I arrived in Chiapas, Mexico in the afternoon of the 27th after a long flight that day. I helped the Young Life staff there Jay and Amanda Miranda get ready for the week we are going to have. Everyone didn't arrive until later that night.
When the Young Life international staff members arrived later that night we learned a little about Young Life international. We received a packet of information about the YL international program. Me, Kurina, and the YL international staff got to know each other that night until the last couple people showed up for that week later that night. We ate cookies until the last group came.
Today, we went to church, had a scavenger hunt, and have been learning about the different international ministries. After church, we ate at this restaurant we homemade tortillas from the North that someone the Mirandas' knows. God moved today at church and through the staff member we are staying at Jay Miranda. Some kids from the orphanage that knew the market well took us around on the scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt was fun to explore the city and see the different sights and sounds.
Lastly, we are learning about the different international ministries. It has been cool seeing God is moving throughout the world. Our God is a big God.
I am excited for these last couple days. It will be awesome serving with those on the trip these next couple of days.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
How faith changes us
Faith can change, transform, and leads us into maturity in Christ. Our level of faith shows how much maturity we have. When we trust God with more and more things our faith grows and our maturity in Christ does as well.
A life without faith is not pleasing to God. Hebrews 11:6 says "without faith it is impossible to please God." Verse seven continues to describe faith as taking place when we are earnestly seeking God. A growing faith has to go from our head to heart throughout our life and walk with God. The process of going from our head to heart happens when we first become a Christian and throughout our walk with God. This process takes place when we give credit to God where he deserves, it also shows a relationship instead of an obligation, it acknowledges God's presence in our life, and shows we are serious about what he says.
God has been faithful in various times in my life. During my the junior year of high school I was in a car wreck. God pursued me in my doubt, fear, and frustration during that time in my life. He provided me with some friends and a mentor to restore me back to relationship with him at the beginning of my senior year. At the beginning of the year I rededicated my life to him. From that time I was able to trust God with future things.
God answered a prayer when he gave me direction in leading me to seminary when the Broadcasting jobs didn't work out. He lead me where he wanted me to go not where I wanted to go. I didn't realize in hindsight that God was in control of the situation. He also answered a prayer when someone I was praying for a while finally came to Young Life club and heard the gospel.
He changed my circumstance in closing the door on this Young Life internship program and leading me to D-focus so I could grow in him. He used D-focus to show me how much I need to depend on him. This time in my life helped me grow in maturity in him. I was able to trust in faith and grow in maturity in him in the next year of my life. God changed me during this time in my life.
Faith occurs when we present a situation to God, he acts, we start to worship God because of this, then we receive more the faith the next time we present a situation. Romans 12:1-2 says to present our bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conformed by the patterns of this world but be transforming by the renewing of your mind so that you can test- God's good, pleasing and perfect will." God will ""unconform" us from the world's way when we surrender a situation to him. Faith enables to present ourselves to the Lord and trust whatever he brings into our life is for our good.
Our faith grows as we surrender more situations to God. It starts out as a thimble, then grows to a cup, then a cup, and lastly turns into a pitcher when we grow in maturity in Christ. Maturity in Christ is the ability to trust God more quickly and with more things than we did in the past. This maturity takes place as our reservoir of faith grows. This process takes place over time and helps us become who God wants us to be.
Here's a few questions to end this blog. What has your understanding of faith been in the past? What are ways that God has given you faith through answered prayer, changing circumstances, or changing you? Read Galatians 5:13-26. What are some of the ways you have tried to please God instead of living by his Spirit to give you the power?
A life without faith is not pleasing to God. Hebrews 11:6 says "without faith it is impossible to please God." Verse seven continues to describe faith as taking place when we are earnestly seeking God. A growing faith has to go from our head to heart throughout our life and walk with God. The process of going from our head to heart happens when we first become a Christian and throughout our walk with God. This process takes place when we give credit to God where he deserves, it also shows a relationship instead of an obligation, it acknowledges God's presence in our life, and shows we are serious about what he says.
God has been faithful in various times in my life. During my the junior year of high school I was in a car wreck. God pursued me in my doubt, fear, and frustration during that time in my life. He provided me with some friends and a mentor to restore me back to relationship with him at the beginning of my senior year. At the beginning of the year I rededicated my life to him. From that time I was able to trust God with future things.
