Hey friends! I just thought I'd tell y'all, I'm fasting from facebook for the next few days...a week to be exact. I hadn't planned on it until I got home tonight and God just struck me with this umm call? I guess you could say. How many times do we get on facebook or maybe some other site to just "check" it but end up spending hours engrossed in "stalking" and the like, dont deny it- we've all done it.
God struck me with this thought- and I use the term "struck" because God literally stopped me in my tracks- but I thought, "What would my life look like if I took all the times I looked at facebook and instead, spent time with Jesus?" -I'm not a big "stalker" and I dont spend hours on facebook in one sitting, but I do check it frequently and I bet if I added up all the little times I checked it- it would be an hour or so.
Also though, a second thought I had was, does facebook encourage me with Christ? You know, God can and does use social networking sites for His glory- I 100% beleive that, BUT currently, for me, I just dont feel as if its encouraging me enough- if at all, to keep me from this fast, that God has called me to in the first place.
Anyways, I wanted to tell y'all whats up.
Oh, and can I tell y'all one last thing? Maybe this will be a bit of encouragement to some of you out there, and it ties into this "fast" I'm embarking on because God's timing is always perfect, but let me just tell y'all this last thing God spoke to me tonight.
GOD IS ON THE MOVE!! HE IS AT WORK IN THE HEAVENLIES RIGHT NOW AND HE IS ON THE RISE!! GOD IS KING OVER ALL AND NO ONE CAN MATCH HIS MIGHTY POWER AND STRENGTH!!!! CHRIST IS SHINING HIS LIGHT IN THE DARK PLACES OF THIS WORLD AND IS EXPOSING THE EVIL THAT HAS ENSLAVED MANY OF US. HIS WILL AND PURPOSE WILL NOT BE HINDERED! HE WILL LEAD AND GUARD HIS PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR TRIALS AND CAST OFF ALL EVIL THAT TRIES TO BLIND OUR EYES AND DEAFEN OUR EARS TO HIM!!!!! BE ON YOUR GUARD, KEEP WATCH AND STAND READY FOR HIS COMMAND!- HE IS SPEAKING TO EACH OF YOU- HE IS HEARING EACH OF YOUR PRAYERS, HE IS READY TO MOVE AND HE IS ABOUT TO SHAKE THIS WORLD WITH HIS GLORY!!!
PRAISE HIM! HE IS LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS!
"Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31
I encourage all who read this to take a few minutes and read Isaiah 40 today. God is the ultimate encourager.
Boycotting Facebook for the next 168 hours haha! =)
Kate
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Jumbled lines of Poetry
So.....I write a little poetry here and there- its never planned and ALWAYS impromptu/ and I'd like to think, lead by the Spirit, and well, I felt as if I should blog tonight but the words just wouldnt come. So this is what I ended up writing. Think of this as a blog post in poem form.....with each stanza representing a thought/paragraph I was going to write about. :)
If anyone is reading this blog for the first time, please refer back to older posts...I promise I'm not a weirdo.
My heart is full
My life is free
He reached into my world and carried me.
When my world was threatening to crash around me
while gripping to all those fears
I clung to His promises, knowing He'd never leave me here.
I may think my problems are big
I may think I'm broken beyond repair
but Jesus is the ultimate healer and all my burdens, He'll bare.
Though life gets tough and heavy
though life feels like more than we can take
We can hold fast to His purposes because He died for our sake.
God is who He says He is
but satan will try to hide
every light that shines before him
be it ever bright.
Yet, Jesus is my redeemer, my Father, my best friend
No one can shut Him out of this world
He'll be here til the end.
Next time you hear that threatening voice
you know, the one that brings you down
bring it into submission, remembering the One who wears the Crown.
Thats all I have. No, this is not a regular thing.
Goodnight.
Not a poetry slammer,
Kate :)
**Note: Poetry Slam= a place/time where people read their poetry to one another.
Also, I'm not hatin' on anyone who likes to write/read poetry, Beth Moore writes poetry. "Further Still" is book of poetry she's written...for anyone who wants to know.
If anyone is reading this blog for the first time, please refer back to older posts...I promise I'm not a weirdo.
My heart is full
My life is free
He reached into my world and carried me.
When my world was threatening to crash around me
while gripping to all those fears
I clung to His promises, knowing He'd never leave me here.
I may think my problems are big
I may think I'm broken beyond repair
but Jesus is the ultimate healer and all my burdens, He'll bare.
Though life gets tough and heavy
though life feels like more than we can take
We can hold fast to His purposes because He died for our sake.
God is who He says He is
but satan will try to hide
every light that shines before him
be it ever bright.
Yet, Jesus is my redeemer, my Father, my best friend
No one can shut Him out of this world
He'll be here til the end.
