GOT POWER?

The Lord recently showed me a remarkable vision pertaining to His power. This vision showed me that His power would establish everything that needed to be established for my future. It was incredible! Even more, I became very aware that nothing in the universe would be able to stop His power from going forth and producing everything He has purposed in His heart to do. This was a huge revelation for me. I knew it in my head, but it was not established in my heart. This catapulted me into a completely different mindset.

My focus was shifted from a defensive position to an offensive position. I began to understand the power my team carried. The power of knowing who you are and who is on your side backing you up is an incredible place to stand in. There is no adversity on the earth powerful enough, no bondage strong enough, no temptation enticing enough to cause a single-minded individual who relies upon the power of God to fall or be held back.

I wake up everyday looking for the Lord to reveal more truth about who He is and why I am here on Earth. The more I learn, the more I grow. The more I grow the more I understand as He establishes the purposes for which I was created. When you allow Him to establish your ways on a daily basis you won't miss a beat. You will always be at the right place at the right time. Even if it seems like you're driving in the worst storm of your life know that He is in control. You can not fail. You will not fall because the revealed truth in you can not die and it will carry you through every storm or battle.

May the Lord empower you to know the truth and stand in it!

by crazytallblond

It's Not About Me - Diary of a teenager

My life.Myspace.My room. My bed.My dreams. My hopes. My aspirations. My destiny. It's amazing to me how many things in this life I claimed to be my own. I mean, sure, I acknowledge that God is the creator and that everything in heaven and on earth is His, but do I really get it? It wasn't until recently that I could honestly say yes to that question.

You see, I had this issue with control that I'm sure others could relate to. I had a plan for my life. Notice the I. From the age of eight, I just knew that God wanted me to be a famous singer and take over Hollywood for God. I mean, it sounded good. I could do what I want and help enhance the kingdom. My prayers went something like this:

Hey God?It's me, Raven. Sooooo any luck finding me an agent? No? Well, you know this was Your idea.....if You don't want me to do this, Lord, just close all the doors....but if it is You, send me a sign..............ha! I blinked! Thanks God! Good night!

It took me a while to realize that I wasn't really trying to follow God's will for my life. I was trying to follow my own. I figured that since I knew I could sing and I was pretty good at writing songs, this must be what He wanted me to do. But if so, why was I not going anywhere, getting noticed? That was my problem right there. Not only was I trying to do God's job of ruling over my life, I wasn't making it about Him at all. It was about me. I wanted to be seen. I wanted to be noticed. I wanted to do some big thing and be seen for the great Christian that I was.

It wasn't until I started to make it about God, when I started to live out the song by Steven Curtis Chapman "God is God", that I realized the real reason why I tried to run my own life. I didn't trust God. I figured He couldn't possibly come up with a plan for my life that would be half as cool as the one that I did. I was scared to let Him really sit on the throne of my life. And why was I scared? I asked myself. It's in His Word. Jer 29:11 (NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." That plan may be a radical passionate singer for Christ in Hollywood or it may not. It doesn't really matter to me anymore.Why? Because it's His plan, not mine.

So, just to encourage you guys. Where ever you are, whatever you're doing, remember who you live for. Remember who loves you more than you could ever comprehend. Remember who has a plan for you that's so great, you'll wonder why you didn't think of it:) Remember that it's God, creator of the universe, of you and me. Remember that it's His life, not yours, so let Him use it and live through you. Just remember these four little words. It's not about me.

photo by JeremyHall

My Little Token of Gratitude

Break time!

Today's post is not about me or you. It is written to honor my Redeemer.

My Lord, my Savior:

I thank You for saving me everyday from my vain thoughts and wrongful attitudes of the heart. I thank You for not allowing me to treat holy things common. Nothing common can originate from a Holy God. I thank You for anointing my eyes to know the difference. I thank You for ordering my steps and interceding for me. I thank You for demonstrating Your love and counting me worthy of a call. Why You chose me? I'll never really know; but I receive all that You have for me.

