15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.[a] And by him we cry, "Abba,[b] Father."
Romans 8:15
18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18
On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.
Zephaniah 3:16
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
JOSHUA1:9
I have been given a spirit of Freedom and not of Fear. I will proclaim that and live it. I need not fear.
HALLELUJAH!
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Soldier's Covenant
Having accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord, and desiring to fulfil my membership of His Church on earth as a soldier of The Salvation Army, I now by God's grace enter into a sacred covenant.I believe and will live by the truths of the word of God expressed in The Salvation Army's eleven articles of faith:
-We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God; and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
-We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.
-We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead - the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost - undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
-We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.
-We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness; and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.
-We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.
-We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.
-We believe that we are justified by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.
-We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
-We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
-I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit's work and obedient to His leading in my life, growing in grace through worship, prayer, service and the reading of the Bible.
-I will make the values of the Kingdom of God and not the values of the world the standard for my life.
-I will uphold Christian integrity in every area of my life, allowing nothing in thought, word or deed that is unworthy, unclean, untrue, profane, dishonest or immoral.I will maintain Christian ideals in all my relationships with others; my family and neighbours, my colleagues and fellow salvationists, those to whom and for whom I am responsible, and the wider community.
-I will uphold the sanctity of marriage and of family life. I will be a faithful steward of my time and gifts, my money and possessions, my body, my mind and my spirit, knowing that I am accountable to God.
-I will abstain from alcoholic drink, tobacco, the non-medical use of addictive drugs, gambling, pornography, the occult and all else that could enslave the body or spirit.
-I will be faithful to the purposes for which God raised up The Salvation Army, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, endeavouring to win others to Him, and in His name caring for the needy and the disadvantaged.
-I will be actively involved, as I am able, in the life, work, worship and witness of the corps, giving as large a proportion of my income as possible to support its ministries and the worldwide work of the Army.
-I will be true to the principles and practices of The Salvation Army, loyal to its leaders, and I will show the spirit of salvationism whether in times of popularity or persecution.
I now call upon all present to witness that I enter into this covenant and sign these articles of war of my own free will, convinced that the love of Christ, who died and now lives to save me, requires from me this devotion of my life to His service for the salvation of the whole world; and therefore do here declare my full determination, by God's help, to be a true soldier of The Salvation Army.
"I don't understand why anyone can believe all these things and agree to live their life in this manor and not become a soldier."
I understand why. Fear of commitment, fear of failure, fear of being inadequate. Thats whats holding me back anyways. I want to be a good soldier, and I want Jesus to be proud of me. I don't want to make a covenant that I know I'm going to break. It's scary letting someone else have complete control. I don't know whats making me so afraid. I've been in a place where I surrendered all of my self doubt, all of my worries, and all of my fears and the freedom I felt was indescribable but then I picked them all back up again. I cart them around wherever I go, desiring to let them go yet I never drop them, not even for a moment. I hold on to them as if they were treasure. I don't understand myself. Its wierd.
Having accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord, and desiring to fulfil my membership of His Church on earth as a soldier of The Salvation Army, I now by God's grace enter into a sacred covenant.I believe and will live by the truths of the word of God expressed in The Salvation Army's eleven articles of faith:
-We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God; and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
-We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.
-We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead - the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost - undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
-We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.
-We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness; and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.
-We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.
-We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.
-We believe that we are justified by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.
-We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
-We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
-I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit's work and obedient to His leading in my life, growing in grace through worship, prayer, service and the reading of the Bible.
-I will make the values of the Kingdom of God and not the values of the world the standard for my life.
-I will uphold Christian integrity in every area of my life, allowing nothing in thought, word or deed that is unworthy, unclean, untrue, profane, dishonest or immoral.I will maintain Christian ideals in all my relationships with others; my family and neighbours, my colleagues and fellow salvationists, those to whom and for whom I am responsible, and the wider community.
-I will uphold the sanctity of marriage and of family life. I will be a faithful steward of my time and gifts, my money and possessions, my body, my mind and my spirit, knowing that I am accountable to God.
-I will abstain from alcoholic drink, tobacco, the non-medical use of addictive drugs, gambling, pornography, the occult and all else that could enslave the body or spirit.
-I will be faithful to the purposes for which God raised up The Salvation Army, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, endeavouring to win others to Him, and in His name caring for the needy and the disadvantaged.
-I will be actively involved, as I am able, in the life, work, worship and witness of the corps, giving as large a proportion of my income as possible to support its ministries and the worldwide work of the Army.
-I will be true to the principles and practices of The Salvation Army, loyal to its leaders, and I will show the spirit of salvationism whether in times of popularity or persecution.
