Life | Inspirational Christian Blogs

June 16, 2013
by Joey Coons 4 Comments

Fire: Keeping the Flame Ablaze

During this summer, I have spent some time clearing out a worship spot at my house in the back of our woods. I must say, I really enjoyed doing it. I wanted a spot that I could go and spend time with God in solitude. I gathered old down trees to use for seating, found various pieces of old furniture to place back there, and Tiki Torches to help keep away bugs. In the middle I built a good-sized fire pit for bonfires. The other evening I went out to that spot to spend some time with God. My brother was with me and we were trying to light the fire. The pit had quite a bit of wood in it so if we ever got it lit, it would be a very big and nice fire. The problem was we couldn’t get the fire lit. Granted the top pieces were a little wet, but the rest of the pile was dry, so we didn’t think it would be much of a problem. We had pieces of cardboard to help start the fire, but it didn’t work. We lit some of the dry leaves in the midst of the sticks, but it didn’t work either. We even found some straw to light to help with the process, but all it did was burn. It didn’t stay lit and the fire died quickly. So finally after much frustration, we got the gasoline. Now, I realize this is not the smartest choice nor safest, but I wanted a fire! Luckily nothing bad happened! So we light a few more pieces of cardboard and paper just enough to keep it a flame for a few minutes. Then we doused the places we didn’t have lit with some gasoline so with the fire caught it, it would light up. The finally we applied the gasoline on the flames that were going and instantly, the fire went ablaze. We experienced the thrill of getting our fire lit and the fire was glorious…for about ten minutes. But soon, that gasoline had burnt away, the wood had never really caught a flame, and the fire died out again quickly. Now I realize that there are better ways to light a fire, and if I did some other things I could have probably got that fire going. However, I’m glad I tried to light the fire the way I did because God used it to teach me something.

When the fire began to die out again, I was getting kind of irritated. Then I felt God speak to my heart saying, “I need people who will tend and stir the fire, not just light it.” I immediately knew what God was saying to me. In order to keep a fire going, you have to constantly add fire to the pile, you have to stir the fire to keep the fire going, and you have to watch it. Gasoline is a nice help, but it is only a temporary fix. It only lasts for a moment. It looks glorious and the flames are huge, but they don’t have much life. God doesn’t need followers who will be like the gasoline. Who will become very passionate and devoted to God one day, and have a devotion to Him that dies at the end of the week. He wants followers who will fan the flames. Who will keep the fire going, even if that means taking longer steps in doing so. Followers who will spend the extra time in prayer, reading of His Word, and living out the life He calls His people to.

I think you would be very hard pressed to find a church, if you asked them, would not want to see people come to know Christ. I mean, that’s just a ludicrous thought. The Church may have many different denomination and beliefs of theology, but I don’t really think there are many people in the Church who do not want to see souls saved. In fact if there are any, I really think those people need to evaluate their life and see if the are in step with the Spirit. But all too often the Church tries to witness to the world with gasoline. With big and glorious displays of various ministries, emotional appeals, etc. Those of you who serve the Lord know exactly what I’m talking about. But those things don’t last. People who come to the Lord on those terms won’t last unless that fire is cultivated. Unless their flames are stirred and wood is added to the fire. If the Church and Christians want to set this world on fire, we first have to cultivate the fire in our own hearts, then also be willing to take the time to minister properly and effectively to help keep the fire lit the hearts of others as well. Jesus told His followers that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and they will be His witnesses. The Holy Spirit gives Christians the power to witness to others about Jesus powerfully. God is the source of that fire. I pray that believers everywhere will submit to the Holy Spirit and allow God move in their hearts. I also pray that Christians all over the world will fan into flame the gifts of God and take the steps necessary to keep that flame going. When the fire rises true and proud, the world around us will catch fire too. Don’t use the gasoline. Cultivate that fire.

“Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.” ~2 Timothy 1:6

“Fire must be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not go out.” ~Leviticus 6:13

May God be with you.

-Joey

June 1, 2013
by adelineoh 2 Comments

Two More Days

An urgent plea was sent to Jesus.

Please come. We need you. Lazarus is ill.

