Breaking bad habits and developing good habits

We can make good habits and we can make bad habits. It takes time and perseverance to break bad habits and to develop good habits. I think bad habits could be classified as addictions, it has become something you can't live without doing. Habits can be anything you do constantly and on a regular basis, you can't not do it. For example, I braid my hair every night before going to bed, it has become a habit and I don't think I could ever sleep without it braided. I did it so regularly that it became part of my daily routine. I need to do the same thing with reading my Bible and make that a regular habit. I am sure we can all point out habits we have developed over the years, whether they are good or bad. We need to strive to get rid of the bad habits and develop more good habits. I know I struggle with watching too much TV, I know it has become a habit for me to watch something before going to bed. I know that I have to change that habit. I also know that it is possible for me to break a bad habit. When I was younger I would bit my finger nails, I considered that a bad habit and got myself to stop. I know I can do the same with my TV watching, I just need to work at it. I pray that God would help me see and break the bad habits in my life and that He would help me make Bible reading a habit. I need more of the good and less of the bad! And with God to help me, I know its possible!

putting feelings into words

Sometimes it is so hard to put feelings into words, right now is one of those times. I want others to appreciate me. I want people to take my help, I want to be able to help them by what I have or by what I can do for them. But sometimes it seems like no one needs me or appreciates me. Sometimes I feel as if everyone around me was taking me for granted. I am just me, I am not really special. Sometimes my desire to help people stems from my desire to be liked by people, which isn't the best reason to help. Have you ever been in that place where you feel as if everyone is taking you for granted and no one really cares what is going on inside you? Not caring what feelings you are hiding deep down? Like I said, its hard to put into words.

But if you ever do feel like this remember 1 Peter 5:7, "casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you." Remember that God will always care for you! He will never take you for granted because you are his special creation! He created you to be who you are and He has a special plan for you! So when you start to feel as if no one cares, remember that He cares! He cared enough the die for you! So I think its safe to say that He cares about every little part of you! It is amazing and comforting to know that He cares that much about me!

Learning from others through Bible studies

It is always good to learn from others and to grow through others testimonies. And it is always good to study the Bible together. Today I watched this live bible study and it helped me start my day off on the right track! It was live on Wednesday night, and then recorded so you can watch it at any time.The Bible study is on James 1. It taught me some things and reminded me of some things. First, be doers of the word and not just hearers. We have to act out what we believe for those around us. Second, we have to watch what we say and we can't be quick to get angry.

I am putting the link to the Bible study here and would encourage you to watch it! Also, you can look up Alan Powell on facebook for his latest live Bible Studies, he is on facebook as Alan Powell of Anthem Lights. 

Grave your Bibles and click on the link,
http://www.livestream.com/anthemlights/video?clipId=pla_2616bb25-b085-484c-b419-56f4e0b3feb8

My "love language"

My sister is always asking me what my love language is and telling me that I should read the book about the “five love languages” to find out what mine is. And I think I finally figured mine out last night. I don’t even know if this is a love language or if I am the only one on this earth with this kind of love language, and to be honest, it seems like of silly. My “love language” is people interested in what I am interested in, people wanting to like what I like, people making an effort to understand what I enjoy so that they can enjoy it with me. I call my love language “common interest.” 

I have lately been feeling that no one understands what I am interested in and no one desires to understand so that they can enjoy what I enjoy with me. I have been feeling that no one has the same interests or likes and dislikes as I do. It made me feel alone, as if no one understood me. I just want someone to share in what I love and enjoy and no one seems to do that. 

Two thoughts came out of this. First we need to be looking out for each other’s love language (I think this means I am going to have to pick up that book soon!), try to understand those around you and figure out how you can show them just how much you care and love them. Also, I may feel like no one understand me or shares a common interest with me, but God always understands me and will always know what makes me happy! Even if the world seems nothing like you, God is the One who created you and He made you special. He understands when no one else does! And He places people in our lives who learn to understand us, even if we can’t see them yet! 

I don’t know if I have this “love language” thing figured out, but that is what I think about the whole “thing”! And I am going to try and understand it more, which means reading the book!

