Just like the rest...

I love reading and one of my favorite books of all times is 1984. It's a bit of a cliche and a classic. I bet most people who like reading and have actually read this book and also Brave New World, fall in love with them instantly. Unless you HAD to read it as a school assignment maybe then you might not have great memories of it, but I loved them both.

As I was re-reading these books I realized something they have in common. Besides being books about an utopia, maybe not the best ideal, but well it might happen, these books have one particular thing in common. Even after fighting to not become just like everyone else in their society, in the end they do. Sorry if I'm a spoiler for those who haven't read these books, but trust me just because you know the end, the book is still worth reading.

So I want to write today about this. That's why I have titled this post "Just like the rest".

As a Christian, I'm very familiar with the phrase: You were called out to be the difference.
We aren't just meant to be different, we ought to be the difference.

Maybe we aren't exactly like these utopias, one a society dominated by fear and the other by pleasure, but we are a combination of the two. What I see around me is that some countries are dominated by fear, while others are controlled by pleasure and some just have both. And it breaks my heart to see that a lot of us don't realize yet that we are controlled. Everything is predetermined for us all to be the same. For us to like the same food, the same clothes, the same artists and the everything that is popularized by the media.

I don't want to start a conspiracy theory, but I want us to take a moment and think that times weren't that much different when Jesus walked among us, and what did he do? He was different, He was THE difference. It isn't easy to be different from the crowd, and some of us eventually give in. Those who don't are seen like freaks or are cast out from the group, but still we have to strive to be different.

Even if your not a christian you can still agree that Jesus was a revolutionary. He went against the current, he didn't conform to the norm, he was different. Even as a Jew he wasn't like the other Jews, and I'm not referring to him being THE SON OF GOD, but he acted different. And he wants the same from us.

God didn't just call us out to be different, but he showed us how we can be different. He also showed us that this world will try and convince us to be just like the rest, but we have to fight against it. Do not give in.

Usually we would say "Be yourself!", well I won't say that. Don't be yourself, be the one God wants you to be. Why? Because if you are yourself you are pleasing you, your flesh. If you surrender your flesh and your will to God's will, you will be everything he wants you to be, you will become an even better version of yourself, because all those gifts that he has put in you will be used to their full potential.

Today I want to encourage you to not be just like the rest. Be different and Love being different. Let them say what they want to say. If you don't fit in that's great! ENJOY IT! God will use YOU for greater things, but stay strong and faithful.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others!

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Be Thankful!

Hello Everyone! First of all, I would like to wish you all an awesome New Year, May all your dreams and resolutions for this year come true and all the the blessing God has planned to give you this year come to you.

Today I would like to share a bit of my life with you and maybe encourage you with a little testimony.

My mom taught my brother and I something that has become a tradition for us and maybe you can take it as part of your life as well. Maybe make it also a little tradition. I know I will pass this on to my children and hopefully they will let it live on in their children. One can only hope.

What we do every year 1 hour before the year ends and a new one starts is that we write our wishes on a piece of paper. Its not resolutions, just things we are praying that God will do in his time for the next year. Then we read the ones from the year before and we see God's Glory. These wishes are put in our Bibles.

It may seem like a simple tradition that we've taken, but it helps to grow our faith. When we look at our previous wishes and see how many things God has done for us. Maybe not all came true in our time, but all come true in Gods time.

Now a little testimony to show how this worked for me. 4 years ago one of my dogs got an ear infection, then due to not treating properly in time, because doctors had no idea what it was, it became chronic. When they finally figured out what they could use, it was to late according to the doctor. My dog would have to use medicine till the day he died, and probably loose his hearing. the infection could be controlled but not cured. Now some of you may think, well its just a dog. Well he's not. He is like my son, my baby of 13. I grew up with him, I have 3 dogs now, I grew up with 5, and I loved the ones that died and still love the ones that are alive and God has shown me grace and taught me love through those little angels.
Well so 3 years ago I wrote in my wishes for God to prove those doctors wrong, that he will heal my dog, that he wouldn't have to use medicine anymore. It didn't happen that year, but this year, when I was reading my wishes, I could remove that wish from the list. My dog is completely cured since April 2013. I went to check his ears in October and the doctor asked if I was sure he ever had an infection, his ears were clean and completely healed.

