Feeling Distant from God?

Have you ever had those moments where it felt like God wasn't there? Or that your relationship with Him was becoming distant and you could no longer feel Him in your life like you once did and things were not how they used to be when you first gave your heart to God? If you're feeling this way it's because God wants to have sincere fellowship with you. That's Him tugging on your heart telling you that's how He's feeling about your relationship with Him. He loves us so much and desires to spend time with us.

Here are possible reasons that you are feeling distant from God and ways you can begin feeling His presence again in your life.

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How to Pray

When I used to teach Bible Study for middle and high school students a common question came up when it referred to prayer. Many didn't know how to pray or even what to pray about. What is prayer? Simply put prayer is us having a conversation with God. Prayer is us going to God and just pouring out everything to him, our hopes, our desires, our praises to Him, our thanksgiving and it’s also God speaking back to us. Even if it’s the smallest thing we can go to God and tell Him about it. In fact God desires for us to have communication with Him, He wants to have a relationship with us where we can know Him and become more like Him.

Just like a relationship with friends, families or a spouse. The more time we spend with someone the more we pick up some of their traits, that’s why it’s important to hang around the right flock of people. Have you ever heard the saying “birds of a feather flock together?”  Such is true with our relationship with God. If we are not continually going to God in prayer to be recharged and filled with His Grace, then life will start to get overwhelming. We will start to get irritated and then our flesh will start to take over because we are not walking by the Spirit anymore.

We’re like a battery and God is the source that we must go to to be recharged again and again. This life will come with trails, but no trail is hard enough for God. With every obstacle we face if we go to God we will be sure to be set on the right path.

Regarding prayer there are a few important things we must know about it from Scripture.

We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. John 9:31

The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:39

So according to these verses we must be believers in order for God to hear our prayers. That doesn't mean that a sinner who sincerely repents to become saved won’t be heard, but what this does mean is that in order for our prayers to hold any merit or power, we have to be living for God and in His will. We can’t be willfully living in sin and expect God to bless our mess, it doesn't work that way with God.

I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. Isaiah 13:11

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13

Also when we pray to God it’s important for us to be honest to Him. Though we shouldn't always come to God complaining about everything we should also be able to go to Him with our concerns. God tells us to cast our burdens to Him (1 Peter 5:7).

I find when I’m overwhelmed after going to God I leave with a peace that surpasses all understanding, but it’s important to stay consistent with our prayer to God because we don’t want to be up and down with our emotions. We need to learn how to continually be in that perfect peace and that takes a daily relationship with God and also constant obedience to Him as well.

When we pray we need to also remember to give God thanks.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

So when it comes to prayer we can see that God does have some requirements for certain promises in the Bible that He’s made.

We must be in His will, and we should regularly be praying. It’s also a good idea to set aside a quiet time daily with God, whether it be 30 minutes to an hour. Jesus was always in communication with the Father, and it was one of the reasons why Jesus was able to complete the mission he was assigned to do on the earth realm. It takes God for us to be effective in our lives. So go to Him when life seems overwhelming because God has the perfect road map to the destination He desires for us to take. You can do this!

God’s grace is limitless,

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Dead Faith

In my previous post I talked about my goal to having a more self-disciplined lifesyle. And you better believe a test came right after I declared that it was no more of me being lazy and putting off things this year. The very next day I posted my goal I woke up that Sunday morning very tired and with a sore throat. I didn’t feel like going to Church at all and I told my husband that he would be going to Church alone. But as I laid down about to go back to sleep God spoke to me and this is what He said.

God: Why aren’t you getting up to go to Church?

Me: Lord I’m tired and on top of that I’m not feeling well.

God: But if you believe and have faith that you can be more self-disciplined you are going to have to get up and put works with your faith. If you just get up (works) and believe (faith) I will empower you to succeed in your efforts by My strength.

I continued to lay down and think about what God had just said to me. As I thought about it more I suddenly began to gain more strength. Then I came to the conclusion, God is right! As God always is right of course! If I truly believed that I could be more self-disciplined I was going to have to make those steps in every area of my life to achieve that.