But He stayed 2 more days where He was. By the time He arrived at Bethany, Lazarus had been dead 4 days.

Mary and Martha, distressed, heartsick, disappointed. They had sent word and had waited, believing, trusting that Jesus would help them. He had loved them and they had loved Him.

Where was He when they needed Him most? Why didn’t He heal their brother?

From the depths of our hearts we cry out to Him. Wracked with pain, broken by hurt and illness, hearts in pieces, we cry out to Him, believing and trusting that if we call unto Him, He will listen and respond to us.

But He is silent. And our situations and problems worsen.

Our hearts heavy, we believe that He has abandoned us. Forgotten us.

Martha and Mary must have felt that depth of disappointment so very long ago. They had believed Jesus would come. He would heal their brother. But nothing. He didn’t see the urgency in their need. He hung out longer in the place where He was.

He didn’t care.

And so we turn our backs on Him. We mistake His silence for uncaring and His timing for abandonment.

Never too late. Never too early. Everything He does is to glorify the Father.

And so it was that day, when He waited to go to Bethany. He waited until it was impossible humanly to do anything for Lazarus. Until all human strength and capabilities were depleted before He stepped in.

And called Lazarus to come forth.

Resurrection power. Life from death. Turning the impossible into the possible.

From the time of Adam to the present day, our God’s specialty is bringing forth life from death. He blows the breath of life into that which is lifeless and dead. But He has to wait until we cannot do anything in our own power to help ourselves. He has to wait until we can come to a point of total surrender to Him before He can breathe life into a situation that is seemingly lifeless.

We can only see with limited vision. We are limited in everything that we do. Yet, God is infinite. He is not limited in His ways or power. From the time we first cry out to Him, He hears us. Yet, there are times when He waits before He steps in to intervene on our behalf. And there are other times when He steps in right away. We don’t know why. Only that He knows what is best. He knows when to bring life to something that is dead. When the right time is to glorify the Father so that He gets all the glory and not us.

Like Martha and Mary, we don’t understand the whys and hows. We don’t understand why He needed to wait and not respond right away. We don’t understand why He lets us go through such pain and brokenness.

The truth is, sometimes we will never know why. Not until we get to heaven. But what we know is that He will always turn around what was meant for evil for good, and that He can bring life to that which seems dead. Everyone saw that Lazarus was dead, yet Jesus said that he was only sleeping. Even while we are going through difficult times, we need to look through eyes of faith, surrender completely in brokenness to Him and to believe that Jesus will make the impossible possible and that He will always bring life from death.

Even if it seems like He is taking His time, trust that He knows when is the best time to act on our behalf. He is never too late.

Stability

When The Oceans Rise

April 10, 2013
by Austin Coons Leave a comment

No Turning Back- Full Length Sermon

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday night! Hope you enjoy

-Austin

March 28, 2013
by aliciamsmith Leave a comment

Tell Me About YOU

“What happens when people open their hearts?”…

“They get better.”

― Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Woo

We are always being told the importance of becoming better listeners. Listening is of course a valuable skill that should be promoted, especially when sometimes it appears that members of our society increasingly focus on talking about themselves.

However, I recently wondered if the opposite is an issue. Is learning how to speak openly (with one specific person or several) more of a battle for some then we assume? And quite frankly, is it possible to listen TOO much?

I often have this problem. It doesn’t matter what the subject is or whom I’m talking to. Something holds me back. After some research I realized that evidently, I’m not the only one. Like me, there are many others out there searching for assistance on how to talk more freely about themselves. This not only includes sharing our innermost secrets, but even just sharing our every day happenings.

Why do we do this?

Fearing vulnerability?
Lacking trust?
Falling into the role of a therapist?
Being “too busy?”
Fearing no one is truly interested?
Fearing judgment?
Preferring to not be the center of attention?
Perhaps admitting our thoughts out loud will force a mirror in our direction?

It is true that wisdom can spring from listening. However, is it possible that being the avid “listener” can also be a crutch? I know it is for me. Don’t get me wrong, listening to others’ stories and struggles can provide perspective and distraction from our own troubles, in addition to providing the opportunity to help the ones we love. But at some point, sharing our own lives becomes just as important. It’s not selfish (I struggle with this one often). It’s not attention-seeking. It’s loving another enough to let them in.

