God Cares About You!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Matthew 10:29-31 "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

Isaiah 46:3-4 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been born by Me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save."

As a first generation Christian, from time to time God lovingly reminds me of the amazing ways He has faithfully cared for me and cared about me personally. My life is a miracle, there is not doubt in my heart that I would be lost without Jesus!

Without Jesus I would be lost in the old ways I was raised in. I was not raised in a Christian home. These are some of the old ways that God reminds me that He has saved me and set me free from: Lostness, Worldiness, Addictions, Emptiness, Aloneness, Rejection, Brokenheartedness, Great Pain, Abuse, Lack of Stability, Brokenness, Tears, Insecurities...the old defeated life! I did not hear the name of Jesus Christ or God (except in cuss words) until I was in my 20's. I will never forget the day I heard that God loved me and He desired to have a personal relationship with someone like me!

JESUS was shared with me during a Vacation Bible School follow up in my neighborhood, I knew that JESUS and His Love was what I was longing for my entire life as I ran to Him and He radically changed my life. My life changed in every way as God gave me a new heart, a new life, a new everything as it is best describe in 2 Corinthians 5:17; "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."!!!!

"Praise the LORD, my soul, and never forget all the good He has done" Psalm 103:2

"Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles..." 1 Chronicles 16:12a

God Cares About You, Dear Ones! No matter what, God Cares About You! Ask God to lovingly remind you of the amazing ways He has faithfully cared for you and cared about you personally. Your life is a miracle and we would all be lost without Jesus!

Maybe today is the first time that you are realizing your need for Jesus, please say YES to Him, He has great plans of Hope for your life! Please let us know if you have said YES to Jesus and please let us know if there are any ways that we can pray for you!

Who do we know that needs to know that God Cares? Who do we know that needs to know that God has a new plan for their life? Who do we know that needs to know that the old can pass away and that all things can become new life because of Christ?

Let's share Jesus today!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH_CeU-JNW0&feature=related (Help Is On The Way! - Michael W. Smith)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyInD0JF_HM (My Chains Are Gone! - Michael W. Smith)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKta3gXyC3I&feature=related (Mighty To Save! - Michael W. Smith)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62gDvgB06Uw&feature=related (Deep In Love With You! - Michael W. Smith)

A "Blessed" Life!

In Matthew 5:2-12 God's Word Shares Specific Ways To Have A Blessed Day, Blessed Week, Blessed Month, Blessed Year, Blessed Life Because...Because You Are Blessed!!

"He (Jesus) began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness,because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Who can you share God's Blessings with? People are searching for truth, purpose, meaning, plans for their future and God's Word has all the answers! Let's ask God for an opportunity to share Jesus and His Truth with someone today that needs God's Blessings! ♥God BLESS You♥

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebgNLJDYOOU (I Am Blessed by Rachel Lampa)

A Great Privilege!

"Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 (the message paraphrase)

"Then Jesus came near and said to them, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 (HCSB)

As "disciples" = Forever Students & Followers of The Lord, there is someone in our life that God has placed there for us to "Go and Train in God's Way of Living"!

WHO? Who are we training up in The Lord day after day after day until the end of the age, until Jesus returns?

Evangelistic discipleship is one of the JOYS of Following Jesus! The enemy DOES NOT want us to be disciples so he will put every fear, obstacle, and excuse in our minds and lives...REJECT his LIES!

God has given every believer the ability, through His Powerful Holy Spirit Presence in our lives, to "Go and Train" others!

When I became a Believer, Follower of Christ-A Disciple Maker, God put other Christians in my life to help me learn how to evangelistically "practice what He commands me to do". As we disciple others, God provides His Word for all we need. There are also some simple discipleship tools, based on God's Word, to assist us as we "Go and Train" others! I would like to share one of those simple, but powerful, tools/resource that you may like to use. This resource is a FREE downloadable New Believers Guide called HeartCall: "A New Heart" that has been written by Jaye Martin and myself to encourage and assist you in evangelistic discipleship! A New Heart can be shared with New Believers, Believers that may need to be discipled, or Believers that are looking for a New Fresh Start in the basics of the Christian Life. In order to download this free guide, please click on this link and look for "HeartCall: A New Heart":

http://www.namb.net/nambpbsharing.aspx?pageid=8589978741

The link above will take you to The North American Mission Board website where you will see HeartCall: A New Heart free downloadable guide.

There are also some free downloadable witnessing booklets in other languages along with a leadership HeartCall Notebook that is FULL of FREE evangelistic encouragement enrichment for everyone to be trained in The Lord and encouraged to Share Jesus with Others! We thank God for these resources that are made possible by those that GIVE to MISSIONS through "The Cooperative Program" and/or the yearly "Annie Armstrong Easter Offering"

You Are A New Creation!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a NEW CREATION;

the old has gone, the NEW has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

It's been said that "The Victorious Evangelistic Christian Walk is a process of Daily Renewing The Mind with the TRUTH of God's Word & Being Ready To Share His Love & Truth With Others"! Romans 12:2 says it best, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will."

One of my favorite evangelists once said that one of the keys to walking in Victory with Jesus so that we will be ready to share Him with others is to renew our minds daily and get rid of any "defeatin thinkin"! Why is it so important to be careful about what our minds dwell on? The main reason is that the enemy tries to attack our minds daily and he wants to defeat us anyway he can so that we will not share Jesus with others; therefore, we must do what God says in 2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 "The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (anything that tries to get a hold on our lives that is not from God), and WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT to make it obedient to CHRIST."! This is one huge reason why I have Promises from God's Word posted everywhere that I spend time at; my sink, my desk, my laundry room, my bedside, my bathroom counter, my car, my walls in my home and office, etc... I AM DESPERATE for GOD & HIS WORD & HIS DAILY VICTORIOUS PLANS! Maybe it is because I am a first-generation Christian, and there are many "old" messages/memories from the 22 years that I was LOST. Do you ever have negative messages/memories that try to play over and over your mind...resist & reject these messages because they are NOT from The Lord!!

