God is Higher

   Have you ever thought about how medieval kingdoms were established and expanded. Most people would say that the king is the most responsible for being established on the throne. They are the ones who take charge over everyone in the kingdom, they lead armies to expand into territories and conquer that land, and they are proclaimed around the nations. 


   This reminds us that God "The Mighty Ruler" established a kingdom through his son Jesus Christ. A kingdom that people believe that is surrounded by clouds, harps, angels, pearly gates, and more. We don't know if those mental images are true because we haven't been to heaven to experience it.


  There are many names to describe God, but I will name a few. First, God is eternal. In Deuteronomy 33:7a it quotes, "The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. God is the Alpha and the Omega, he has lived forever even before the world was made. Second, God is self-sufficient and self-existent. In Colossians 1:16 it says, "for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him." God is alive in everyone today through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit moves through us, so we can do great things for Him. Finally, God is love. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die on the cross for our transgressions, and he rose again on third day so we can be in Heaven with him. 


   These are just a few of many names that to describe God. God governs our lives in everyday life and we need to be shining lights for him. There is a song that talks about how that nothing is over God and that song is called No One Higher/The Stand by Steve Fee.


  This verse goes like this,
 "There is no one higher no one greater no one like our God

  There is none more able Christ our Savior great and glorious"

This verse is definitely true because God should be above everything in our lives. He created us to live a life according to his purpose and to be children of him. 

  The chorus of this songs speaks to me and it says,

"So i'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned
 In awe of the one who gave it all
 I'll stand my soul Lord to you surrendered all I am is Yours"

   
   We as Christians need to step up and have in faith in him that he is the God that we talk, pray, praise, and do wonderful magnificent things for Him. We need to devote our life to him every single day.

So remember that our God needs to be in control of our lives. If he is, God will do great things in the present and in the future. 

Lyrics to Steve Fee's song : "No One Higher/The Stand"

There is no one higher no one greater no one like our God
There is none more able Christ our Savior great and glorious

So i'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the one who gave it all
I'll stand my soul Lord to you surrendered all I am is Yours

Going Through A New Phase Of My Life

   Your families are extremely proud of you. You can't imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing. This would be an opportune time to ask for money. ~Gary Bolding

   When we think of high school graduation, we usually have graduation parties, we usually have the graduation day, families are usually upset and proud of their son/daughter for graduating high school, and we also have the sons/daughters thinking about their life ahead of them at college. I say this last part to tell you that college can be extremely difficult in your Christian walk with God. You are on your own making your own decisions about how you are going to live life and many people strive to leave the church and to leave God our heavenly father. 

   About 70-80% of people who grew up in the church leave in college because they have no desire to wake up early and go to it. It is constant problem in our society today. If God is not in our lives, we tend to fall into temptations and also we sometimes make excuses to say we are too busy for God.

   A song that comes to mind that talks about how we need to stay on the the straight path with God. This song is called "This Road" by Jars of Clay. The part of the song that I want to focus on is the 3rd verse.

   On the first two lines it quotes, "This road that we travel may it be the straight and narrow God, give us peace and grace from You, all the day. " God will guide you in the straight path if you allow him too. Even if we get off track, he wants to put you back on the straight path. Proverbs 3: 5-6 says Trust the Lord with all your heart; and lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 


   The last two lines quotes "Shelter with fire, our voices we raise still higher God, give us peace and grace from You, all the day through." God will give you guidance and direction, and he will always be with you. He will never leave you, he will always be right beside you all the days through. 


  So when you are thinking about the next phase of your life, remember to always let God guide you throughout life.




Lyrics from This Road by Jars of Clay:


All heavy laden acquainted with sorrow
May Christ in our marrow carry us home
From alabaster come blessings of laughter
A fragrance of passion and joy from the truth

Grant the unbroken tears ever flowing
From hearts of contrition only for You
May sin never hold true that love never broke through
For God's mercy holds us and we are His own

This road that we travel may it be the straight and narrow
God, give us peace and grace from You, all the day
Shelter with fire, our voices we raise still higher
God, give us peace and grace from You, all the day through

     

Finding Faith To Still Believe In God Even Through Tough Times

   This first week, I have been thinking about how my belief in God has made me stronger in the faith by reading his word, singing worships songs to him, talking to him, and doing good works for him. Sometimes though, I have gone through difficult times in my life, and I have this empty feeling inside of me. I have emotions running through my whole body, and I feel that God isn't there and that he disappeared into thin air. God is always in us even though we go through hard times. We might not notice it, but he is in our soul, in the skies, in our schools, at work, and every place we can imagine. 


  My song choice this week is "The Redeemer" by Sanctus Real. 

  The first & second verses talk about how we feel upset when bad times come our way, and we don't want to deal with the pain and suffering. Sin is everywhere and this world that we live in is very corrupted. There is Violence, Gossip, Inappropriate Language, Sex Before Marriage, Arguing, Porn, and other things we have to deal with on this earth. There is no getting rid of it, except through Jesus Christ who takes our burdens away, so we don't have carry them ourselves. 

  The Chorus says: "And I'm still a dreamer, a believer

  Oh, I've lost my faith in so many things, but I still believe in You 

  'Cause You are the answer, the redeemer
  Oh, I've given up on too many things, but I'm not giving up on You
  'Cause You can make anything new"

 We are believers in Jesus Christ and even when we stumble, he comes back and picks us back up.  Edward M. Kennedy quotes, "I have fallen short in my life, but my faith has always brought me home." Our Faith in God needs to be complete trust and confidence in him even in times doubts. When we doubt God and believe that we can do it on our own, we fail everytime. Faith in God can also bring joy in our lives. Romans 5:1-2 says, "Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory." Faith in God will make you stay on the right path with him.

So when you go through these tough times, just remember to always believe and have faith that God will help you get through your troubles. 

The Redeemer by Sanctus Real Lyrics

Sometimes I just want to start over, 'cause everything looks like a wreck
And I need the courage to carry on, 'cause I can't see what's ahead
And there are places I've wished I could be, battles I've wanted to win
Dreams that have slipped through my hands
I may never get back again

But I'm still a dreamer, a believer
Oh, I've lost my faith in so many things, but I still believe in You
'Cause You can make anything new

Sometimes I just wish we could say all the things that are easy to hear
Ignore the injustice we see and explain every unanswered prayer
But I'd rather speak honestly and wear a tattered heart on my sleeve
'Cause in the middle of my broken dreams, redemption is here

And I'm still a dreamer, a believer
Oh, I've lost my faith in so many things, but I still believe in You
'Cause You are the answer, the redeemer
Oh, I've given up on too many things, but I'm not giving up on You
'Cause You can make anything new

I don't have every answer in life
But I'm trusting You one day at a time
'Cause You can make a weak heart stay alive forever
this is where Heaven and Earth collide
I lift my hands and give my life
This is how my weary heart stays alive

Oh, I'm still a dreamer (This is where heaven and earth collide)
(I lift my hands and give my life)
Still a believer (This is how my weary heart stays alive)
Oh, You are the answer (Oh, this is where Heaven and Earth collide)
(I lift my voice and give my life)
The redeemer (This is how my weary heart stays alive, oh)

'Cause You can make anything new
Yeah, You can make anything new