Seeing Rejection As Redirection

They say to write about what you know, but this is a topic that I'm not too thrilled to be familiar with.

Rejection.

Ugh. I mean even the word is ugly. We've all experienced it in our lives at one point or another. It comes with many different faces and in many different forms. Whether it be from a significant other, friend, family member, job, etc. Its painful, its scarring and its messy. If we're not careful we can allow it to turn us into a person that we are not.

In my own personal life I've experienced it more times than I can count. I've been rejected from jobs that I thought I was qualified for, family has left me, I've given my all to guys that just sent up the peace sign, and "best friends forever" have just turned into those Facebook friends that pop up every now and again. In the past I've allowed it to make me question if I'm good enough, pretty enough, funny enough, smart enough and made me examine every part of who I am and what I have to offer.

"Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lords purpose that prevails."
-Proverbs 19:21

Have you ever heard that saying that says "Rejection is Gods protection"? It may sound cheesy and cliché, but, my friends, it is oh so true. Looking back on those situations in my life I'm so thankful that the Lords hand was on my heart and protected me from what I THOUGHT I wanted. His thoughts are not our thought and His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8) He sees things that we cannot see and experiencing some rejection right now is much easier than experiencing destruction later. Allow the Lord to calm your heart and lean on Him in those times all the more.

Who you are is not found in the job you have, the numbers you have in your contact list, who you have on your arm or how much money you have in your bank. You are the child of a King. Point blank period. His plans for you are far greater than you can fathom. So next time you experience a "no" just say "Thanks Jesus. I know that's you nudging me in another direction."

You are loved. You are cherished. You are valued. He wants the best for you.


Be blessed.
Love you all.
-Nikki

God´s Instructions

It has been said that one of the most damaging experiences for a person is loneliness. We can classify loneliness as an emotion, because it can be totally based on feelings. For example, a person can be surrounded by a group of people and still feel alone. Although the person is not physically alone, he or she may feel separated from those nearby. Imagine being in solitary confinement. You are completely isolated from the general population and have no contact with other people. Darkness is all around and no one is able to come to your aid. As if it was not enough to be imprisoned against your will, now you have been stripped of all things that you deem valuable, almost to the point of being malnourished and becoming deranged. This is depression. It cannot be categorized by any single feeling. It is not delegated to any particular type of person. It can only described as a feeling of extreme loneliness or even solitary confinement.

In the twelfth chapter of Book of Acts of the Apostles the Apostle Peter was imprisoned for being a witness for Christ. This happened right after James (brother of John) was killed for the same reason. There was no logical reason behind the actions of those who headed the campaign to attack the church, other than to ‘please the people’. The story goes that as Peter was imprisoned and as the church prayed with intensity and faith for his rescue from a certain death, the Lord sent an angel to free him from bondage and bring him home again. But what happened in between?

Consider Peter’s predicament. His good friend had just been murdered, shocking the church. He was then dragged to death row to await his execution. He was all alone. Look at your own life experiences; you either have been or are now at the same place that Peter was - a victim of circumstances, hurting, and feeling all alone. But as we recall the story, we remember that Peter was not really on his own. The Lord sent an angel to facilitate his rescue. Think about it. Peter did nothing to aid his own escape, except follow directions. This communicates to us that 1. We are not really all alone and 2. We must depend completely on the Lord.

In 2 Corinthians 1:9, Paul tells how his circumstances caused him to lean totally on God. He says that it had gotten so bad that he and those with him “...expected to die…” How bad can it be for a person to expect to die? Pretty bad, right? But God masterfully weaves His sovereignty in the situation by delivering His people when all is seemingly lost. This means that it was in His plans for it to happen the way it happened all along. The key for Paul was to recognize that the ability to save was not in him, but rather in Christ.

In either case, whether it be Paul, who expected to die or Peter, who was scheduled to die, the theme is set as completely surrendering and leaning on Christ. Sometimes the circumstances that make us feel alone or imprisoned can be things like addiction, anxiety, or stress. What if I told you that God purposely allowed you to come across these things in order to teach you to depend on Him? As 1 Peter 1:6-7 reminds us, we are tried and refined by fire. Your addiction is not present in your life to kill you, but instead, by leaning on God completely and following His directions, it will refine your faith in Christ. Nothing is more comforting than the fact that as we walk this journey with God, we are securely guided by His word and His life. He is an all-sufficient God and He loves us enough to bare with us in our disobedience and thick-headed mistakes.

