Friday Reflections

Here's my Friday Reflections!

This Week's Verse

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. ~Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

Tessa's Questions

Have you ever placed any dreams before God? What was the result?

Often I've thought about my dreams without God in the equation. The result is that I see how empty and cliché my dreams are without Jesus.

Has God ever given you a desire of your heart?
I've wanted to touch people with my writing and this blog has enabled me to do that:)

Has God ever given you a desire of your heart?

List steps that you are going to take to put God first in your life.
1. Constantly remind myself how empty my dreams would be without God! I know that Jesus is the only thing that can fill me, but sometimes I get lost in the moment and forget that.
2. Read the Bible and spend more time with God.
3. Spend more time listening to/reading Christian stuff instead of secular books and music.
4. Put that inspiration in my writing and mind.

What are the desires you think God has placed on your heart, and how could you use them to bring Him glory?
I've always wanted to offer people hope in Jesus in some way. Once again, I would like to someday being a published author and want to show Jesus to young adults through that.

Discuss your own reflection of this Scripture (at least one paragraph).

Because our heart is corrupted with flesh, many times the desires of our heart don't focus on God. Instead, it lives to glorify us and our way of life. But the amazing thing about Jesus is that he can purify our desires and want us to live for his glory. I see that in my dad all the time and realize how different it must have been when I didn't have God.

If we ask Him, Jesus can make our desires focused on Him. We must remember that only He is worth being the #1 priority in our lives.

Hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections

Today I'm doing Friday Reflections! I especially like this week's reflections because I love 1st John. To learn more about it, click here.

This Week's Verse

"But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world."

~ 1 John 4:4 (NLT) (Copied directly from Christ is Write.)

 

 Tessa's Questions

Have you ever tried to take a situation into your own hands, relying on your strength rather than God's? What was the result?

I'm actually guilty of doing this many times. When something is wrong in my life and I'm upset, instead of going to God like I should, I listen to my music. (And it's usually not Christian) To my flesh, it seems like a much easier thing than praying to God. But God has shown me the truth. He is more satisfying than any of my worldly pleasures could ever be.

 

Are there any difficulties you are facing that you need to hand over to God? 
I usually am a 'it's going to be okay' kind of person. More than that, I tend to let my instincts take over. They tell me everything's going to work out okay and I shouldn't bother talking to God. That's a lie. No matter how big or small, I should take my troubles to God, knowing that He will out things for His good.

How can you face these struggles through His strength rather than your own?
I know I can always talk to Him by praying. Reading the Bible is a necessity. Now that I am growing I see that even though I might think I know a lot of things about the Bible, there is so much I can learn.

Discuss your own reflection of this Scripture (as I did above -- at least one paragraph).
In fantasy books, sci-fi movies and all kinds of entertainment, we constantly see a battle between good and evil. These wars have tension, sacrifice,  and at times, seem hopeless. But what is amazing about Jesus is that He, and only He, can assure us that the war is won. He defeated and crushed sin on the cross. Though strife goes on in our lives, God has victory.

Thank you once again, Tessa for doing this!
In Christ,
Sarah

 

 

Reflections

This is super late, but I really want to do it. Sorry! Please check it out! It's a great way to get insights and reflect on Jesus' words. Tessa Emily Hall's Friday Reflections.

This Week's Verse

"When you were spiritually dead because of your sins,

and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, 

God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all our sins. 

He canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. 

He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross."

~ Colossians 2:13-14 (NCV) (From her website Christ is Write)

Tessa's Questions

Do you ever feel guilty and condemned after sinning? Why do you think God wants us to feel convicted rather than condemned, and what do you think the difference between the two are?

Sometimes I do... a lot. I think God wants us to remember that though we have sinned, there's still hope for us. When you're condemned, you're punished. God knows we sin. So we're convicted of it.  Even though we are convicted, Jesus interceded for us and paid our dead.

Do you often find yourself trying to please God through a performance rather than giving Him your heart?

Yes. My human nature can't accept that fact that there's nothing I can do to earn salvation. Sometimes, I forget and try to do it anyway.

