Training'N'Righteousness

What is the "American Dream"? Is it having nice things? Big house? New car? Well paying job? Is it being married? Having kids? Traveling the world? This is not Jesus' dream for America.  When you chase after these things, you begin to think you are in charge of your life.  You start to identify yourself based on what you have accomplished.  If someone ask you who you are, what do you say?  I'm a mom, I work for XYZ.  You base who you are on what you have and what you have done, but that's not who you are.  Jesus doesn't want you to lose who you are in what you have or done. You are a child of God, and a new creation in Christ.  You are here to testify the greatness of the blood shed for all.  May your actions, words, and identity be lead be Jesus and not by what the world expects from you. Mark 8:34-37 Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s...

Have you ever felt like you can't go on?  And things just don't make sense?  Why do bad things happen to good people?  You know God is always good, and not a respecters of person.  He is good to all.  He is good to the person that believes in him, and he is good to those who don't believe in him.  But there are times in life that seem too hard, and we wonder, "Where is God?"  Well, rest in this promise he made in 1 Corinthians 10:13. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. You might be going through something, but God is with you all the way.  He will guide you and provide you with a way out.  But there is a catch.  You got to follow him to find the way out.  If you are an addict, God will provide a way for you to stop (supporti...

Ephesians 4:29 ESV           Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.   1 Thessalonians 4:18 ESV       Therefore encourage one another with these words.   Psalm 34:13 ESV           Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.   Titus 3:2 ESV   To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.   James 4:11 Living Bible (TLB) Don’t criticize and speak evil about each other, dear brothers. If you do, you will be fighting against God’s law of loving one another, declaring it is wrong. But your job is not to decide whether this law is right or wrong, but to obey it.  Our words c...

What labels do you put on yourself? These are labels the world gives you and the devil whispers in your ear.  Jesus, has a different label for you. You are valuable and worth dying for.  Do not listen to the lies.  You are a child of God, and he laid his life down for you.  He did this so you may have forgiveness, grace, mercy, love and a personal relationship.  Put this name tag on, and don't trade it for any of the others.

Do you remember John 4?  Jesus asked a Samaritan woman for a drink at the well.  She questioned him and why Jesus would even talk to her.  Jesus said " If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water" (John 4:10).  What is Jesus trying to say here? Let's look at this. If you knew the gift of God and who it is that ask you for a drink : What gifts do we receive from God?  Love, mercy, grace, all our needs met, miracles, the list goes on and on.  Jesus is also a gift from God.  We are all brothers and sisters with the same inheritance as Jesus.  Therefore, we are also gifts from God.  This signifies that Jesus is equal to this lady.  He doesn't perceive Himself better than her, which is how she perceives Him. Then the lady goes on to question Jesus again about what He has to put in the well  and tells Him the well is deep.  It h...

6  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1:6-7 NIV In life, there are winds that come into our life.  If we don't stand firm and expect greatness by putting our faith in Jesus, he will not deliver what we expect. What do you expect?  What are your dreams?  They are not too big for him, and they are not out of reach.  God is greater than any barriers here on Earth.  He can move them out of your way and remove them.  He can calm the storms (Matthew 3:35-41). I have a vision of peace and joy.  I expect this peace and joy daily in my life.  The storms and crashing waves are no match for my God.  Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the earth (1 John 4:4)  I believe and stand f...

There are times in my life when something comes up and I react emotionally.  I want to follow my emotions and do what I feel is right.  Often, my emotions are wrong.  I need to learn how to surrender and set my mind on your way, not mine.  What ever will come my way, through fire or pouring rain, I will not be shaken.