Look at it from the other person’s perspective:

Who wants a one-sided conversation?
Who wants to feel like they are the only one being vulnerable?
Who wants to feel like they don’t “know” their own friend or family member, simply because we continually hold back?

People want to know you.

Moreover, we aren’t being fair to ourselves. There is a plethora of knowledge, experience, and wisdom waiting to be shared by those who care about us. By those who want to help us. By those that know the way.

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

Proverbs 11:14 (ESV)

Let God in.

If you fall into the habit of holding back from your friends and/or loved ones, there is a good chance you may fall into this habit with God as well. However, with Him it’s different. He truly sees us, no matter how high we’ve built our walls. He knows what we’re feeling but not saying. He knows our secrets, even if we tossed the key to our lock box. The amazing thing is, even though he already knows everything, he still wants us to talk to Him. This is because once again, that’s where the intimacy lies–in sharing.

For example, I needed to know what was in my big sister’s diary when I was little. That book was so intriguing; I swear it called my name in the middle of the night. After all, she was so cool; her stories had to be fascinating! If I would have read that diary, I just know I would have been enthralled with her daily adventures. However, this information wouldn’t have created a bond between us (just the opposite, actually). Instead, having a conversation with my sister about anything–that’s when a bond would potentially develop.

God may know the facts of our stories, but he wants the bond. And whether we realize it or not, that bond is indispensable and irreplaceable. All it takes is a balance of speaking and listening, giving and accepting.

Suggestion: Take a step in the “sharing” direction. Then take another. It will get easier and easier, and in turn, more and more fulfilling. And when it comes down to it, doesn’t it feel great to know that others want to know you more? Give the people what they want.

Twitter: AliciaMSmith7

February 19, 2013
by aliciamsmith 2 Comments

3 Ways to Improve the Next 24 Hours

“I don’t need easy, I just need possible.” ~Soul Surfer

I continue to marvel at how much life can change within the span of only twenty-four hours. It is exceptionally difficult when this change is for the worst:

A work project/position taking a nose-dive.
A friend/family member breaking your trust, heart, and in turn, your relationship.
Receiving a dreadful and surreal prognosis from a doctor.
A terrorist attack changing the safety and perspective of all U.S. citizens.

In the words of a cherished song by Switchfoot (condensed):

Twenty four failures
Twenty four tries
Twenty four finds me
In twenty-fourth place
Twenty four drop outs
At the end of the day
Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty four hours ago

Even this very week, I am reminded of how in a moment’s notice, life can knock me to my knees, floundering for meaning and direction. But, is it really that shocking how life/the world can change in only twenty-four hours? I quickly reminded myself of the development that took place in only six days:

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:11 (ESV)

This verse has sparked debates as to whether or not the word “days” represents exactly a twenty-four hour period. However, these deliberations do not diminish the weight or content of my message: anything is possible in an amount of time, with God in our corner.

Be a Come-Back Kid

In a world that is constantly in flux, it’s comforting to know that one thing will never change: God’s and your power to change your circumstances. Maybe it can be done within the next twenty-four hours. Maybe your progress will require a substantial amount of time and perseverance. Either way, it’s possible … and that’s all you need.

Positive experiences can also occur within 24 hours (or more), altering your impending future:

Recognition of excellence from your employer, especially in the midst of struggle.
Reassurance of the goodness in others, through an unexpected, helping hand.
A new treatment, a renowned doctor appointed to your care, or a turnaround in your health, given your tireless attention to condition improvement.
A country coming together in solidarity, refusing to fall in the face of fear, rising to become impervious to intimidation.

We may not have had adequate control over our twenty-four hour nose-dive, but we can have empowering control over our come-back.

Now, for the rest of Switchfoot’s lyrics:

24 (continued)

I want to see miracles, see the world change
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
I’m singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
I’m not copping out. Not copping out. Not copping out.

