Often times, we look at the things we cannot change and get caught up on it. We say things like, "Oh, if I could go back, I would do it this way", or we say, "I wish I could have done this or that in my childhood". Past memories can not be changed. They can only be replayed or relived in your mind. If they are unpleasant memories, it is not wise to constantly replay them in your mind.
God says in Romans 12:2
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Renew your mind DAILY and allow God to carry the burdens of your past pain.
Forgive. Let it go. Move on.
Do not allow your past to predict your future. Don't say something like, "well, my daddy used to beat my momma, and statistics show that battered women witnessed abuse from their dads, so I'm probably gonna marry an abusive man"...
NO!!!!!! NEVER SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT!
It doesn't matter how you saw life as you grew up as a child. It doesn't matter if you are a part of every negative statistic in the world. You can overcome. It doesn't matter if you were raised in a single parent home, or if your dad left you, you do not have to accept that same future for yourself. Speak positive things over your life. If you have experienced some negative things, have faith, believe, decree and declare that your LATTER will be GREATER than your past!
Job 8:7 (NKJV)
Though your beginning was small,Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.
Your words have POWER, whether you realize it or not. Remember, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21NIV). You can speak LIFE or DEATH. It is up to you. You can accept the negativity from your past, forgive, let it go and move on, OR you can constantly be held captive of it...the choice is yours!
No need in living in mental captivity for Christ has made you free.
John 8:36 KJV
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Tomorrow is not even promised, so make a conscious effort to live EVERY day like it's your last. Don't mess up your FUTURE by bringing in your PAST, & don't even bring your PAST into your PRESENT. When you give your life to Christ, the slate is wiped clean. When you repent (ask God to forgive you for your sins, and turn from your sinful ways) He forgives EVERYTHING you did wrong in your past. If God isn't worried about it, why should you be? Don't beat yourself up about your past mistakes. There is redemption in our Father. There is nothing you could have EVER done that God will not forgive.
Forgive. Let it go. Move on.
It is God's job to bare your burdens, so let Him. Cast ALL your cares to Him. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (NLT)". In the same way that you would tell a friend about your problems, tell our Father in Heaven. You will feel much better. It is truly therapeutic to be able to go to God with every worry or issue that we have, AND it's FREE! When you take things to God, you don't have to worry about God gossiping and spreading your business! He's a safer outlet than any earthly confidant you could ever have.
It doesn't matter what you've done, He just wants it all. God wants you to realize that you need Him, willingly, before judgement day arrives and He says, "depart from me". Then it will be too late. He loves you and He just wants your life. Your willing statement of, "YES LORD". The closer you get to Him, the easier it will become to choose Him over your sinful fleshly desires. You have nothing to lose. Just relinquish your rights to the One that genuinely cares, loves, and will NEVER fail you! He is coming back, PERIOD. It's not a game, it's not a joke. God is coming back. The trump will sound and the dead in Christ WILL RISE.
Will you be ready?
If you are not ready, and want to get ready, give your life to Christ NOW! Don't wait.
Romans 10:9 says,
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (NIV)
Repeat this prayer of Salvation:
Lord Jesus, Come into my life. I am a sinner and I want to be saved by your grace.I have done wrong in the past, and I want to make things right. Jesus, I believe that you are Lord. I believe that You are my Savior. I believe that You died for my sins and that You were raised from the dead. Please forgive me of my sins. Create in me a clean heart and renew your spirit within me. Help me to live everyday for you. Thank you Jesus for saving me! Amen.
Congratulations, you are now saved!!! Welcome to the best days of your life!!!!!! The Angels in Heaven are rejoicing because your soul has been saved!
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you need spiritual guidance. We are in this journey to destiny together. I may not have all the answers, but I can definitely pray to the Man who does!
Remember: Forgive. Let it go. Move on.
Know that I love you, but God Loves you wayyyyyy more! :-)
~Ximena
Monday, September 24, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
How to Read Your Bible
Often times, we want to read the Bible and we have grandiose plans of when and how we will do so; however, when we open the bible, we do not know where to start. I have been there many times. I have always had good intentions on studying the Word of God, but the book overwhelmed me a bit because it is so big, with so many chapters, and I had no clue how to start...
