Daily Devotional :)

okay... sooooo... I just spend some MUCH NEEDED time with Jesus this morning! The first passage that I want to post about comes from Hosea 6:1-6 (New King James Version):
-A Call to Repentance
6 Come, and let us return to the Lord;
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
2 After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
3 Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established as the morning;
He will come to us like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
-Impenitence of Israel and Judah
4 “O Ephraim, what shall I do to you?
O Judah, what shall I do to you?
For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud,
And like the early dew it goes away.
5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
I have slain them by the words of My mouth;
And your judgments are like light that goes forth.
6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,
And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

While I was reading this passage the song "Grace Like Rain" came on my Ipod (which was shuffling on the playlist "worship"). Hosea 6:3 says that HE will come to us LIKE RAIN! It is interesting to me that even as Christians we COMPLAIN when it rains outside. If Christ comes to us as spiritual rain to nourish our souls then we should be willing to accept, appreciate, and praise God for the physical rain HE provides for the earth to grow and be nourished. If we are not willing to accept God's physical rain of water for the earth then what makes us think we will be prepared to receive His spiritual rain...? Since we are called to be in the image of Christ we should therefore use our physical and spiritual lives as a testimony to what God does through the rain (physically and spiritually in Jesus Name!)! :)

I pray you are encouraged and blessed by the Blood of the Lamb today in Jesus Name! God Bless you! :) Jesus Loves you :)
psalm 68:9 "You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, When it was weary."

p.s. here is the link for "Grace Like Rain."  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcGJb-mPMmg

God's lesson through my GPS :)

1. Story of driving to PA
-Made 4 U-Turns-> We chose to go certain ways that we knew we should go instead of following the GPS and ended up saving 2 hours.

2. GPS was trying to take us the long way because I had "Forbid" tolls set. Once we would go that way we would instantly realize it was not the best way. In life making bad decisions is like this. How many times do we listen to negative influences (we know are wrong) and end up going the opposite direction of God's leading?

3. Several times Brielle and I saw the right/wrong path to take but was mislead by the GPS to go the long (wrong) way. We quickly realized we needed to turn around and avoided hours off traffic! It's like when were faced with temptation and panic when we had to choose whether to sin or stay faithful to God. Once panic we are more likely to fall into sin and feel conviction! Praise the Lord God has grace, mercy, and forgiveness through Christ (we can have a personal relationship with God the Father through Christ).
Ephesians 2:8 says that it is by grace, through faith that we are saved.

John 3:16 says that God sent His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life!

James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead!

Disobedience/impatience to God's will delays your footsteps! It takes you off His path which delays the perfect timing He has for you!

                             

Stay on track towards God's goal and Will for your life! The Father has created you and loves you very much! He has created you with a plan and purpose to serve Him! Therefore, do everything you do for the glory of the Lord in Jesus Name! :)

Final Semester Stressers

So, here I am; it's the final semester before graduation in May 2012! YAY JESUS! I have some different roles at Regent that seem to capture my time (i.e. Student, R.A., CBN Prayer Service Representative, daughter, girlfriend, friend). Today, I have felt very overwhelmed by all of the many homework tasks that are approaching, discussion posts, quizzes, papers, etc. You name it, I got it. :P One verse that continually comes to mind is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." What an encouraging, uplifting verse to hear when dealing with some many different situations. Although I feel overwhelmed I know God does not give me more than I can handle! Thank you Jesus :) God Bless each of you in Jesus Name! :)

Just know, Me and Jesus Love you :)
Me :)

Final Semester Stressers

So, here I am; it's the final semester before graduation in May 2012! YAY JESUS! I have some different roles at Regent that seem to capture my time (i.e. Student, R.A., CBN Prayer Service Representative, daughter, girlfriend, friend). Today, I have felt very overwhelmed by all of the many homework tasks that are approaching, discussion posts, quizzes, papers, etc. You name it, I got it. :P One verse that continually comes to mind is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." What an encouraging, uplifting verse to hear when dealing with some many different situations. Although I feel overwhelmed I know God does not give me more than I can handle! Thank you Jesus :) God Bless each of you in Jesus Name! :)

