining room wall to remind me that I truly believe it is critical to stay the course even when we might not “feel” like it. It is a declaration but not just by words. I continuously ask the Lord to be in my actions as well. Because to me, obedience is KEY! When Adam and Eve were given the garden and everything in it, they had it made! Or it was supposed to be that way. But, one commandment, ONE, mind you! One commandment and the enemy swooped in and then flesh joined right with the enemy. Well we know the chain of events after they sinned! Disobedience. Look how many that one sin affected. Wow……..my disobedience doesn’t just affect me, but God, my husband, my sons, and possibly many more. How about Noah. God had enough of the evil and He was grieved of how the people that He created had become. It hurts my heart to read that the Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth and his heart was filled with pain! (Genesis 6:6) Noah was the ONLY one who was found righteous in God’s eyes. I don’t think it was a coincidence that it describes Noah as a righteous man, blameless among the people and that he walked with God. (Genesis 6:9) Or several times the Bible states that Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22, 7:5, 7:9, 7:16) and then in Genesis 8:1 it states “God remembered Noah”. Noah and his family was saved from the flood that wiped out the earth. Do you believe it was because he walked with God, was righteous and because he was obedient to what God said. I believe so. Obedience. It is the way to fullness of what He wants. Jesus died on the cross. There is no way to be obedient to be saved and have eternal life with Him. THAT IS ONLY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS DYING on the cross. But God wants us to have fullness, in every area and to receive His rich promises. Obedience is the key. What do you think? Ok, one more example I read in Genesis. Abraham…….despite God’s swift judgment of sin, most people ignored him and continued to sin in Abraham’s time. But a handful was trying to really follow him. One of them was Abraham and because of his obedience, God appeared to Abraham one day and promised to make his descendants in a great nation. But Abraham’s part of the agreement was to obey God. He remained faithful through tests and twists and turns. Not a perfect man was Abraham but was obedient to what God was speaking to and God was able to bless through him JUST as He wants to bless through us and our obedience. So, to me, obedience is key to a rich, whole, fulfilling relationship with God and in our lives. Lord, help me today, to be obedient to your Word. Cause my heart to love the things you love and to hate the things you hate. Thank you for dying on the cross for me and promising me eternal life in Heaven. But thank you also that you desire to give us wholeness and fulfilled promises even before I get to Heaven. Thank you for your word. Help me to be obedient.

Be blessed!

Kelly

So, I was reading Genesis today and I came across a scripture I did several times and EACH time I come across this verse, I stop.  It just amazes me.  Ask me why.  I am not totally sure.  I mean, the whole Bible speaks to me and it is simply amazing of how truthful and accurate and beautiful it is.  But this verse spoke to me once again.  Genesis 6:22……”Noah did everything just as God commanded him”.  I need to work this one out with words.  Hope you don’t mind.  Noah did everything just as God commanded him.  Was that why Noah was found righteous and blameless?  Was it why he found favor with God?  Because his heart was right and wanted to do everything just as God commanded?   It reminds me of when our hearts have a different agenda, different from the Lord’s agenda for our life.  Then it reminds me of the scripture, Isaiah 55:8 “my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways.” ahhhhhhh, God wants us to spend time with him, in intimacy to hear from Him and give us His thoughts, His ways for our life and for us to have a heart that is open and right to hear Him, despite how we feel about a circumstance or situations around us, He wants to guide us…….He did with Noah and look how he directed Noah, protected Noah and Noah’s family and led him step by step, even down to how to build the ark by specifics, in order that Noah would be protected from the flood.  He told Noah what He was going to do.  Yes, I want that kind of heart.  A heart that can be found righteous, Lord help me, and a heart that will do “everything as God commanded”.  Lord, my prayer is for You to open my spiritual heart, eyes and ears to be a heart that You can talk to and I will listen.  Your wisdom is far above mine, I recognize that, and today, teach me more about Noah.

Oh, how I love our Lord!  He never leaves, never forsakes, is always ready to show us the way.  He will lead, guide, direct, comfort, exhort, and lift up our heads and take away burdens!  He is my refuge, my strength and in whom I will TRUST.  I read over Psalm 91 last night in a moment of “God, help me!” (ever get a moment like that?) and I was reading about God’s protection in the midst of danger, turmoil, and sometimes our circumstances can feel like that.  Anyway, I got to verse 4 “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  At first I was getting these pictures, beautiful pictures of me under this absolutely huge feathers like no one could see me and they were so soft you had to feel comforted and warm.  Under these wings, I began to feel so much more protected, safe, and truly found refuge.  Then I got to the word rampart.  Didn’t know exactly what that meant so I looked it up.  Rampart:  defensive wall, protective barrier………ahhhhhhhhhh, it just fit, that’s how it is when circumstances seem to be piling up, our worries, our concerns, the heat of life………..to be under his wing of protection and the best part about this is?  It’s available for everyone who places their faith in Him, when we place our faith in His faithfulness……………………jump ahead……….Psalm 91:9 “If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  It was a gentle reminder to me that I have a choice.  IF I make Him my dwelling, put faith in Him……..THEN no harm will befall me, no disaster will come near my tent.  God doesn’t promise a world free from danger or even our circumstances, but He does promise His help whenever we face danger………………IF we make HIM our dwelling.  Lord, help me make YOU my dwelling today and always.  Show me the truth of that and what that really means in my life.  I thank you that you are my refuge, my strong tower and protection.  Blessings to everyone today and remember, GOD LOVES YOU!

