Choices...

Choices, choices, choices... I've been trying really hard to make better choices when it comes to food. However, this is just not that easy. I find it interesting in the stores how hard it is to actually find healthy food that does not have tons and tons of sugar and carbs. Now wonder Americans are so overweight and have lots of health issues. Its cheaper, very easy, and bad food does taste a whole lot better than healthy food.

I'm praying that God will help change my cravings and I will begin to actually crave what is good for me. Every now and then I know it doesnt hurt to have a cookie or two, or three or four... ok just kidding about the 3 and 4. lol but eating to much sugar as we all know is not good.


I can do ALL things through Christ.

Whats the dream of your heart?

There are many, many things I wanna do in life. But I want the #1 dream of my heart to be to love Jesus with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. Mike Bickel who leads the International House of Prayer in Kansas city, MO did SUCH a great teaching on the 1st commandent and I just cant get enought of it!! Its a teaching I could hear over and over and over again and hear something new each time.

He talks about loving God with our words, energy, money, time and influence. I know for myself I like doing what I want to do with my time, but I feel like I need to surrender that time to Him. Our identity and how we view ourselves should be by our relationship with God instead of what we accomplish and how many people know us, or how much money we make.

If we realign our idenity with the truth of God's word, it wont matter who likes us, how many friends we have or fear of rejection. We will be able to love God more.

Identity in God, GOD LOVES ME AND I LOVE HIM THEREFORE I'M SUCCESSFULL

Even though our love is weak, its real, and it really does move God's heart.

In the natural mind set and the world says you are successful if you have lots of money, if your famous, if you have a great job...which all those things are good but our real and true success should come from our relationship with God.

I want my assignment in life to come from the place of success, not by trying to earn success. We get burnout in life not because of hard work, but because we do our work with the wrong spirit.

All the above is from Mike Bickle's teaching...

Now back to cleaning my dirty house, so I can have dinner tonight with the family. Its such a beautiful day!! I love spring time!!!

Society..

Its a Thursday morning and my sweet kitty (tador tot) is laying beside me, she is so sweet :) I think she acts more like a dog than a cat. I thought cats were independant? She follows me everywhere I go, its kinda cute but sometimes annoying!

Yesterday I came across a really neat web site: www. purefreedom.org. This site's main ministry is for pre teens, teens and women. I was watching a clip on the site and these words really jumped out at me. They talked about how the media is feeding us (girls especially) lies about how we should look and what is beauty. I'm learning how important it is to be rooted and grounded in what God says is beauty.

" Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in God's sight. " 1 peter 3:3-4

Getting our value and worth from God's perpective is so important and is like a rock that cannot be moved. Our appearence is going to change!!! Then what? If we based our worth on how we look... Well then..ummm we are in trouble. What happens when your 70 :)

Its sad how the media and feminist movement have corrupted the our view of men, purity, marriage and motherhood! Dannah Gresh is great speaker talked about how women and girls today are affraid of marriage and motherhood because our society has attached a stigma.

Your never gonna get beautiful in front of the mirror each day, your gonna get beautiful looking into Gods word each day and asking him who he wants you do be!

Anyway, this really spoke to me today.

Count it all Joy!

Good morning! Its a beautiful Saturday and I havent blogged in awhile. But felt like today I wanted to share this little verse.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (Jas 1:2-4)

Count it all joy..... going through trials is so not fun, and counting it joyful is not something that comes natural..well at least NOT FOR ME!! The first thing I want to do when I'm in a trial is complain and get out of the trail or hard spot as soon as possible. God is doing alot in my heart right now, and its not pretty but nessessary! He knows best and I dont, I'm learning how to trust His leadership in my life more and more, sometimes its very scary.. I'm so glad He loves us even in our weakness.

Yall have a good weekend!!!


Jennifer

~How great is our God~

Today in Job 35:1-37:24 I just keep being reminded how great our God is. I really do feel bad for Job, dont get me wrong. However, I'm just reminded that our God has ALL power and ALL authority! We are at the mercy of God, who are we to question anything he does! Our God is great, slow to anger, rich in love! He has been so good to me and I love Him with all my heart. I was watching CNN the other night and just thinking about those in Haiti who need our prayers right now due to the earthquake. CNN showed a clip of a group of people from Haiti worshiping, it brought tears to my eyes. In the midst of hunger, physical illnesses, bleeding cuts, and all sorts of other hardships they were singing praises to the king. What an example!!

Father, I pray for the people of Haiti would you filled them right now with your love. I pray for the people who are still alive but trapped under buildings, God would you give them strength to hold on and fill their hearts with the peace that passed all understanding. I pray that people would call out to you during this time and that there would be many salvations! We love you Jesus!

Bless him in the pain.

One verse that caught my attention in Job 13:15 was " Though He slay me, YET will I hope in Him". That to me really speaks alot about the condition of Jobs heart during all his trails. Job was going through some really, really hard times and he still, even still blessed the name of the Lord. God is still good and worthy of all praise even when we are in the hardest of times. He is worthy because He is God and there is none like Him in all the earth. Father, I pray you would help us to remember to worship you right in the middle of lifes hurts and everyday struggles. I choose to bless your name Abba!

