JOHN 3:21
One morning, about two weeks ago, I woke up with this name and these numbers on my mind.... JOHN 3:21. Recognizing it as a bible verse, I quickly wrote it down and looked it up.... hoping for a divine message and insight into some specific questions that I had been praying would be answered.
I was positive that inside that verse was a very important message for me... but when I read it, I really didn't understand immediately what that message was. I had prayed/asked God some questions about how to move forward in certain aspects of my life, but this verse didn't seem to answer that at first. I knew I would have to dig deeper.
I've spent the past 2 weeks trying to figure it out... wanting to write something for this blog but knowing I was waiting for something and wasn't able to think of anything else to write about but this particular verse:
John 3:21
".....But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
I fully believe in not taking things out of context, so I studied the verses around this verse. This verse comes from chapter 3 in the book of John in the bible. It was spoken by Jesus to Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.
Nicodemus also had questions... important questions about how to be born again. Through Nicodemus' questions, Jesus tells us all how we can enter the Kingdom of God.
This same chapter contains the famous verse:
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.
This very important chapter in the bible contains a message for us all!!
So why the last verse in particular for me at this time in my life? Because I had questions, because God knows I am a "digger for the truth" type person!! Because I needed to be reminded that:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that if "Andrea" believes in him, she shall not perish but have eternal life.
and
If "Andrea" lives by the TRUTH she will come into the LIGHT so that it will be seen plainly that what she has done has been done through GOD.
And this answered all of those questions I had. In my life, I am supposed to live FULLY for God. Those things that pull me away from the truth are no longer wanted even though it is hard to pull away from some of them, it is essential that I do.
You can put your name in this verse too! Please write it down... it is a powerful, amazing, eye opening, life changing thing to realize that the word WHOEVER can be exchanged for YOU and ME!! After all, the word WHOEVER does include us all!!!
If you feel like sometimes the answers to some of your questions are not plain to see in black and white ... you should think again or read again.
The bible is amazing... it is the TRUTH!!! It offers a guide and answers. It was written for YOUR life!!!
Start reading and you will be blessed... You can even start with John 3!!!!
Love,
Andrea
Monday, March 30, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
Don't regret your sin, be sorrowful instead
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| No regrets, but godly sorrow leads to repentance. |
"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4
An attribute of mourning sin is godly sorrow. It brings a salvation to the individual sin. A godly sorrow keeps one sincere. It does not laugh at sin. It takes responsibility of sin and says "Lord, I am sorry" and brings a zeal for a new direction. It recognizes the old way (sin) as a reference point that leads to the cross and sets our eyes on what we are crucifying. It is a separate salvation work, a continuation of the cross, circumstance by circumstance, sin-by-sin and it avenges wrongs. Godly sorrow brings innocence and godly sorrow brings comfort.
"10 Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets.
"11-13 And now, isn’t it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You’re more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at from any angle, you’ve come out of this with purity of heart. And that is what I was hoping for in the first place when I wrote the letter. My primary concern was not for the one who did the wrong or even the one wronged, but for you—that you would realize and act upon the deep, deep ties between us before God. That’s what happened—and we felt just great."
2 Corinthians 7 (Message Bible, Paul speaking)
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness~~1 John 1:9
My prayer for you and me, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take away your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach sinners Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You. Psalm 51:10-13
Praying for you and for me! Ash
Friday, March 13, 2015
Reflections
A lot of my time as a photographer is spent editing pictures. During this process I try my best to develop a proper reflection of the subject that I have photographed. I try to learn about the people I photograph during my time with them so I can give an accurate portrayal of the personality of each person. I try not to change the picture into a false image or false reflection.... but I do try to achieve perfection based on my standards in finished images. I can change the feeling or mood of the picture by making adjustments to the color or lighting and I can fix small imperfections in the background or on a persons skin, all the while keeping in mind that I really want my pictures to reflect an image of the true person.
A mirror is another way to get a glimpse of your reflection. Take a look at your reflection... and think of this; God made us in his image.
So what do you see when you look at your reflection? What does God want us to see?
Genesis 1:27
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God created us in his own image!! So, when you look at your reflection you are looking at a creation of God... and not just any creation but a creation that resembles HIM!!
Your life should be lived to reflect His.