What are some steps you can take to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

Like I've said before, I want to pray more. I should established a more personal 'quiet time' with Him.

 Describe the time you first accepted Christ as your Savior. Did you feel free from your sin and as if you were a new person? Or did you still feel guilty every time you messed up?

I did that once when I was a kid. It was too long ago to put into many details, but I do remember when I recommitted my life to Christ and He accepted me last year. For me, when I recommitted my life to Christ, part of me just wanted to strive to be completely perfect in every way. But once I looked past all that, I realized Jesus had already paid the price for me. Though it is hard for my flesh to realize, I have been forgiven by Jesus.

Discuss your own reflection of this Scripture (as I did above -- at least one paragraph).

The first step to giving your life up to Christ, is to realize that there is no way you can do it on your own. Even when you are a Christian, it's hard to see past all your sins. When we sin, sometimes we try to make it up by doing good things. One of the reasons this is such a great verse is because it reminds us of the Truth:

We are failures. There is absolutely nothing we could ever do to change that. But because Christ forgave us, those things don't have to haunt us anymore. Some bad things I've done in my life have been a constant reminder of why I am a failure. Instead of just remembering that sin, I remember that Jesus forgave me for that sin. By God's grace, I want to put that into practice.

Please check this out! I hope you like it!
This thing reminds me of one of my new favorite songs. So I thought I would post it.

In Christ,
Sarah

Reflections

Today I'm posting my Friday Reflection.

This Week's Verse

Tessa's Questions

List specific ways that you can stay "connected to the vine".
Like what Tessa suggested in her reflection, I think I need to pray to God in times of trouble. I need to not only pray  when I go to bed, but when I especially need Him. Usually, I go to pleasures that will not last, like music. But Jesus  constantly have to remind me that He is  the only One who is my unfailing Friend. He's always there, even when I'm sinning and he continues to stay faithful to me when I'm not faithful to Him.

Do you often find yourself facing the challenges of life on your own rather than through God's?
Often when I go through challenges I don't call on God. So yes. I know God does everything for a reason, but my own unbelief keeps me from calling on him. Sometimes I would rather go with something that lets me forget for a only a  moment, instead of relying on Jesus' everlasting comfort.

What is the biggest struggle you face in following God's teachings?
Underestimating what God can do in my life. I don't know why I want to go to other things when I can go to Him. When I get lost in the moment, I forget all He has done for me in the past.

Describe a time when God gave you something that you had prayed for.
My dad preaches once a month at a chapel at an assistant living center. One time, our computer was broke and he gave it to a friend to fix it. We were afraid that we wouldn't get it in time. We prayed about it and soon after, we found out that our friend had fixed our computer!

Discuss your own reflection of this Scripture (as I did above -- at least one paragraph).
God has a lot of amazing traits, but probably one that stands out the most to us is his grace and mercy. He never leaves our side, even when we continue to fall Him. Often, we don't remain in Him, but sticks with us. My piano teacher's bluegrass band covered a song call. 'He's Holding onto Me.' The main lyrics were: "I'm not holding onto Jesus/He's holding onto me/He died and rose again/To set me free." Those lyrics are so true.

Many sources tell us that all we need to do is follow our dream and believe in ourselves in order to do what we wish. But Jesus said, "But without me, they can do nothing." Sometimes I daydream about things I've always wanted to do. That's fun  every once in awhile, but this verse reminds me that without God I can't do anything that will be worthwhile.

Of course, we won't remain in him all the time, but He gives us grace and mercy. More than that, he proves to us of His love and faithfulness.

Here's one of the songs Tessa linked to on her reflection. I just listened to it... and it's amazing!

 

Cause I am a sinner
If its not one thing its another
Caught up in words
Tangled in lies
You are the Savior
And you take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful
Beautiful
'Brokenness Aside'- All My Sons and Daughters

Reflections

I know this is really late, but I really wanted to do Friday Reflections this week. To find more about it, click here.