I knew that if I was to go back to sleep I would sleep the rest of the morning away and fall right back into my same slothful routine because I had already started off on a bad foot. I wouldn't have been exercising my faith. So I got up and went to Church and there was a reward for my obedience. The service at Church that day was very encouraging. Not only was it awesome, but the message was confirming of what God was teaching me.

The Lord spoke to me confirming to me that the change started now! I was reminded that I must continue to make the steps to get to where I’m supposed to be going. If I keep making backtracks then I was just prolonging my goals and would never reach them.

Don’t get me wrong I’m still a work in progress in this area, but the point is that I’m making those steps to get where I need to go and I can’t go back, I must continue to go forward. Although some steps maybe small, sooner or later those steps are going to add up and I will soon be to the finish line of this particular race of self-disciplining myself with my time.

So in all of this I’m learning the importance of having faith that is alive! Having a faith that produces fruit, because in the end real and authentic faith will produce works and that will show. On the other hand dead faith is the opposite.

What does dead faith produce?

No Works:

James 2:17 Even so Faith, if it hath no works, is dead, being alone. - KJV

When our faith is dead we don’t want to work for those things which God has for us. We may have heard God say something in the past that he has for us, yet we don’t see it manifested in our lives yet, but it could be due to the fact that our faith is wavering. You may say well I believe what God says He has for me is for me, I have Faith, I do believe, why isn't it here yet? I've been waiting and waiting…

But Faith is not just about waiting for God’s promises to manifest in our lives, we also have to have works with our Faith. God may have something for us, but first He wants us to be equipped and ready to receive what He has for us. Just like Jesus had to be prepared first before he did his ministry, hence him fasting for 40 days and 40 nights and being tempted by the devil in the wilderness.

In order for us to be trusted with the gifts and great things God has for us we must first be tested and tried. We are no better than Jesus. If Jesus had to be cultivated first then we will have to do the same as well. Faith and works go hand and hand with one another, so if we have real faith then we will put action with our belief and it will be shown.

It’s the same for when we become Christians. If we now believe by Faith that we are children of God, we are going to start behaving like children of God. That means we are going to get rid of the sin and bad things in our life that we know is not pleasing to God. When we put works with our Faith, God’s strength will empower us to be victorious in our walk with Christ, and in our life as a whole.

We need to constantly examine ourselves to see if we are living that real and authentic faith that the Word of God speaks about. That goes for every area of our lives. Don’t allow yourself to never see God’s promises in your life because you were just sitting down waiting for God to do something. He’s already empowered us to do it and trust Him in the process. You can do this!

God’s Grace is Limitless,

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Sinner or a Saint?

Many times I hear people who are saved say they are just a sinner saved by grace, or that we are all sinners. The phrases sometimes can be a little irksome to me because I’m sad to see as Christians we don’t realize our new identity in Christ. The church is having an identity crisis and that’s the reason why a lot of the times we see churches or "Christians" compromising to the present evil times. It’s because we are trying to mix the old man with the new or as the Bible states it we are trying to pour new wine into old wineskins (Matthew 9:17).

The Bible says we become a new creature when we come into Christ Jesus.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

So that means we have a new nature, a new name and we now belong to our heavenly Father who sits on the throne.

We must realize that we are now a child of God and we will be called a new name. In the Bible Jesus even would change the names of the Apostles he chose, and if you notice when reading the letters to the Churches in the New Testament they always address the audience as Saint’s now. We are no longer sinners, for if we were Christ death would've been in vain. He died so we could put to death the old man (sinner).

The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. - Romans 6: 10-11

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. Romans 6:6

Let’s define what a sinner is. The New Testament Greek word for sinner is hamartolos and it means:      1. Someone who practices sin or is devoted to sin.

2. A person who is not free from sin

3. Sinful and wicked men

As the Bible says there is power in the tongue, and it can either bring life or death (Proverbs 18:21). If you find yourself still being a slave to sin, it’s probably because you’re still identifying yourself as a sinner (or you need to repent and dedicate your life back to Jesus) A sinner is someone who is a slave to sin. In Christ Jesus we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:6). If you keep seeing yourself as a sinner, someone who is still a slave to sin, you will keep acting that way.