If this is you, have no fear, this blog is here to help you..... :)
For starters, pick a time to study that you will be focused and receptive to whatever you are reading. DON'T attempt to watch your favorite TV show, or listen to your favorite song while simultaneously studying the Bible. It will not work. These things will be a huge distraction. If you do so, you may finish the verses, but you probably will not retain the knowledge of what you have read. Give God your full attention and I promise that He will speak to you through His word.
If you find yourself struggling to understand the Word, ask the Father to give you wisdom. The Bible says in James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."(NIV). Before you begin to read, ask God to give you wisdom and understanding. Sometimes, the Word can be very deep, so you will need the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you through it so that you are not just reading, but that the words are being absorbed into your spirit. You do not have to be a scholar to understand the Bible, you just have to be open to receiving the message that God has for you.
If you are overwhelmed by the language used in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, try picking up a New International Version Bible (NIV) or New Living Translation (NLT) Bible. The language used in those versions are easier for our modern society to understand. I personally use a NIV Life Application Study Bible and I must say it is AWESOME! It is a bit pricey (I found it on sale, PRAISE GOD) but it is worth every penny. It gives you knowledge on the history surrounding the Bible stories that you're reading and it also has a part at the bottom that breaks down the verses, so that you can better understand it and relate it to everyday life. I also have a NLT Bible and I like it as well.
***Let me say, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with using the KJV Bible. It is the closest version of the Bible to the original, which is awesome! If you prefer that version, by all means stick with it. If ever there is something that you may not understand in the KJV, ask of the Father. He will give you understanding.
For those of you who are puzzled on where to start reading, I would suggest for you to start with the very beginning. If you're unfamiliar with the word, or haven't been taught a lot about the things of God, Genesis is definitely a good starting point. Start with Genesis 1:1. In order to know where you're going, you have to know where you've been and we all began with creation. Get a thorough understanding of what took place in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve were created, and sin was introduced. Read through Genesis, and you will find very interesting stories such as Cain & Abel, Abraham & Sarah, Joseph and his brothers, Noah's Ark, Sodom & Gomorrah, and countless other stories. It's one thing to be told about these different stories, but when you read them for yourself, they become real to you, and you can apply the principles to your life.
The whole Bible is full of stories, and it states in Ecclesiastes 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."(NIV) This is absolutely a true statement because the things that took place in the Bible days can be easily related to the things that are happening now. Have you ever noticed how fashion trends continuously repeat? It is the same thing. The Word of God is ALIVE, and it will continue to be relevant to our lives.
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
God's Word does not lie and it is imperative that we as people read and allow the word to become LIFE to us, and become ingrained in our spirits. It has to become REAL to us. We have to know what the Word says concerning us so that we can be girded and able to fight the enemy. When he says that you will never be able to do something, you have to know that the scripture says we can do ALL things through Christ that strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). If the Dr. tells you that you have cancer, you can tell that cancer, "By His stripes I am healed"(Isaiah 53:5). You don't EVER have to accept any negative thing that the enemy says because God says that He has plans to prosper you {Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.(NIV)} and that is the ONLY thing that matters. Use the concordance in the back of the Bible to help you find scriptures to get you through your situation. If you need healing, go to the concordance and look for healing, and find out what God says concerning healing. There is no situation you could be dealing with that can't be helped by the Word of God.
Mediate on this scripture...
Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal savior, please give him your life today! It is written in Romans 10:9 (NIV)
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Remember I love you, but God loves you more!!!
~Ximena Sherard
If this is you, have no fear, this blog is here to help you..... :)
For starters, pick a time to study that you will be focused and receptive to whatever you are reading. DON'T attempt to watch your favorite TV show, or listen to your favorite song while simultaneously studying the Bible. It will not work. These things will be a huge distraction. If you do so, you may finish the verses, but you probably will not retain the knowledge of what you have read. Give God your full attention and I promise that He will speak to you through His word.