He will never leave you

Someone close to me just recently went through a really hard time in their life. This someone was betrayed by a friend and felt like they had hurt another friend. I love this person and want to always be there for them, but we live far away and driving over to give them a hug isn't exactly possible. It was hard for me to know that they were going through such a tough time and knowing I couldn't be there beside them. But then I lifted them up to God in prayer and asked that He would be with them. I knew that I wasn't able to wrap my arms around them in a caring hug, but I knew that God would. That is one of the greatest things about God! He is always there beside us, He will never leave us, He will never forsake us! When we call out to Him on behalf of someone, He hears our cry and stays by their side. Hebrews 13:5b - 6 says, "For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear, What can man do to me?" Also, Jesus' last words to His disciples was, "...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” He is with us, and He is with those we love! One of my favorite verses is 1 Peter 5:7 which says, "Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you." This gives me a picture of two people walking alongside each other, one person offering to take the heavy load and the other handing it over to them. For me it is a picture of God walking alongside me, caring for me and wanting me to place my heavy burden on Him! So when we are in need of comfort or help, turn to God because He is right there beside you. And when you know someone in need of comfort or help, have them turn to God and ask that God would be with that person! He cares for us and will never leave us! Praise His name!

Reading

I have been reading a book called Weird by Craig Groeschel and highly recommend it for all to read! As Christians we need to stand out and be weird, because, as he says in his book, "normal isn't working." Our world accepts the norm, we should stand out. Stop settling for the way the world does things and start standing out and living differently. 
There are three other very good books that I enjoyed and recommend about living our life as a God would want us to live! The Bible needs to be the center and main focus of our reading, but God has given us Christian books like these to help us grow stronger in our faith. Through these books we can learn from others mistakes and from others ideas and insights. 
The other three books are:
The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel
not a fan by Kyle Idleman
Radical by David Platt
Add them to your summer reading list! They are worth reading!

The message of the cross

The message of the cross, what does it mean to you? 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." When unbelievers look at the symbol of the cross they see foolishness, it doesn't mean anything to them. But to those of us who believe, we can look at the cross and see the power of God, His love toward us and His way of salvation for us. To us the cross is much more than just a symbol, it is a picture of God's grace and mercy, His love, and His forgiveness. When we look at the cross we see Christ's death and resurrection, and we know that because of the cross we have assurance of our salvation.The cross is empty because the message of the gospel didn't end with Christ's death, it continues to live today, just as Christ is living today! Our entire salvation is based on what Christ did for us on the cross. To me, the cross means life. To many in our world today it means death and foolishness. What does the cross mean to you?

A thought on Elijah and a thought on Elisha

Elijah

1 Kings 19:1-18

In 1 Kings 18 Elijah had seen the incredible power of God on Mount Carmel, God had defeated the prophets of Baal and had brought fire down from heaven to consume Elijah's sacrifice. It seems that Elijah would be on a spiritual high from the whole event. He had just witnessed God's great power. And yet, in chapter 19 when Queen Jezebel threatened his life, he runs. He asks that God would take his life because he can no longer live all alone, running from Jezebel. Elijah seems to be experiencing the opposite of a spiritual high right here. He seems to have forgotten about God's great power. I mean, if God just destroyed the prophets of Baal, I think He could protect Elijah from one women. Remember God is bigger than any death threats, and we are never alone.

Elisha

1 Kings 19:19-21

Elisha is plowing his field with twelve oxen when Elijah comes up to him. Elisha was in the middle of his work and Elijah came up to him and threw his coat on him. Elisha knew that this meant Elijah was telling him to follow him. Elisha not only stopped his work to follow Elijah, he also burned his farming equipment and cooked his oxen. He was not only leaving his old life behind him, but burning it so that he could never come back. I am sure his neighbors though he was crazy and I am sure he made an impression on them. He completely let go of his old life to follow Elijah. We have to do this too, it isn't enough to leave our old lives behind when God calls us to follow Him, we also have to make sure that we can never come back to it! And leave an impression on those around you in the process.