Tell Him anything!

Sometimes you just need to vent... and I mean really vent!! The type of venting I'm talking about is the kind you cannot tell a single person on earth, because it may actually be about that person :) You know... that kind of venting. I'm sooooo thankful God is my best friend!! No seriously, he is my very best friend!! We've been through so much together and still He is there. He never leaves us no matter what we have done or said or even thought. In Job 8:1-10:22 the picture I get is just very sad. Job is really pouring out his heart to the Lord. He is being real and honest, and I know the Lord appreciates that! Sometimes the best couseling ever is going into a room or place all my yourself and pouring out your heart to the Lord. After doing so, then listening to His words of comfort to your soul. I have done this many times and its healing! The best part about it is thats its FREE, and your sharing with someone who will not say a word to anyone! I'm thankful Jesus does not judge us, but He receives us even in our weaknesses! I love you Jesus!!


Vent to Him! :)



Jennifer Ambrose

He never changes!

Over the past years I've kinda caught myself longing for the good old days, like days from the past. God reminded me this morning that there are always going to be seasons in life, and life is always going to change no matter how much we might not want it to. Seasons come and they go, but Jesus never changes. Our feelings, job, relationships may change, but HE NEVER CHANGES. I'm so thankful that I have a God that is the same yesterday, today and forever! This journey we call life is going to have its ups and downs but we can remain stable if we look to Jesus who is our rock. God is working in our lives in each season, even the ones we dont enjoy so much... Especially the ones we dont enjoy, thats when He's working the MOST! Its like climbing a latter we are growing more and more and more each time we choose to push through the hard seasons of life and claim His promises over our lives. The best is yet to come!! 2010 is going to be a GREAT YEAR!!!


Today my bible reading was from Job 4:1-7:21

I'm sure Job longed for his good old days as well, when his world started to crash down before him. God wants to stretch us and Job was FOR SURE being stretched in areas I'm sure he did not want to be!! I wish we got to pick whick areas in our lives we wanted God to work on, haha if only... Well, I would probably say to the Lord each day... I dont think I want ANY area to be stretched today. :) The truth is if we got to pick it would not be good...So thats why He is God and we are not. Father, help me to praise your name even in the seasons of life that are hard. Thank you God for never, ever changing!!

May the name of the Lord be praised!!

This mornings Bible reading in Job 1:1-3:26. Really makes you think differently ( or at least I do) about problems and struggles in life. Job had it all, money, great family, friends and he was happy. Times of testing did come for Job, when everything seemed to come crashing down all at the same time. I've had days where everything that could go wrong did, and more! I think sometimes we think to ourselves: I did something wrong and God is punishing me, but maybe you have done everything right and God is just testing you. We half to trust God in the hard times in life and with the things we do not understand ( this is sooooo easy to write, but hard to walk out at times).

A passage that stuck out to me from Job was " The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised". I mean really with all that Job had gone through he said " may the name of the Lord be praised"!! I pray for a heart like Job's!! Even in the hardest of hardest times, I want to say not just with my mouth but really with my heart MAY THE NAME OF THE LORD STILL BE PRAISED!!

The best free gift EVER!!!

Do you know for certain your going to heaven, or is that something your still working on? Heaven is a free gift, you cant earn it or deserve it.

JESUS LOVES US EVEN IN OUR WEAKNESS, HE CALLS US BEAUTIFUL!!

The Bible tells how you can know for sure that you have eternal life and will go to be with God in Heaven. The Bible says in I John 5:13, "These things I have written to you... that you may know that you have eternal life." Here's how you can know for sure...

Heaven (Eternal Life) is a free gift. The Bible says, "... the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) And because Heaven is a gift, like any other genuine gift, it is not earned or deserved. Therefore, no amount of personal effort, good works, or religious deeds can earn a place in Heaven for you.

The Bible also says, "By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) Why is it that no one can earn his way to Heaven? Because...
Man is a sinner. The Bible says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Sin is transgressing God's law and includes such things as lying, lust, cheating, deceit, anger, evil thoughts, immoral behavior, and more.

