Dream On

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12

Recently, I've been reflecting a lot on dreams -understanding those ideas and goals that God placed inside of each one of us. I thought about the life of Joseph and how he had dreams but he had so many obstacles (slavery, jail, gossip) to overcome before it came to pass. I just want to encourage you to remain faithful in cultivating those God-given dreams, even if the fruit is slow to show itself. Happy Tuesday! 

Matthew 10

“Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment..." Matthew 10:9

Right before this verse, Jesus tasks 12 people to spread the gospel to their neighborhoods. He emphasizes that in order to be effective, they don't need to go to the ends of the earth, they can go right into their neighborhoods and make a difference. What I love about verse 9 is that it removes every excuse. When God gives us something to do, a task to complete, he will provide everything that we need to complete it. What excuse have you been giving God to not fulfill what he called you to do? Whatever it was, fugetaboutit *in my most convincing mafia voice* and let God show you how faithful he is! 

"And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words." Matthew 10:20

You don't have to be an eloquent speaker to share what God placed inside your heart. Since we were created uniquely and in His image, we ALL have ways to serve the kingdom (ie. Spiritual Gifts). Jesus told the 12 harvest hands to go into their neighborhoods and share the gospel in a vernacular common to that place. Your testimony, your accent, your style of dress are all things that can be used to draw people Christ. Be You! 

Because The Holy Spirit resides in us (those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives), we have 24/7 access to him. If we find ourselves at a loss for words, we can ask The Holy Spirit to guide and direct us to the most appropriate words for that moment. There have been many times that I don't know what to write in these morning devotionals and I sought additional direction. On those days, I get feedback like "that's just what I needed to hear today" or "How did you know that's what I was praying about?!" How awesome! You never know how significant the impact your words and actions will be when you heed His guidance. How much better would our lives be if we applied this same principles to EVERY aspect of life?

What were your favorite parts of this chapter?

Happy Monday! 

Matthew 1-3

I’m so pumped about this Matthew Study! I had every intention of posting on February 1 and 2 but life happened haha I’ll share that at the end of this post :)

Matthew 1: The Birth of Jesus

Matthew 1:18-25 which talks about the Immaculate Conception and the birth of Jesus. When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, an angel spoke to him in a dream (verse 20-23). 

Joseph had great intentions by trying to take care of things quietly, but it wasn’t God’s plan for him. Has God ever given you a task or something to do and you felt as though you couldn’t complete it?

I absolutely love this part, “Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream…” Matthew 1:24 (MSG)

When God speaks to you, do you listen? And when you hear him, do you gripe, complain, and take your sweet time?

Matthew 2: Herod’s plot

“Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth announcement start had appeared…” Matthew 2:7-8

Herod, is a perfect example of James 1:26 (If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless…). He put on a front, quoted scriptures, sang all the right songs in praise and worship, prayed super long prayers… or whatever else to convince the scholars that he was a believer. As Christians, The Lord gives us a discerning spirit. Spend time with Him, so you can be aware of the “Herods” of the world.

Matthew 2:16-17 says that Herod was angry when the scholars did not report back to tell him the location of baby Jesus. He then commanded that all the baby boys should be slaughtered so that nobody would be able to follow a messiah.

We shouldn't share our dreams and visions with everybody. Some people (like Herod) will hear about your calling and become jealous. They’ll lead you to believe that they are supporting you, but all the while, they are plotting against you. Who are you sharing your dreams and aspirations with? Are your relationships God –lead? Or are you hanging on to relationships that God told you to cut off, because they drain you, pull you AWAY from Christ, and steal your joy?

Matthew 3: Jesus gets baptized  

^“But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he denounced them. ‘You sons of snakes!’ he warned. ‘Who said that you could escape the coming wrath of God? Before being baptized, prove that you have turned from sin by doing worthy deeds. Don’t try to get by as you are, thinking, ‘We are safe for we are Jews—descendants of Abraham.’ That proves nothing. God can change these stones here into Jews!’” Matthew 3:7-10 (The Living Bible)

John the Baptist had become widely known, much like the celebrities of today. Everyone wanted a piece of John, so baptism was the cool thing to do. But I love how John called out the hypocrisy. Similarly, we should not merely accept that everyone who professes Christianity does in fact have a growing relationship in Christ. Our walk with Christ is not determined by how many things we do well at church, but it’s about our heart. If the heart is right with God, we should be bearing the fruits of the spirit. It’s not determined by how often we attend church, or that our grandparents thrice removed pray for us daily. It’s a PERSONAL decision to take up our cross and follow Him.

“Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized there by John. John didn’t want to do it. ‘This isn’t proper,’ he said. ‘I am the one who needs to be baptized by you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Please do it, for I must do all that is right.’ So then John baptized him.” Matthew 3:15

Fun fact: Jesus was baptized for all that follow him! Baptism is not necessary to be saved, but it is a outward act for an inward change. Really, Jesus made being a Christian so much easier. We don’t have to slaughter things, wait for prophets to speak words from God, or any of that. Thank you, Jesus :)

I celebrated my birthday this weekend! So much fun. It's crazy to think that a few months ago, I knew a total of ZERO people. 

*I also served as a chaperone at my church lock in, but I don't have those pictures yet :(

I also met my absolute favorite person in the world, Heather Lindsey. She's so sweet! Ladies, visit her website: www.heatherlindsey.com. Guys, visit her husband's website: www.corneliuslindsey.com 

Proverbs 2- Success

"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones." Proverbs 2:6-8

There are times that we may doubt ourselves and wonder if a goal is too lofty or a dream is too risky. Proverbs clearly states that if we are walking WITH God, there is guaranteed success. No, all of our wishes and hopes won't come true, God isn't a genie, but what is for us will come to pass. What does that mean? Doors that you thought could never open will open. Things seemingly impossible will occur; the only explanation is God. So, no matter what season we're in, we must continue to pray and give thanks. And stop stressing about things, because God's got it under control!

Btw: for the month of December, I will be studying a chapter of Proverbs a day. Feel free to do it with me and even share your thoughts on each chapter

(Original post: December 2)