What do you look like?... Are you black or white, gorgeous or average?.... truthfully, the colors and features are really not at all even close to the point ....your reflection is just as much made in the image of God's as anyone else's that you ever meet!!! Think about that next time you think slander and name calling of your brothers and sisters is OKAY!!!!
You were made to reflect God's character to the world; love, peace, mercy, gentleness, forgiveness, grace and joy.
So go look in the mirror... is what you see an example of God's standards or a sample of the evil in the world? Because even though God made you in his image and wants and expects you to realize it is for his GLORY that you were created AND for his GLORY that all men and women were created.... the choice is yours to do this.
Some changes must be made in order for us to reflect God's character. I pray for these changes and thank God for his mercy and for loving us enough to give us the choice and opportunity to make these changes.
We need to know that we have to love one another and know that we are all equally made in his image.
The wonderful gift we have received .....and the greatest gift we can give is LOVE.
Think of a precious child looking to you for guidance and looking to you for answers about how to treat one another. What does she or he see in your reflection? Is it a Godly reflection?
God looks at each of us as His precious children and it is His desire that each of us reflect His love to one another.
I know I keep coming back to these verses about love. I believe there is a reason for that. You can open your heart to believe that right here, right now there is a reason you are reading this too.
In your reflection seek God's perfection.
Love,
Andrea
A mirror is another way to get a glimpse of your reflection. Take a look at your reflection... and think of this; God made us in his image.
So what do you see when you look at your reflection? What does God want us to see?
Genesis 1:27
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God created us in his own image!! So, when you look at your reflection you are looking at a creation of God... and not just any creation but a creation that resembles HIM!!
Your life should be lived to reflect His.
What do you look like?... Are you black or white, gorgeous or average?.... truthfully, the colors and features are really not at all even close to the point ....your reflection is just as much made in the image of God's as anyone else's that you ever meet!!! Think about that next time you think slander and name calling of your brothers and sisters is OKAY!!!!
You were made to reflect God's character to the world; love, peace, mercy, gentleness, forgiveness, grace and joy.
So go look in the mirror... is what you see an example of God's standards or a sample of the evil in the world? Because even though God made you in his image and wants and expects you to realize it is for his GLORY that you were created AND for his GLORY that all men and women were created.... the choice is yours to do this.
Some changes must be made in order for us to reflect God's character. I pray for these changes and thank God for his mercy and for loving us enough to give us the choice and opportunity to make these changes.
We need to know that we have to love one another and know that we are all equally made in his image.
The wonderful gift we have received .....and the greatest gift we can give is LOVE.
1 Corinthians 13:128 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Think of a precious child looking to you for guidance and looking to you for answers about how to treat one another. What does she or he see in your reflection? Is it a Godly reflection?
God looks at each of us as His precious children and it is His desire that each of us reflect His love to one another.
I know I keep coming back to these verses about love. I believe there is a reason for that. You can open your heart to believe that right here, right now there is a reason you are reading this too.
In your reflection seek God's perfection.
Love,
Andrea
Thursday, March 12, 2015
The pickled fickle issue at heart
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| We get ourselves in pickled messes |
Feelings
are fickle aren't they? They change often and vary from circumstance to
circumstance. But that is what fickle means--changing frequently especially
in regards to one’s loyalties, interests or affections. The appetitie appears not to be satisfied!
Fickleness
is a variable that lies inside of a man that rises and ebbs with emotion.
Fickle
is rooted in the old English word ficol which means deceitful. Ficol sounds like a natural
born offshoot of the word "fool" to me.
"Oh
what fickle, ficol, deceitful days as we wander in our wayward ways!" (I
so want to rhyme fickle with pickle, but I will leave well enough alone.)
Even
thousands of years ago, writers told of the fickleness of the heart and how it
could not be trusted: "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond
cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9.
Okay,
so I have to pick back up the pickle. Preserving food was an important part of
ancient life. If you could preserve food then you could have a continuous food source.
Pickling food was important.
Napoleon offered a huge prize for anyone that could find the best way to use
pickling to preserve food for his troops, according to the New York Food
Museum.
Being
"in a pickle" means that you are in some sort of state, preserved
there. In modern times, "being in a pickle" means some kind of troubled state. Some perplexing problem
caused by sippin' on intoxicating deceitful pickle juice.
