Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
MY SOUL ~
Needs worship, scriptures and community
Yesterday at church, September 16th, Pastor Eric spoke on letting God use your life to be the provision in someone's life. It opened my mind up to thinking less about self and more about others. God calls us to bring people from the corrupt kingdom of this world back to him. I hope you take some time and listen to his message online at Hillside Christian Church in Napa website titled "God's Provision Is You".
IT IS UP TO ME ~
Someone is waiting on me to do what God has called me to do.
Someone is waiting on you to do what God has called you to do.
Life is about change and about purpose. One day, we will all stand before the Lord and what will you say? Will you point fingers at someone else or will take up your own cross to follow God? I have chosen to live my life for God and it's sometimes hard. I see things I wish I had never seen and I must change my own attitude into one like Jesus would have, while he walked this earth. I know I have made my own mistakes and someone prayed for me. I am who I am today because for of the past and the present. I choose to let go of somethings of life and I want to be able to stand before the Lord with a positive account.
STOP THE MADNESS ~
Today is another chance to allow God to use our lives
1 John 1:9 New International Version (NIV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
After giving my heart my God, I long to know more daily. I surrendered my will to his will many years ago. I continue to become a better person daily. I hope you do too.
Psalm 42:1 (NIV)
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God
My life has become an example to many. I have been real and taught through many broken times of life. I have heard people say this to me, "if you have gone through it, then I can". Then the question might be asked, "how do I have faith like you". I don't think we should compare our lives at all. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. That is found in Romans 10:17.
I heard of miracles and I began to believe big. I know that we can either see the glass half full or half empty. Each of us deal with things different. My choice in life is to trust Jesus with all my heart and know he is able. I say this a lot but it has taken me through some terrible heart breaks of life. A person who never leaves or forsakes me, the bible says is Jesus. Jesus can be a true friend and sticks closer than a brother the bible says. ~ Proverbs 18:24
Life moves on and we continue to learn. We can grow from our own choices and make our lives better each day. I have found as I get older, my thoughts are more stayed on Jesus than ever. I have people who call me or text me for prayer. Someone pointed out this weekend that I am a prayer warrior. It made me stop in my tracks and know that I do pray, I care and I do stop what I am doing to pray. I believe in prayer and it's a direct line to God. I have surrender my own thoughts, ways and actions to his way. Although, I am human and I do make mistakes. Others see us different than we might see ourselves at times. I think it is nice to point out the positive of someone and not the negative. I will take on that prayer warrior title because I know I am that today.
My thoughts and prayers continue to be with each person who reads my blog, your family and friends.
~ Sparkie