Take Control over the Next 24 Hours

Be aware of your mindset: There’s nothing wrong with letting yourself feel the pain of a recent reality; just be careful not to let those feelings of pain, anger, or fear control you. You control how a situation affects your actions. Purpose and a positive outcome can follow any negative circumstance.
Pray: Pray for strength. Pray for guidance. Pray for the will to forgive. Pray to resist turning your back on trust. Pray for peace.
Strive for change: Wake up each day reminding yourself that you have been blessed with another twenty-four hours to amend what took place during the days before. God provides a clean slate today. What are you going to fill it with?

God will approach us someday and ask what we decided to do in these moments (and why). What will we tell him?

Nope. Copping out isn’t an option.

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. ” Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

Twitter: @AliciaMSmith7

February 19, 2013
by Austin Coons Leave a comment

First Sermon: Prayer is Essential

Reblogged from austincoons:

First Sermon! It was a little shorter than I wanted but I went for about 20 minutes :)

God Bless!

This is the audio of my first sermon. I preached this last summer. Since then, I have preached one more sermon. I pray the Lord gives me another message soon!

Let me know what you think!

God bless!

-Austin

January 22, 2013
by aliciamsmith 4 Comments

What is Wrong with People Sometimes?

“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”

~ T.H. Thompson

The roads were packed … and I do mean packed. Everyone was in a mad rush to reach their destination, seeming to pull each of us like a magnet. I wasn’t even on the expressway yet, and sadly, the flow surrounding the two lights before the on-ramp was moving at glacial speed. Really? It’s going to take me three lights to make it through this intersection!? I just couldn’t wrap my head around what was taking so long. Regardless, I tried to remind myself that an extra fifteen minutes wasn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Chill out, Alicia.

Not only were we not moving, but neither were the people waiting to vacate the gas station just before the first light. Poor chaps had been waiting forever; so despite my tardiness and the fact that I’d probably have to sit through yet another light, I waved in the young guy eagerly waiting to join the rush leading absolutely nowhere.

And there it was–or wasn’t, rather. Nothing. No hand wave indicating a thank you. No head nod of appreciation. Sheesh. What is wrong with people sometimes? Can’t a girl get a thank you? Clearly my need to relax was in full affect.

* * *

I’m not proud to admit it, but on occasion, the bad attitude described above has taken over. Does this situation sound familiar? Or perhaps you can recall a time when you were juuust about to pull into that parking space you’d been waiting five minutes for when a little compact car swooped in at the last second to steal it?

It can be so easy to unintentionally leave our patience, empathy, consideration, or appreciation at home. Later, I kick myself, knowing that the words in the quote above are 100 percent true. Whether each of us knows it or not, we are all fighting a battle: with a friend, with a loved one, with our health … even with ourselves.

We are all going through something. Sometimes, we play a large role in moving life’s chess pieces. Yet, sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. We become confused. We become frustrated. We become bitter. We have trouble seeing past what we’re dealing with at any given moment. And yes, we may forget to send up a hand-wave toward a stranger who was kind. We may lose our tempers a little more quickly. We may make hurtful comments that we truly didn’t mean. It could happen to anyone, and in fact, it probably has happened to everyone.

Let’s not add to the fray in each other’s lives. In moments comparable to my traffic-jam predicament, it’s not about us. It wasn’t about me and my need to get to work. It was about the lesson: the lesson to recognize a small splinter from a possible 2X4. I may have endured the itty bitty splinter, but that young man may have been carrying a 2X4.

Undeserved Mercy

Mr. Himmler was our Old Testament teacher in high school. He had served our school for many years, not only teaching the students of my year, but three of my sister years before me. He was a wonderful teacher–a joy to be around.

During one of Mr. Himmler’s many classes, one of my sisters accidently fell asleep. Most teachers would be annoyed, inevitably deciding to jar the student from their slumber, only to issue a punishment, served with a side of embarrassment. Not Mr. Himmler. He let her sleep, stating to the other students, “She must really need the extra rest today.”

Wow.

Whether or not my sister was carrying the weight of a 2X4 on her shoulders that day wasn’t the question. However, it was the assumption. Mr. Himmler bestowed undeserved, merciful consideration and kindness. It was a lot like God does for us, each and every day.

The next time we run into one of those moments where someone has wronged us in some minuscule way, lets chose to act mercifully, whether it’s deserved or not. We have never deserved Christ’s mercy; do we really then have the right to determine if someone else deserves ours?

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV)

Challenge Yourself: The next time an instinctive complaint comes to mind after an unpleasant encounter, try and replace it with a moment of consideration. It won’t be easy, but it will be rewarding.

Twitter: AliciaMSmith7

January 8, 2013
by aliciamsmith 3 Comments

Are We Losing Focus?

“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed.

If you look to God, you’ll be at rest.” ~Corrie Ten Boom

Sadly, the Christmas celebration came to a predictable end and I was once again forced to begin the drive back to Tennessee from my hometown in Michigan. This year, this also meant trudging through inches of snow lying on the Michigan and (northern) Ohio pavement. Ugh. Let the fun begin…

I decided to make a stop at a McDonald’s in Ohio–not only to maintain my caffeine intake, but also to give my dog, Bagel, a much needed visit outdoors. The interior of this McDonald’s was quite a surprise It had a beautiful stone fireplace, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and a large decorative clock mounted on the back wall. When I was a kid, a McDonald’s was considered fancy-shmancy if it had a ball pit or Ronald McDonald statue to shake hands with in the foyer. Now however, fast-food restaurants have apparently become a luxurious place to put our feet up, warm ourselves by the fire, and at the sound of the gong on a grand ole clock, make our way to the next looming appointment in our sometimes grueling days.

We have come a long way as a society. Perhaps the progression of a fast-food restaurant’s aesthetic design isn’t the best example of this, but it does however paint a picture.

* * *

Each year, I see our American culture becoming busier, more advanced, and surprisingly maintaining an increasing “need” for acquiring more “things.” We have more toys, gadgets and fantastically tantalizing thingamabobs then we’ve ever had before. Practically everything seems to exist in a digital format, presented with the help of multiple digital devices that constantly remain in the race for which is the smallest, fastest, and containing the most storage space. As a result, information is more readily available, efficiency is improved, and yet…why is it that we still seem to maintain, and even amplify those busy schedules? Perhaps one reason is to continue paying for those gadgets that are supposed to make our lives so much easier??

Regardless of the reason, it’s happening. Our pace is in over-drive. Our distractions are rolling in with unstoppable force. And where does that seem to leave us? Most likely, this type of lifestyle does and will only continue to steal our time and focus from God, our provider of wisdom and rest.

We lose focus. We struggle. We’re surrounded by harsh realities on the evening news and we fear what our children and grandchildren will see on their televisions when the time comes. When does it end, and what can we do to stop it? I hate to admit this, but as long as each of us has a pulse here on earth, it won’t end. Devastating news reports will continue to roll in and technology will continue to steal our attention.

We may not have control over everything that happens in this world (we were never meant to), but we do have control over our focus. God hasn’t gone anywhere. He is our sturdy, picturesque oak tree maintaining the strength in His limbs for our protection. However, the further we stray from His shade, the more susceptible we are to distractions and self-destruction. Now more than ever, it is necessary to remain close to His branches, despite the rough weather in our midst.

Moreover, no matter what state our world is in, or where our personal footing lies, we must never forget the image we were created in and our purpose to shine for Him. Today, here and now, we’re not finished yet. There’s still time. There’s still hope. Dwelling on shortcomings won’t bring us or our nation any closer to God; it’s only one more distraction in our world of “things.”

Lets keep our focus where it should be, on His guiding Words, and His withstanding branches. If we focus too much on the distress, we may miss the beauty.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Provoking Thought: Have you recently been swept away by the world’s distractions? There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a smartphone, iPad, or eReader. (God knows I do!) However, perhaps consider loading a Bible app to one of these devices during your next use. A little reading goes a long way.