This Week's Verse

Tessa's Questions

Have you ever been tempted to follow the behavior and customs of this world? What was the result?
There are popular young adult series that I've been tempted to read, even though it has content that is sinful. I've always been tempted to watch shows or movies that have stuff in it that I shouldn't be watching. Sometimes I'll read a preview of a book that makes me want to read more.The excitement of the book distracted me from the fact that it had that things that are unpleasing

What is the biggest struggle you face in applying this Scripture to your life?
Sometimes I tell myself what I see won't affect me as long as I remember that it's wrong. But what I see affects my thoughts greatly as I've been experiencing recently.

List specific ways you can put this Scripture into action in your own life.
praying more. I never pray as much as I should and I know that will help my relationship with God.

Have you experienced the reward that comes with following God as opposed to following the world?
Yeah, I don't think anything the world feels comes close to the peace I have knowing that Christ forgives me, no matter what I do.


Discuss your own reflection of this Scripture. (at least one paragraph)
Paul said that Christ has set us free from being slaves of sin. To do that, I have to remember  that Christ is the only one who can do that. He not only changes the way we act, but he changes the way we think. Of course, every once in awhile we'll have a crazy sinful thought that comes from our heart. But because Jesus changed us, instead of wanting sin, we hate it. We'll always sin but because we're different, we'll respond to sin a different way. So now, God has given us a love for purity and good things that only He can give us by His grace.

Thank you, Tessa, for doing the Friday Reflections! I really enjoyed them.

In Christ,
Sarah

Reflections

Hello! Today I am doing the Friday Reflections at Christ is Write. Every Friday, Tessa puts a new verse on her blog, reflects on it herself, and gives us a chance to reflect on it too by answering these questions.

This Week's Verse

Tessa's Questions

1. Have you ever felt looked down on because of your age? Or have you felt the need to prove to others that you are mature?
Sometimes. Since there are a lot of college students at our church, I spend some time with them. I don't think they really do look down on me, but I still feel bad because I'm younger. . I'm a little shy so I'm always afraid to prove myself to others.

2. List specific ways that you can put this Scripture into action in your own life. (Example: Sit with the girl at school whom everyone else tends to avoid.)
One of my friends who isn't a Christian has gone through a lot. I think I should try to love her unconditionally and NOT laugh and go along with everything she says. I could  witness to my cousin and grandparents who aren't Christians as well.

3. Have you ever been tempted to settle for living the average teen life rather than living only for God? What was the result?
I can be a little bit of a pushover sometimes. When my friends ask my opinion on something, I tend to say I agree with them when I don't agree with them at all. I hide when they're watching or doing something I don't want to do. Whenever they ask me about it, I make an excuse instead of voicing my true view on the subject. Only a few friends know what I'm truly thinking. As a result,  my friends don't know much about me and I forgot the true value of speaking up and discerning what's right and wrong.

4. What are steps you can take to grow in your relationship with Christ?
I am a music freak. I listen to all kinds of music. So I would say listening to more Christian music and being careful about what I see and hear. That would help me because music inspires me so much. I would get to hear something true and good instead of discerning what's good and what's bad in a secular song.

5. Are there any challenges you face in applying this Scripture to your life?
There's so much lies in the culture. Some of my favorite musical artists don't even have their priorities straight. Because of that, our generation is being feed lies that affect them, and me, greatly. Everyone's okay with talking about things like sex and profanity because they hear it on show or a movie. I have to remember to fight against the lies and remember what's truly valuable in God's eyes.

6. Discuss your own reflection of this Scripture (as I did above -- at least one paragraph).
Like I said before, I spend a lot of time with people that are older than me. I have to continually remind myself that just your young age isn't a disadvantage. I can listen to people who have made mistakes and learned from it. That's an advantage of being younger. But just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm any less important in God's eyes.

My Dad once told me that your youth is very important because you absorb so much. I have to be careful about what I absorb. Sometimes I find myself wasting my time on Instagram and ultimately, the Internet when I could be writing or doing something else much more worthwhile. What I see is in stays in my mind and even when I don't see it, it affects me. So I want to live every day for God and not waste time.

In Christ,
Sarah