Another story from my dogs, one was born with a skin disease. When I got her we tried everything to help her, but the doctors again didn't have much hope. Well she is 13 now, her skin is beautiful, full of hair and she is the happiest dog ever. Doesn't care about anything, and with that age who would, but she is healthy. Old but healthy. Another wish I could remove from the list.

We keep these lists, as a reminder of how great God is, and how much he has blessed us. He has given us everything we ever wished for, not always in our time, when we want it, but when he wants it. Sometimes we wish for something, and he gives it to us to show us that he has something better for us, and after we learn that, he gives us the better thing.

Today I want to encourage you, that when go through your lows this year, remember all the ups God has lifted you to. He has blessed me with things that I just don't know how I could ever show him how thankful I am. And when I go through my lows, I sometimes read back on the wishes that have come true, and I just stop whining and say Thank you!

Be thankful today, and know that he will keep blessing you, just be faithful to him, and when you're going through your desserts, look up to him, and let him turn it into an oasis.

Be blessed this year, and be a blessing to those around you.

Time to Wake up!

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied. 

- Acts 19:6

Yesterday I saw a movie where Jesus appeared to this group of strangers to speak to them and show them and help them in where they've gone or done wrong. A couple at the brink of divorce, a runaway girl who was running away from an abusive stepfather, a lonely woman and a frustrated greedy businessman. 

Jesus spoke to them and told them who he was, but they thought he was a crazy man with awesome cooking skills. These people, except for the businessman who because of his pride denied Jesus and then died in a car crash, where saved. They heard His voice and they believed. Jesus had come down to give them one more chance, when they were supposed to die without being able to repent. Jesus used a situation, a storm and a landslide, to speak to them. But for me that was not what touched me the most. 

The businessman asked Jesus, why there were wars, hunger,suffering and so much evil in this world. Why Jesus doesn't answer prayers, why he ignored him, why when he was 14 he had broken his arm on a rock when he jumped off a cliff and could not become a baseball player, but instead did basketball....I loved the answer Jesus gave him when he asked about the hand, he just answered: I saved you, if I hadn't broken your hand, you would have broken your head instead and died at 14. 

What touched me was the answer to the first part though. Of course he listens to our prayers, of course he sees all the suffering in this world. But just like he is a righteous God, he is also a Holy God. Our sin can't go unpunished, so Jesus had to die on a cross. He has given us forgiveness from sin, he has paid the debt, because we are still unable to pay such a high prize. But he did. It is DONE! 

He has also put us here, he has given us all the instructions to be the light in a dark world. He has made us the salt of the world. We are supposed to not only preserve it but give it flavor. We have the power to bring down the Kingdom of Heaven. We have the power to bring peace to a world that knows a lot of suffering. We know the Good news. But then Jesus couldn't keep talking, it hurts him that we have all the tools, the POWER, and we lay asleep. We are blinded. We claim to be Christians, we claim to live a life of worship, to be living testimonies to the Word of God and the works he has done in our lives but are we really being it? 

Our salt has lost its flavor, our light has dimmed, we are weak. Our armor is rusty. People of God, Its time to WAKE UP! We are coming to the end of a year, and a new is around the corner. God has given us all the tools, The army of the Heavens is fighting with us. Wake up! Our time has come to bring light to this world. The bring peace, His peace. To bring Love, to show it. God has put us here as ambassadors of His Kingdom. Wherever we go, we take His kingdom with us. Lets show it. 