Shakespeare,
in the Tempest, said this about one man's, Trinculo's, pickled state:
Alonso:
And Trinculo is reeling ripe: Where
should they find this grand liquor that hath gilded ‘em?–How camest thou in
this pickle?
Trin:
I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you last, that, I fear me, will never
out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.
Maggots
were thought to come from within a person upon death in Shakespeare’s day, but
this fella Trinculo is so pickled with liquor he says that he shall be preserved
from flies!
But
Jeremiah was focused on a different kind of preservation. He desired for the
nation of Israel to be preserved to the one true God. He poetically pleaded for
them to repent of their wickedness and turn back to God, and not allow man's natural deceitful
heart to spoil and direct them. Jeremiah weeps over sin, weeps over his persecution and weeps
over the persecution of his
brothers in his namesake book in the Bible.
Jeremiah
no doubt recognized how his own heart failed him, and how the hearts of those
in Judah, were deceived by their
own fanning desires. Judah was a
territory but the heart of man was Jeremiah’s focus.
Jeremiah
began his poetic ministry when he was about 20 years old, according to Bible
scholars. That is a time in life where fickleness is nearly expected, but over
his 40 or so years in the public spotlight, Jeremiah gained influence even when his message was not
popular. He is portrayed as a sort of Moses presiding over Israel, but when
Israel was exiled from the Promise Land. What a task for a young man to accept
and carry forward! He observed the
perverted worship that grew acceptable under the leaderships of kings, and
would not let fickleness get established in his heart. Instead he continually
preached against the folly of idolatry. His words were rejected but he kept
preaching! But his prophesies came true!
Jeremiah asks--Who can search out the
heart to understand every motive behind every thought? Jeremiah recognized the
heart is beyond cure. Left alone, it is beyond healing and beyond remedy.
The
heart is in a fickle pickle! (I am sorry but its just goes together so easy!)
It is always in a state of changeability, what kind of preservation is that?!
Man cannot rescue himself--his heart
won't allow it. It is beyond curing itself. It is naturally born to be fickle,
indecisive, inconsistent, changeable, capricious, vacillating, unpredictable,
erratic! Oh, how I can hear some men say-- that
sounds like a fickle woman! But fella, fickleness does not discriminate.
There
is a curing factor for the heart that is marked with constancy, stability and
steadfastness. And is gained only through a relationship with a savior. A savior who is a
rescuer, a rescuer who is a liberator. Liberating us out of our pickled fickle heart!
He
redeems, purifies, cleanses, and heals our deceitful heart. That is what my Jesus spiritedly does.
He goes beyond. He went beyond the confinement of letters and marks of the
Jewish law that attempted to monitor the heart, but failed. He went beyond the
intent of the law to satisfy the heart of man with a new Spirit that we can
become intoxicated by, if we are willing.
Praying for you and for me! Ashley
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Crossing out Conformity & Accepting Gifts
It has been well over a week since I have written for this blog. I don't want anyone to think that it has left my mind or my heart to do this. I consider it one of my most important responsibilities. While life has been hectic the last couple of weeks (or decades!), I have had time to finish a book I was reading and learning from... the book from our book study; Lord, Only You Can Change Me by Kay Arthur.
Right after finishing the last page of the book, and while thinking about how much my character has changed in the past nine weeks, I flipped open my bible to these verses that speak so much to me. It basically describes the shift in my values and desires. I want to share it with you!
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer 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.
Yes, I spent the last nine weeks crossing out conformity... crossing out the rebellion and the wanting to do things my way... crossing out the evil that I had let be okay for me and even for my children... I've spent the past nine weeks crossing things out... and repairing things broken... and considering purity and obedience no longer a weakness or a boring life but the most exciting and wonderful way that I could possibly live and the only way to true happiness.
... but I kept reading and kept being humbled...
