Livia - Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5, 6 NIV)

Liv led us today and shared one of her favorite verses.   It's best to choose to trust God and live.  I love that.  LIVE!!!  When we live in fear and anxiety we don't gain anything.  It's important for us to not let our minds come up with the plan or the answer but rather it's best to turn from our own thinking (understanding) and listen to Gods voice.  God knows what is best for you.  Your choices can cause consequences that will be painful so it's best to be wise and follow Gods path. 

He knows us best! Psalm 139

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. (Psalm 139:1-3 NIV)

Like Adam and Eve , when God asked "who told you , you were naked?" - God knows all.  He knew what happened and that they had taken of the forbidden fruit. God knows every detail of our lives.  Nothing can be hidden from him.  He knows our thoughts and motives.  Oh boy!  That makes me feel a bit vulnerable and embarrassed.  At the same time it brings comfort as I consider His grace and mercy for me.   Everything that has happened to me, everything I'm afraid of, every feeling I've had since I was little - he knows - so therefore He knows me best.     

Proverbs 29:25

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25 NIV)

Sometimes we feel so paralyzed by what others will think, feel or say that we are unable to process or deal with our circumstance in a healthy way.  It takes a brave soul to trust in The Lord and let the cares of "pleasing others" be set aside.  

The scripture says it will prove to be a snare, meaning we become captive to it and never find healing in it.  

Push through today - trust The Lord  and be safe!!!

Hebrews 12:2

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)

It's always best to fix our eyes on Jesus. When we fix our eyes on our problems they become bigger, than our God.  We have the choice of what we will focus on.  Max Lucado says in his book, Facing your Giants that like David we MUST focus on our God and not on our giants.  Had David focused on the giant he would have been overwhelmed but because he fixed his eyes on his god and his power he was able to defeat the enemy. 

Proverbs 25:28

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28 NIV)

Walls broken through give you a visual of failure to protect and vulnerability to the outside world.  Someone who lacks self control is like these walls.  They have no regard for others or what consequences will come.  

Dev mentioned the latest baseball game and how some of the  players just raged.  They had no self control.  

Most times selfishness is involved as well.  When you have no self control you just want what you want. 

Self control is a fruit of the Spirit and therefore we will obtain self control by yielding to His Spirit everyday of our lives.  

Matthew 6:6

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6 NIV)

This action is so important for us to be healthy.  Each one of us need to take this time everyday, close our door and talk to God.  This will sustain us.  Much like eating food for our physical bodies, our minds and hearts need time to be healed and rejuvenate.  Jesus took time to do this, so should we. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV)

I love the words "don't lose heart"!!!  

Inwardly we are being renewed.... Our light in momentary trouble carries is!!!  Fixing our eyes on the unseen!!! Great encouragement this morning.  Yes! We are hard pressed and struck down but we are NOT destroyed.  We will not lose heart!!!   Thank you Jesus!

Psalm 40:2

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2 NIV)

While we were still living in darkness , God loved us and gave His life for us.  We can trust our God with every detail of our life.  We are grateful this morning for a firm foundation in Christ alone.  

Proverbs 20:3

It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. (Proverbs 20:3 NIV)

Avoid being all worked up and mad all the  time.  How exhausting !!!! Strife brings such stress and anxiety.  Why would you choose strife when you could have peace? Why would you choose to fight when you could love? 

Why be a fool, as the scripture says? Why be quick to quarrel?  Why not try to listen and understand and choose love.  Choose to trust God is in the midst of the situation and choose to live!!!  Live in freedom !!! 

Romans 8:1-2

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1, 2 NIV)

Sometimes we don't feel worthy of God's love.   We worry about what we've done and we roll around in guilt and shame of the past.  God's word tells us there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Romans 8 - the whole chapter is amazing.  Read it through and be blessed!!!!

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18 NIV)

Pride is a big problem.  Some reasons we react in pride are:

*Lack of positive attention and affirmation in our lives

*Masks insecurity

*When we think our achievements are our own doing 

We need to rid ourselves of pride and make others better than ourselves. 

Pray!   Pray that God will show you where pride is present in your life. 

Ask others to be involved in your life, open yourself up to accountability .  

Psalm139 1-18

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you. (Psalm 139:1-18 NIV)

No need to say more.  

He loves us. 

Matthew 6:12-13

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ (Matthew 6:12, 13 NIV)

The only possible way we could avoid being hurt by others would be to live completely alone.  We can't keep ourselves from gettig hurt but we can control our reactions. Holding up resentment in our hearts just keeps the hurt going.  It becomes a grudge.  

This keeps us from healing. 

Revenge is another way we might react to being hurt. We want justice.  This behavior poisons our souls and keeps Us focused on the past.  The only way to fet rid of hurt is to forgive the one who hurt us .  Giving it no power over you. 

You gotta let it go!!

Livia is 13!!!

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13 NIV)

This is one of Livs favorite verses.  Liv has lived this out in her short lifetime.  She's taught all of us who live with her - that nothing is impossible with God.    We are so blessed.  

It's tradition here in our home on birthdays to get breakfast in bed and to share what we love about the one we celebrate.   So here we go....

Mom - I love your faith.  Your constant confidence that God is in control and that we can do anything with him.  Your smile. 

Dad - I love her determination.  She's gonna do it.  I got this!!!  She's a fighter.  She's a talker like me!  I love her approach to life - she's going after it!!! I love her servant heart.  

Devin - I love that she serves others so well .  It comes natural.  She's very kind.  

With a smile.  

Kadin - I love that she plays with me for long times.   She loves me.  She serves us all without complaint.  Such a helper. 

We love you Livi-G!!!!!!

Keep Making Me!

Matthew 6 - "Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God..."

Two people came to me yesterday and told me of a song called "Keep Making Me" by Sidewalk Prophets so after Tim's testimony last night - we listened and wow ......

Let's never settle for less than a real, authentic relationship with God.  Being moved outside of ourselves for something bigger , better and more....where it's not about self and all about Him!!! 

Take a listen: 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UI1obeb3A9c