**Do you have any suggestions to share on how you maintain focus? We’d love to hear!

Twitter: @AliciaMSmith7

December 30, 2012
by Terra 5 Comments

Optimism vs Pessimism : With God, All Things Are Possible

And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27 KJV)

While I physically feel like it will take me forever to type out this post, I am adamant to get it done. Whenever I am facing a hardship ( usually ) and I feel that tugging on my heart and conscience to carry out something for The Lord, I tend to think about the scroll story Jeremiah and Baruch had to dictate and write in the book of Jeremiah chapter 36. The fact that he had to rewrite by hand a message from The Lord after the first one was burned up took great effort mentally and physically. Obedience plays a major factor. Its repercussions can result in good or bad reaping and sowing on the life of others as well as yourself. In today’s day and age we have computers and touch screens as well as voice recognition to help us dictate our writings. So though my hands are throbbing like crazy, I have no excuse as to why I cannot go forward.

On to the message.

For some days now, the topic dealing with being optimistic vs pessimistic has been heavily on my mind. I have had a full plate mentally as I have had to make choices as sorrow and tears have come over me. The enemy surely will ride your back when it comes to having to do what’s right, speak what’s right and do what’s right. Doubt kicks in and attempts to take over.

What a conniving liar he is. Spiritual battles are not easy but rest assured they are easier to get through when we wait patiently on The Lord and lean not to our own understanding and thoughts of how we feel things should go. The process may seem long and full of sorrow and suffering but I am here to tell you that the storm shall soon pass. Just hold on!

Like a maze that knowingly puts you at multiple dead ends, it’s easy to give up and call it quits. All you see is NO WAY OUT. You will think and speak negatively.

Do you realize that you are speaking this into the atmosphere?

On the other hand, allowing yourself to stop and think with an open and clear mind, possibilities are endless. Especially when you seek help from God. There’s no way you will be stuck forever if you rely on Him for help.

If we trust God, then why not look UP and believe that He will make a way out of what may seem to be no way.

Speaking truth and promises of The Lord into the atmosphere is what we should be doing no matter how long it takes. This is when our faith needs to be kicking down doubt and standing fast to what we believe.

Obstacles come and go. Some hurdles may be higher than others but allow perseverance to keep you moving especially when you know that God is able to do exceedingly more than what we imagine He can.

I grew up around people with negative attitudes. It felt like it was 24/7. At a young age, I seen that having that type of mindset was not how I wanted to live. Yes, television can give you false hope and perception of having a perfect life and all as a kid , but I must say that I had this inner burning desire to come up out of the mental pit that tried to consume me.

Always staring out of the window or dreaming of how I wanted my life to be gave me hope even before I gave my life to The Lord. I use to talk to God at night or when I was alone asking and begging Him to help me. I felt lost, alone and hopeless at times yet I found myself picking myself up and finding reasons to smile because I just knew that one day…. ONE DAY my prayers were going to be answered!

Despite the influence that was around me, despite what looked like “it’s never going to happen” I chose to believe in the unseen.

Like so much of the horrible things that this life seems to bring, I can always keep an optimistic attitude that one day there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more tears and no more hatred because God said so.

I believe in Him and I believe what He says! He’s not a liar and He can not go back on His word.

So while I may still ask myself time to time why do I smile so much or why do I choose to have an optimistic attitude about life even when my natural eye sees the worse, its because God placed this attribute; this characteristic way of thinking inside of me for a reason even before I ever came to know Him better than I have so many years ago. I’m still a work in progress but my hope for myself and for you will not stop because I’m a believer!

God has blessed me and favored me many times over. He has seen past my faults and negative thinking and saw the best in me. He knows my potential and what I am capable of doing. He knows this for you too!

So why not decide today to take a leap of faith and a mindset to start thinking positively for yourself and for the future? What do you have to lose?!!

Troubles of this world will not end until God brings it all to a halt. Why wait to have optimism later on when you can have it today. God’s word ( Holy Bible) is full of promises and instructions. It’s full of hope for the poor, the weak, the broken hearted, the ailing, the widow, the hopeless and weary in soul. We have been given direction and a peace of mind we can take hold on to. He gave us Jesus Christ, He has given us a Comforter. The Holy Spirit.