If you find yourself struggling to understand the Word, ask the Father to give you wisdom. The Bible says in James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."(NIV). Before you begin to read, ask God to give you wisdom and understanding. Sometimes, the Word can be very deep, so you will need the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you through it so that you are not just reading, but that the words are being absorbed into your spirit. You do not have to be a scholar to understand the Bible, you just have to be open to receiving the message that God has for you.
If you are overwhelmed by the language used in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, try picking up a New International Version Bible (NIV) or New Living Translation (NLT) Bible. The language used in those versions are easier for our modern society to understand. I personally use a NIV Life Application Study Bible and I must say it is AWESOME! It is a bit pricey (I found it on sale, PRAISE GOD) but it is worth every penny. It gives you knowledge on the history surrounding the Bible stories that you're reading and it also has a part at the bottom that breaks down the verses, so that you can better understand it and relate it to everyday life. I also have a NLT Bible and I like it as well.
***Let me say, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with using the KJV Bible. It is the closest version of the Bible to the original, which is awesome! If you prefer that version, by all means stick with it. If ever there is something that you may not understand in the KJV, ask of the Father. He will give you understanding.
For those of you who are puzzled on where to start reading, I would suggest for you to start with the very beginning. If you're unfamiliar with the word, or haven't been taught a lot about the things of God, Genesis is definitely a good starting point. Start with Genesis 1:1. In order to know where you're going, you have to know where you've been and we all began with creation. Get a thorough understanding of what took place in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve were created, and sin was introduced. Read through Genesis, and you will find very interesting stories such as Cain & Abel, Abraham & Sarah, Joseph and his brothers, Noah's Ark, Sodom & Gomorrah, and countless other stories. It's one thing to be told about these different stories, but when you read them for yourself, they become real to you, and you can apply the principles to your life.
The whole Bible is full of stories, and it states in Ecclesiastes 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."(NIV) This is absolutely a true statement because the things that took place in the Bible days can be easily related to the things that are happening now. Have you ever noticed how fashion trends continuously repeat? It is the same thing. The Word of God is ALIVE, and it will continue to be relevant to our lives.
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
God's Word does not lie and it is imperative that we as people read and allow the word to become LIFE to us, and become ingrained in our spirits. It has to become REAL to us. We have to know what the Word says concerning us so that we can be girded and able to fight the enemy. When he says that you will never be able to do something, you have to know that the scripture says we can do ALL things through Christ that strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). If the Dr. tells you that you have cancer, you can tell that cancer, "By His stripes I am healed"(Isaiah 53:5). You don't EVER have to accept any negative thing that the enemy says because God says that He has plans to prosper you {Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.(NIV)} and that is the ONLY thing that matters. Use the concordance in the back of the Bible to help you find scriptures to get you through your situation. If you need healing, go to the concordance and look for healing, and find out what God says concerning healing. There is no situation you could be dealing with that can't be helped by the Word of God.
Mediate on this scripture...
Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal savior, please give him your life today! It is written in Romans 10:9 (NIV)
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Remember I love you, but God loves you more!!!
~Ximena Sherard
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Thankfulness
This was originally written on 9/7/12
Friday, September 7, 2012. Another day to be drawn nearer to the precious Father. Another day that I have taken breaths. Another day I have been blessed to laugh, love and indulge in small luxuries. Luxuries such as electricity, and driving a car, indoor plumbing, running water and central air and heat. We must be thankful because no matter how hard our situation seems, it TRULY could be worse. Someone out there doesn't even have the simple luxuries that we very often take for granted. Refrigerators, beds with comfortable mattresses, and even comforters to keep us warm at night are all luxuries that lots of people can not afford. Look at our African counterparts, some of them live in mud houses with dirt floors. Some people that live in rain forests have houses at the top of a TREE to call their home, with no electricity, and a roof made of leaves (I saw this on National Geographic), and we can't tell God THANK YOU for our beautiful homes that plenty of people would love to have. To us, what we have is not much, small, minuscule on the scale of what others who may be more well off than we, may have. To us, our homes are shacks, but to others, our homes are incredibly crafted mansions.