Today I want to encourage you, to be like the apostles. They were bold in their faith. The Holy Spirit of God was so much in them that wherever they went the sick were healed, people got saved, and became new disciples. Lets not be afraid to approach each other, to pray for our brothers and sisters. Let God take over and use you. He knows how to do it, let him use you. 

I understood from this movie, that its not that God doesn't answer our prayers, its not because of Him that we lack so much, or that there is so much suffering. It's us. We don't seek for His presence in our lives. We don't stay quiet and listen to him. And when he speaks and we hear him, we prefer to pay attention to a world that is screaming at us, or just stay where we are instead of taking a stand and doing something about it. Instead of doing what God is showing us we should do. Instead of pleasing God. 

Lets make this end of year and new year different. Lets make this new year a year of Amazing things, that everyone will be able to see how great our God is. That through our faith they will rethink their lack of faith. That through our testimony and most importantly through His testimony all who are to be saved will be saved. That God will use us in such great ways that we would just put our hands upon them, and the Holy Spirit will come upon them, they will speak in tongues and prophesy!! 

Glory to God!!!

God bless you, and be a blessing to others!!

Life with a purpose

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be. -Psalm 139:16

 I have this notebook I keep where I write some of my prayers. Its usually when I can't just talk to God but I feel like I need to write it down, to relax. Writing relaxes me. Yesterday was one of those times. I decided to write one of my prayers down and when I was done I decided to read the ones I had written previously to check out how annoying I am sometimes.

I saw a pattern in my letters to God. I'm guessing as a lot of Christians, and well as a human-being, we are always worried about out purpose in life. Why are we here? What is the plan God has for me? I know he has plans to prosper me and give me a future... I know he will guide my every step, I just have to focus on Him. BUT I'm still curious to know what the plan is.

I've been writing these letters for over 5 years now. They aren't that many, but around 5 years ago I started. In my letters I discovered that no matter what my struggles where in those times, I always had one struggle that kept repeating... I wanted to know what that plan is!!

I've received some prophecies that give my talents a bit of direction. I know what I can do, I know that there is way more I should do. But I realized that God knows exactly where he is taking me.
Every time I try to take control, I take over the wheel, my life goes the wrong way. Its like if I'm on a boat in the middle of the ocean and the motor dies. I would have no idea where to go. I can't read a compass, read a map in the middle of the ocean won't be very useful, and I have no knowledge about stars, so I would have to let it all to the captain. This example might be a bit stupid, but lets say our life is that boat, and our destination is across the ocean. I wouldn't know what to do on that boat, but God is the captain, he has all the knowledge. He knows the destination and he knows the path. Why not trust him?

So I was reading my letters, and realized that as I grew older, I didn't stop being curious about what exactly his plan is, but I stopped worrying about it. I know he has given me all I need to get to where I have to be today. Tomorrow he will give me the tools to get the job done for tomorrow. But today is important. Today I am preparing the foundation for what lays ahead.

God has given all his children talents, gifts, that he will use in their time for His glory. But we have to do our part. I've always loved the sound of a violin, and I know those who play it have amazing talent, but apart from that they have worked very hard to become great at what they do. Same counts for us as Christians. God has given us gifts, talents, but just because we have them, that doesn't mean we have to sit still and never do anything about it. We have to work, practice, use them, perfect them, so when our great concert comes, and God wants us to play the violin, we can make the most beautiful melody anyone has ever heard.

Today I want to encourage you to surrender. Let God take over. He is the director of this Orchestra. And all of us play a part in it. Practice the instruments he has assigned to you. For you to know exactly what I mean I will put it like this: If your talent is to sing, practice your singing. But not only practice by singing, but practice also by praying! Fill yourself with the Holy Spirit. Come into the presence of the Lord. Practice in front of Him. he will make sure you do a great job. Do it for Him.

God has given us gifts to bring to Him in Worship! Our lives have to be an act of Worship to Him, All the time, in everything we do. So when he calls us up, He can use us for His Glory!

