Am I staying close to God?

I read the question above in my devotion. It wasn't until I read the scripture that went along with the question that caught my attention. I felt nothing but pure G-U-I-L-T after reading the scripture.

"Remain in me, and I will reamin in you. No branch can bear fuit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fuit unless you remain in me....
v. 7-8...If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:4, 7-8

I try to do right. Lately, I have been so wrapped up in the beautiful weather and the busyness of life that I have not been focused on my walk with God. I get "giddy" with Summer just around the corner. I love to see the sun peeking through the clouds when I wake up. I love to hear the birds chirping. I want to dress fun and funky because this is my time of the year! (In the winter I like to hibernate. I do not feel like walking out the front door!)

I say all of this to tell you how off track I am and how my emotions and excitement take over in the mornings and in the afternoon....leaving no room for God. In the mornings, I piddle around looking for a cute outfit and cute jewelry....and even spend extra time looking for the right pair of shoes. Each day I desire to spend time with God, but lately I have pushed him away...always making those lousy promises that I will pray later or on the way to work. Or I will read my devotional when I get to work. It never works out! EVER...and I know that!

So, when I was read the question, "Am I staying close to God?", I knew my answer was NO. I am not staying close to God. I have not been faithful and prayerful. Yet, God always forgives me and lets me turn around and come right back to his loving, OPEN arms!

Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to HIM, like a branch attached to the vine. Apart from Christ, our efforts are unfruitful. If we do not receive the nourishment and life offered by Christ, our vine, then we are missing a special gift he has for us! (NIV, Life Application Bible v. 5-8)

Taking things for granted...

This morning I felt guilty because I did not open my bible once this week. I did read a couple of devotions, but I did not pray like I usually do nor did I read God's word.

I saw and heard many devastating things this week that were happening in the lives of others. It made me think of the many times I take things for granted.....and do not praise God ENOUGH for the blessings in my life. Everything in my life is a GIFT from GOD and I pray that I will never take life or any blessing for granted. I owe everything to HIM!

I would like to thank God for my family....for my wonderful husband....for my beautiful, healthy son....for shelter, clothing, & food....for protection...for guidance...for paying for my sins....and the list keeps going!

I read Psalms 100 this morning.

A Psalm. For giving thanks.

1 "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Patience....

I have learned so much about patience. God has taught me how to be patient! I have always been an impatient person and it is so easy to be impatient living in the world we live in...

I learned a lot about patience when I had my son, but even more so right after making a career change. The entire process has not been easy, but I continually thank God for helping me understand what patience is all about!!!

Psalm 37:7 is a great verse....
"Be still before the Lord and WAIT PATIENTLY for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it only leads to evil." (NIV)

I prayed many times that God would help me to be content and wait patiently while I seek his will for my life. I will continue to pray this same exact prayer.

Psalm 37:3, "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy sate pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart!!"

Psalm 37:5, "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."

PRAISE GOD!

It is ALL about God's timing. No matter how long it takes to complete or succeed at something...it all depends on WHEN God is READY....not when I am ready!!!

Yesterday was a BIG day for me. Most of you know that I have been trying VERY hard to pass a test that is required for teachers. I have passed the other tests required, but I lacked one. I have tried more than 3 times to pass this test. I even took a break and asked God to open another door if I was not meant to be a teacher. I did not know how to hear from God nor did I know how to see what God had in store for my life.

I would sit still hoping to find a scripture verse or even a "sign" from God to show me the way. During the process, I learned many things. I learned how to be PATIENT. I learned how to SEEK God daily and lift ALL my concerns over to HIM. I learned that NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE for God. I learned that it is not about "my" plan for my life, but God's plan for my life. I learned not to go with the desires of my own heart, but to follow God's desires for my life (I jumped too quickly into a job because I so desired to be a teacher, instead of waiting patiently for God's plan and timing....i.e. Horn Lake Middle).

I have learned to TRUST only God and not man. I have learned to NEVER give up! I share this with you today because there might be something that you feel like God has planned for your life, but you are not seeing any results or feel as if God is not listening. It has been 2 years since I started taking the test for the first time. I did take a long break from taking the test, because I was burned out and upset with the results each time....yet, I NEVER stopped asking God for help and for his will to be done in my life.

I pray for my future with the tough economy right now. I have no idea where God will be taking me, but I know that he is the captain of my ship and I will follow where ever he LEADS me!

Acts 27:25 "So, keep up your courage and have faith in You that things will happen just as You said."

Isaiah 7:9 "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."

Matthew 15:28 "You have great faith! Your request is granted."

P.S.-I have a prayer request....
I wanted to share my exciting news to several people I work with, so I went to a select few throughout the day and shared my results. I saw reactions I never thought I would see from people I thought were my friends. God, this has been a long process and now a tough battle...but I know I can get through ANYTHING with you! There is always someone to "rain" on your parade, but I will put it all behind me and continue to seek on with God's plan. Please pray that I will have strength to move forward with hurtful comments.
"In the last days many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate one another. O, Father, help me to never turn away and turn cold." Matthew 24:10


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JESUS has RISEN! He has RISEN indeed!

I remember the above phrase as if it were yesterday. Every Easter at Bellevue Baptist Church, Dr. Adrian Rogers would have the congregation repeat the above phrase. Still to this day, I remember the phrase from Dr. Rogers.

This morning I spent time reading Mark 15 & 16.

I know the story of "Jesus Dying on the Cross" and the story of "Jesus Rising from the Dead"....

However, I like to read over things more than once because there is always something I read the second time that I miss the first time. I also wanted to praise God for paying for ALL of my sins on that cross....as well as everyone else!

"As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has RISEN! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell all his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." Mark 16: 5-7

COMPLAINING....

Sometimes, I can be the QUEEN of complaining. I hear it all the time from my husband.

My husband will remind me to look at the positive side of things instead of the negative side. I have always been an optimistic kind of person. Yet, for some reason I have been dwelling on the negative side of things (making complaints about things).

I read Philippians 2:14-15 this morning..."Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life."

Am I shining like a star? NO! I took a step back and looked at why I might be complaining. I started to see that I have been complaining more because of the people I "hang" out with. I am making a goal starting today to surround myself with positive people instead of negative people. It will be hard, but I feel this will help my situation. I also plan to ask for God's help.

Jim Gallery says it best..."It's your choice: you can either count your blessings or recount your disappointments!"

I know I have been BLESSED tremendously! I think it is a lot more exciting to think of the blessings God has poured out then to look at all the disappointments in life.

****As Easter approaches, I hope we all take time to THANK our heavenly father for the blood he shed for all of us!****