God's Love!

   So this week is revival at our church! I'm super excited about it! We have Brother Doyle Williamson speaking. He spoke this morning and tonight! It was like my spiritual health got revived! I know that is what revival is about but I love the feeling. He got me thinking about a few things so here is my notes from this morning! I hope you enjoy!!!

     39 Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed. "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." 40 Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for on hour?" He asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptations. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." 42 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." 43 When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
                                                                                 Matthew 26: 39-44

 Jesus prayed the same pray that night 3 times. Asking God if this cup could be taken from Him. At the end of each pray He said, "not as I will but as you will." I believe this was Jesus' human side showing in this moment. Jesus knew He had to do this so we could have a relationship with God. Even though He knew what He had to do He asked if this could be taken away because He knew He had to suffer for us. Now I'm not saying He didn't want to do this but any human that is near death would act like this. I know if I was fixing to die I would be like, "can someone else do this?" Jesus knew this was the only way for us to have a relationship with His Father! Just think Jesus knew He was going to suffer before He died. God did this so we would know how much He loves us!!! If He didn't love us do you think He would have sent His son to die for us? I don't think so.  Even Jesus who was fully God turned to Him for help. If Jesus can turn to God, His Father, in times of need why don't we? We need to remember even Jesus prayed to God.
   Verse 41 makes me think that Jesus wasn't just telling the disciples this. I think He was reminding Himself that too. He was telling Himself, " hey remember my body is human but I am the Son of God." 

     There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
                                                                                  Matthew 27:34
 They offered Jesus wine mixed with gall. Gall acts like an anesthetic. Jesus refused it. I wonder if He did that because He knew He had to suffer for our sins. So that we could all see how much He suffered for us so that we could have a relationship with God.
  
   39 Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked Him. 42"He saved others," they said, "but He can't save Himself! He's the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him now if He wants Him, for He said, ' I am the Son of God.'" 44 In the same way the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.
                                                                                     Matthew 27:39-44
    They were telling Jesus to save Himself if He was the Son of God. But Jesus couldn't because He had to be a sacrifice for our sins so that we could have a relationship with God.

      45  From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
                                                                      Matthew 27:45,46
           Jesus asked God why He had forsaken Him. I think this might be the other part of His human side coming out. Since He took all our sin on to His body He had to feel the separation from God for a short time. That had to kill Him inside. He was God's Son and God sent Him to die for us. Maybe Jesus was thinking just for a second, " are they worth it?" 

        50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.
                                                                    Matthew 27:50,51
      The curtain was torn in two. Some think when this happened it was God showing us that he barrier between God and man was torn down. Jesus dying on the cross allowed that barrier to be torn down. We have to believe in Jesus so that we can have a relationship with God. If we don't then Jesus dying on the cross was all for nothing.

       54 When the centurion and those with Him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely He was the Son of God!"
                                                                      Matthew 27:54
      How many of us ask for a sign from God before you believe? That is why we have Faith! Faith is believing without seeing. We live in a world today that they want you to see before you believe. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist! How do you think God and Jesus feel when we think that way? Jesus dying on the cross was a sign that God does exist and He loves you more than you will ever know. 
  Everything I have written about today shows you how much God loves you! We can't fathom how much God loves us! It would blow our minds if we could. God loves you no matter what. He might not like what you are doing but He still loves you! God wants you to choose Him, to love Him, and to live for Him. I think Jesus dying for us is pretty big. So don't you think living for Him is the least we could do?

    Lord,
       I want to thank you for blessing my life with everything you have given me or not giving me. Lord I pray that anyone that reads this will come to know you if they don't already! I pray that they know how much You love them! If they will just let You in it will change their lives like they will never know! Lord please be with everyone that reads this.Thank you for sending Jesus to die for us so that we could have a relationship with you!
                                               In Your Sons' Name I pray,
                                                         Amen!
                                        

 
 

Jesus will always be the same!

    I have been trying to think about what to write on my blog for a couple days. I finally figured out just a few seconds ago that I am going to write about my favorite bible verse! This has been my favorite for as long as I can remember. I don't even know when I first ran into this verse. I just love what it says. So here is my favorite bible verse.......