God bless you!!

The Spirit gives life!!

6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 

2 Corinthians 3:6

We are Ministers of a new covenant. As New born Christians we have chosen to be followers of Christ but not only to follow him, but to make him known everywhere we go. As ministers of this covenant we ought to be bold in our walk. We have to also be sure of what we are doing and know the word of God. But most importantly we have to have the Spirit of God living in us, to understand His word and be able to interpret it and live by it.

We also have to know the difference between Law and Grace. And we have to show in our lives the difference between law and grace. Law is the rules we have to live by, law judges us, and puts us in a category of people, SINNERS. Law shows us our sin, law focuses on what we are doing wrong and should stop doing. But then on the other hand you find Grace.

Grace does not focus on us, but it focuses on God. It shows His never ending love. It shows that even though we are sinners, His love is so great that he takes us away from that category that we were put on by Law, and puts us on a different one. Children of God. Grace bought us from slavery of sin. Grace died on a cross for us, and the blood that was shed on that cross washed us and made us clean. Grace forgets our sin, when we accept it and lets us enter the presence of our King, our Father!

As Ministers of this new Covenant, we should not be the ones to judge others, and tell them they are sinners. We all are sinners. But even then Jesus came. He came for us and died for us despite our sins. When we preach this new covenant, we have to remember that we are not strong enough to save ourselves. We need HIM.

This world is in desperate need for His grace, His love. And as Ministers of His covenant, we have to be so filled with his grace, that it comes out. We represent him.

I work in a spa, and the first thing I realized is, that if you want clients to come to you and buy your products and listen to your advice, you have to be the first to use what you are selling, you have to look the part. You can't go to work with your hair undone, no make-up and look all crappy. You have to look the part for your clients to want to look like you. You have to also believe in what you are selling.

Same principle for when you are a Christian trying to reach out to others. You have to believe in Him, your life has to be proof of what you are preaching. Those around you must see, that even though you are not perfect, and that being a christian isn't easy, it is the Way.
Show grace to others, be kind. Don't try to act like you know better or that you are better, because you sin less. You also need saving. You need Grace as much as all of us.

Today I want to encourage you with this: Show grace to others. Be the living example of who Jesus is in you. Be different than the rest. Jesus is a revolutionary, He doesn't follow the crowd and he surely doesn't want you to do that. Be an example. Let those around you see that even though there are lots of people who claim to be christian but their actions show different. You are different, you don't just claim to be one, you are one. Jesus is alive. And the Spirit that he has send to live within you Gives Life!

God bless you!

Happy Ever After!

 My brother got married, and I planned to write something awesome to speak at his wedding, but like always I get so nervous and have no idea what to say, so I turned to God and books about relationships.

I have learned so much about marriage, that when I get married I know I have all the tools to have a great Godly marriage, knowing also that I've been warned that Disney has no idea what marriage really looks like.

So I've read a few books about marriage, lots of articles and found quiet a few verses on marriage, love and relationships in general. Of course it all comes back to the relationship between the two people and Jesus. He is the center of it all, He is love!

I learned that in a relationship no matter what kind, either friendship, family or romantic, if Jesus isn't part of it, it will eventually collapse.Why? Because we all carry baggage that only He can take away, because we all sin against each other and against Him, but only He has loved enough to forgive and show us that we must forgive. And that is one thing that I learned that all these books and articles have in common: Forgiveness! -

25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

- Mark 3:25

Without forgiveness, a house becomes divided. In this verse Jesus is talking about the fact that the religious people where saying that Jesus had an evil spirit and that's how he could cast out demons.... Right! Jesus responded with all his wisdom, a house divided against itself cannot stand. If Satan works against himself he cannot stand. Same principle works also in the church, in the families, and in all relationships. A house divided cannot stand. A family divided, stops being a family, you may be blood related, but you are no longer a family.  Not being able to forgive divides us. Why? Because we hold grudges, we hurt, we get angry, we create walls, we separate ourselves from each other and eventually we fall.

