Hope in Christ

Sometimes it's really challenging to stay steady in the everyday, especially when you're not feeling God's presence. Things have been intense this weekend and to be honest I've gotten a little bit down. I've learned some really basic things to do in times of dryness, testing, trials, and temptations:

1) Speak truth to yourself, reading the Word out loud is really powerful. 

2) Speak or sing in the Spirit for awhile... at first your flesh wants to dimer out, but after a bit something shifts inside and the Holy Spirit takes over! 

3) Remember that God loves us, even in out weak and broken moments, He's right there to defend you, encourage you, and help you to GROW! 

One thing God has really been highlighting to me is that the old is GONE and the new has come. All those years of being a coward or failure are GONE. I am a NEW CREATION!! Sometimes I think we all get so caught up on our issues that we loose the idea that we are being transformed from glory to glory each day!! Everyday is an opportunity to grow closer to God and be changed and transformed by the power of His Son Jesus.

Studying the life of Christ has changed my life! to know He came as God's expression of His LOVE for mankind is amazing... God chose no other creature He created to BECOME! How humble is the God we serve? Now we can have HOPE and FAITH because we have a GREAT high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses and is ALWAYS making intercession on OUR behalf!!!!! The Lord is our defense, He's on our side... He sees us as who we are going to be... being perfected in love!!

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." 

-Phil. 3:13 &14