Think about it, a teacher is called a teacher because he/she teaches. An author is called an author because he/she writes. It’s the same with any other profession or label that you give yourself.

Those who are born again through Christ Jesus are no longer sinners and it's only by the power of Christ that this is so. That’s the beauty of Jesus coming to die on the cross for us, so we can be free in all areas and become totally new in him, in this way we can live a life worth pleasing to God. The devil wants you to keep thinking he has a hold on you. There are so many false teachings that have crept in the Church because the devil wants us to have an identity crisis. But the devil is a liar, we will use the full armor of God and know that we are a new creature in Jesus. I encourage you to live that new life of victory and freedom through God’s never failing Grace. And if you are still living as a sinner, but call yourself a child of God, that's being a lukewarm Christian, and God says he will spit those types of people out of his mouth. Repent and turn to God so you can live a holy life that's pleasing to Him. You can not have one foot in God's kingdom and one foot in the world. You can do this!

God’s Grace is Limitless,

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When God is cultivating You(Part 2)

So on my previous blog post I discussed how God got on me about a few things. Since then I will admit it’s still been a struggle getting up to go to work on time, but I have been pressing. I am just so excited for the day I can work my purpose for God, which I believe God has revealed to me is pretty soon. I actually spent quite some time with God yesterday in prayer and in reading His word, around three hours to be exact and it was just what I needed.  I was reading the book of Matthew and one thing struck me while reading, even Jesus Himself had to be prepared for His ministry He was about to do for God.

After Jesus was baptized the Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness where he fasted for forty days and forty nights. The Bible says after Jesus had fasted he was hungry. I am sure after fasting for forty days and forty nights His body was also very weak. And not to mention he was in the wilderness with all kinds of bugs and he probably was feeling uncomfortable, and even after all of this the devil came to tempt him.

With every temptation Jesus fought back with the Word of God. That’s why it so important for us to be in our word, so when anything tries to come up against we have the Word to speak to that situation. Jesus didn't give up, he was determined to fulfill the plans that he knew God had over his life.

Jesus didn't so happen to stumble into the wilderness, no, he was actually led their by the Spirit. God wanted to lead him there to test Him.

Matthew 4:4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

God wanted to know would Jesus be faithful to Him and serve Him only. Actually that was one of the things the devil tempted Jesus with, but Jesus got so upset and actually rebuked the devil telling him that He would only serve God. Amen!

Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to the devil, “Get away, Satan. It is written, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. You must obey Him only.’”

It wasn't until after Jesus was tempted that then he went out and started to preach and teach the gospel.

Maybe the reason why God is not blessing some people with money is because He knows they wouldn't come to church anymore. Some people only serve God because they want to know what He can do for them and not what they can do for Him to advance His kingdom here on earth. God wants us to be responsible when He gives us an assignment, position or when He blesses us with things.  Everything should be to advance His kingdom and give Him glory.

So when I spent time with God for those hours I must say I felt so at peace. I have to admit that is the longest I have spent with Him in a while. He revealed to me my purpose and things that I needed to do to effectively work my purpose.

When God is preparing you do what He says. He is only doing it for your benefit. He cares about you so much.  I am just in awe about how much He cares for me. It really humbles me and I trust Him completely. He knows what He is doing we just have to get on board with His plans. You can do this!

God’s grace is limitless,

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Being Saved in an Unsaved World

Looking at the state of the world I sometimes wonder will it ever change. The lack of passion for God that I see in people and them not wanting to do His will. All they want to do is their own thing, it can be pretty discouraging. I can sometimes start losing faith in my generation because all they talk about is relationships, sex and drugs. They don’t understand the dire consequences of sinning against God. They say “Oh well we all sin, it’s all good, God will forgive me.” Yeah um, keep using that same “excuse” and see where that leads you. It won’t be pretty on judgment day. And where do I get this from?