And because of this, man cannot save himself. If you wanted to save yourself by good deeds, do you know how good you would have to be? The Bible says you would have to be perfect.
"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) With such a high standard, no one can save himself for God also says, "Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10) In spite of our sin, however...
God is merciful and therefore doesn't want to punish us. This is because... "God is love..." (I John 4:8), and He says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love." (Jeremiah 31:3b)
But the same Bible that tells us that God loves us also tells us that God is just, and therefore must punish sin. He says, "... I will by no means clear the guilty..." (Exodus 34:7) and "The soul who sins shall die." (Ezekial 18:4)

We have a problem; we have all sinned. The penalty for sin is death. We need forgiveness so that we can have a right relationship with God.
God solved this problem for us in the person of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us clearly that Jesus is the infinite God-Man. "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus)... and the Word (Jesus) was God... and the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:1,14)

Jesus Christ came to earth and lived a sinless life, but while on earth, he died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins and rose from the grave to purchase a place for us in Heaven. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)

God hates our sin, but because of His love for us, He has placed them all on His Son. Christ bore our sin in His body on the cross. Now Jesus Christ offers you eternal life (Heaven) as a free gift.
This gift is received by faith. Faith is the key that opens the door to Heaven. Many people mistake two things for saving faith:

Mere intellectual assent, that is, believing certain historical facts. The Bible says the devil believes in God, so mere intellectual assent is not saving faith.
Mere temporal faith, that is, trusting God for temporary crises such as financial, family, or physical needs. Now these are good, and you should trust Christ for these, but they are not saving faith! Saving faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. It means resting upon Christ alone and what He has done rather than upon what you or I have done to get us into Heaven.

"Believe (trust) on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved..." (Acts 16:31)
Faith is like the hand of a beggar receiving the gift of a King. We don't deserve the gift of eternal life. But we can have it, if we will receive it by faith.
You have just read the greatest story ever told about the greatest offer ever made by the greatest person who ever lived--Jesus Christ. The question God is asking you now is "Would you like to receive the gift of eternal life?"

Because this is such an important matter, let's clarify just what this involves. It means, first of all, that you transfer your trust from what you have been doing to what Christ has done for you on the cross.
It means, next, that you receive the resurrected, living Christ into your life as Savior. He says, "Behold I stand at the door and knock (at the door of your life). If any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him." (Revelation 3:20)

It means further that you receive Jesus Christ into your life as Lord. He comes as Master and King. There is a throne room in your heart, and that throne is rightly His. He made you. He bought you, and He wants to take His rightful place on the throne of your life.

It means, finally, that you repent of your sins. That means that you are willing to turn from anything you have been doing that is not pleasing to Him and to follow Him as He reveals His will to you in His Word.

Now, if this is what you really want you can go to God in prayer right where you are. You can receive His gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ right now. "... with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation... for whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:10,13) If you want to receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, then call on Him, asking Him for this gift right now. Here's a suggested prayer:

"Lord Jesus Christ, I know I am a sinner and do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for me. Lord Jesus, come into my life; take control of my life; forgive my sins and save me. I repent of my sins and now place my trust in You for my salvation. I accept the free gift of eternal life."
If this prayer is the sincere desire of your heart, look at what Jesus promises to those who believe in Him. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life." (John 6:47)

Welcome to God's family! If you have truly repented (forsaken, turned away) from your sins, placed your trust in Jesus Christ's sacrificial death, and received the gift of eternal life, you are now a child of God! Forever! Welcome to the Family of God! "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His
name." (John 1:12)

Get ready to fall in love with this man named Jesus Christ!!

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First Baptist Church of Central Florida Orlando, FL

Reading through the Bible this year..

Its a beautiful cold day here in Georgia! I'm off a few days this week, which has really given me some time to get into the word. I'm so thankful God is so patient with us! Getting busy with school this past semester I really got away from spending good quality time reading my bible. I was invited to join a group of ladies this year in reading through the NIV chronological bible during 2010. I'm really excited about doing this! The readings for Jan. 2-4th 2010 were:

Gen. 4:1-5:32, 1 chronicles 1:1-4, Gen. 6:1-22, Gen. 7:1-9:29, Gen. 10:1-5, 1 chronicles 1:5-7, Gen. 10:6-20, 1 chronicles 1:8-16, Gen. 10-21, 11-26, 1st chronicles 1:17-27.

I liked reading about Noah and how he obeyed God by building the ark. We serve a God of great mercy, of all the evil people on the earth at that time God saw Noah and his heart and decided to save Him and his family. I wonder what was going through Noah's mind around that time...He and his family were the ONLY people on the whole earth after the flood, thats a thought to ponder.

He's a real person...

Just getting back from the ONETHING 09 conference in Kansas city, MO. It was such a good conference! God really moved and touched many, including me!! He reavealed himself in new ways to me. He.is.God. and I'm NOT! So many times I think I know whats best and forget to really listen to what the Lord is speaking. Its not that He's not speaking to my heart, its that I'm not taking the time to listen...Thats the key taking the TIME...

The father is so full of mercy its crazy! His love never ends, He is a real person...A real person sometimes I cant get that through my mind. Jesus Christ is a real person, He has real feelings and thoughts. My prayer for 2010 is that we all will dive deep into the fathers heart and experience His love in new ways. I pray for grace to not just say that God is # 1 in my heart, but to really keep Him #1 in my heart.

On a different note, a great worship leader passed away on December 23 derek loux. Derek was a worship leader at the Internation House of prayer in Kansas City, MO. His heart was for the fatherless and for justice. Both he and his wife have adopted children with special needs. What a great loss, but God is still God and has an awesome plan for this family. Visit www.louxfamily.com to read more about this sweet family.