Many believed...

I love the story of the woman at the well in John 4:1-42  I'm reading through John, and the other day while I was reading this story, something popped out that I had never really paid attention to before. First let's look at the coolness (yes, that is a word) of Jesus in this story. First of all Jesus was a Jew...and if you didn't know Jews and Samaritans weren't the best of friends. In fact they hated each other! Yet He was talking to her?Second! She was a woman, He was a man. Normally random women and men didn't carry on in depth conversations like this one. Thirdly, He met her right where she was at. He loved her even though she was living in sin. He came to where she was so that she may have a new life through this "living water" He was talking to her about!  This woman recognized and accepted that Jesus was the Messiah and ran and told everyone about what Jesus had done for her! This is the part that I love...

39 "Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony..."

How amazing is that?! Because of her testimony, because she went to her friends, family and town and shared what Jesus had done for her, many people from Samaria believed in Jesus! Wow! Don't you want that to be said of you? That because you went and shared what Jesus has done for you, many people have believed.   What a sweet, kind, patient, loving, and faithful Savior we have that He came and met us where we were at, just like He did with the woman at the well that day, so that we might have salvation in Him.

If that isn't something worth living a joyous life over I don't know what is :D

SMO 2011

Just got back from the GCC Senior High mission trip to Snowbird 2011!! The Lord moved like crazy in my life and in the lives of the other students this week.   God reminded and showed me that He is a faithful God! I saw that first hand this week. The Lord also revealed to me this week that I am not hiding His word in my heart like I need to be.  Whenever Jesus was tempted, how did He respond? With Scripture. How much more should I need to respond with the word of God?

He also allowed me to be encouraged. Encouraged by our SWO counselors, our church leaders, and most of all, by His word:)  Such a refreshing time of being able to focus on the Lord without the distractions of everyday life. I'm so excited to see how the Lord begins to open doors for me, and to see how He continues to lead and guide me as He reveals His plan for my life. 

  "Let's follow our leader into the glorious unknown. This is a ride like no other, this is the Great Adventure!" 

"..you'll just have to see it for yourself."

I LOVE the mountains. I grew up the hills of East Tennessee:) Hiking, playing in the creek, climbing trees, working in the garden with my papaw, playing in the loft of a chickenless chicken coop, screaming at the sight of field mice in the house, building life size snowmen in the winter (that only happened once lol)...those are just some of my memories.

Right now I live in coastal Georgia, which is also an awesome place to live! It's hot!...but awesome. Here we've gotten into sea kayaking, beach bumming, island hopping, and just exploring all there is to see!

But...I have one problem. Whenever I try to explain the vastness and beauty of the Smoky Mountains to the people here in Georgia or the unimaginable beauties of watching the sun come up over the horizon on the beach to the people in Tennessee, I can't! After a while of me trying my best to explain, but getting absolutely nowhere, I end up sighing and saying, "You'll just have to see it for yourself."

Don't you think this is how Jesus felt? In John 17:24 Jesus says, "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world."

The disciples believed that Jesus was the Son of God, but they really had no idea of the kind of glory that Jesus gave up to be there with them! ….  We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but do we really know the glory that He gave up so that we could have the chance to know Him personally?  


See, I can show you pictures, but it just doesn't compare to seeing the real thing in person.  We see glimpses of God's glory all around us, and in His word; but it won't compare whenever we get to see the source of all of His glory in person. Everyone will see it, but unfortunately, not everyone will be joyful.
It's Jesus' desire to know you personally! To be intimately involved in every single part of your life! He loves you with an everlasting love! Whenever you realize that you're a sinner in desperate need of forgiveness, and you confess that before the Lord and surrender EVERYTHING (fiances, family, future, house, job etc.) you are before Him and ask Him to do with you whatever He pleases, then He comes in, cleans house, and your new life begins:)

Whenever you have this relationship with Jesus everything changes! You have an hope that is absolutely crazy! How can you not knowing that the God who made everything is madly in love with you and wants only the best for you?! Now I'm not saying that trials don't come...they do! But whenever you cling to Christ through those times and allow Him to have His way, you will receive this insane joy that the world will look at and wonder  how in the world can you be joyful through that?! Then that's whenever you look to them and say..."Well...let me tell you about my Jesus."   Whenever we live that life of COMPLETE surrender amazing things happen:) Endure the trials, suffering and persecution that is to come (if it hasn't already) with joy. Cling to Christ. Obey whatever He's telling you to do no matter how crazy it seems. Why? So that whenever His glory is revealed, you will be overjoyed:)
"But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." 1Peter 4:13  ...."It's so amazing, you'll just have to see it for yourself:)"

"Lord please give me strength to live this life of complete surrender! Please constantly remind me that You are with me and there is nothing that I should fear. Lead me, guide me. Show me what You would have me do. Help me be obedient to whatever You want me to do. Please have Your way in my life."

handicapped...

“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them." Psalm 115:4-8

My mind was completely blown away whenever I read this. I will do my best to explain.

As I read this I began to look at my life. God showed me how whenever I begin to start trusting in the things of this world I basically become handicapped in my service to Him. How so? Well, whenever I start trusting in things that don't matter, my life starts to revolve around things that don’t matter. Therefore I start spending my time and life on things that, well, don’t matter. I start to become like them… “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” Here are some examples:
1) I become disobedient to speaking truths that He wants me to speak…" they have mouths but do not speak"
2) I become blind to opportunities that He places before me and cannot see what He is trying to show me in His word…"eyes, but do not see"
3) I don’t hear Him speak like I once did…"ears, but do not hear"
4) I can't sense (or “smell”) evil very well…"noses, but do not smell"
5) I'm not serving like I should…"they have hands, but do not feel"
6) I'm not obedient in going the places He wants me to go (aka I’m lazy)…"they have feet but do not walk"
7) And I don't share what Christ's been doing in my life…"they do not make a sound in their throats"

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word idol this way… 1. An image of a god, used as an object of worship   2. Any object of ardent or excessive devotion or admiration…

What are the things in your life that are taking your devotion and admiration away from Christ? What are you allowing to handicap your service to the Lord?

"...and the two shall become one flesh."

Funny title, right? Trust me; I was as confused as you are right now whenever the Lord allowed me to read Mark 10:1-12 and Ephesians 5 in my quiet time today. Both of these passages have something in common... they both contain the famous "wedding verses"..."Therefore a man shall leave is father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become on flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."    We've all heard theses verses before, right? Well, I was very confused as to why the Lord took me to two different passages that contained these verses. As I began to think and pray about it, the Lord spoke and told me that this should be said of him and me!  Let me show you....
"Therefore, Hannah will leave everything that she has ever known and will hold fast to Christ alone, and they will become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What God has joined together let nothing ever separate!"

Whenever we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, and surrender everything to Him, we become one with Him! Are we living as if we are one with Christ?   Are you willing to tell the Lord, "I am willing to leave everything and hold fast to You and only You!"  Trust Him! Take Him at His word!  
                 "…deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow Him." (Luke 9:23)