16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:16-18
As Christians, we have a constant every day battle between two life styles. Life by the Spirit, or life by the flesh. The flesh can also be identified as our sin nature. Living with the Holy Spirit is the only way we can defeat the flesh.
Life by the flesh
Living by the flesh, or our sinful nature, is contrary to they way we need to live as Christians. Here is the way that our sinful nature tries to get us to live:
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
A life according to the flesh is a life of sin. Take a look at the last part of verse 21 again: "I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." This stuff listed in this passage is all sin. It is sooo important that we do not live according to the flesh because if we do, we will not inherit the kingdom of God! However, there is an easy way to conquer the fleshy part of your life.
7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8: 7-8
Life by the Spirit
"1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."
Romans 8:1-2
God has given us his Holy Spirit to set us free from the temptation of our sin nature. The Holy Spirit is the mind of God. God uses the Holy Spirit to speak to us and lead us in His will. Everyone who has received Christ has the power to overcome the flesh because we posses the Holy Spirit.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Romans 8:9-11
As long as we have the Spirit, we are not in the realm of the flesh! As long as Christ is inside of us the Spirit gives us life even though we deserve death for our sin.
So, what does living in the Spirit look like?
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
If you live a life filled with the fruits of the Spirit, then there will not be enough room for the fruits of our fleshy sin nature! If we live according to the Spirit, then the Spirit will remind us of the fruit of the spirit when we are tempted to give into the fruit of our sin nature.
Living in the Spirit instead of the flesh is a constant day to day battle. We have to make a daily choice to keep in step with the Spirit.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Galatians 5:24-26
We need to crucify our sin nature and it's desires daily or we will not be able to live in step with the Spirit.
Choosing to walk instep with the Spirit is not always the easy way. Sometimes it is so hard! The easy way out can be to foll0w our fleshly desires. But, life in step with the Spirit has SO much more to offer! When we follow the Holy Spirit, we are following exactly what God wants us to do!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Asking for your support in Prayer
Hey everyone! I would just like to update everyone on what's going on in my life these next couple of weeks and ask for some prayer regarding some of the things I will be doing.
On July 5th I will be heading to Riverside Bible Camp to be a cabin leader for some 5-7yr olds :) It is only a three day camp but It should be quite fun! I would like to ask for prayer that I would be able to reach out to the little girls I will be working with and share Christ's love with them. Also pray that God will use this camp to touch many of these kids lives and bring them to Him.
I get back from Adventure camp on July 7th and am home for a couple of days before I head out to the Quad Cities for a mission trip with my youth group. For this trip, I'm asking that you pray for the team and that we would all work together to display Christ's love and Serve and that God will use us in some people's lives! Also, pray that we will always be ready to share our faith when the opportunity presents itself.
The day after I get back from the Quad Cities, I will be heading back to Riverside for Junior High camp. I am so excited to work with the Junior High girls! For most girls, this is the roughest part of our lives and it's impossible to live through it without Christ! There is so much insecurity, drama and low self esteem. Please pray for me that I would be able to lead these girls into living a set-apart life unashamed to live for Christ! Also that I would be ready to share my testimony or portions of it when opportunities present themselves. Another thing that I will be doing is helping lead the worship for this camp. Please pray that we will be able to lead these kids into worship and teach them what it really means to worship!
After Junior High camp comes Senior High camp, which I will be attending as a camper. I'm really excited because I've never been to summer camp at Riverside before! Even though this is a bible camp, I know that there will still be girl's there that need Christ. Please pray that I would maybe be able to impact some of these girl's lives!
These events make up the whole month of July so you may not hear from any of my blogs for a while...but I will have TONS to blog about when I come back from everything!
Thanks for the prayers!!!
Cana
On July 5th I will be heading to Riverside Bible Camp to be a cabin leader for some 5-7yr olds :) It is only a three day camp but It should be quite fun! I would like to ask for prayer that I would be able to reach out to the little girls I will be working with and share Christ's love with them. Also pray that God will use this camp to touch many of these kids lives and bring them to Him.
