You ARE: important

Have you ever told yourself that you are not important?

What does important really mean? It means: of great significance or value; likely to have a profound effect on success, survival, or well-being. Well, then what does value mean? the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something. 

• You are made with hands of diligence

13For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

God didn’t say “Well, you know what, I’m not going to make ____(Your name)____ in my image or fearfully and wonderfully made. It’s just one person and I’m sure that they won’t care, I mean, I don’t know, we will have to wait and find out.”

That’s not what God said. There are a couple of things wrong with this sentence. First off, God doesn’t get tired of making His creation. In fact, He doesn’t get tired. Also, He knows everything, so He doesn’t have to ‘wait and find out’, He knows.

• God sent His only begotten Son for YOU.

John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

That was His only son and God chose to send Him to Earth as a baby in human form. Born in a manger. Lived a human life. All of this to die. But thankfully, that is not where the story ends. He rose again three days later. Jesus is the Perfect Lamb! We don’t have to sacrifice anymore! You are important enough to die for!

• You are made by God

Think about this. The God who formed you into being (Psalm 139:13-16),–and  by the way, also created all of the other 7 billion people in the world–created the Heavens and the Earth (Genesis 1:1) and made all of the animals (Genesis 1:30) and everything else that you see. He created it all. (Job 33:4) How exciting is it to know that the created of the entire universe created __(Your name__ !

 

 

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You ARE: beautiful

 

Admit it. Once or twice (or a lot) you have told yourself that you are-

• Ugly

I think that the most common ‘lie’ that I hear is “I’m ugly.” How could you say that?

First off, I may know you and then again, I may not, but I am 100% sure that you are beautiful. Because God created EVERYONE in the image of Himself.

You are also saying that God made a mistake on you. Because He said that His creation was good. God can’t do wrong and so the lie that you are believing about yourself, CANNOT be true.

You are comparing yourself to someone that you believe is prettier than yourself. But we are ALL created in the image of God. Not everyone except you. That is not what God says in the Word.

If only everyone believed in what Scripture says, because in 1 Peter 3:3-4 it says “Yours beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in Gods sight.”

The thing is, God made you the way that He made you. There is no changing that. You are more precious than gold. Marjorie Jackson says, “As women, we desire to be beautiful, and when anyone–even ourselves–tells us that we are otherwise, we struggle with feeling unhappy, inferior and unacceptable. We can become so focused on outward appearance that we lose sight of Gods truth–especially when our clothes aren’t fitting quite right, we despise our unphotogenic smile, and we look nothing like the Photoshopped models we’re told we should resemble.

In Psalms 139:14 it says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Outward appearance is pretty nice and I know some people who spend alot of money on their outward appearance and that is okay, but what does their heart look like? Luckily, the people I know have a a heart that is appreciative and thankful for what God has blessed them with! But personally, sometimes I don’t even think about it. I just kinda pass over it and go throughout my day! 

In the end, it is who we are in the heart, not what we look like on the outside that ultimately counts.

(We will be going through a series called- You ARE:. I will be going through two lies that the enemy tries to make us believe. Each having scripture to support it! I hope that you enjoy it!)

I’m Too Busy…

You can find that picture – Here

Have you ever told someone that you were too busy to read the Bible? Well, that is one of the most common excuses I hear at my school. But are you really too busy?

How often do you have that urge to look at your phone? You are not too busy to take a quick look at your phone. You have time to play that last game with one of your friends. All of these are fine things to do, as long as they are not getting in the way of the time that you are having personally with God.

I was watching a video that Sadie Robertson has posted on YouTube. She had been on a tour and she was answering the most 3 frequently asked questions on that tour. She was kind of the inspiration of this post, so I thought that I should put in the quote that she said, but first let me give you some background. Sadie is answering three different questions. The question that she is answering here is: How do I make time for God whenever I have a busy schedule?  Sadie Robertson said it perfectly “I think that sometimes, we create this Pause and Play relationship with God.”

Isn’t that true though? In the morning I read the Bible and then I don’t press pause on that personal time with God, and press play and then go and live out my life. No, that’s not how it works. God is with you wherever you go, so every word you speak, every action you do, every thought that you think, He is there. You can’t get enough of the Word. Insert God in your busy schedule. Maybe be different than your friends, stand up for what you believe, or even just sitting with the new kid at lunch. You don’t have to go up in front of the class and share a speech about what you believe and why you believe it, just incorporating Him in your day.

Habits to get into:

• Waking up earlier and spending time in the Word and praying
• Memorizing Scripture
• Finding a Bible Study to go to
• Having accountability
• Finding a godly mentor that you can talk to, ask questions etc.
• Reading the Bible

These are just six of the things that are some ways to start off, but I’m sure that I didn’t list them all.

Most of the time, the things that you watch on T.V. or look at on your phone are not bringing you closer to God. They sure can be, but most of the time, they are not.

So, are you really too busy for God? Are you really too busy from the most awesome God in the world you sent His son to die for you?

Scripture Encouragement:

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 1 Peter 2:2

We must long for the Bible, what I say, what your parents say, your pastor says. You have to ask God for a want for the Bible and you personally have to want the want.

 

Side Note: You can watch Sadie Robertson’s YouTube Video – here

 

 

 

The One Key to the Best Life

I WISH THAT I HAD THE BEST LIFE…
I’ve got some good news for you! You can!
Life is very easy when you are an infant. They need to be 1) Fed. They’ll maybe let out a little whine and then maybe an irresistible, adorable face that makes a mother have to say “Yes.” 2) They need to sleep. They need to be able to get their rest in or else they are going to be cranky and not so much of an adorable baby, if you will. These things keep infants healthy. Just like if you were sick. The doctors give you medicine to make you better again. But if you refuse to use the medicines, therefore you are not going to get well. Just as infants need to sleep and be fed, and when you are sick, you need medicines, WE NEED JESUS! Except, no medicine, no food, no sleep nor ANYTHING ELSE IN THIS WORLD CAN SATISFY YOU LIKE JESUS.

Joy- Eternal
Happiness- Temporary

Without Jesus, life is miserable. Miserable! We have no hope, we need something to satisfy us and there isn’t a joy. With Jesus, oh, I could go on and on about how AMAZING life is with Jesus.
• He is the comforter of all comforters. He loves us so much that He cares about every person in the world. Now, there are billions of people in our world and He cares about every one of their needs and their desires.
• He is the hope. He sent His son, so that we have a Hope to get to Heaven. A hope that you can’t earn, that comes with the package of Salvation.
• He is loving. God loves us so much that He would let His son die and pay the penalty of our sin. Yes, you read that right. God, gave up His son, Jesus, to pay the ultimate sacrifice of eternal death, so that we could have eternal life with Jesus.

AND MANY, MANY MORE! Read the Bible to find some more reasons on why having life with Jesus is so amazing!

HOW OFTEN DO YOU READ YOUR BIBLE?
Think about it. How often do you hear *ding* from a text message, an Instagram alert, or a Snapchat and you have the immediate urge to look at the text, Instagram post, Snapchat, whatever it may-be. And you carry your phone, everywhere you go. But how often do you really have a time with Jesus, with no distractions? Maybe its in the morning, maybe it’s at night, maybe it’s during the day. Whatever it may be, let it be just a time that you and the Lord have. Maybe you are reading a book of the Bible and you find a verse that you meditate on and you can write that verse on your mirror, have a notecard next to your Bible etc.
I understand. It may seem easier to not have to read the Bible or not spread the Word of God, because right now, sadly, that’s not the “cool” thing to do. But, as Christians, spreading the Good News, sadly, in the society that we live in, it isn’t going to be easy. Yeah, you might be made fun of, called names, but if you think about it. You are doing the work of God, the work that God has called you to do. What else would you rather do?

I CAN’T WAIT TO BE A CHRISTIAN – LIFE IS GOING TO BE SO EASY
No, the Christian life isn’t an easy road. You are still going to deal with life’s trials and the worlds tricks, but the eternal gift that you get is AMAZING! But with Gods help and the accountability of friends and reading the Bible, and it will be easier, but mark my words, it will NEVER be easy.
My youth leader says this all the time:
I want to be so infatuated with Jesus, that nothing else matters in life.
-Subrina Harvey
That’s how I want to be. So infatuated and constantly in the Word of God that my heart is guarded, nothing else in this world can satisfy me like Jesus.

How are you going to live your life today?