I wanted to dedicate this post to my brother and his wife. I would like to encourage them to no matter what they do, whatever they sin against each other, if Jesus was able to forgive us from all that we have sinned against Him, who are we to not be able to forgive each other. Always forgive in time. Always talk it out, and forgive daily if it still hurts. Choose to love.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 

- 1 Corinthians 13:13

The Greatest gift of all is Love. God's Love. Unconditional, all forgiving Love. And I encourage you today to love the way God loves his Church, His bride.

So lets all take a moment today, and think of all the things that people have done to you that have hurt you. Think about them in prayer. Now think about all the things you have done or said to people around you that might have hurt them. You see now, you deserve as little forgiving as you claim those who have hurt you deserve. Now think about how gracious Jesus has been to you. He went to a cross, he died the most shameful death anyone could have thought of in those times. Think of His great love for you. And now take a stand like He did. Forgive those who have hurt you. We were separated from God because of our sin, we were reunited with God because of His forgiving love. Now I encourage you to do the same.

Love can conquer all. His love conquered death! His love can give you a happy ever after.

I love my brother a lot!! And I know the girl he has chosen to be with is a very blessed girl, just like my brother is also a very blessed guy. And I know that if they keep living for Jesus and working and striving to be closer to Him each day they can be an example of how Marriage through God always works. Love is a choice, forgiving is also a choice. God chose to love us, let us choose to be like Him!

Be blessed and be a blessing to those around you!

Read, Understand, Live and Listen.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

For the last 27 days I've been reading the Gospel of John and The book of Acts. I took the Jesus Culture 30-day Challenge to read these books. And I have learned more then I would've ever thought.

A lot of times we think that in order to truly serve God we have to become missionaries like Paul, Peter, and the other disciples and the disciples of the disciples. But I understood that as the children of God, being a missionary doesn't always mean going to Africa or India or South America to preach the Gospel or to live out your life for God. It is way more than that. I'm not saying it is not also a great way of living it, but it isn't always your calling.

Living a life for God is that in everything you do His Holy presence is with you. Either as a lawyer or as a teacher, you are constantly being challenged to reach out to those around you and teach them the Word of God, the Good news about our Savior.

Sometimes we are confused about what the Plan of God is for our lives and we worry that we can't hear His voice telling us what to do. We get discouraged that maybe He isn't listening. And one time I read this:

When the students are in a test, the teacher stays Silent!

And that is exactly what is happening, maybe you are going through a desert and you have no idea what's going on, but what if that is your test. He is polishing you to show you the great plans, but you must trust him. He has great plans to prosper you, but most importantly, He has Great plans to USE YOU for HIS KINGDOM. In all the ways possible, using all your talents. Talents that He has given you, so you can offer it back to Him in Worship.

In this verse we can see how Great God is, and how holy and yet we are able to be in His presence because Jesus Christ came and saved us, he cleansed us from our dirty ropes, with His precious Blood so we can come into the presence of the Judge, The King, the Almighty and Powerful and Holy God.
What else can we possibly want?

He has a mission for all of us. We are all working for His cause. For His Kingdom. But His laws, his Commands the whole mission plan is in His book. Read, Understand, Live and Listen.

He whispers to you, while the world is screaming and crying out to get your attention. Focus on Him, get into His word, and he will reveal to you in Spirit what it is that He has planned for you. It's there, you just have to take it.

Today I want to encourage you to not be discouraged when you feel like maybe you aren't doing enough. We all had to go to school before we could get the Diploma to then work in our "dream Job". We all have to study His word, get to know Him. Be persistent in your walk with Him. Do what the world is doing to you, shout to him, cry out to Him, get his attention. He is listening to you, Pray! And then Shut up, and Listen to His whispering voice. He will speak to you, but He is a gentleman so he will let you finish talking to then speak.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.