You may feel like you are in a place that is seemingly constructed of the bad decisions that you have made in life or you may feel like you are in a pit, dug by those who hope to kill you. God has something to say about your light and your life. He is ready and willing to rescue you from those things that seek your destruction. 1 John 5:14-15 guarantees that God hears our prayers and will respond by giving us the deliverance that we are looking for. Our only responsibility is to lean and depend completely on Jesus and follow His instruction. What is His instruction? “Take up your cross, follow Me, deny yourself…” (Matt 16:24, Mk 8:34, Luke 9:23)

Hope In The Unknown

Today I have some good news and some bad news for you:

Pain is real. Heartbreak is real. Sadness is real. Poverty is real. War is real. Backstabbing is real. Loneliness is real. Failure is real. Death is real.

BUT..... So is hope. Hope is real. 

"What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later."
-Romans 8:18

I lost my 18 year old brother a little over 2 years ago in a way that no one should ever have to lose a family member. I can still remember the feeling I had when my dad called me after work and told me to pull my car over because he had something he needed to tell me. My whole world changed that day. October 24, 2013 is a day that is forever engrained in my head and in my heart. That is the day that I found out what real hope is. 

In the days after, leading up to his funeral, I felt a pain that I have never felt in my life, but I also felt this weird sense of peace that I kept telling myself was delusion because "it hadn't set in yet". Today I know that's not what it was. People who saw me that week kept telling and asking me things like "You seem so at peace.", "How are you smiling right now?", "Why aren't you a total mess?"

I have two words for that: Jesus & Hope.

Jesus IS hope, my friends. He is the author and creator of hope and He longs to love on you and hold you through the battles of this life. You weren't put on this earth to fight alone. You have a Saviour that literally longs to fight FOR you. He wants you to rest in Him. To rest in His goodness and faithfulness.

Today, I have used the tragedy of losing my brother to minister to so many people that have gone through what I have or have gone through what he did in the years before he died. The Lord gives purpose for pain. He brings healing in times of not understanding why bad things happen. I challenge you to trust Him and have hope in Him. He has never failed me. Not once in my 23 years of living on this planet.

Trust him in pain. Trust him in the sadness, in your failed relationships, unemployment, in the strife of life, when friends betray you, when your heart is broken, when you're rejected...... Have hope in the unknown.

 Jesus/Hope changes everything.

" We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure...."
-Hebrews 6:19

Love you all.
-Nikki 

 

How Do You Minister To Those Living In the Homosexual Lifestyle?

One of our favorite teachers of today here at WeLivePure, Francis Chan, breaks down a really taboo subject that a lot of us seem to avoid these days. Listen to him explain it with such grace yet complete boldness.
 

“If you disagree with God on an issue, would you still submit to him? I really believe that’s the core issue here.”

Love you all. 
-Nikki

Sometimes I cry...

Sometimes I cry…

When no one is watching,

Cold and alone, the air becomes heavy and graceless,

The pain devours me like a fire engulfing an abandoned building,

Flashes of lightning burst across my sky,

Sometimes I cry…

When no one is near,

Fear and all consuming guilt rage inside my heart,

The thrashing of sorrow plays boisterously,

whispering lies into my ear,

Sometimes I cry…

When surrounded by crowds,

Swallowed up by the company of strangers who know me,

Following the footsteps of familiar shadowy figures,

Covered by billowing, blackened, smokey clouds,

Sometimes I cry…

In the presence of the King,

He shares my burdens and brings a refreshing song,

Healing my wounds and diseases, treating my sores,

Granting me access the ever fleeting, yet eternal peace

“Come, let us return to the Lord . He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord ! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.”

Hosea 6:1-3 NLT

Life is filled with many ups, downs, and unexpected turns. At times, it can feel like life itself is unpredictable. Unanswered questions and unresolved issues can hinder us as we try to find our way on the road of life. Have you ever felt like giving up? Has it ever felt like every turn of life was more unbearable than the last? As you read this, I challenge you to change your perspective about the issues in your life. Believe it or not, you didn't create the problems that are present in your life all by yourself. Negative thoughts and degrading self images are your biggest opponent because they directly object the word of God. God has amazing plans for your life and the only thing that can stop or slow them down is your refusal to believe it. Stop whatever you're doing right now and pray to God for His will to be done in your life. This means that all of your deficiencies are planned for. All of your flaws are covered. It is in God's plan for your future for your addiction to be broken, for your hurts to be healed, and for your unresolved issued to be addressed and corrected. Make a decision to believe God right now and witness His faithfulness!