Where else can I go? For You are the Way; besides You there is no other. What can I do? Absolutely nothing without You. Considering that all power on , above and below the earth is Yours. Who can cause my desert to bloom? Only You. For You have words of life. Let me drink of Your spirit and I shall not be thirsty.

Now I place my life in Your hands acknowledging that the All-Knowing one knows best since You're the one that formed me in my mother's womb. You are my author and finisher. I trust the blueprint You desinged for me. You are well able to raise up a standard when my enemies come in like a flood. You raised the waters for Israel to cross over and You'll do the same for me. Lord, I thank You. I trust You. I love You. Amen

Earthly Stressors

Everyday we wake up with one more thing to do. Another thing always leads to another situation and another situation always leads to a little more stress. After a while, this becomes very exasperating. Parents have to tend their own needs, as well as their kids' and employer's. The kids have to maintain their chores, after-school activites and grade point average in school. Does the rollercoaster ever stop?

Before I answer that question lets look at something else.

In Luke 21, the bible speaks of a time where we will have hatred, persecution, wars, commotions, betrayals, great naturals disasters, plagues, famines and very frightening events. This is already happening. These things have been added to our "normal" daily cares of life. So, how are we suppose to deal with all this and keep our sanity? What are we supposed to do?

Well, I have good news and not so good news. Actually, it depends on how you look at it. The bible tells us in that same chapter that these things must happen in the earth according to the will of God. So, the not so good news is that these things are happening now and will continue to intensify, but the good news is we have a way of escape! YEA!

Right now? Yes, right now. Can somebody say hallelujah?

Luke 21:34, 36 -And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts are weighed down with headaches and drinking and anxieties of this life... Watch therefore, praying in every season that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall occur, and to stand before the Son of Man.

Here's our key! Keeping watch in the kingdom is the most powerful position we have. This will keep us when chaos is all around us on every side. If we seek first the kingdom and His righteousness, then everything we need will be given to us. We will have complete access to the King, His riches, His weapons and His hosts.

Do not allow yourself to be weighed down with stress. Reject it! Like Shaquille O'neal! This is a strategy of the enemy of God (Dan 7:25). He comes to wear us out the saints with many afflictions. Hoping we'll throw in the towel. But still, as God's people we will stand firmly on His Word and see Him surely deliver us from every affliction. (Psalms 34:19) As we commune with Him in prayer, step by step the Lord will deliver us from every stressor in our lives.

With all sincerity, these are serious times, people. We cannot act like the world and parade around like God does not consider the ways of men. We must stay awake and guard our hearts. As we keep our minds on things above, we will gain the ground we need in the earth and overcome all its pressures as we stand on the mountain of the Lord emanating His glory.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you.

photo by ENoStress

What's Your Status? - Diary of a teenager

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if the poor were treated the same as the rich, the geeks as the jocks, the superpowers with third-world countries, and the important people like politicians as every day citizens? If you haven't, maybe its time you should. I have recently begun to do this and have gained much more insight than I ever thought was possible. In stopping my busy life and looking at people differently around me, I have come across a threat to mankind's well being. Everyday someone or something in the world is being categorized or put into a box by someone's criticism or opinion; restricting and blocking them so they can not reach their potential. There is a word for this. This word is what I call "status".

Another thing to wonder about is who thought up the word "status"? And what defines importance? What is the "standard"? After all, we're all one race....human. Did an Englishman from the Renaissance era just up and decide to create castes or classes? Did the Chinese Emperor from the the Samurai period find it a joy to separate a nation? Or I wonder if it was the fifty-sixth Pharaoh who just couldn't stand to see equality among a people so he divided them. I'm sure you get my point. I guess you could say this mindset of upper class/lower class is one of my greatest pet peeves. This is the same mindset that puts a people or nation into hardships. Think about slavery in America, the Holocaust in Europe, the raw attitudes of every superpower towards third-world countries,and the existing women in the Middle East who don't exist (if you get my drift).