Romans 12:3-5
3 For by grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Honestly, there are times that I have thought... why is this happening to me? am I special? Is there something great that God wants me to do? And of course, I get my answer from the message above... Yes, I am special and I have a purpose that no one else has. Maybe it is getting to be married to my husband... maybe it is getting to be the mother to four wonderful children... maybe it is being brave enough to offer my personal and spiritual life in writing this very blog for all to see..... or maybe for just one person to see and be moved. Whatever it is, I will be satisfied with it... and I will realize that the person standing next to me in the check out line at the grocery store... she is just as special as me and has just as important of a purpose... and every person I have come into contact with or ever will... they also are special and have a function different from mine. Together we all form one body and we all belong to each other. All of these studies so far have guided me to the great importance of loving one another... valuing one another... and most of all becoming a living sacrifice to God so he can use me according to his intentions.
Romans 12:6-8
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage, if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Thank God for these gifts... if we could all just accept them and let God use us in these ways.... The world would truly be a beautiful place.
If you desire to find your gift... look back at the beginning of this passage, Paul (the writer of this passage) tells us how to let go and let God rule and bring you these gifts and this relief and release...
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship.
Love,
Andrea
Right after finishing the last page of the book, and while thinking about how much my character has changed in the past nine weeks, I flipped open my bible to these verses that speak so much to me. It basically describes the shift in my values and desires. I want to share it with you!
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer 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.
Yes, I spent the last nine weeks crossing out conformity... crossing out the rebellion and the wanting to do things my way... crossing out the evil that I had let be okay for me and even for my children... I've spent the past nine weeks crossing things out... and repairing things broken... and considering purity and obedience no longer a weakness or a boring life but the most exciting and wonderful way that I could possibly live and the only way to true happiness.
... but I kept reading and kept being humbled...
Romans 12:3-5
3 For by grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Honestly, there are times that I have thought... why is this happening to me? am I special? Is there something great that God wants me to do? And of course, I get my answer from the message above... Yes, I am special and I have a purpose that no one else has. Maybe it is getting to be married to my husband... maybe it is getting to be the mother to four wonderful children... maybe it is being brave enough to offer my personal and spiritual life in writing this very blog for all to see..... or maybe for just one person to see and be moved. Whatever it is, I will be satisfied with it... and I will realize that the person standing next to me in the check out line at the grocery store... she is just as special as me and has just as important of a purpose... and every person I have come into contact with or ever will... they also are special and have a function different from mine. Together we all form one body and we all belong to each other. All of these studies so far have guided me to the great importance of loving one another... valuing one another... and most of all becoming a living sacrifice to God so he can use me according to his intentions.
Romans 12:6-8
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage, if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Thank God for these gifts... if we could all just accept them and let God use us in these ways.... The world would truly be a beautiful place.
If you desire to find your gift... look back at the beginning of this passage, Paul (the writer of this passage) tells us how to let go and let God rule and bring you these gifts and this relief and release...
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship.
Love,
Andrea
He is sufficient !
"And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" 2 Cor 12:9
3 times Paul pleaded for the "thorn" of affliction to be removed, but God replied-"My grace is sufficient for YOU, for power is perfected in weakness." Whatever afflictions, addictions, complications or ramifications that you face --God is sufficient! Power is the ability or right to control people or things. If we submit those delicate dilemmas so dear to our heart, that cripple and crumble our fortitude--He stands strong and in power! His power is perfected in that weakness. We can endure any disadvantage, any condition that weakens us because His grace is sufficient! That's a trade-off for the weary heavy -hearted soul that sees a no-hope circumstance! There is rest for the soul. The Spirit will lead the soul where the character of man cannot go because He is sufficient!
Praying for you and me that those troubling life circumstances and weakness become a place where God is glorified strongly! --Ash
3 times Paul pleaded for the "thorn" of affliction to be removed, but God replied-"My grace is sufficient for YOU, for power is perfected in weakness." Whatever afflictions, addictions, complications or ramifications that you face --God is sufficient! Power is the ability or right to control people or things. If we submit those delicate dilemmas so dear to our heart, that cripple and crumble our fortitude--He stands strong and in power! His power is perfected in that weakness. We can endure any disadvantage, any condition that weakens us because His grace is sufficient! That's a trade-off for the weary heavy -hearted soul that sees a no-hope circumstance! There is rest for the soul. The Spirit will lead the soul where the character of man cannot go because He is sufficient!
Praying for you and me that those troubling life circumstances and weakness become a place where God is glorified strongly! --Ash
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