-SiccsFo

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Why does God allow suffering?

I have been in a tough spot this past week.  My six year old son had surgery on his hips and has been in quite a bit of pain every day.  He has a cast on both legs so he cannot roll over or anything.  It’s stressful on myself and my wife because he is nonverbal so he can’t tell us what hurts or how we can help him.  I think it’s the unknowing that makes it worse.  This then drives a wedge between my wife and I because we are on edge.  Luckily we know God is bigger and we talk to each other (she’s better at this than I, that’s one of the things I’m working on).  

That begs the question, why does God allow us to suffer?  We suffer because of sin.  I also believe that suffering brings us to Christ.  We turn to Him when we are in need.  He has always been faithful to me and has always prevailed.  

1 Peter 1:6-7 says “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”

The struggle is real though, I still get angry sometimes.  I. Get. Angry.  Very angry, very quickly.  I struggle with this from time to time in stressful situations.  It is usually fleeting, but strong none the less.  I’m never angry at God, but I do get angry at the situation and have to be reminded that this too will pass and God is good.  I think God is trying to get me back to the patience that I had before, and I’m working on it.

If you take a look at Job 42:5, he says “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.”  Job endured much suffering, but it brought him an intimacy with the Lord.

I also believe that suffering and healing will help me in my journey to minister to people in their time of suffering.  I can walk alongside them since I have been on this journey before.If you are suffering, reach out to God.  Tell him you love him, tell him of your pain, and ask for healing.  Just know that this triall will pass, and you will be closer to Him because of it.

-Adam

Expect For the Unexpectant

Often times we feel as if people need to have the right intentions or the right expectations in order for God to move on their lives. Well Acts 3 gives us reason to believe this is not the case.

We can believe FOR and expect FOR others...just a Paul and John believed for the beggar. Their love for that man resulted in a miraculous move of God. It is time that we love others like this and allow God to move on them in a similar way!

-Point5

The Two Scariest Lies..

Just as God is a God of love and compassion He is also a God of justice. I pray this opens yours eyes and speaks to your heart as it did mine. Love you all.

-Nikki

The Effect of Your Blessing

As I like to do, let me first define the word blessing.

Blessing:

1: consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified: the Blessed Sacrament.

2: worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship: the Blessed Trinity.

3: divinely or supremely favoured; fortunate: to be blessed with a strong, healthy body; blessed with an ability to find friends.

4: an endowment of great power.

Today I want to take a moment to expand your understanding. I often times find myself hearing people say things like "I received a blessing of 20 dollars today" or "oh he gave you an 'A' that's a blessing!"

I want to challenge statements like those and show you that they are incorrect. In fact, when things like that happen they are not blessings, but instead the effect of the blessing God has given you.

That 4th definition above states that a blessing is a "a great endowment of power." Well my wonderful people of God, once God has endowed you with power it is done...you are blessed! Once you are blessed by God your life should reflect that and you should be expectant of great things happening as a result of your blessing.

This is the type of revelation that us as believers must gain in order to take advantage of the life that God has for us.In the book of John, Jesus says, "blessed are those who believe and have not seen."
 
Proverbs 8: 32 says "Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways."
 
Proverbs 28:14 says "Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD"

 Jeremiah 7:17 says "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him."

Ladies and gentleman, I know that I have been blessed by God; and as a man who is blessed by the God of all that we know and have yet to know I am not afraid to say that it is only natural that everything around me should be the effect of my blessing from God.

I am blessed therefore my finances will reflect that, my health will reflect that, my relationships will reflect that. I AM BLESSED BY GOD.

Take hold of the scriptures my friends and know that from now on everything you encounter should be the effect of your blessing. Claim it as your own! The word tells you that you have been perfected by the sacrifice of Jesus and that you are blessed because you believe. Per the 1st definition above you are holy and sacred. You are the blessed property of God himself and it is time that you let satan know it.

Until next time.....

 -Point5

When Temptation Comes..

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

-Matthew 4:1-11 NIV

These verses show that Satan's goal was to attack Jesus' faith on three very specific grounds. This attack is portrayed when Satan tempts Christ to turn bread to stone, throw Himself down to see if God will disperse His angels, and fall down and worship Satan.