I get back from Adventure camp on July 7th and am home for a couple of days before I head out to the Quad Cities for a mission trip with my youth group. For this trip, I'm asking that you pray for the team and that we would all work together to display Christ's love and Serve and that God will use us in some people's lives! Also, pray that we will always be ready to share our faith when the opportunity presents itself.
The day after I get back from the Quad Cities, I will be heading back to Riverside for Junior High camp. I am so excited to work with the Junior High girls! For most girls, this is the roughest part of our lives and it's impossible to live through it without Christ! There is so much insecurity, drama and low self esteem. Please pray for me that I would be able to lead these girls into living a set-apart life unashamed to live for Christ! Also that I would be ready to share my testimony or portions of it when opportunities present themselves. Another thing that I will be doing is helping lead the worship for this camp. Please pray that we will be able to lead these kids into worship and teach them what it really means to worship!
After Junior High camp comes Senior High camp, which I will be attending as a camper. I'm really excited because I've never been to summer camp at Riverside before! Even though this is a bible camp, I know that there will still be girl's there that need Christ. Please pray that I would maybe be able to impact some of these girl's lives!
These events make up the whole month of July so you may not hear from any of my blogs for a while...but I will have TONS to blog about when I come back from everything!
Thanks for the prayers!!!
Cana
Sunday, June 12, 2011
To live is Christ!
This summer, my church is memorizing Philippians 3:7-11 as a congregation. This passage is my favorite passage of scripture. This passage really describes what I would like my life to reflect! It's probably one of the best descriptions in scripture of what my goal is as a set-apart girl.
"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."
~Philippians 3:7-11~
Declaring that I count everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of Christ is some powerful stuff! That is definitely how I aim to live my life but unfortunately, because of sin, my life isn't quite there yet. I get tempted and fall away but because of God's amazing grace and forgiveness, I am able to get back on track! Even Paul admits in the next passage that he isn't quite there yet either,
"12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
By pressing on toward the goal to win the prize and suffering the loss of all things, we can defeat sins pull on us in life!
Have you ever thought about what we really have in life? Compared to knowing Christ, everything else is rubbish! All we have in life is CHRIST! Knowing that Christ is all we have in life really helps us picture all of the other stuff in life a loss. We must loose it all in order that we may gain Christ! In Philippians 1 Paul states: "For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain..." We must die to ourselve's in order that we may gain Christ so that we may live!
If you are thinking: I don't think I could give up the stuff in my life that is holding me back from Christ, remember that Christ IS life! He's all we have....Hallelujah all I have is Christ!
What is the stuff in your life that you must loose in order to gain Christ? I Challenge you to become like Christ in His death and loose it all so you may gain Christ who is EVERYTHING!
Thanks
Cana
"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."
~Philippians 3:7-11~
Declaring that I count everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of Christ is some powerful stuff! That is definitely how I aim to live my life but unfortunately, because of sin, my life isn't quite there yet. I get tempted and fall away but because of God's amazing grace and forgiveness, I am able to get back on track! Even Paul admits in the next passage that he isn't quite there yet either,
"12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
By pressing on toward the goal to win the prize and suffering the loss of all things, we can defeat sins pull on us in life!
Have you ever thought about what we really have in life? Compared to knowing Christ, everything else is rubbish! All we have in life is CHRIST! Knowing that Christ is all we have in life really helps us picture all of the other stuff in life a loss. We must loose it all in order that we may gain Christ! In Philippians 1 Paul states: "For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain..." We must die to ourselve's in order that we may gain Christ so that we may live!
If you are thinking: I don't think I could give up the stuff in my life that is holding me back from Christ, remember that Christ IS life! He's all we have....Hallelujah all I have is Christ!
What is the stuff in your life that you must loose in order to gain Christ? I Challenge you to become like Christ in His death and loose it all so you may gain Christ who is EVERYTHING!
