What Was The Price? #Easter

Hello everyone!

    I am so excited to be writing to you. I hope you all are excited about Easter as much as I am! The time when our Lord and Savior took on all of our sins, died for them and then rose! I hope your minds are more on this than getting in those foods that you put aside for lent.
    I really wanted to take a different approach to reminding people about what Easter means. We always talk about what Jesus went through " He was betrayed, he was captured, beaten he was spat on, he was starved he was hung, he was pierced, he was buried….."all of that and in between. But we don't really thing about what all that means.  So from here I want to dive right in.
( I had to break up the video into parts because I couldn't get the 2nd one to download into my iMovie, it may take some time to get through this but if you can spare about  45- 50 minutes I think this will really open up your mind).

    Now this next part is a video of the scientific part of what Jesus would have endured. Because we live in a world where science is what we need to find our proof, I leave you with no excuses! I posted two videos both of these talk about the medical side. It does't matter which you watch. I like video 1 because this doctor was able to express himself more. The second video is more of just the facts.

 

Just some questions for you to think about ( would love to hear your feedback to!)
1. How did watching these videos make you feel?
2. How did it change the way you think about Jesus redemption?
3. Did this encourage you to appreciate your life more?
4. What had the biggest pull on your heart and why?

    This really took me to a whole different place. I have even more of an appreciation for what Jesus did for a sinner like me. Not only did he just do it but he did it knowing that there was a chance that I wouldn't even believe in him…..It's simply amazing. On twitter I saw a pastor put it like this " Jesus didn't die FOR me…..He died AS me!" I would add. He died as me to give me His Identity! Just like the 1st video mentioned… It hits me hard to know that in all honesty I wouldn't have gone through what Jesus went through if I knew that it wouldn't have been accepted. Thank God I am not Jesus!

People Like Me

 ^"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 peter 5:10 NASB

Things may not seem to be going your way. It might feel like God has abandoned you. You might feel lost and lonely but just know that: '...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.' Romans 8:28 You might not see the fruits of your labor now, or you may think that you have messed up so much and that you are so far away from God but can I tell you that  " He[God] has said to me [you], “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will [ you should] rather boast ^[a]about my [your] weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me [YOU]* 2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB.

I am probably going to include songs from now on into my blogs. This song was sent to me by a friend and it was definitely something that i needed to hear. We have to be vaulnerable with God. That's what He wants from us. It is so much safer to be vulnerable with our ABBA father. He wants to love you and to take all of your heavy burdens and situations and have you rest in his eternal peace. "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake." psalms 23:2,3 NASB

Wont you? Won't you let yourself be vulnerable with the creater of this universe the ONLY one who can  "perfect, confirm, strenghthen and establish (or re-establish)" you! Won't you do it?


* I added in words to make the scipture personal. Not meant to change the scripture in anyway.

Set Your Mind

 "Set your minds on things above and not on earthly things" Colossians 3:2

It is so easy to get distracted in today's world. We often forget that we are only here for a period of time. We spend our days worrying about the worlds affairs not remembering that this place is going to be destroyed one day ( one day soon might I add). I am not saying completely detach yourself from this very temporary place but what I am saying is that Your life could be one million times better if we operated with the goal in mind. The goal of living a God led life to one day be in paradise with our King, our abba Father! He has bigger and better plans for us then for us to be trying to track down what the hottest and latest trends are, what race is better, what car is better, how to get "so and so" to like me.

God wants you to be kingdom minded everything else will come after." But seek ye first the kingdomw of God and it's rightousness and these things shall be added unto you" Matt 6:33 ( I live by this verse!) If we go back and let God be our first love then who knows you better than someone who loves and adores you, and let me say GOD ABSOLUTELY ADORES YOU! He adores you so much that ever since the fall of man he has worked diligently to restore his relationship with you by sacrificing his ONLY son! Now THAT is adoration! Don't waste your time on things that don't matter here.

What is setting your mind on things above?
Loving God, Loving people, Living in excellence( loving your self and what you are doing for God so much that it reflects its self as excellence)

Each of these leads God's lost Children back to God ( which is the goal ultimately)

"Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.
^18-20 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” Matt 28:16-20 MSG

Keep Pressing

" Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, For whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. FOr that one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will From the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith" Galatians 6:7-10

As we progress through life we have a way getting tired and weary. We take on the worlds problems while still trying to serve God. We pour out all of ourself and then get tired waiting for the results to come in. I just want to say Not to give up. Don't get weary. God never misses a delivery date. He always delivers what He promises you just stay faithful. Stay encouraged. Take time to invest some good things into your spirit today. Read the Word (at least a scripture), meditate on that scripture through out the day. Spend some quiet time with God and let him speak to your heart about the day. Really really invest into your spirit life! That is what gives you the power to keep pressing forward.

