Reign

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

When Jesus was crucified, he destroyed the bondage of The Law. He allowed believers to live a free life in Christ. Paul is expressing that worldly things have no power over him because The Holy Spirit lives within him. What a beautiful reminder. Who or what are you allowing to reign over you? Also, Chip Ingram has started a series on The Holy Spirit which you can find of the iPhone Podcast app or on his website. It's great teaching. Happy Tuesday! 

Grow in Grace

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." 2 Peter 3:18

To grow in grace means to become more spiritually mature. You cannot grow spiritually solely by your works, but the work that God does within you. Simply reading scripture as a routine, and not for clarity and insight, will not make you more mature. Check your heart and motives and allow the word of God to dwell richly within you (Colossians 3:16) Happy Monday! :) 

Worn Out?

"...Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" Galatians 3:2-3

Have you ever found yourself running on empty? Feeling like you're doing everything in your power but things seem pretty stagnant? *raises hand* I'm definitely guilty. Galatians 3 reminds us that we can't do things in our own strength. We start out trusting God, praying, fasting but over time, we get comfortable. We can feel as if God has given us all the answers; therefore, we continue on and ask God for help when we hit another snag in our plan. Newsflash: God doesn't want to be the last resort! He doesn't want to only be trusted when everything falls apart. He doesn't want to hear from us only when we're fed up and tired. God longs to be first in our lives in every season...even when we feel like we have it all together. Are you intentionally including God in your daily life? Are you sitting at his feet, seeking direction? Happy Monday!

How To: Spend Time with God

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" 2 Timothy 3:16

If your goals include growing in Christ, deepening your relationship with Him, and striving to become more like Him, you have to spend time with Him. In the natural, we don't strengthen relationships by only talking when we need something. It's the same way with God, he's not a magical genie. He wants to talk to us frequently! Reading John 11:35 (Jesus wept) once a year and singing the Johnny Appleseed prayer won't cut it! LOL Seek The Lord for clarity and understanding before you start reading and studying. Set a time that you're able to get quiet before God and listen to Him through His word. You will begin to see positive changes in your life, guaranteed. Happy Wednesday! 

Understanding the Bible

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Mathew 5:6

As believers, who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, we should crave the presence of God.  But honestly, sometimes it can seem like this obscure idea. How do you get to that point of really loving to read a book with thee, thou, and thus in it? First, get a Bible or Bible app that you understand. The Message, NIV, and NLT are my favorites. Next, find a bible study, biblical book, or sermons and work through them. The more you learn about the structure of the Bible and the language, it will be much easier to understand. 

Tips will continue tomorrow! *if you feel this doesn't apply to you, share the info with someone else! We are to be fishers of men!*  Happy Tuesday!