God answered a prayer when he gave me direction in leading me to seminary when the Broadcasting jobs didn't work out. He lead me where he wanted me to go not where I wanted to go. I didn't realize in hindsight that God was in control of the situation. He also answered a prayer when someone I was praying for a while finally came to Young Life club and heard the gospel.
He changed my circumstance in closing the door on this Young Life internship program and leading me to D-focus so I could grow in him. He used D-focus to show me how much I need to depend on him. This time in my life helped me grow in maturity in him. I was able to trust in faith and grow in maturity in him in the next year of my life. God changed me during this time in my life.
Faith occurs when we present a situation to God, he acts, we start to worship God because of this, then we receive more the faith the next time we present a situation. Romans 12:1-2 says to present our bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conformed by the patterns of this world but be transforming by the renewing of your mind so that you can test- God's good, pleasing and perfect will." God will ""unconform" us from the world's way when we surrender a situation to him. Faith enables to present ourselves to the Lord and trust whatever he brings into our life is for our good.
Our faith grows as we surrender more situations to God. It starts out as a thimble, then grows to a cup, then a cup, and lastly turns into a pitcher when we grow in maturity in Christ. Maturity in Christ is the ability to trust God more quickly and with more things than we did in the past. This maturity takes place as our reservoir of faith grows. This process takes place over time and helps us become who God wants us to be.
Here's a few questions to end this blog. What has your understanding of faith been in the past? What are ways that God has given you faith through answered prayer, changing circumstances, or changing you? Read Galatians 5:13-26. What are some of the ways you have tried to please God instead of living by his Spirit to give you the power?
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Time of Fasting
Today I'm going to be blogging about a time of fasting that I recently. It reminded me of my utter dependence on God. Also, I will be describing of how I it was revealed to me that I need to surrender and consecrate myself to God daily and give up my life to him for my future.
The definition of consecration is to make sacred or dedicate to some purpose. I made sacred the time with God in committing to him my life and the nation. In the Old Testament, priests consecrated the temple and the things in it to God. In Strong's concordance, the words for consecration means nezer; something set apart, a dedication ( a priest or Nazirite), a chaplet of royalty, of hair, and a crown.
In this fast, I prayed for myself, our nation, the trip that I went on last summer to Thailand, and friends that are serving God globally. This time, reminded me of our destitute and sinful nature and we all need God. Also, God made me kneel at this feet throughout the day. He helped me see I am nothing at all without my relationship with him. Lastly, it gave me an overall perspective of my relationship with God.
The fast ended with God leading me to read the D-focus study of my sinful nature. He reminded me that I am sinful and couldn't do anything without him. We are eternally separated from God apart from our relationship with him. 2 Corinthians 3:5 TLB says Not that we are confident we can do anything on our own resources, our ability comes from God." I don't bring any godliness into my relationship with God.
God is growing me in daily. The fast taught me of that I need God at all times throughout the day and who he is to me in my life. Consecration is key to living in God's presence.
How does this post teach us about God's will in our life? Is there something God is revealing to us through this post? Apply this post today and consecrate yourselves to God.
The definition of consecration is to make sacred or dedicate to some purpose. I made sacred the time with God in committing to him my life and the nation. In the Old Testament, priests consecrated the temple and the things in it to God. In Strong's concordance, the words for consecration means nezer; something set apart, a dedication ( a priest or Nazirite), a chaplet of royalty, of hair, and a crown.
In this fast, I prayed for myself, our nation, the trip that I went on last summer to Thailand, and friends that are serving God globally. This time, reminded me of our destitute and sinful nature and we all need God. Also, God made me kneel at this feet throughout the day. He helped me see I am nothing at all without my relationship with him. Lastly, it gave me an overall perspective of my relationship with God.
The fast ended with God leading me to read the D-focus study of my sinful nature. He reminded me that I am sinful and couldn't do anything without him. We are eternally separated from God apart from our relationship with him. 2 Corinthians 3:5 TLB says Not that we are confident we can do anything on our own resources, our ability comes from God." I don't bring any godliness into my relationship with God.
God is growing me in daily. The fast taught me of that I need God at all times throughout the day and who he is to me in my life. Consecration is key to living in God's presence.
How does this post teach us about God's will in our life? Is there something God is revealing to us through this post? Apply this post today and consecrate yourselves to God.
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