Next time you hear that threatening voice
you know, the one that brings you down
bring it into submission, remembering the One who wears the Crown.
Thats all I have. No, this is not a regular thing.
Goodnight.
Not a poetry slammer,
Kate :)
**Note: Poetry Slam= a place/time where people read their poetry to one another.
Also, I'm not hatin' on anyone who likes to write/read poetry, Beth Moore writes poetry. "Further Still" is book of poetry she's written...for anyone who wants to know.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Selfish Christianity
A last thought of the weekend before the work week offically begins tomorrow. Really, I guess I'd call it a warning and a call to action to all followers of Christ.
-Selfishness. We know all about it. We've been told that its bad and wrong and that the world doesnt revolve around us since most of were about two years old, but theres a new concept I've recently learned about and its called 'selfish Christianity'.
The definition, as explained to me, of 'selfish Christianity' is to use God as our own personal source of good fortune and in your relationship with Him- its very one sided/all about number 1 with the person treating God more like a genie than God. I beleive this is something every Christian fights daily- because of our inherent fleshly nature. But let me sound the alarm now, this way of thinking and interacting with Christ is wholly unrighteous of us- as real Christians seeking to constantly be more like Him, we need to rexamine the very nature of our Savior. He was the most unselfish human to ever walk this Earth. He bled and died for us, yet do you know who He was praying for as He hung upon that cross? Amist all His pain-which is usually when we are the most selfish- He prayed for us. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they have done." Luke 23:34
*disclaimer: Jesus does care about us and what is going on in our hearts and lives, I'm not saying to not talk and pray to Him about yourself. I'm saying Jesus doesnt want ourselves be our only focus- He can handle our problems, and other people's too. :) *
However, the most important point I want to make tonight is that I think this form of "selfish Christianity" is yet another scheme used by Satan to blind us to other hurting people. You see, his plan is brilliant, because we never have to take our focus off ourselves and yet we can rationalize our self-centered perspective by throwing God in the mix. You see, when praying for only ourselves and praying for others in ways that benefit us we end up taking ourselves out of the fight and off the battle ground of the war against satan. There are injustices occuring around the world right now that must be stopped, but the powers of darkness wont vanquish themselves- we must come together as Christ's church, raising up our hearts and our prayers and calling and crying out on the behalf of the oppressed to the One who covets our prayers and can destroy satan with the stroke of his finger. Dear reader, whoever you are, Jesus is pleading for us to follow in His footsteps to stand in the gap for the sex-trafficked, the hungry, the lonely, the hurting, the dying, the violent, the abandoned, THE LOST.
They are all around us, the battle is all around us. You have a choice reader, no longer allow yourself to be taken out of the battle- we cant act as if there aren't millions of people who need Christ with every fiber of their being. We have righteous and powerful prayers that the Father can barely wait to answer on their behalf- the same love abundant love that He has for us, He is yearning to pour over the wounds of the millions of other lost on this Earth. And dont let the vast need for Christ discourage some of you, our Savior has OVERCOME THE WORLD (John 16:33)- no we personally cant reach every person on the planet, but Christ can- a million times over, and the best part is, HE's DYING TO DO IT! Your prayers are urgently needed.-if I knew a more desperate term for "need" I would use it.- Have you seen the state this world is in?! THE WORLD NEEDS JESUS AND WE'RE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN GIVE HIM TO THEM!
We must turn daily from our self seeking nature and pour our hearts out to the One who can bind up the wounds of the many victims of evil. Who are we church if we aren't loving others as Jesus loved us?
"By Our Love"- by Christy Nockels
Brothers, let us come together
Walking in the Spirit, there's much to be done
We will come reaching, out from our comforts
And they will know us by our love
Sisters, we were made for kindness
We can pierce the darkness as He shines through us
We will come reaching, with a song of healing
And they will know us by our love!
The time is NOW
Come Church arise
Love with His hands
See with His eyes
Bind it around you,
Let it never leave you,
And they will know us by our love
Children, You are hope for justice,
Stand firm in the Truth now, set your hearts above
You will be reaching, long after we’re gone,
And they will know you by your love!
"The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective." James 5:16
Battling in prayer,
Kate
-Selfishness. We know all about it. We've been told that its bad and wrong and that the world doesnt revolve around us since most of were about two years old, but theres a new concept I've recently learned about and its called 'selfish Christianity'.