Life is too short to concern ourselves with worry over things we don't have or that we feel we should have, when God wants us to be sincerely thankful for the blessings He was gracious enough to give us. Heather (my car) is a 1997 Honda Accord. She's old, but to me she is a luxury vehicle. I am super thankful to God for her because I was able to pay for her with cash, in full, no car payment (PRAISE GOD), and I have not had any problems with her in the year that I've had her. I get her scheduled maintenance done (oil changes, etc.) but no major breakdowns. Some may look at Heather and wonder why I, the owner has put cheetah print seat covers and eye lashes on her headlights when she is a bit old, not an up to date car, but her owner understands Kingdom principles. I take good care of her and I am extremely proud to call her my car.
God will never bless anyone with anything better than what they have until they have proven that they are thankful, trustworthy, and responsible with the things they already have. Maybe God hasn't opened up the door for you to receive your dream house yet because you can't keep your apartment cleaned, or your rent paid on time? Maybe He hasn't blessed you with that BMW yet because your '85 Honda hasn't had an oil change in 3 years? These are all things that are important to God.
Be thankful and content with your blessings because at any point, things could change for the worse, or for the better...we never know. We should take things a day at a time, step at a time and take GOOD care of what we do have. We must keep our things in good condition. God appreciates our faithfulness, and our thankfulness. Like a good Father, He wants to shower us with blessings and give us the things that we desire, we just must be in the proper position to receive.
Meditate on this Scripture:
Philippians 4: 4-9
New International Version (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Also, if there is anyone who does not have Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, follow the steps in this scripture:
Romans 10:9
New International Version (NIV)
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
I love you, but remember God loves you more!
~Ximena
Friday, September 7, 2012. Another day to be drawn nearer to the precious Father. Another day that I have taken breaths. Another day I have been blessed to laugh, love and indulge in small luxuries. Luxuries such as electricity, and driving a car, indoor plumbing, running water and central air and heat. We must be thankful because no matter how hard our situation seems, it TRULY could be worse. Someone out there doesn't even have the simple luxuries that we very often take for granted. Refrigerators, beds with comfortable mattresses, and even comforters to keep us warm at night are all luxuries that lots of people can not afford. Look at our African counterparts, some of them live in mud houses with dirt floors. Some people that live in rain forests have houses at the top of a TREE to call their home, with no electricity, and a roof made of leaves (I saw this on National Geographic), and we can't tell God THANK YOU for our beautiful homes that plenty of people would love to have. To us, what we have is not much, small, minuscule on the scale of what others who may be more well off than we, may have. To us, our homes are shacks, but to others, our homes are incredibly crafted mansions.
Life is too short to concern ourselves with worry over things we don't have or that we feel we should have, when God wants us to be sincerely thankful for the blessings He was gracious enough to give us. Heather (my car) is a 1997 Honda Accord. She's old, but to me she is a luxury vehicle. I am super thankful to God for her because I was able to pay for her with cash, in full, no car payment (PRAISE GOD), and I have not had any problems with her in the year that I've had her. I get her scheduled maintenance done (oil changes, etc.) but no major breakdowns. Some may look at Heather and wonder why I, the owner has put cheetah print seat covers and eye lashes on her headlights when she is a bit old, not an up to date car, but her owner understands Kingdom principles. I take good care of her and I am extremely proud to call her my car.
God will never bless anyone with anything better than what they have until they have proven that they are thankful, trustworthy, and responsible with the things they already have. Maybe God hasn't opened up the door for you to receive your dream house yet because you can't keep your apartment cleaned, or your rent paid on time? Maybe He hasn't blessed you with that BMW yet because your '85 Honda hasn't had an oil change in 3 years? These are all things that are important to God.
Be thankful and content with your blessings because at any point, things could change for the worse, or for the better...we never know. We should take things a day at a time, step at a time and take GOOD care of what we do have. We must keep our things in good condition. God appreciates our faithfulness, and our thankfulness. Like a good Father, He wants to shower us with blessings and give us the things that we desire, we just must be in the proper position to receive.
Meditate on this Scripture:
Philippians 4: 4-9
New International Version (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Also, if there is anyone who does not have Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, follow the steps in this scripture:
Romans 10:9
New International Version (NIV)
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
I love you, but remember God loves you more!
~Ximena
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