We Are Engaged

We are officially official. We are engaged. With shaking knees and a fluttering heart, I managed to ask for her hand, and she promised it to me. Many exciting days are ahead, and the mood is (bubbly). Our date has been set to November 20th, 2011.

Let The Planning Begin!!!

When's the las time you really prayed?

I'm not talking about the mantra you say before eating, even after you've already had appetizers. (never understood why we don't consider appetizers food...)

I'm not talking about a routine prayer before going to bed.

I'm not talking about "God, please let me make this light!"

I'm talking about really talking to God... Look what David wrote

"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." -Psalm 63:1

God is not only an all powerful being, creator of the universe, heavenly father, he's also your best friend. Think of your best friend... Go ahead, do it...

How often do you talk with them? Probably every day right? Usually multiple times a day right?

Why should you treat God any differently?

Some people ask: "How are you supposed to pray? Like what do you say?"

The great thing about that is God already answered that, Jesus says specifically:

 9"This, then, is how you should pray:  

" 'Our Father in heaven,    

       hallowed be your name,  

10your kingdom come,    

your will be done  

     on earth as it is in heaven.  

11Give us today our daily bread.  

12Forgive us our debts,

      as we also have forgiven our debtors.  

13And lead us not into temptation,

   but deliver us from the evil one.[a]'

Matthew, lord's prayer

-Matthew 6:5-14

Okay, that's a lot all at once. Let's break it down a bit.

"Our Father in heaven" -Acknowledge that he is your father and creator.

"Hallowed be your name" -Praise him

"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" -YOUR kingdom come, YOUR will be done. It's HIS that's important, not mine. Acknowledge that he is the King of Kings and let him take control. (I think if he created the universe, not only does he KNOW what's going on in your life, I think he knows how to solve it.)"Give us today our daily bread" -We acknowledge that everything we have is from God and we ask him to sustain us.

"Forgive us our debts" -Ask for forgiveness of your sins.

"As we also have forgiven our debtors." -You must forgive others to be forgiven. Look just a few verses after the prayer at what Christ

says. "(14)For if you forgive men when THEY sin against YOU, your heavenly Father will also forgive YOU. (15) But if you do not forgive men of THEIR sins, your Father will not forgive YOUR sins.

"Lead us not into temptation" -Guide us, make our paths follow along side you.

"But deliver us from the evil one" -Protect us from evil.

I don't believe that this was intended to become a mantra is it is in the Catholic church... I think prayer should be dynamic and different every time... You never have a set of how your conversation is going to go when you call your best friend (or any friend for that matter) do you? That seems more like when you call for service and get a machine and all you do is press numbers to talk to an operator. Is God a machine? This prayer can essentially be boiled down into four steps.

Praise

Thanks

Confess

Ask

Pray using those four steps and concentrate on the first three more than the last. It seems like all we do is ask god to fulfill our wishes and wills... We must remember our place in creation (beneath the creator).

Do these things out of Love...

Jesus says, 

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matt 25:37

If we believe this, then why do we even call it Christian Service? In my opinion,"Christian Service" seems as though it's charity...Doing something because it's right but not out of Love. 

When you buy groceries for your children and family it's done out of a need and a true love. You know that if you don't provide they may perish. I believe that is the way we should be with all people, giving according to their needs.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:19 ESV.

If we are to mirror Christ, then are we not to mirror the way He promises to treat us? God gives us abundantly that we might be able to give to others; That is ultimately our Christian Service. He gives us blessings through finances, time, and with talents, therefore we should share our finances time, and our talents with others to bring Him glory. 

We should give as a sign of our Christlike love. Learn to love your neighbor first, and giving, or "Christian Service" will become easy and simple as making your heart beat.

When [Jesus] had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that 

YOU SHOULD DO AS I HAVE DONE FOR YOU.

 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John 13:12-17

Power In His Name!

it's all in His name...

Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
'Cause nothing has the power to save but Your Name...

Songwriter/Musician Paul Baloche illustrates that so well. Isn't it Amazing that there is so much power in the very name of Jesus!

In His name, we have the power to receive Salvation:

 "Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12).

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

There is great power and astonishment in His name. All over scripture it is written. Even the ones who "didn't believe" understood its power, they tried to stop the disciples from using the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18). 

I encourage you today to meditate on His name, it's the most precious name and most powerful there is. In His name there is power to fulfill the "Great Commission". We weren't just given a task and left alone. We have been given directions through the word of God, assistance through the Holy Ghost, and power in the matchless name of Jesus Christ!

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)

We have a right and an open invitation to a relationship with the Father. Which means, we have a right and invitation to accesing power in the name of Jesus, to glorify the Lord. But regardless of whether or not we submit to His tender call. The Lord will be glorified, and Jesus' name will be praised.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father  (Philippians 2:9-11)