Butterfly Sparks Designs

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Romans 6 {Sin}

Romans 6 (The message)
So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we've left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Didn't you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind...
Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life-no longer at sin's every beck and call...
When Jesus died he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on think of it this way: Sin speaks a a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with the old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time-remember, you've been raised from the dead!-into God's way of doing things.
Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God. What is True Freedom?...Can we do anything we want?
Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you have let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master. One whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom. I'm using this freedom language because it's easy to picture. You can readily recall, cant you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing-not caring about others-not caring about God-the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is your life now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness?
As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing your proud of now. Where did it get you? a dead end.
But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin telling you what to do, what a surprise?
A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way!
Work hard for your sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master, Torn between one way and another.
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Monday, October 11, 2010

Books that I must read!

Ok girls, what books do I HAVE to read...I know you guys have your favorites and I want to hear them!! I am making a list of the ones I want to read and going to get started on them. #1 on my list right now is Bob Hamp's new book, Live Differently Think Differently (or is it the other way around?) : ) So leave a comment and let me know!!

I'm bringing blogging back!!!

Yes I am! Well, I don't really think I care about my other two blogs but I love this blog!! I just feel like God wants me to start this back up!! He is just pouring SO much into me right now!! I am loving loving loving it! I know that he encourages me SO much because I just truly need it. I can be really hard on myself and I want to start seeing myself the way He see's me! Also I believe he encourages me so much because I am called to encourage others. So naturally, I need to receive encouragement from Him before I can share it with others. Right now, I just believe he wants me to share the words He is giving me with others. So I am going to do that. I am going to try to post something DAILY! So keep checking back if you want!

Psalm 119 (The Message translation)

I have been reading out of The message translation lately and I am really liking this version! I read Psalm 119 and it's really really long but very very good! The beginning of it says...

You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him.
That's right—you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set.
You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it.
Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set;
Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel.
I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
I'm going to do what you tell me to do; don't ever walk off and leave me.
How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I'm single-minded in pursuit of you; don't let me miss the road signs you've posted.
I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won't sin myself bankrupt.

And it's just what's really on my heart right now! I don't want to live "right", I want to live for HIM! I don't want to just try to walk the right way, I want to run the right way. Does that make sense? I am tired of just getting by and being a "good christian" I want to PURSUE his purpose, his passions, his plan. He is showing me right now in my walk WHY He wants me to live a certain way....to avoid unnecessary pain, to avoid heartache, to be blessed and not cursed, to spare me the consequences of sin. I guess I just feel like I was in this grace season for so long, and I am still totally there in that season (I will never learn enough about Grace-never) but I am also being called into this new season of being obedient to His word! Yes, He has grace for me when I miss the mark, and I do miss it often but I want to STRIVE after His ways, and His commands, and His promises.

Father's Love letter

I love this and found it through being involved in Embrace Grace ministry! It's sooo good I had to post it!

An intimate message from God to you....

My Child

My Child,You may not know me, but I know everything about you. Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up. Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways. Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image. Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being.Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring. Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb. Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father. Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.Psalms 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you. Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish youwith all my heart and all my soul. Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things. Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires. Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. Revelation 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being. Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I lovedthat I might gain your love. Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father.Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is…Will you be my child? John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you. Luke 15:11-32Love, Your DadAlmighty God
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