Promises

So this Sunday in church we were talking about God's promises to the Israelites and how God always had a plan for them, whether it took them a few minutes to choose to follow that plan or forty years. This got me to thinking about the promises God has revealed to me regarding His plan for my life:

Jeremiah 29:11

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to you a future and a hope.'"

I absolutely love this verse, but so often forget the promises and truths the Lord has revealed to me specifically about my life. 

Colossians 1:23

"But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don' drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News."

This is definitely something I need to work on, clinging to the truths and promises of the Bible and standing firmly in these truths.A great example in the Bible of someone who took a firm stand and believed the promises that God has showed him was Abraham. 

Romans 4:20

"Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God."

Not only did Abraham have unwavering faith and believe God's promise, but it actually strengthened his faith! That is something I would love to work on more in the coming weeks, it letting my faith in Jesus strengthen as I cling to the truths and promises the Lord has revealed to me. Never wavering or doubting what the Lord has specifically spoken to me. 

Romans 15:4

"Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled."

As I am waiting for God to fulfill the promises He has shown to me, I have hope and encouragement in Christ that nothing else can compare to!

Another verse I came across several weeks ago, that has become one (yes, I have several) of my theme verses is:

2 Peter 3:9

"The Lord is not really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake."

This is so awesome! So often I wish the Lord would hurry up and fulfill the promises that He has revealed to me, but in reality, looking back, it is in this period of waiting that the Lord has grown me and stretched me the most spiritually; not that I am by any means saying I want to indefinitely wait for the Lord to fulfill His promises; but I am content to wait and rest in the Lord and "Just Be" in His presence and timing.

One last verse that has also become one of my "theme" verses is:

Proverbs 31:25

"She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future."

This is such a great, easy verse for me to remember when I am striving and anxious instead of sitting back and resting in the Lord and let Him take the lead in my life.

Well... this post has been a bunch of crazy random thoughts that have been flying through my head the past few days regarding God's promises, thanks for putting up with the randomness :)

Accountability

Today I am going to be sharing about accountability and the dramatic impact it has had on my life. I shudder to think about where my life would be without it. And just to warn you.... apparently I get a little passionate about this subject once I get going.... :)

First of all... what is the textbook definition of accountability:

• Definition of ACCOUNTABILITY

: the quality or state of being accountable; especially : an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions.

Next... what does being held accountable mean in my life? Well over the last few years I have been in several different accountability groups.... they have ranged from just getting together to see how we can be praying for each other, to reading a chapter in the Bible each week so we can dive in and discuss it when the group meets. There is really no right or wrong way to have an accountability/discipleship group if the LORD is the focus and stronghold of the group! 

Sometimes a group can get side-tracked and start throwing in our own personal opinions about situations, but the absolute best way to seek Godly counsel for any and every situation is through the God-breathed, God-inspired WORD OF GOD! 

Since October I have been involved in a discipleship group that one of my friends started; this group has dramatically changed my life for the better! We meet once a week and discuss a chapter from the Bible we all read that week... then sometimes we go over some questions from a discipleship brochure to see how each of us are doing... such as:

• Would someone look at your life and heart this past week and see fruit or thorns? 
• What areas of your life need change? What specifically can we pray about? Do you have a plan in place?
• What changes in your thinking need to be made in your life? Where are you still using your opinion, experience, or thoughts?

 These are just a few of the questions we ask each other... and I have to admit... there are some weeks I really do NOT like my answers and would prefer not to answer these questions at all. But then that would not be an accountability group would it??? That would just be a group to get together and superficially see how things are going with your friends. 

After becoming involved in this one discipleship/accountability group I have felt the Lord lead me to start another such group. Both of these groups are literally the high-light of my week. Sometimes it is really hard to go and share what changes need to be made in my thinking or some deep issues that the Lord is calling me to work on in my life. I mean, who really wants to share our secrets with our peers??? But the Lord has blessed this openness and sharing in my life.

It is also hard sometimes to call each other in our discipleship group... sometimes I really do not want to confront one of my accountability friends about something, but if the Lord is calling me to say something and back it up with SCRIPTURE, then I need to follow through and do what the Lord is asking me to do, no mater how uncomfortable it makes both of us feel. That is the purpose of an accountability group: to let the Lord use each one of us to direct each other in the Word and to be lifting each other up in prayer so that we can each be strengthened in the Lord. The purpose of accountability and discipleship is for each of us to grow stronger IN THE LORD!