Proverbs 16:18,19

¹⁸Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.   ¹⁹Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the meek and poor than to divide the spoil with the proud

Ok, many of us may know these scriptures but I ask myself again while I walk this walk of salvation out with fear and trembling, do we REALLY know what it means?  Better yet, or maybe I should say, even more challenging, do we live this way?

one further step, read these challenging scriptures…………..

Proverbs 6:16-19

Thanksgiving is coming up quick.  Sitting around the table, eating, talking, enjoying.  “Can you pass the salt?”.  You want to add flavor to your food.  That’s why you want the salt…..makes it taste different, better……yeah, salt is good. 

We talked yesterday about us, as Christians, being the salt of the earth.  Let’s pass the salt today.  Add a little different flavor, let’s make the world a little better today by our actions.  Yes, it does start with us.  Or it could, if we choose. 

Lord, I pray in the name of Jesus, that you touch our hearts today to be the salt for others on this earth.  Help us to understand what that means and as we learn, I pray that we add a different, better taste in all we say and do! Help us glorify you!  

Let’s reach out today and do something unexpected, spontaneous to spread the flavor He wants!

Have a great day!

Kelly

Food for thought.  God has me in a season of going deeper.  Deeper in Him, His presence, His Word.  And I am thankful for it.  You see, that it where TRUE peace is, not the world’s peace that we get for but a moment.  But TRUE lasting peace and the more we dive into Him, the more we get from Him.  I have been reading this book called “Roaring Lambs”.  Supposedly a “gentle plan to radically change your world”.  In Matthew 5:13, the bible it speaks of us being the salt of the earth. What does that even mean?  I think sometimes we Christians can throw ourselves and other into a tizzy (it’s a cute word!) with knowledge and bible memorization but I believe living it out in the real world is what matters the most.  I love to hear the song, “They will know we are Christians by our love”.  My prayer is that people will KNOW me by my love, a different kind of love than the world offers but a love that is unconditional, long suffering, and  powerful.  A love that cuts to the very bottom of an offense and blows it away, a love that doesn’t quit when things aren’t “happy” anymore, a love that explodes with joy that it penetrates even the deepest of hurt.  Is that easy love?  I have both of my hand held high.  No it isn’t easy.  That’s why we need to depend on God.  If we could do this love on our own, we wouldn’t need Him then we would start turning away from Him and depend on ourselves.  Another verse that I ABSOLUTELY love but can sometimes grind your very flesh is………….ready?……………Matthew 22:36-40 “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments…………….  WOW!!!  Jesus said the greatest commandment is loving God and then loving our neighbors as ourselves!  We can take a moment and sink that one in.  But I do believe this…………if we actually did love God with all our heart, soul and mind, loving people, (that’s right, all people) would come allot easier than in our own strength and therefore, they WOULD know us as Christians because that love WOULD speak and then we would add a very distinct taste in our world, a taste that would make a difference just like salt does on our food.  hmmmmmm, wonder if that is what he means by being the salt of the earth? 

Blessings to all!  Add a little flavor to the earth today! 🙂

Kelly

So, getting down to basics….where does true transformation begin?  It begins with us accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.  When we are born, we are born with a sinful nature due to Adam and Eve’s sin as the first man and woman.  All of us, then, are born into that sinful nature.  The Good news?  God sent Jesus Christ to earth to live as we live in bodies as we do, yet He did it perfectly, and then to die on the cross, without even sinning once (that’s how great of love he has for us!!!)…….He died for us so we may be forgiven of all sins and live in that forgiveness and victory that He won for us at the cross.  That’s right……I did say it…..Jesus did it FOR us.  Everything!  Complete!    There is nothing that we can do to obtain heaven.  Doesn’t matter what great people we are or what great works we do……………We just need to have faith that Jesus Christ died for us on the cross and ask him to live in us and be forgiven of our sins.  It’s a free gift for everyone.  Not just some.  Everyone.  That is what Jesus Christ came to do for us and God’s plan for redemption for everyone.  What a beautiful thing!  That’s where true transformation begins!!!!  Praise the Lord!  Blessings to all!

Kelly

Good afternoon!  This is my very first post on a blog.  I am new to this but my heart is to share what Christ has done in my life.  Talk about peace, freedom and wholeness.  Process, yes.  It has to be a process.  The easiest?  No, not always but just like a butterfly transformation from a cocoon, so does Christ want us to be transformed into something more and more beautiful. The Good news is that He doesn’t make us do it on our own.  The Lord will never leave or forsake and that also means during the transformation process.  Everyday, if we choose, can be viewed as a blessing and what we have versus what we don’t have…….let the Lord’s transformation in us……..begin……… 🙂

Kelly