As I observed everyone around me and saw them not as upper class and lower class, geek versus popular, or poor and the rich, I began to realize how many of those boxes and standards were put on people by me. I think sometimes we don't even realize that we're doing it. It's just something we do because we live in a world that has made it natural. These limitations we put on ourselves and others may be because we may feel superior or inferior to others. Either way we influence each other everyday. This is where we find balance and we humble ourselves if we feel like we're superior to others, so we can see who we really are. We are valuable, even when we feel inferior to others. Once we realize this, then the word "status" will be dethroned and all of mankind will finally be able to take a step forward TOGETHER.

Write me back with your comments.

photo by LaoWai Kevin

Got Change?

One of my church leaders recently said, "there are 3 types of people in the world; those who are willing to change, those who resist change, and those who cause change. Now ask Holy Spirit which one are you."

This really poked me. It seemed that I really had to come clean with myself in an instant. As I allowed Holy Spirit to search my heart, I was reminded that in the past there were many, many, many times where I had difficulty moving into something new or unfamiliar, but that was not the case this time. I thanked God that He was now able to move anyway He wanted to. During that time, I also was able to see that there is never a time that growth or promotion can come without CHANGE taking place. So ultimately, the Lord had brought some CHANGE into my heart which brought me from that old place to where I am now.

We must not waste our times of trial and testing. We must obtain spiritual wisdom. When Our God can trust us to walk with a submissive heart (which is a changeable heart), then He will open heaven over us and nothing will be able to stop the kingdom of God from advancing in our lives. If we resist Him and the change He's bringing to our lives, we will find ourselves ensnared by our own desires and vain thoughts.

After reading the types of people I mentioned earlier, tell me which person are you and which one do you want to become more like. I would love to hear some feedback so leave me a comment. Hint: I hope you pick the one that matches the image of Christ.

photo by kayakeverywhere

Friends or Cliques?

Friendship is normal and healthy. It's always good to feel like you have a place. It's good to know you have people to hang out with. Having friends can help teens learn how to develop communication skills, get and give support, share their thoughts and beliefs, discover what really matters to them, and have fun.

Teens normally choose friends by looking at what they have in common with others. This is how most groups are formed. Naturally they are drawn together because they share similar interests. Well, the Lord does the same thing. He gathers those who are called according to His purpose. 2Tim 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

This is why Christian teenagers should pray that Father God gives them the friends they need, because only He knows the entire blueprint of their future. Do not waste time trying to pursue those the Spirit of God hasn't told you to pursue. Save your self from the heartache and battle of trying to make something fit that really doesn't. He knows we need friends and that it is not good for us to be alone. So, He will provide friends. Let Him lead you and show you who they are.

We must also remember that certain people are in our lives for a season and others are there long-term. Some stay, some go. That is a part of life. Every person on the earth has a different destiny path. This an important concept, so I'll give you an example to help you understand.

Your best friend Tina says the Lord is moving her from cheerleading to soccer, but you are still on the cheerleading squad. This is not a personal attack on you. It just means that your friend is moving forward to follow God's purpose for her life. She had a season with you on the squad, but now God is doing something new on her path. Also, this doesn't have to mean that you've been left behind. You can keep advancing as a cheerleader too. Do not allow rejection to tear you down. Again I say, this is all part of life. It has nothing to do with people liking others more than you or not liking you. Please understand this.

Teens can move in and out of different groups and can even be part of several at the same time. Even within a group, people often have one or two friends they feel closest to and enjoy the most. If you feel like the people you are with don't want just anyone in their group then you are part of a clique. Cliques are restrictive. They always limit freedom. The best way to keep your identity in Christ is to surround yourself with Christian friends that center their attention on Jesus. This way, it's not about you or your friends; all of you remain free to carry out the plan of God for your lives in the earth. Yea, God!

photo by Adam Foster Codefor