The definition, as explained to me, of 'selfish Christianity' is to use God as our own personal source of good fortune and in your relationship with Him- its very one sided/all about number 1 with the person treating God more like a genie than God. I beleive this is something every Christian fights daily- because of our inherent fleshly nature. But let me sound the alarm now, this way of thinking and interacting with Christ is wholly unrighteous of us- as real Christians seeking to constantly be more like Him, we need to rexamine the very nature of our Savior. He was the most unselfish human to ever walk this Earth. He bled and died for us, yet do you know who He was praying for as He hung upon that cross? Amist all His pain-which is usually when we are the most selfish- He prayed for us. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they have done." Luke 23:34
*disclaimer: Jesus does care about us and what is going on in our hearts and lives, I'm not saying to not talk and pray to Him about yourself. I'm saying Jesus doesnt want ourselves be our only focus- He can handle our problems, and other people's too. :) *
However, the most important point I want to make tonight is that I think this form of "selfish Christianity" is yet another scheme used by Satan to blind us to other hurting people. You see, his plan is brilliant, because we never have to take our focus off ourselves and yet we can rationalize our self-centered perspective by throwing God in the mix. You see, when praying for only ourselves and praying for others in ways that benefit us we end up taking ourselves out of the fight and off the battle ground of the war against satan. There are injustices occuring around the world right now that must be stopped, but the powers of darkness wont vanquish themselves- we must come together as Christ's church, raising up our hearts and our prayers and calling and crying out on the behalf of the oppressed to the One who covets our prayers and can destroy satan with the stroke of his finger. Dear reader, whoever you are, Jesus is pleading for us to follow in His footsteps to stand in the gap for the sex-trafficked, the hungry, the lonely, the hurting, the dying, the violent, the abandoned, THE LOST.
They are all around us, the battle is all around us. You have a choice reader, no longer allow yourself to be taken out of the battle- we cant act as if there aren't millions of people who need Christ with every fiber of their being. We have righteous and powerful prayers that the Father can barely wait to answer on their behalf- the same love abundant love that He has for us, He is yearning to pour over the wounds of the millions of other lost on this Earth. And dont let the vast need for Christ discourage some of you, our Savior has OVERCOME THE WORLD (John 16:33)- no we personally cant reach every person on the planet, but Christ can- a million times over, and the best part is, HE's DYING TO DO IT! Your prayers are urgently needed.-if I knew a more desperate term for "need" I would use it.- Have you seen the state this world is in?! THE WORLD NEEDS JESUS AND WE'RE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN GIVE HIM TO THEM!
We must turn daily from our self seeking nature and pour our hearts out to the One who can bind up the wounds of the many victims of evil. Who are we church if we aren't loving others as Jesus loved us?
"By Our Love"- by Christy Nockels
Brothers, let us come together
Walking in the Spirit, there's much to be done
We will come reaching, out from our comforts
And they will know us by our love
Sisters, we were made for kindness
We can pierce the darkness as He shines through us
We will come reaching, with a song of healing
And they will know us by our love!
The time is NOW
Come Church arise
Love with His hands
See with His eyes
Bind it around you,
Let it never leave you,
And they will know us by our love
Children, You are hope for justice,
Stand firm in the Truth now, set your hearts above
You will be reaching, long after we’re gone,
And they will know you by your love!
"The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective." James 5:16
Battling in prayer,
Kate
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Trials, Faith, & Praise- You know, the Usual :)
OK- is anyone out there experiencing a time of waiting or just experiencing a time where you are in need of great faith in our Mighty Savior?! Is anyone else just crying out to the Lord for not just more of Him but for a Holy anointing of His presence to blanket you and fill your every thought!? Is there anyone else crying out for our Father to set you free of different strongholds in your life?! If so dear friends, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I'm with you 100%.
This song has been particularly on my heart and on my lips this past week.
"You'll Come" by Hillsong
I have decided I have resolved
To wait upon you Lord
My rock and redeemer shall not be moved
I?ll wait upon you Lord
As surely as the sun (or Son) will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as the dawn appears
You'll come let your glory fall
As you respond to us
Spirit reign flood our hearts
With holy fire again
We are not shaken we are not moved
We wait upon you Lord
Our Mighty deliverer my triumph and truth
I'll wait upon you Lord
Chains be broken
Lives be healed
Eyes be opened
Christ is revealed
-I am praying that everyone who reads this blog post is filled with divinely righteous faith and trust in our Savior to heal, to move, to be in control and to consume each and every one of you. We need it. Our city needs it. I have always felt that the best place to be in my relationship with the Lord is smack-dab on my face in desperate need of Him. I never want to forget the depth of my need for Him and to never stop crying out to Him with my whole heart. Forget being in control, forget walking through the valleys of life, I prefer to be ever climbing the mountain and praising Him for every big and small step He fills me with strength to take. I hope this post is meeting some of you where you're at right now and I want to tell you- I'm there with you friend. This is the place you want to be, this is the place where Jesus is refining you into the man/woman He desires you to be, to look a little more like Him and to give you faith to walk out on the water before you.
