Hey everyone!! I hope you've had a GREAT week!!!!
Were you able to look at yourself? Where are you stuck? Relationships? Studying? Wanting to do good but not being able to? Frustrated with life? Tired? Torn between something?? LOTS of places you can get stuck!!
So, we kind of have established that 'stuckness' can be an issue for all of us!! If you were thinking of being stuck in a spiritual area (reading your Bible, praying, etc) that stuckness can make you feel like a failure. anyone been there with me? That will probably lead to feeling very hopeless, and feelings opposite of joy, confidence or contentment!! Do you think this is what Jesus meant by "abundant life" in John 10:10? Do you think Jesus really came so we could live each day with feelings of failure?? Hmmm......
God does not want us to remain stuck!! He wants us to move along and GROW!! In any human relationship, if there are bumps in the road, most of the time you get over it and move on. That is what GOd wants us to do!! God talked to Isaiah about a fresh start. Is. 43:19 says, "I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! DO you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland!" WOW... what a promise!! Do you think God still is doing something NEW? Do you want something new?? I just wonder if any of the areas in which you are stuck could use a new-ness to them? I know mine could!!
But how?? Do you find yourself in the place where you ask that question? "How do I get unstuck?" Some of the answers you may come up with may sound something like this: Read my Bible; Pray more; go to church more; etc. Have you been through this process? How did it work for you? Did you read your Bible more? Pray more? Did it stick? Did you change the things you wanted to? What NEW came from that? The fact is.... we CAN change, and we are FREE to change, but not by our own very limited power! Real lasting change comes from God's unlimited power!!
God created you just like He wanted you! Do you think it is a surprise to Him that you become stuck? Do you think He looks at you and thinks, "Aw, dang!! What was I thinking when I made _____?" Um. NNNOOOO. That is NOT what He thinks!! God is in the transformation business!! YOU do not have to come to Him all clean and 'changed'.... that is HIS job!!! Does this take some pressure off? Does it make you feel better?
So... Here is the deal:
~We all get stuck! (Adults especially are good at being stuck!! We've had lots of practice and tend just to stay stuck at times.)
~God knows you're gonna be stuck!
~You are allowed to be less than perfect!! God does NOT expect perfection!!!!! He expects you to lean on Him and trust Him to transform you!
~You can have a fresh start more than once!
~God wants to transform you, he does NOT want you to transform yourself!! He has NEVER wanted you to transform yourself!
What now? What does this mean?
I want you to smoke on this verse: 2 Corinthians 7:1
"Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
At first glance, you might think this means to quit doing everything fun and put on your sad, Christian face. NOT AT ALL....
It simply means, if something is getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus, get rid of it, and do it because you love God. (Easier said than done, I know.)
I want you to make a list of the 'everything' in your life, those areas that contaminate your character and rob you of your character..... Spend some time thinking about it... be honest with yourself. That is hard stuff... I know. This, my friends, will be the first step in allowing God to transform you... if that is what you want!!
We will pick up next week with this same verse. Really... read it... smoke on it.... think about what contaminates you have in your life right now...... I"m not asking you to DO anything about them... just recognize them!!
If you are having trouble with that, ask God to show you what they are!!! He will, you just have to allow Him to.
I hope you have a GREAT week!! The weather is supposed to be feeling a little more like Fall this week. I hope that will prove to to be true. Please pray for Judgement House. It is only a few short weeks away!!! God is already doing some pretty cool things... and Satan is trying to get his say so in, too.
Love you people... more than you'll ever know....
Let me hear from you!!!!!
Krista
so the whole new thing!! most def so weird to be at school away from such like minded people like our youth group!!! u dont miss something until uve truely lost it has been runnin through my mind. i no that i havent lost our youth group but to not have those people to surround myself with makes it hard. it makes me think about mr. miller always talkin about gettin out of our comfort zone in our spiritual walk and talkin about how we will be outcast in life has really hit me these past two weeks here at school. i never thought that people wouldnt wanna hang out with me because i dont drink and i like to praise the Lord. it makes it hard to see Gods plan for my life but i do no that he will use this experience to strengthen my relationship with him. and only my parents and a ver few people no this but as of now i feel like God wants me to be a youth pastor. please pray for guidance and that Gods word and plan will be loud and clear and that i will have an open heart to receive it no matter what it is! i love u guys and i havent quite figured out the comment as thingy
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