Hebrews 10:26-27  If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

Matthew 7:23 But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'

Proverbs 2:22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

Psalms 37:28 For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off

There are so many other scriptures in the Bible that shows God’s seriousness of His HATE towards sin, yet people try to sweep it under the rug. You must be faithful when serving God and you must show that faithfulness towards Him through your love for Him and through your lifestyle. You can’t keep sinning willfully then give yourself the title of a Christian. God wants you to obey Him and really act like you are His offspring.

Thank God for His grace despite all of the chaos and evil doing going on in the world today it is still possible to be saved in an unsaved world. If I was able to escape the grasp of the enemy through God’s grace then anyone can do the same. But it won’t be with just a click of the heels then your set. It requires you to renew your mind daily and develop a love for God so much that all other things are considered a lost compared to Him. Jesus is good! And once you start meditating on His scripture and how good He really is it will bring you to a humble position to where nothing else matters and you will start desiring to serve Him with your whole heart.

So how to be saved in an unsaved world:

      1. Ask Jesus to come into your life and repent of your sins.

There is no other way around this one. The only way to God is through Jesus. This is the first step of salvation, but it requires sincerity. Tell Jesus you want to be saved and believe by faith that you are now His.

      2. Don’t just stop at step 1!

This step is also VERY important. Many people stop at step 1 and think its all dandy. But according to those scriptures God wants more from you. He wants your full heart. Just like you went all out for the devil and to serve Him when you were in the world God wants you to do same for Him, but MORE for His kingdom!

      3. Get rid of the old creature.

The lord says once we become saved all old things have passed away and we become new creatures in Him. This has not been a truer statement for my life. You have to get rid of some things and even some people. Yeah it might hurt them and even you, and yeah they might get offended, but if they are hindering you from your walk with God then they have to go. It’s better to lose an earthly friend than to lose your soul.

      4. Renew your mind

You have to start thinking like a child of the most high. The once evil thoughts you used to mediate on needs to be replaced with the Word of God. There is no way you will produce different results with the same mindset. So a man thinks in his heart so is He. There is so much power in our thoughts, but that will require another later post.

      5. Fear God and hate sin

These two pretty much come hand in hand. If we fear God, in the sense of respecting Him and His ways then we are going to automatically begin to hate what He hates and love what He loves. And if you hate something so much to the point to where it makes your stomach turn then you won’t do it. If you hate or dislike a certain food you don’t eat it right? We have to start seeing sin as a disgusting poison because that’s exactly what it is. And any poison even in moderation is still poison, don’t indulge in any of it!

Go deeper in God and start taking your salvation seriously. Examine if you are even in the faith because what a man considers the right way God might consider sin. Sex outside of marriage is sin, lying, stealing, and fornicating are sin. Living saved does require discipline, but God’s rewards are so much more fulfilling then any sin can ever be.

Stop making excuses, because those excuses won’t grant you permission into heaven. Those will be the same excuses sending you to hell. The enemy likes to toy with people’s minds and try to make them believe that having some of him and some of God is ok, but not so! God want’s your FULL obedience to Him only, being saved means willing to give up your ENTIRE life for the sake of Jesus.

There’s no way 3 or 4 years ago that I would have ever imagined myself being such a dedicated Christian who wants to spread the Word and minister to people to be set free. If you would have told me I would have laughed because I was in my own little bubble, I barely liked to even interact with people, I was so shy. I thought “hey as long as I am in right standing with God, I accepted salvation so all is well, it doesn't matter about anybody else.” I was being selfish and comfortable, but God took me out of my comfort zone and continues to do so for His glory. Being saved is not only about us, it’s about spreading the light of Jesus around the world.

But you can’t spread the light if you’re filled with darkness. Stop doing what the world does. You can live pure, you can respect your body and wait until you are married God’s way to have sex and you can live saved. I haven’t experienced so much peace in my life until I started to get serious about my walk in Jesus. God is so good. He has done so much for me and I am excited to share as I continue to do my blog. I hope it can help someone else to be different and be bold for God. God wants your whole heart. You CAN do this!

GOD’S GRACE IS LIMITLESS,

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