Thanks
Cana
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
An inspiring quote
Hey! I haven't had very much time to post on this blog in the last couple months. My schedule is hectic right now but it will calm down starting next week. I just finished up the book "The Lost Art of True Beauty" by: Leslie Ludy and there is a wonderful quote that she shares at the beginning and end of the book. It is by Christina Rosetti.
"How beautiful are the arms which have embraced Christ, the hands which have touched Christ, the eyes which have gazed upon Christ, the lips which have spoken with Christ, the feet which have followed Christ. How beautiful are the hands which have worked the works of Christ, the feet which treading in His footsteps have gone about doing good, the lips which have spread abroad His Name, the lives which have been counted loss for Him."
~Christina Rosetti
I hope this quote inspires you to give your all for Christ as much as it does for me.
God bless,
Cana
"How beautiful are the arms which have embraced Christ, the hands which have touched Christ, the eyes which have gazed upon Christ, the lips which have spoken with Christ, the feet which have followed Christ. How beautiful are the hands which have worked the works of Christ, the feet which treading in His footsteps have gone about doing good, the lips which have spread abroad His Name, the lives which have been counted loss for Him."
~Christina Rosetti
I hope this quote inspires you to give your all for Christ as much as it does for me.
God bless,
Cana
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Jesus take the wheel....
Everyone has dreams and desires. For instance, one of my dreams is to someday own my own Christian dance studio and show others how they can worship God through dance. Another dream of mine is to get married and be a mom. There are a bunch of things I have dreamed about and desired throughout life. There are a lot of little dreams and desires that I have had that I have seen become reality yet there are a lot that haven't. Dreams and desires also often change depending on where life is taking you.
It is good to have dreams and ambitions in life. However, how do we know if they are God's desires for us?
First of all, examine your heart. Think about what desires you have in life. Use a blank piece of paper and write them down. What kind of desires are they? Are they selfish desires?
Psalm 37:4 says: "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart."
DELIGHT yourself in the LORD! Give him your heart and your life in a total surrender! Hold nothing back from God. When every part of your life is given up in surrender to God, our desires become God's desires. That's how God gives you the desires of your heart! We no longer are the authors of our own lives. Give your life and all of your desires to God and let him work his plan in your life. Let your number one desire be to have God's will done in your life. You will not be disappointed.
Remember that piece of paper that you wrote your dreams and desires on? Pick up that piece of paper and flip it over. The page is now blank! Instead of focusing on your own dreams and desires, give God your life and let him work and see what happens! It is great to have ambitions and dreams in your life; but instead of focusing on them and how you can make them happen, trust God to lead you where he wants you to go in life. It's not going to be easy, but isn't it reassuring that God has your life plan all worked out? By surrendering to God's plan and TRUSTING in it, everything will work out perfectly and exactly how God wants it to. Again, you will NOT be disappointed! Hand over the wheel of your life to God and watch God's beautiful plan unfold in your life!
It is good to have dreams and ambitions in life. However, how do we know if they are God's desires for us?
First of all, examine your heart. Think about what desires you have in life. Use a blank piece of paper and write them down. What kind of desires are they? Are they selfish desires?
Psalm 37:4 says: "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart."
DELIGHT yourself in the LORD! Give him your heart and your life in a total surrender! Hold nothing back from God. When every part of your life is given up in surrender to God, our desires become God's desires. That's how God gives you the desires of your heart! We no longer are the authors of our own lives. Give your life and all of your desires to God and let him work his plan in your life. Let your number one desire be to have God's will done in your life. You will not be disappointed.