                            Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
                                                                             Hebrews 13:8



       I think the reason why I love it so much is that people around you will change. Your best friend last year could not be your best friend this year. I have had this happen in my life a few times. This verse tells me no matter what Jesus is always going to be the same. He will always be a loving, caring guy! He will always be there for you because He died for you on the cross so that you can have a relationship with God. No matter what is happening in your life Jesus will always be there for you.  I think that ties into Jesus never changing. Knowing that Jesus never changes can give you that push to always turn to Him! I know it can be difficult.  Jesus wants us to turn to Him for help whenever we need it. I find myself sometimes just thinking about God throughout the day. Not anything specific just God is always on my brain. I know this doesn't have anything to do with my favorite bible verse but just felt like I needed to say it.

      So if you stray from your walk with God don't fret! As long as you come back to Him that is all that matters. I think when that happens when we turn back to Him, God opens His arms and says, "welcome back my child." That is how much He loves us!!! I just love knowing that no matter what Jesus will always be the same! Gives me a lot of peace knowing that. I hope it gives you peace too. I also hope you know that He loves you and will always be there for you!

    Sorry I know I got off the topic a few times. Apparently there were a few things God wanted me to say!

God Bless!
 Shannon

Why do you believe in God?

   If someone asked you why you believed in God, what would you say? Would you be able to answer?

   My preacher talked about what would you say if someone asked you that and are you really saved. A lot of us just know we believe in God. Either because we were just brought up that way or believed because of studying His word. Something to think about though is what if a non-christian asked you why? We should know what to say without thinking about it. As soon as the preacher asked us what would we say, I though oh that's easy. I sat there for a couple minutes and I know why but it's hard to put it into words. I finally did and this is why I believe in God:

  God loves us unconditionally no matter what we do. He doesn't like our sin but He loves us anyways. If God didn't love us do you think He would have sent His son to die for us so that we could have a relationship with Him? He wants us to love Him. He gives us the option so that He knows that we love Him back!! God never turns His back on you. If you are hurting guess what, He is right there with you! God hurts when you hurt!

   The other topic it was are you sure you are saved? We say we believe in God but do we act it? For anyone saying they are a Christian you want to automatically say yes. If you look at what it means you might actually not be. I know this is a hard topic. It's even hard for me. Do we pray, read the Bible, minister others about Jesus, and go to Church? It's so easy to just pick and choose what parts of being a Christian we want to do. We might not do that all the time but eventually we all do it. We might say, Oh I read my bible but don't feel like I have to pray. I used to think that if I believed in God and read my bible and prayed that it's ok if I don't go to Church. In reality we need to do all of them. I know this now! God wants us to have fellowship with others! I think the Church is made up of the people not the building! We make up the Church.

   The hardest thing for me to do is minister to others about Jesus! I know I do it through posting things on facebook but it's hard for me to just go up to people and talk to them about Jesus. I know if God wanted me to go door to door He would give me the courage to. So maybe this is what God wants me to do for now. Write blogs and post things on facebook! We will see!

God Bless!!!

Just Heartbreaking!

The past 2 days we have had really bad weather. Some on Sunday and one yesterday that was just like May 3,1999! I was watching it on tv and I just couldn't believe it. It really was like watching May 3,1999 tornado all over again. Knowing though that it went into a more populated area this time was just unbelievable! Then watching them go through the rubble at the schools. Looking at it you wouldn't think anyone would survive. God had His hands around so many people. I know it's hard listening and seeing that kids died in that school. God just wanted them home with Him. Just think they don't have to be in this crazy world anymore. Also the adults that didn't make it either. They are free from this world.

I need to take a break from the news and media but it's hard. You just keep watching hoping that it will change for the better. Yet just looking at the debris makes your heartbreak. For people that weren't in the storm, it's ok to cry! It's good that you want to cry. Means you have a heart. Don't keep stuff in. If you need to find someone to talk to. I know a lot of people are going to be afraid every time a storm comes through.