Just know, Me and Jesus Love you :)
Me :)

IT'S CHRISTMAS!! :)

Happy Birthday JESUS!!! :) Thank you for the gift of Salvation! I love and appreciate your sacrificial, unconditional love in Jesus Name! :) Yesterday, I had a few thoughts which I wanted to share with you! :)

1. I am SOOO thankful Jesus gave His Gift ON the Cross and NOT under it! I appreciate our symbolic following to give one another gifts as Christ did. Reaching for a present to unwrap under the tree each year makes me appreciate the gift of Salvation that I had to reach up for just one time! "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1).

2. I am also Very thankful that Jesus didn't just stay a baby in a lowly manger! He grew up to become a mighty, majestic King, the heir to His Heavenly Father's throne! Praise the Lord! :) God's Word says that WE are joint heirs with Christ; Praise the Lord that God has a BIG perfect plan for each of us just as He did for Christ Jesus, our PERSONAL Lord and Savior!

The Lord is definitely stretching and teaching me to be strong and confident in HIS Will for ME although others' live are changing and growing. I have to confident that His plans for me will come true as He has Promised! I love the Lord and Pray to walk in His Holy Spirit and Confident and Security today in Jesus Name! I pray blessings, mercy, grace, joy, peace, and the Love of Christ over you all! God Bless you all today on a National Holiday to Celebrate the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! Yay! Happy Birthday Jesus! I love you first and foremost! :)

Always a Sister in Christ,
Me :)+

Girls Day :)

Well, I had a great day at home and shopping with my mom. We went to Woodgrill for lunch (a really yummy buffet) then Walmart and a Christian bookstore. I was also able to visit some of the people from the previous Hotel that I worked at. Today was a good day, I was pretty tired by the time we got home this evening. I finally finished up my Christmas SHOPPING YAYAYAYAY!! :) Thank you Jesus! Once mom and I got home from shopping, we wrapped the rest of the gifts! :) We also took family pictures in front of the Christmas tree! :) I am thankful for family time this week and time with the Mertus family next week! :) Jesus Bless this Christmas Break!

Don't forget that this is a season to Honor and Celebrate Jesus' birth collectively as one body of Christ. I am SO thankful to have a Father in Heaven, Savior, and Holy Spirit to love me and guide me into His perfect will. Even when I don't always see or understand how things will work out, I trust in the Lord for His protection and peace in Jesus Name! May the Lord bless and keep you through this Christmas season! Love you All!! :) God Bless you :)

God Speaks

I love how the Lord just speaks to me in subtle ways each day! I love the Lord and His righteousness! I had written the references to two verses, each on a separate sticky note, so that I would remember to write out the full scripture. Those two sticky notes have been sitting on my desk for a while now and have been pushed around in the midst of other papers starting to clutter and pile up. This evening when I spent time with Jesus I decided to look up those passages and write them out onto the sticky notes so that they can be placed somewhere randomly for me to see each day. The first verse that I wrote out definitely was divine appointment from the Lord! God is really teaching me to serve and keep Him first while waiting for the promises He has designed. The verse is 2 Peter 3:8-9, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." OH PRAISE THE LORD! Thank you Father God for your magnificent, wonderful promises in Jesus Name! :) I am SO thankful that I can trust in YOU! Because you will NEVER leave or forsake me! I praise you! Thank you Father God! In Jesus Name! :)

I just want to encourage you to wait on God's promises! His perfect timing is EVERYTHING! He may give you a promise and fulfill it days, weeks, months, or even years later! Just trust in what you KNOW God has spoken to you! :) Pray for peace, confidence, and agreement with HIS perfect Will in Jesus Name! :) Love you all! God Bless you! :) Be encouraged!

Always a Sister in Christ,
ME :)