I love how sometimes in my discipleship group, we often do not even have enough time to answer the questions, but instead are so busy sharing MULTIPLE verses and passages that the Lord has revealed to us in the previous week. How cool is that???

Now, enough of me sharing... Here are some pretty awesome truths from the Bible regarding accountability and discipleship:

 Ecclesiastes 4:12 (verses 7-12 are great!)

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

• God totally uses us to help each other during trials and temptations to help each other stand firm.

Philippians 2:2

"Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose."

Galatians 6:1-3

"Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each others burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important."

• This is why a cord of three strands is so important, with two one person may be able to pull the other person away from the Lord, but with three people, the one person who is struggling would have a lot harder time pulling the other two away from the Lord. Instead the two who are not struggling with an issue can seek guidance from the Holy Spirit and help the third person to arm themselves with the armor of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 

"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."

Matthew 28:19

• By strengthening each other, an accountability group is that much more strong to go out and share with others the amazing and radical changes Jesus Christ has made in their life.

Proverbs 18:24

"There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother."

Matthew 18:20

"For where tow or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."

And one of my favorites right now, because of the HUGE impact my accountability/discipleship groups have had on my life:

Proverbs 27:17

"As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend."

• So... going back to the textbook definition of accountability, this seems so flat and dry after the type of accountability I have experienced in my life. The accountability I have been experiencing is impacting and stretching me in so many ways; and encouraging and challenging my personal walk with the Lord!

This is a really long post, but thanks for taking the time to read it. Obviously this is something I feel very strongly about. If you ever want to discuss this more, let me know!

Blessings,

Kate 

Legacy

Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about the legacy we leave to others around us. Not only have I been thinking about this a lot, but the Lord keeps giving me verses, songs, and thoughts from others that have really made me stop and contemplate the meaning of the word legacy and what that means in my life.

Exodus 20:5-6 

"I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands."

Even though many of the generational struggles and sins are passed down for years, even for several generations, I am so thankful that God's unfailing love is passed down for a thousand generations. This heritage and legacy of faithfulness and love for God has an even greater influence than bad influences over several generations!

These verses and thoughts are very encouraging to me and give me motivation to start changing some of my habits and sins that already are impacting my friends and family, but someday will affect my children as well. These thoughts have given me motivation to live each day as it comes for Jesus and to begin taking purposeful action to change bad habits and sins in my life: insecurity, pride, selfishness, and the list goes on and on. 

James 1:22

"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." 

"For now, my sweet princess, make every moment count, because what you do today echos throughout eternity. Like ripples in a pond, your hard work and faithfulness to Me spread far beyond this life and into forever."

"His Princess" p. 90

I am going to end this blog with some of the lyrics from Matthew West's new song "The Story of Your Life"

Is this the end?
Or only the beginning?
The second chance
You never thought you'd get

The question is
Will you do something with it
Or spend your days
Lost in your regret

This is the story of your life
You decide
How the rest is gonna read
This is your chance between the lines
To redefine what kind of legacy you leave
This is the story of your life
And it's a story worth telling

Breathe in deep
Feel your heart still breathing
Let's go see the reason you're alive
Oh you are here
and love is up to something
So take your fear
and leave it all behind

This is the story of your life
You decide
How the rest is gonna read
  
This is your chance between the lines
To redefine what kind of legacy you leave
This is the story of your life
And it's a story worth telling

This is the joy
And it's the pain
And all the pages in between
Your finest hour
Your weakest moment
It where you've been
It's where you are
It's where you're going

This is the story of your life
You decide
How the rest is gonna read
This is your chance between the lines
To redefine the kind of legacy you leave
This is the story of your life
Go tell the story of your life
Cause it's a story worth telling
It's worth telling

Perseverance

Over the last few months I have been reading through the new testament in my quiet time. Yesterday I started reading James again, and I am having to really slow down to take it all in. Instead of me sharing a verse and then talking about that verse, I am just going to share powerful scriptures, from James, that the Lord has spoken to me through these verses. It has taken me the two last days to just get through chapter 1;so I could be following this post up by several more :)  The overriding theme of James 1 or at least what stood out to me the most when I read it this time through was: Perseverance.