You know the "mustard seed" parable? Well, the Holy Spirit keeps replaying this verse over and over again in my mind for the past few days. "He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20
And then it hit me, I want that mountain MOVED! No more talking about it, as we have for the past few DECADES- lets put some action to our worn out words and MOVE IT! But where is this faith that can move mountains? Well, its right in the palm of Jesus' hand- waiting, just waiting for us to humble ourselves and ask for it. He's the best sharer. I'll leave you with Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
- I think God is most pleased when our prayers match up with His desires and often I pray that if my prayers and my desires aren't matching His- that He would change me to desire what He does. As I've been praying this- faith has been a huge topic on my heart, and my friends- He will give you the amount of faith you ask Him for. It most certainly pleases Him that you are praying for more faith and trust. He's in total control and He would love for you to realize it and stop trying to do things your own way. HE IS IN CONTROL. HE CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS WITH ONE BREATH. IF YOU DESIRE TO GLORIFY HIM AND YOU ASK HIM FOR MORE FAITH, EVEN FAITH THAT WILL MOVE MOUNTAINS- HE WILL TURN YOUR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN AND DO IT!
Praise the Father who desires us to be more like Him! Praise Him for always being in control- even when we feel like everything is in utter chaos! Praise Him for moving mountains in our lives EVERY DAY! Praise Him for listening to our prayers and loving us above our understanding! He is the God of the universe! He holds every star in His hands, in fact- He's named them all, He doesn't need us, but He sure does want us. PRAISE HIM!
Praying for everyone who reads this blog. Let us all just take a second and PRAISE HIM today, in this very moment, HE IS SO WORTHY OF AFFECTION!- I can barely stand it!
Breathless with Praise for our Magnificent Savior,
Kate
This song has been particularly on my heart and on my lips this past week.
"You'll Come" by Hillsong
I have decided I have resolved
To wait upon you Lord
My rock and redeemer shall not be moved
I?ll wait upon you Lord
As surely as the sun (or Son) will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as the dawn appears
You'll come let your glory fall
As you respond to us
Spirit reign flood our hearts
With holy fire again
We are not shaken we are not moved
We wait upon you Lord
Our Mighty deliverer my triumph and truth
I'll wait upon you Lord
Chains be broken
Lives be healed
Eyes be opened
Christ is revealed
-I am praying that everyone who reads this blog post is filled with divinely righteous faith and trust in our Savior to heal, to move, to be in control and to consume each and every one of you. We need it. Our city needs it. I have always felt that the best place to be in my relationship with the Lord is smack-dab on my face in desperate need of Him. I never want to forget the depth of my need for Him and to never stop crying out to Him with my whole heart. Forget being in control, forget walking through the valleys of life, I prefer to be ever climbing the mountain and praising Him for every big and small step He fills me with strength to take. I hope this post is meeting some of you where you're at right now and I want to tell you- I'm there with you friend. This is the place you want to be, this is the place where Jesus is refining you into the man/woman He desires you to be, to look a little more like Him and to give you faith to walk out on the water before you.
You know the "mustard seed" parable? Well, the Holy Spirit keeps replaying this verse over and over again in my mind for the past few days. "He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20
And then it hit me, I want that mountain MOVED! No more talking about it, as we have for the past few DECADES- lets put some action to our worn out words and MOVE IT! But where is this faith that can move mountains? Well, its right in the palm of Jesus' hand- waiting, just waiting for us to humble ourselves and ask for it. He's the best sharer. I'll leave you with Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
- I think God is most pleased when our prayers match up with His desires and often I pray that if my prayers and my desires aren't matching His- that He would change me to desire what He does. As I've been praying this- faith has been a huge topic on my heart, and my friends- He will give you the amount of faith you ask Him for. It most certainly pleases Him that you are praying for more faith and trust. He's in total control and He would love for you to realize it and stop trying to do things your own way. HE IS IN CONTROL. HE CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS WITH ONE BREATH. IF YOU DESIRE TO GLORIFY HIM AND YOU ASK HIM FOR MORE FAITH, EVEN FAITH THAT WILL MOVE MOUNTAINS- HE WILL TURN YOUR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN AND DO IT!
Praise the Father who desires us to be more like Him! Praise Him for always being in control- even when we feel like everything is in utter chaos! Praise Him for moving mountains in our lives EVERY DAY! Praise Him for listening to our prayers and loving us above our understanding! He is the God of the universe! He holds every star in His hands, in fact- He's named them all, He doesn't need us, but He sure does want us. PRAISE HIM!
Praying for everyone who reads this blog. Let us all just take a second and PRAISE HIM today, in this very moment, HE IS SO WORTHY OF AFFECTION!- I can barely stand it!
Breathless with Praise for our Magnificent Savior,
Kate
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