Dear Reader, I encourage you to not grow faint and weary. Do not give up. God will show up right on time. His timing is better than any. Patience will take you a long way. The growing process and the knowledge it brings can only bring forth great gain for it can help someone else down the road. God can turn trials to triumphs, losses to victories, tears of sorrow to tears of joy, mourning to rejoicing and negative thinking to positive ones if we take hope and cling to it in Him.

Voluntarily place yourself on the Potter’s Wheel and ask to be made over, refined and made whole with a better sense of thinking, understanding and patience as you count it all joy for His glory and the betterment of yourself as His child and as a living example to the many blessings and miracles that He has done in your life when the world sees no hope.

Hope. Trust. Believe. ❤

O Lord , you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord , you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain! Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord ? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalms 139:1-24 ESV)

December 27, 2012
by Joey Coons 4 Comments

The Blood of Jesus Christ

I started reading a book by Watchman Nee called Normal Christian Life. So far I have only read the first chapter, but within that first chapter something really stuck out to me. He said “a clear conscience is never based upon our attainment; it can only be based on the work of the Lord Jesus in the shedding of His Blood”. The entire first chapter is about the Blood of Jesus Christ and how it applies to the life of a Christian. I thought that the chapter laid out beautifully what the Blood of Christ truly means to us as followers of Christ.

The chapter starts first by pointing out that the Blood of Jesus really isn’t so much for us, as it is for God. Now at first reading you may say, “Hold on a minute, the Blood of Christ is what saves me!” Yes that is very true and Nee is not dismissing that very important truth. What he means is that the only way God pardons our sin is if He sees the Blood of Jesus paying for the debt of our sin. Think about the Israelites when God commanded them to eat the Passover lamb inside the house, but spread the blood of the lamb on the doorposts. Then, when God passed over Egypt on the Passover night, God would see the blood and pardon the household. This is the same with us and the Blood of Christ. When God sees the Blood of Christ applied to our hearts, He can forgive and pardon our sin because of the great sacrifice of Jesus. So consequently, the amount we value Christ’s Blood is directly linked to the value that God values the Blood.

After realizing the value of the Blood, it is crucial that we base our life around that. Without the Blood of Christ, we can not go into the Presence of God without fear and shame. On the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament, the high priest alone was to go into the Most Holy Place to offer the sin offering to God. As it is with Christ. He is our High Priest who applies His blood to our sin to make retribution before God. When we allow this to become true in our everyday life, then it shapes our entire relationship with God. Some days I can feel really connected with God. I read my Bible and get a lot out of my reading. I feel like really connect with God in prayer and hear from Him. I am able to reflect the love of Christ well. I feel like I’m serving God well. Other days, it can be just the opposite. I don’t feel the same connection during my Bible reading or prayer time. I don’t reflect Christ’s love well. I may be mean or nasty. But listen to this: our standing before God is not based on our works, our merits, how we feel, or anything we can furnish. It is by the Blood of Jesus that we are able to be seen as forgiven by God!Do not allow the way you feel ditate how you think your relationship with God is based. It is only by the Blood of Jesus that we have relationship with God!

It is very easy as Christians to allow ourselves to get beat up when we fall short of the glory of God. We believe the lie that we have to earn our way into God’s love or we have to preform for God to be accepted. But praise be to God that it’s not about what I can do, it’s about what I can’t do. Only Jesus can bring me back into restored relationship with Jesus. When we try to base our status with God on anything other than the sacrificial Blood of Jesus, we play right into Satan’s schemes. The Bible calls Satan the Accuser. His tricks aren’t new. He has used the same tricks all through history; lying and accusing. He will try to accuse us of our sin before God and lie to us saying that we are failures and can’t be forgiven. By ourselves, we are failures and we can’t be forgiven. We can’t save ourselves. But by the Blood of Jesus I am redeemed and by His grace I can be pardoned of all my sin!

I pray that as you read this blog, you will ponder in your own heart whether or not you are applying the Blood of Jesus to your life. Does it really impact your everyday life, or is it more than a passing thought. I encourage as the Lord to reveal more of Himself to you, and share His value of His Son’s Blood with you. As always, I pray this blog encourages you or helps you! Blessings!

Joey