Remember that piece of paper that you wrote your dreams and desires on? Pick up that piece of paper and flip it over. The page is now blank! Instead of focusing on your own dreams and desires, give God your life and let him work and see what happens! It is great to have ambitions and dreams in your life; but instead of focusing on them and how you can make them happen, trust God to lead you where he wants you to go in life. It's not going to be easy, but isn't it reassuring that God has your life plan all worked out? By surrendering to God's plan and TRUSTING in it, everything will work out perfectly and exactly how God wants it to. Again, you will NOT be disappointed! Hand over the wheel of your life to God and watch God's beautiful plan unfold in your life!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
It's Valentines Day tomorrow
It's Valentine's Day tomorrow!!!! Check out what the Bible says about love:
We as humans tend to take the word love and use it very lightly. We throw it around like it's nothing. We love ice cream, we love pizza, we love everything. Love also has a very significant meaning to us as humans. When someone that we love tells us that they love us, it makes us feel really good. It's one of the most meaningful things someone can tell us.
1 John 4:16 says: "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."
We as Christians are commanded to be like God. Therefore we are commanded to love because God is love. We need to love!!! Christians are noticed for their unconditional love towards others. However, Christians are also often noticed for their lack of love towards others.
Here is a passage that talks about how important living a life of love is to a Christian.
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."
~1 Corinthians 13:1-3~
WOW! isn't that harsh! If we have mountain moving faith but not love we are NOTHING!!! If we give all we have to the poor but not have love we gain NOTHING!!! Without love, we are NOTHING! It's really sad to me how Christians are often noticed because of their lack of love. Our biggest calling is to love. We can't be living the life God calls us to if we don't love others.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
~1 John 4:7-8~
God calls us to love one another because love comes from God. The love that we are commanded to have for others has much deeper meaning than the 'love' that our culture throws around for everything. It is an unconditional love. It's the love of God!
Check out this passage:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails....And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 John 3:16
Loving others is soooo important! We need to love like Jesus loved! Happy Valentines Day!!! Love you all...:)
We as humans tend to take the word love and use it very lightly. We throw it around like it's nothing. We love ice cream, we love pizza, we love everything. Love also has a very significant meaning to us as humans. When someone that we love tells us that they love us, it makes us feel really good. It's one of the most meaningful things someone can tell us.
1 John 4:16 says: "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."
We as Christians are commanded to be like God. Therefore we are commanded to love because God is love. We need to love!!! Christians are noticed for their unconditional love towards others. However, Christians are also often noticed for their lack of love towards others.
Here is a passage that talks about how important living a life of love is to a Christian.
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."
~1 Corinthians 13:1-3~
WOW! isn't that harsh! If we have mountain moving faith but not love we are NOTHING!!! If we give all we have to the poor but not have love we gain NOTHING!!! Without love, we are NOTHING! It's really sad to me how Christians are often noticed because of their lack of love. Our biggest calling is to love. We can't be living the life God calls us to if we don't love others.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
~1 John 4:7-8~
God calls us to love one another because love comes from God. The love that we are commanded to have for others has much deeper meaning than the 'love' that our culture throws around for everything. It is an unconditional love. It's the love of God!
Check out this passage:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails....And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
~1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13~
The passage above defines the kind of love that we are supposed to have towards others and. We are called to love unselfishly and unconditionally and totally devotedly. If our love lacks any of these characteristics we are not loving the way that God calls us to.
Loving others is soooo important! Do you know what the Bible says about people who claim to love God but don't love others? Check this out!
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:20-21
If we claim to love God and hate others the Bible says that we are a LIAR!!! It says that we we do not love others we cannot love God. Wow!!! This is why God calls us to love others above all else! If we love God we must also love others!
You might be thinking: "is it even possible to love others like this? is it even possible to love everyone? YES! it is!
Jesus is the perfect picture to represent love. He was human and he fought the same thoughts and temptations we did yet he was able to love everyone unconditionally! so much that he was willing to DIE for us!!! He had such a sacrificial, committed, self denying love for us that he was crucified to save us from our sins. We need to love like Jesus!!!
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.1 John 3:16
Loving others is soooo important! We need to love like Jesus loved! Happy Valentines Day!!! Love you all...:)
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