Take some time to invest the good you have received into others. You never know who is waiting for you to tell them what you have invested. Even if they do not return it to you, you will still reap from God time invested into you. Especially take the time to invest in our brother and sister believers. If we build them up then we can affect the world with a greater impact. They need encouragement just like you do! In turn that same thing will then be reaped back to you. Don't give up on good things, push through these last few months of school, push through these few hard times. You will come out better on the other side. When you feel like you aren't getting anywhere just remember that any step forward no matter how big or how small is still a step of progress! God is with you and he is carrying you. Let Him lead you and guide you and you WILL reap the reward that you have been waiting and hoping for!

 If you see someone today that seems to be struggling see what you can do to help them. Don't worry about if they will return the favor just help them from the goodness of your heart! See if your day doesn't turn around after that!

Dear Single,

Dear single,

This I pray that you hear my heart. I want you to realize that you have a wonderful opportunity right now. It's so easy to sit in our singleness and be depressed wondering when our significant other will come. We miss out so much on what we can do worrying about what we want or feel like we need as far as a mate. Yet as a single with no kids,100% free, we are free to do anything we want. It's easy to take that "anything we want" and turn it into bad like sleeping around,ruining people by going in and out of purposeless relationships, hurting yourself by putting yourself through purposelss relationships. That is a total waste of your time. Your only hurting your self at that point. No one really talks about what you can REALLY do as a single. So here are some things:

1.Travel
What is that one place that you want to go. Is it the beach or a land far away. Is your calling missions? Maybe it is Italy for a week or Austrailia for a year. As a single you have the freedom to do so pretty much at the cheapest cost ever! You can plan for you and you only. You don't have to worry about "well is my spouse going to want to go there and will they be able to stay as long as I would like (cause remember that they have a job as well)" With out kids you don't have to worry about accomedations for them. You can just enjoy your life with no strings holding on to you. One day you will want to plan for that but now isn't the time. Run with your singleness and your freedom.

2. Friendships
As a single you can go out with your friends and not have to worry about checking in with anyone you can enjoy spur of the moment trips with friends. You still have the accountablity that comes from life giving friendships which is good and you should check in with people still but it isn't required. hopefully you wouldn't be doing anything that would offend God like the "no strings attached" friendships ( and you know what I mean by that) that is not a freedom..that is a sin. Learn to hold your integrity and your purity. Hold your friends accountible and let them hold you accountible. You still have the freedom here to stay out as late as you would like with them and go wherever you would like.

3. God's work
Probably the most important part of this whole ordeal is the fact that God can use you anyway he would like to. If it's his will he can move you across the country, He can guide you better. He can have you stay places longer. He can use you in a big way. Things that a married person would not be able to do. The ministrt that God has called you to do as a single may not be the same thing he has called your spouse to do. At the point of being married your ministry starts with your spouse. It is no longer what you can do to build God's kingdom through the task he has designed specifically for you but to that of building his kingdom with your significant other.

The moral of the story is:
"I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord." 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

This is something that was just recently brought back to my attention. My loving parent's used to tell me this all the time and it was something that I did cling to but after awhile being at college my mindset changed and my focus was gone as far as singleness. All I saw was that my friends are all getting married and starting families and I was so hurt about it. Then God reminded me what my parents had taught me about the freedoms that I have as a single. My idea now is to run with that! I don't know how much more time God will bless me to have these freedoms but I realized that I was letting all these things go by worrying about a future only He knows about. My advice to you as someone going through the same things is to enjoy this time that you have! Whoever God has for you will come when God sees fit. Let God do the work you just focus on Him. Before you know it.. You wont be single anymore. That comes with its own benefits definitely but remember being married isn't the only stage in your life that has benefits! Be free in your singleness and work hard for God. You will be rewarded  for it in the end. It may not be marriage but you can bet it will be something greater than you ever imagined, because we definintely serve a GREAT God!

Stay prayerful,
Chelsee