Striving To Be "Christ-Like"!

Isaiah 26:3-4 - "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, whose thoughts are fixed on You! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock." NLT These are very encouraging words of scripture. As long as I keep my mind on the Lord the bad does not seem to bother me, but once I take my mind off Him, the devil takes control and I become heavy burdened and distressed. However, the Lord gives me strength to overcome the bad with His supernatural strength that will never run out. I do not fear what lies ahead, when I keep my thoughts fixed on the Lord. We have a God in Heaven to trust, because who else could we fully trust with our lives? Our mind is not a trash bin for the enemy, because that is where the battle starts; in the mind. When we stay steadfast in God's word and read His word, we begin to empty our minds of all the trash and keep His word in our hearts. He will keep us in His perfect PEACE; that awesome peace which passes all understandin...

God is more interested in our character than our comfort. We, on the other hand, are too often more interested in our comfort than the character of God being developed in our lives. If we were to go through this life without any struggle, we also would be without compassion for anyone who does struggle. It is best if we be clay in the Potter's hands, let Him mold us and shape us into His image during difficult times. During those difficult times it is okay for our clay pots (meaning us) to be broken, because that just means God is still shaping us. Then we will be able to minister/show the love and compassion of God to others. Do not be surprised if Jesus allows you to experience some painful circumstance. You may be the subject of a divine setup designed to bring you to a greater maturity level (spiritual growth) in your walk with Jesus. It may not be a fun experience when you go through it, oh trust me, it will be hurtful and painful, but you will become a leader whom God will us...

Sometimes you have to look at yourself in the mirror and speak life over yourself and encourage yourself. Look at yourself in the mirror daily (or more than daily if that is what it takes) and say, "I am beautiful. I am a child of the most High God. With God ALL things are possible. I am an OVERCOMER. I am strong in the Lord. I will NOT be defeated. I know God will never leave me nor forsake me no matter how many times I may mess up. I am covered by God's grace and forgiveness, mercy and protection, love and compassion!" I encourage you today to encourage yourself because sometimes you need it. When it seems like everyone is saying bad stuff about you and you start to feel defeated, you lift your head up and encourage yourself in the Lord, with boldness. Do not listen to the lies of the enemy, and do not sit in the corner and snack on satan's lies when you can be sitting at the head of the table feasting on God's promises.

This is my challenge to stay in God's word daily, to study/read it more, and to only grow closer to Him as His return draws nearer. ☆ Dedicated to my Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ and the greatest mother in the world for buying me this special Bible, in perfect timing. This is surely taking me on a "Journaling Journey" to draw even closer to the Lord. ♡ This creative Bible is an answer to my prayers in finding relief from grief, depression, pain, and attacks... through doodling the Lord's words I find peace, healing, and protection. I find calmness in this style of studying and reading the Bible: for someone who has always loved to draw, doodle, trace, color, and write: why not turn that hobby into special time with God?! For it is truly a good thing to be obsessed with His Word, to have the addiction/habit to be in the Bible daily. My prayer in sharing this journaling journey with you, is that it not only blesses and encourages you to saturate your mind in God'...

God wants His Word to be planted in your heart, take root, and produce a harvest of righteousness. But just as much, the enemy wants to do whatever is necessary to prevent that from happening. The evil one, satan, is present and active every time the Word of God is spoken, because the enemy doesn’t want God’s Word to get to your heart. Matthew 13:19 - "When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path." Do you realize that spiritual warfare is taking place every time God’s Word is shared? When you open your Bible, hear something from God in prayer, listen to a sermon or praise song/hymm, have a conversation with someone about the Lord... God is sowing a seed in your life with the hope of transforming you and making you more like Jesus. But the evil one wants to snatch that word away, he wants you to ignore it, and he wants you to neglect i...

As I was praying and reading the Bible some time ago, I heard the Lord speak this to my spirit: "My daughter, your loyalty to Me takes precedence over loyalty to family/friends when the two come in conflict". If the disciples of Jesus had to leave it all behind, take up their cross and follow Jesus, who are we to think we don't have to do the same. A relationship left behind that was jeopardizing your relationship with God, will be worth it come eternity. The Lord is also a jealous God and if you begin relying on another relationship more than Him... He will step in. "Peter said to Him, 'We have left all we had to follow You!''I tell you the truth,' Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.' " Luke 18: 28-30 Peter says, however, "We have left all we had....

Through any sickness I face, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through any attacks of the enemy, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through the enemy's lies and distortions, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through any frustration, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through any heartache, pain, trial, and hurt, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through any disappointments, exhaustions, questions, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through missed church services, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through rain or shine, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through physical, emotional, spiritual, or financial problems, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD... through it all, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD!