Do you wonder why you have to
Feel the things that hurt you?
If there's a God who loves you,
Where is He now?
Well maybe, there are things you can't see
And all those things are happening
To bring a better ending.
Someday, somehow you'll see, you'll see.
Would you dare, would you dare to believe
That you still have a reason to sing?
'Cause the pain that you've been feeling
Can't compare to the joy that's coming.
So hold on, you gotta wait for the light.
Press on and just fight the good fight.
'Cause the pain that you've been feeling
It's just the dark before the morning.
My friend, you know how this all ends
And you know where you're going.
You just don't know how you'll get there.
So say a prayer,
And hold on
'Cause there's good for those who love God.
But life is not a snapshot,
It might take a little time but you'll see the bigger picture.
So hold on, you gotta wait for the light.
Press on and just fight the good fight.
'Cause the pain that you've been feeling
It's just the dark before the morning.
Once you feel the weight of glory,
All your pain will fade to memory.
Once you feel the weight of glory,
All your pain will fade to memory,
Come on, you gotta wait for the light.
Press on and just fight the good fight.
'Cause the pain that you've been feeling,
It's just the hurt before the healing.
Oh the pain that you've been feeling,
It's just the dark before the morning.
Before the morning.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Ya know, I'm talkin about my be-e-est friend! :)
While spending time with the Lord, I started asking Him some questions that MAJORLY confused me. Like anger. Especially within the last few years, I always saw God as a loving, non-pushing, gentleman, graceful being who was always there for me. And He is, don't ever think otherwise lol.
But then I started remembering times, especially in the old testament where He would point out everyone's faults and then destroy them if they didn't line up with Him. And that scared me! I was like, "God, you say that You are what You and that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. If so, then am I seeing You in a way that You aren't?"
It really confused me! I brought up Sodom and Gomorrah as an example and how He destroyed it. Or even when He flooded the earth to get rid of the bad guys. Then God started saying this:
If you notice, I saved my people from those cities before I destroyed them. I gave them a chance to turn away, but they didn't. I loved the people who lived in sin, just as much as I did my righteous children, but they refused to turn away from the evil. They refused me. So, Malana, what did I do? I got my kids out and then protected them by getting rid of the sin within that city. I had to make a tough decision. I already knew they would never come back to me, so they were already lost. By keeping them there, it would have just hurt the ones who did care for me. I couldn't risk that. Same with the flood. If you notice, you have this thing you call a "rainbow" which my promise to never flood the earth again. But, as you can also see, I saved my kids- Noah and his family.
My pastor actually did a sermon over this, not too long ago. He also made a point about how God is not judgement minded. In Genesis 18, God was willing to spare 1.5 million sin-filled people to save 10 righteous people. This means He is righteous focused!
Then I asked Him about, what had changed? God doesn't change, so how come no cities have been destroyed or floods have occurred, or great balls of fire have rained from the sky since Jesus. I also asked Him why it seemed like Him and Jesus do things out of anger- even righteous anger. I always thought doing anything out of an emotion was not right. So what happened? Did He go softie? Then He reminded me of this:
When I "did things out of anger" as you put it, I did it entirely out of love. When a parent disciplines their children, yes, they may be angry, but the discipline comes from the love they have for their children and wanting them to grow. When Jesus trashed the temple out of "anger" it was in righteous anger because they were leading my children astray. They were making a mockery of Our entire purpose which was to love and to guide others in our love and law we established at the time. Plus, a main reason Jesus came to earth WAS to be tempted by everything and STILL overcome it. Since I was within Him the entire time, this meant I was able to see what each and every one of you go through so now I could relate. I could empathize. I could have that grace because I knew what my children truly went through. So, I overcame it for you so you could live through me. You see, the enemy has never been human, so He can never understand. He can never empathize with you. He has NO love for you at all. Just jealousy because I love you and I kicked him out. Emotions are a gift from me. You can glorify me with each one. But if you're not careful, you can glorify him too and that's what he tries to get you to do. That's why when you abide by me and my word, you can see the true motives to each of my actions and learn to line your actions up with mine.
It was refreshing for once to talk about God and not me. I always have a habit of when I talk to Him, I make it all about me. But maybe, God wants to talk about Him for a while. When you talk to your best friend, you don't make it all about you. You ask them what they think on certain things, you ask 'what's been going on lately' or different stuff like that. You learn about them and their likes and dislikes and you have inside jokes and you even make fun of each other. You enjoy being around each other and you have a bond that no one else has with you. You also have trust. Trust in their opinion and when they try to warn you of something they don't think is a good idea. Trust that they love you and only want what's best for you. It's also the same for their view of you. It's a two way street. True friends give, they don't just take. And as one of my best friends remarked today, when you spend a lot of time with your best friend, you start to think and talk like them! You know what each other is thinking before they say something, you start having the same "fun words" or phrases, and the same goes with God! The more you spend time with Him, the more you start to speak like Him and act like Him. I think that's soo cool!
Jesus is the best friend, dad, brother, sister, mother, g-pa, grannmal, and 5th cousin you could ever have. You want to know why? Because, every single one of these people listed above and many more all have one common denominator- and that's love that never leaves. And that's Him. He's not looking for you to mess up, He's anticipating for when you do something good. He's proud of you in weakness and in greatness. Just don't forget who He is and what He stands for. Trust me, He's the best thing you will ever find :)
But then I started remembering times, especially in the old testament where He would point out everyone's faults and then destroy them if they didn't line up with Him. And that scared me! I was like, "God, you say that You are what You and that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. If so, then am I seeing You in a way that You aren't?"
It really confused me! I brought up Sodom and Gomorrah as an example and how He destroyed it. Or even when He flooded the earth to get rid of the bad guys. Then God started saying this:
If you notice, I saved my people from those cities before I destroyed them. I gave them a chance to turn away, but they didn't. I loved the people who lived in sin, just as much as I did my righteous children, but they refused to turn away from the evil. They refused me. So, Malana, what did I do? I got my kids out and then protected them by getting rid of the sin within that city. I had to make a tough decision. I already knew they would never come back to me, so they were already lost. By keeping them there, it would have just hurt the ones who did care for me. I couldn't risk that. Same with the flood. If you notice, you have this thing you call a "rainbow" which my promise to never flood the earth again. But, as you can also see, I saved my kids- Noah and his family.
My pastor actually did a sermon over this, not too long ago. He also made a point about how God is not judgement minded. In Genesis 18, God was willing to spare 1.5 million sin-filled people to save 10 righteous people. This means He is righteous focused!
Then I asked Him about, what had changed? God doesn't change, so how come no cities have been destroyed or floods have occurred, or great balls of fire have rained from the sky since Jesus. I also asked Him why it seemed like Him and Jesus do things out of anger- even righteous anger. I always thought doing anything out of an emotion was not right. So what happened? Did He go softie? Then He reminded me of this:
When I "did things out of anger" as you put it, I did it entirely out of love. When a parent disciplines their children, yes, they may be angry, but the discipline comes from the love they have for their children and wanting them to grow. When Jesus trashed the temple out of "anger" it was in righteous anger because they were leading my children astray. They were making a mockery of Our entire purpose which was to love and to guide others in our love and law we established at the time. Plus, a main reason Jesus came to earth WAS to be tempted by everything and STILL overcome it. Since I was within Him the entire time, this meant I was able to see what each and every one of you go through so now I could relate. I could empathize. I could have that grace because I knew what my children truly went through. So, I overcame it for you so you could live through me. You see, the enemy has never been human, so He can never understand. He can never empathize with you. He has NO love for you at all. Just jealousy because I love you and I kicked him out. Emotions are a gift from me. You can glorify me with each one. But if you're not careful, you can glorify him too and that's what he tries to get you to do. That's why when you abide by me and my word, you can see the true motives to each of my actions and learn to line your actions up with mine.
It was refreshing for once to talk about God and not me. I always have a habit of when I talk to Him, I make it all about me. But maybe, God wants to talk about Him for a while. When you talk to your best friend, you don't make it all about you. You ask them what they think on certain things, you ask 'what's been going on lately' or different stuff like that. You learn about them and their likes and dislikes and you have inside jokes and you even make fun of each other. You enjoy being around each other and you have a bond that no one else has with you. You also have trust. Trust in their opinion and when they try to warn you of something they don't think is a good idea. Trust that they love you and only want what's best for you. It's also the same for their view of you. It's a two way street. True friends give, they don't just take. And as one of my best friends remarked today, when you spend a lot of time with your best friend, you start to think and talk like them! You know what each other is thinking before they say something, you start having the same "fun words" or phrases, and the same goes with God! The more you spend time with Him, the more you start to speak like Him and act like Him. I think that's soo cool!
Jesus is the best friend, dad, brother, sister, mother, g-pa, grannmal, and 5th cousin you could ever have. You want to know why? Because, every single one of these people listed above and many more all have one common denominator- and that's love that never leaves. And that's Him. He's not looking for you to mess up, He's anticipating for when you do something good. He's proud of you in weakness and in greatness. Just don't forget who He is and what He stands for. Trust me, He's the best thing you will ever find :)
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
New Creation :)
Talking to an old friend from church, I have found that I really am an entirely different person! And I give all the glory to Jesus, the master craftsman Himself! Ever since I finally just gave up and gave my ENTIRE life to Him, He has blessed me and made me entirely new!!!!! My friend, Lauren, she was in awe at how much I had changed! Before, she probably didn't like to be around me.And I probably wouldn't blame her.
Back before The Big Change, my life was entirely consumed with trying to please everyone, make myself be like others who told everyone they were different. I was focused on myself and used God as a way to get farther in life and in relationships with others. My christian walk wasn't about Jesus, it was about what He could give me and what I could do within my church. And that's being completely honest.
When I realized my life wasn't about me and that there was soo much more to my life and Jesus than the American Dream or being liked, it opened my eyes. HE opened my eyes.And I would never have it any other way!
I love my life and I love what He is doing in me and for me!I had to get off my high-horse and understand that God is bigger than me and He wasn't my genie. He was my Savior and the first person to ever truly love me. He is love. The real love. He invented the definition of it- literally! When He sent His son . . . man, life was shifted. The curtain was torn, and we became truly His. And He became ours. Our Beloved. That's just soo beautiful to think about . . .
This reminds me of the song, "New Creation" by Leeland. It's soo true because once you are born again in Christ, you gain His life that He gave to you so you can have the best of the best. 'Cause that's what He is:
The Best of The Best. :)
I'm not perfect, though, which you also must understand. Do NOT put me on a pedestal. I think sometimes, though, even I put myself on a pedestal. But I'm not perfect. But He is.
He was perfect, so I didn't have to be.
I'm still growing and will never stop growing in Him because He is never-ending. And I will have both a Paul and a Timothy. Someone I learn from and someone I can teach. And I can't wait until I have both of these.
I want to thank those around me who keep on encouraging me to stay in him and reminding me why I do this. Ya know, sometimes, I seem to forget WHY I'm a christian or as I say, " A follower of Christ". Many people with the christian title have a habit of abusing it. But the people who love God and love me because of their relationship in the Lord is one of the main things that make all this worth it. The insane faith in His crazy love.
"Death where is your sting, Hell will never conquer me
A love pure and holy, Has set me free
And I am a new creation, I have been born again
For behold! The old has passed away!
There's a hole inside of me, And I'll never run away from you!
Anymore, anymore" ~ "New creation" by Leeland
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