 This is an attack on the Son's faith in the Father to provide, protect, and fulfill His promise. The application is that we are tempted to doubt God in those three specific areas. By realizing this reality, we should be more prepared to withstand the tests that we encounter. God will surely provide. This a a display for the need of faith in God's ability to provide which is expressed in trust in God's order. Psalm 91 is written regarding God's protection for His people. The temptation is to become reckless without abandon in our conduct.

The passage says, "Because he has set His love upon me, I will deliver Him..." The nature of this verse shows that God's protection is most effective when we are operating from love for the Father. Any other motive proves us to be self-centered and puts us in danger. God has promised us an inheritance beyond anything that we could imagine. The world we live in attempts to discredit God's promise to His people by attacking our faith in His promise. It is important that we stay focused on God by staying connected in prayer and worship. False worship is placing anything in priority before God. This action shows doubt that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do.

 We must always be aware that Satan is constantly attacking our faith in God to provide, protect, and fulfill His promises. However, the trying of our faith makes is stronger and more capable. Let us continue to exercise our faith in God.

-SiccsFo

Choose What's best

Credit: Harrison House devotional..

Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power. - 1 Corinthians 6:12 AMP

From time to time it is a wonderful thing to confront ourselves and see where we are in God. Then we can make the changes we need to make so He can continue to take us to places in Him we have never been before and show us things we have never seen before. He can unlock mysteries, give us new strategies to fulfill our callings, and free us from old ways of thinking and doing that have kept us from enjoying our lives in Him.

When you begin to set priorities according to God’s Word, you will find you are doing a lot of fine-tuning. As 1 Corinthians 6:12 above says, we have tremendous freedom in Jesus, but we want to make the best choices instead of mediocre or bad choices. And we certainly don’t want to become a slave of anything or anyone—except Jesus.

As I have pressed into a higher dimension in God, there have been various things that I have had to lay aside. These things were not sinful or evil, but they were not adding to my spiritual life. I began to understand that there were certain things I was allowing in my life that caused fear to come. I knew how to cast off fear, but as I prioritized my life I realized I was wasting my time and energy getting rid of fear that I could have avoided in the first place.

For example, I used to sit up and watch movies about serial killers! Of course, this often caused me to have nightmares about somebody chasing me and trying to kill me. At that time I didn’t mind the nightmares, but one day I realized that I couldn’t go where God wanted me to go and continue having them. He wanted me to have sweet sleep and to be completely refreshed when I awoke. Therefore, I chose to lay aside what I was giving my eyes to, what I was giving my mind to, and what I was allowing to come into my heart that was causing fearful dreams. I wasn’t trying to be super-spiritual and religious; I just wanted to continue growing strong in God. He meant more to me than scary movies.

The Amplified Bible says that “everything is permissible.” Watching movies is not bad; however, we want to make sure that movies don’t have any rule over our lives. The verse also says, “I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.” Although I did not feel like I was a slave to these scary movies, and I knew my authority in Jesus over any fear they caused, when the Holy Spirit impressed me to give them up I knew they were a weight I needed to lay aside.

Another example of something being lawful but not expedient is when we adopt the lifestyle and habits of other ministers and believers. We emulate them because we look up to them, but then we wonder why we don’t see the same results in our lives. Even though imitating other strong Christians can bring some good perspectives and habits into our lives, eventually we find out that in order to be where God wants us to be, we have to live our lives the way He wants us to live them. It isn’t that what other Believers are doing is bad; it is just that what they are doing is not what God wants us to be doing.

Other believers may be able to watch movies about serial killers. It could be God has called them into professions where the information in these movies would give them insight and wisdom. But they were not for me! If I modeled my life after those believers’ lives, my walk with the Lord would be hindered. Therefore, it is really important for us to follow the path God has set for us.

First Corinthians 6:12 gives us an important key to setting our priorities in a godly way. The apostle Paul is telling us that in the freedom we have in Jesus Christ, we also have His wisdom to choose what is best for our lives.

Setting Your Priorities Today

His mercies are new every morning!

Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that might be lawful and permissible but not expedient and profitable. Then ask Him how to eliminate it from your life. In most cases He will want to replace it with something else that will prove helpful and fruitful. Remember, Jesus gave you the Holy Spirit to guide you, teach you, and comfort you. With His help you are able to choose what’s best!

What Are you living for?

Life is but a vapor!


-Point5