James 1:2-5
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it's work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him."

James 1:12
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

James 1:19
"My dear brothers, take not of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."
          -The Message   "Put this at all the intersections, dear friends, lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear." (I think I could do a post just on this verse alone) :)

James 1:22-25 The Message
"Don't fool yourself into thinking you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what look like.
But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God - the free life! - even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or women of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action."

I honestly am not sure about a lot of things right now, maybe this is just a fleeting thing, maybe the Lord is really calling me to examine my life and make some changes. I honestly don't know. All I know is that the Lord loves me with an everlasting love that I can't even fathom and that He has called me to persevere and pursue after God's heart.

I am so thankful for the Lord's powerful work in my life and how He knows exactly what I need in my life right now. The last month or so I have been called to a period of rest; it seems to be both spiritually and physically, but I am really starting to enjoy just abiding in the Lord( yeah, it has taken me a month to enjoy resting, crazy I know). I do not know what season of life I will be enjoying next, but one thing I do know; with God guiding me and walking along beside me:

"I can do anything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

REJOICE!

Philippians 4:4-5 

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."

Philippians 4 has been my life chapter for literally the last year and a half. For my discipleship group we are going over this chapter this week. I have been reading it every day and really trying to take in a little bit each day. Yesterday, the section above really got me to thinking....

Do I rejoice, I mean truly rejoice about my life??? So often I get caught up in life's struggles and circumstances I forget to rejoice. Does this verse say... "Rejoice if you feel like it" no, it simply says "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS."

I have also been reading the book So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore and in one of the chapters, I really liked this passage:

"God has entrusted each of us - male and female- with a brief measure of time on this planet, and each season is meant to be lived abundantly, effectively, powerfully, and pricelessly. It's our right as His prized creation..."

 I want to choose today to stand firm and consciously choose to live an abundant, effective, powerful, priceless, joy-filled, Christ-filled life. It may not always be easy, but Jesus is more than enough to rejoice over!

Isaiah 61:10 

"I delight greatly in the Lord;

     my soul rejoices in my God.

For he has clothed me with garments

            of salvation

     and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness."

REJOICE!

Blessings,

Kate

TRUTH AND LOVE

 Recently I have been thinking about and challenged to start a blog (thanks Vanessa). The main purpose of this blog is going to be to share the amazing ways God is working in my life and challenging me to be a living example of HIS love, trust, and faith. None of this would even begin to be possible without God's amazing work in my life. I am a continued work in process and will continue to be. I would hope and pray that any words of wisdom I share would be an encouragement to anyone reading this and would literally be God inspired.

Now on to what I have felt God laid on my heart several weeks ago and what I am just now getting around to sharing... TRUTH AND LOVE! In my discipleship group we have slowly read through 1, 2, and 3 John. I had never taken the time to slowly read through and process these amazing books of the Bible. Several things in particular that stood out to me were the many times that truth and love were mentioned together. 

2 John Verses 2-3 "Because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: 

     Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and for Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with you in truth and love."

After reading this verse and many other verses with the same theme, I decided to dig a little deeper into the meaning of these words....

LOVE: 

• Presented in Scripture as the very nature of God
• The Bible makes the unique revelation that God in his very nature and essence is love
• All human love, whether Godward on manward has its source in God. Love in its true reality and power is seen only in the light of Calvary.

TRUTH:

• An integration of character, and an adherence of virtue
• The concept of truth is assumed to be derived from the character of God, and is the exact opposite of the concept of lying.

So what does this mean when we put these two words together??? 

1 John 4:16 

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."

Not only is God love but He is also truth. The very definition of both the words truth and love, are the essence and character of God. I don't know why, but by digging deeper into this was such an amazing revelation for me. After coming to a better understanding of this, I feel like the Lord is challenging me to be better about living my life with Jesus's truth and love in my life. 

1 John 4:7 "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God."

Philippians 4:9 "Whatever you have learned or received or hear from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

Without God's love and truth and peace illustrated in my life, there is not way I could ever show love, truth, and peace to others. That is why I want to put into practice all of the truths and beautiful insights I have learned and received from Jesus. This is my challenge right now and I hope inspiration for you as well.

Blessings,

Kate