I now call upon all present to witness that I enter into this covenant and sign these articles of war of my own free will, convinced that the love of Christ, who died and now lives to save me, requires from me this devotion of my life to His service for the salvation of the whole world; and therefore do here declare my full determination, by God's help, to be a true soldier of The Salvation Army.
"I don't understand why anyone can believe all these things and agree to live their life in this manor and not become a soldier."
I understand why. Fear of commitment, fear of failure, fear of being inadequate. Thats whats holding me back anyways. I want to be a good soldier, and I want Jesus to be proud of me. I don't want to make a covenant that I know I'm going to break. It's scary letting someone else have complete control. I don't know whats making me so afraid. I've been in a place where I surrendered all of my self doubt, all of my worries, and all of my fears and the freedom I felt was indescribable but then I picked them all back up again. I cart them around wherever I go, desiring to let them go yet I never drop them, not even for a moment. I hold on to them as if they were treasure. I don't understand myself. Its wierd.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Monday, April 03, 2006
Intimacy with the Almighty
I got the new book for XLR8 today:) I'm excited to read it, I've only just looked through it and read one line but I'm pretty sure its going to be full of things I need to hear.
The back of the book says:
Noise and woreds and frenzied, hectic schedules dull our senses, closing out ears to His still, small voice and making us numb to His touch.
Thats definetly how I'm feeling right now so I think digging into this book is going to be pretty sweet. I don't want to read this book and have it be just a nice book though. I want some life flipping stuff.. I need to allow my life to be flipped first though. I need to open myself up and really allow this to happen. I need to surrender to God but its so hard. I'm holding tightly to my life even though I know that inorder to live I must give my life away. God, help me with this, I can't do it on my own. I'm stuck and you are my way out and yet I keep turning to others hoping that they'll be able to help. I realize that you are the way but I'm afraid of trusting you completely. I know I shouldn't be but I am. I really am. You are faithful and you are true, I have no reason to be afraid. Fear not. Fear not. Fear not.
I need to surrender.
The back of the book says:
Noise and woreds and frenzied, hectic schedules dull our senses, closing out ears to His still, small voice and making us numb to His touch.
Thats definetly how I'm feeling right now so I think digging into this book is going to be pretty sweet. I don't want to read this book and have it be just a nice book though. I want some life flipping stuff.. I need to allow my life to be flipped first though. I need to open myself up and really allow this to happen. I need to surrender to God but its so hard. I'm holding tightly to my life even though I know that inorder to live I must give my life away. God, help me with this, I can't do it on my own. I'm stuck and you are my way out and yet I keep turning to others hoping that they'll be able to help. I realize that you are the way but I'm afraid of trusting you completely. I know I shouldn't be but I am. I really am. You are faithful and you are true, I have no reason to be afraid. Fear not. Fear not. Fear not.
I need to surrender.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Wow, so, so much is going on right now. I don't even understand it all. I'm trying to seek out God and come closer to Him right now but theres so much going on here right in front of my face that my thoughts get distracted and then I start focusing on all of that instead of seeking out who God is and what he wants from my life. The major thing thats getting me right now is all of these boy troubles I'm having. You'd think that being single would be easier.. It feels like I can't escape them right now, I just want to be single and focus on more important things. I want to have friends, not boyfriends. Its hard. I'm pretty sure dating ruins a lot of things anyways. At this point in my life I believe that dating is going to do much more harm than good. I just don't need it right now, you know?
So my head hurts right now from thinking so much, and my tummy hurts from twisting so much. Everything is so stressful sometimes, right now would be one of those times.
Gosh. What I'm trying to figure out right now is what I'm supposed to be doing. Like, where does my ministry lye, what should I do on an everyday basis, What does being a woman of God look like in my everyday life? I'm having so much trouble with this, everything keeps getting in the way. I'm not making it a priority even though I know that I really want it to be. Could you guys pray for me, I just want a clearhead so bad. I want to know what God wants from me. I want to know how to find a balance. I don't want to play church.
So my head hurts right now from thinking so much, and my tummy hurts from twisting so much. Everything is so stressful sometimes, right now would be one of those times.
Gosh. What I'm trying to figure out right now is what I'm supposed to be doing. Like, where does my ministry lye, what should I do on an everyday basis, What does being a woman of God look like in my everyday life? I'm having so much trouble with this, everything keeps getting in the way. I'm not making it a priority even though I know that I really want it to be. Could you guys pray for me, I just want a clearhead so bad. I want to know what God wants from me. I want to know how to find a balance. I don't want to play church.
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