Sunday night when we were told to take shelter we did. As we were walking down into the cellar my mom said there was a tornado around. If you don't know my mom she gets weird feelings about storms. She stopped and looked around. She saw it. She was like Shannon you have to come and see this. I go up there and it was already east of us. It looked like a mini rope tornado. Not touching down just still in the sky. Then we looked back to our west and there was another circulation. It wasn't forming it was just going round and round. It was my first time to see that. It was cool yet very scary. I guess that is why yesterdays tornado scared me so bad.

I know this is just a lot of rambling but I needed to.
Love you guys!!
God Bless!!!

Confession time!

 So I feel God pressing on my heart to say some stuff. I'm sorry if it seems crazy that I'm posting this stuff but when God puts something on your heart to do I feel like you should do it!

 So lately I feel like I have put God on the back burner again. I hate this feeling. I know that God is number one but it's so easy to just say, "hey God is always there so He won't be mad if I don't read or pray for a little while." Don't get me wrong I know He is always there for us. But I think He does get upset when we do that. I know that when I don't do what He wants I feel crappy. I think it's like when your parents told you not to do something and you do it anyway. Then afterwords you are feeling guilty and you don't want them to find out. Well when we are doing what God wants then turn from that He feels like our parents do when we do something that they told us not to. I know that might not make scense but it does in my head.

 Right now in my life I kinda feel like a failure. I know I shouldn't but I do. I haven't been reading my bible. I don't really have a job right now. (waiting on stuff for that) I slacked in school so when I go back I have a lot to do. I also feel like I never finish anything. Not just spiritually. School, church, and my weightloss. I don't know how many times I start working out and eating right then all of a sudden I'm back to where I was. I know I need to lose weight for very many reasons. I get depressed about it then I'm like who cares! I will never lose the weight. I know I can and I am so ready for this weight to be off. I have health issues because of it. This time though I have a lot of people to hold me accountable! This time it's going to work. But in the back of my head after I typed that was, "nah shannon you say that but you won't!" That makes me so mad that I'm already doubting myself. I guess that's my main problem. I doubt myself.

 Another reason why I feel like a failure is I stopped reading my bible daily and praying daily. I still do them it's just not daily like I used to and that upsets me. I was doing really good there for a while about reading my bible. Then one day I skipped reading and never really went back to doing it. This is where you guys come in.....if you read this text me or message me on facebook and ask me if I have read or prayed today. This way I will have accountablity with that too. Let me tell you though, when I see you guys asking for prayer and I comment saying I'm praying I really am! I don't want you guys thinking because I said I don't pray everyday anymore means I don't pray for you when I say I do.

 I am going to try to go back to school in the fall. I don't really know what I want to major in but I know I love helping people. Some people tell me I should be a counselor because I'm a good listener and give good advice. Not going to lie though that advice comes from God! Maybe that is what I'm supposed to do. I'll pray about it.

 God loves you! No matter what you have done He loves you! I mean He did send His Son to die for you! Now that is LOVE!!!!!!  

God Bless!!!!
~Shannon

Learning to Listen!

So God has been tugging at my heart lately. For some reason it's hard to understand what He is wanting. I'm having to learn to listen with my heart. A lot of stuff is happening in my life right now and I'm trying to listen hard for what God wants me to do. I think sometimes we might try to hard to listen and I think that might get in the way of listening to God....if that makes sense! I feel this yearning for God. I can't get enough of Him. Please pray for me to learn to listen to Him completely and then to do what He says!

More blogs to come later! I love you guys!

God Bless,
   Shannon

2013

So my resolutions for this year are to get closer to God and to get healthier! Then I was thinking about it and getting closer to God should be my daily resolution! I need to learn that when I have a problem to go directly to Him instead of trying to fix it myself! He has the power to change everything if you let Him! I am going to get up before I go to work and read my bible! Thats how I want to start my days. God needs to be number 1 in my life and my marriage. It will happen!

My mission statement for this year:
   I will not let Satan win!!!

If God is for us who can be against us?

God Bless!!!