Please join me as we THANK GOD daily that We Are A NEW CREATION and the old is GONE and the NEW has come!! Please join me as we THANK GOD That We Are Desperate for Jesus & His Word DAILY!

Today there may be some thoughts that may come into our minds that are NOT from The Lord; perhaps thoughts of defeat, thoughts of doubt, thoughts of discouragement...any kind of thought that DOES NOT line up with the truth of GOD'S WORD we must REJECT & TAKE CAPTIVE because it is not "New Creation Thinkin"! We must RESIST & REJECT negative thoughts and do what God says in 1 Peter 1:13 "Therefore, get your MINDS ready for action, being self-disciplined, and SET your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you from Jesus Christ." We must put on our "Helmet of Salvation AND The Sword of the Spirit, which is The Word of God" (protection for the GOOD NEWS that is in our mind)! Eph.6:17 (one HUGE reason why we must study and read God's Word DAILY~Memorize a Verse for exactly what you are going through TODAY because God's Word is ALIVE & ACTIVE to help us fight the good fight!)

"Finally, brothers/sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable , whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable-if there is moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard in me and seen in me, and the God of Peace will be with you"!! Philippians 4:8-9

When I became a Christian one of my mentors taught me the importance of ERASE & REPLACE, how do we do that? Make a list of any "defeatin thinkin" with a PENCIL and STOP thinking that way as you take the ERASER on your pencil and GET RID OF EACH DEFEATING WORD that is on the list! After we ERASE the things that God does not want us to dwell on, FILL your paper (REPLACE), computer screen, chalkboard, places in your home/office, and most of all our MINDS with God's Word/Messages/Testimonies because You are a NEW CREATION, the OLD is GONE the NEW has COME...DAILY! AMEN!!

> fresh paint

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV).

My housemates and I are excited about renovations to the outside of our house.  It has been more than a fresh coat of paint, since the renovators have chopped down rotting trees, replaced wooden panels and power-washed the walls to remove dead vines. Now, new paint is being coated on, helping our house look more alive.

It reminded me of how, when we let God work in our lives, He is able to strip away all of the mess within us and give us a new spirit.  He gives us the Holy Spirit, when we follow Christ, and we are able to have a new life with Him.  I believe we need Him to renovate our lives, on the inside and the outside.

"I say then, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16, HCSB).  Anthony Hoekema helped me understand this verse more in his book, Created in God's Image.  He explained that this verse is a promise, rather than a threat (page 109).  God helps us live today.  This does not mean that we will be perfect today, but it has helped me see that He is the one who gives us strength and hope to follow Him.   

Will we let Him renovate our lives today?  Will we help others see how He can change us, from the inside out?

Music video, Hillsong United:  "From the Inside Out" - YouTube

FALL In LOVE With JESUS!

"This ONE THING I do..." Philippians 3:13

"....you have persevered and endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet...return to your FIRST LOVE...Remember...Repent, and do the works you did at first..." Revelation 2:4-5

New Season~New Opportunitity For Jesus In And Through Our Lives!!

Let's Ask Ourselves Some Challenging Questions Today:

• On A Scale From 1-10, how passionately "IN LOVE" Are We With JESUS?
• Do We Remember A Day That We Loved Him More?
• What Are Some Things/Activities/People/Habits That Can Take First Place First Love In Our Lives?
• Will We Do Whatever It Takes To "Fall In Love With Jesus" Anew & Afresh This New Season?

HOW? Good News!! Here is a Simple Plan:

Simple Steps To Take DAILY (the word DAILY is very important!): PRAY, CONFESS, TURN TO HIM, RUN HARD AFTER GOD, NEVER FORGET WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING LOST OR AWAY FROM HIM, GET SATURATED WITH GOD THINGS-HIS WORD-HIS PRAISE & WORSHIP-HIS WAYS-HIS WILL & MOST OF ALL TAKE AS MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH US AS WE CAN because God has GiftedU2GO!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEGp9SPdtfo

Springing Into A New Season!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

2 Corinthians 5:17

As a new Spring season is upon us, we can look around at all of God's creation coming alive after winter's rest. Budding trees are bursting with new life and Spring flowers are blooming with new color.

Eternal life in Christ is much like a new season that is described in 2 Cor. 5:17!

The Old Has Gone ~ What are some areas of life that need to Go? Spring is a wonderful time in the life of a Christian to evaluate any "old" things that need to change! Great time for "Spiritual Spring Cleaning"!

The New Has Come ~ What New Life can Christ bring into the life of a believer? As we look around and think about the season of Spring that is upon us, do our lives as believers resemble new life springing out? Good News, God never breaks His Promises and He deeply desires in a believer's life for daily New Life Springing Forth In Christ!

As we pray and seek God for a new season in our lives, make a list of any old things that need to be removed from our lives and make a list of new life that we deeply desire for God to do in our life in Christ!

As God provides His plans for a New Life in Christ, who needs us to share with them how to have a New Life in Christ? Spring is a great opportunity to share how the old can be gone and a New Life in Christ can come! Today, this beautiful Spring day, someone needs Jesus!

Jesus makes all things NEW as we look around us and see evidence of Springing Into A New Season full of new growth, let's ask for NEW growth of Christ in our lives!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7k2hzktKhc

(All Things New ~ Steven Curtis Chapman)