Listening (Definition)- 1.To make an effort to hear something. 2. To pay attention; heed.
I hear alot of Christians say, " Why doesn't God talk to me, like He does to other people?" " Ugh, it just seems like I never hear God talk to me!"
Think about it...
Are you really listening?
Did you read that definition?
TO make an effort.
If you want to hear God's voice, if you want to hear what He has to say to you, then all you have to do is stop and listen. You have to turn off the things around you, like maybe the tv, music, cell phones, and sometimes even your own thoughts to stop and make an effort and say, " God.. I want to hear your voice, I want to hear You speak to me." And you know what...? He WILL speak to you! You will hear Him so clearly, if you just listen! Make an effort! If you want to, you will! He doesn't chose to speak to certain people, He's not prejudice, or judging you of things you've done, He wants to speak to you in a different way, in a way that's made for you listen to.
You have to learn when God is speaking to you. I'm not saying you'll hear a voice like some people do, but God can speak to you through things.
He can speak to you through the Bible, through prayer, through someone else like family, friends, or even something that you read, and you just know that God wanted you to read it! God can speak to you through anything, you just have to have your ears & eyes ready at all times, to receive a Word from God.
If you have trouble, stopping and listening to God then, pray about it and ask Him to help you seek His voice more. Sometimes it isn't always easy to do, and you do have to prepare yourself but that's ok. Don't dwell in negativity or idle thoughts, that can keep you from hearing God.
Remember: Life won't always seem so complicated or confusing if you just listen to God's instruction, and ask Him to speak to you. :) Don't be afraid...all you have to do is ask, talk to Him like you can see Him sitting right next to you.
Trust me, He's there...and listening to your every word, and ready to share a special word with you. :)
Til Next time fellow hearers,
Tori Taylar
Father God, we just ask you that you help us prepare our minds, our hearts, and our ears to listen to you everyday, to receive whatever it is that you want to tell us, or have in store for us. We pray Jesus, that we will keep our hearts open and prepared at all times, to listen to your instruction, because that's the only way we can make it in this world. In Jesus Name..Amen.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Sacrifice
Sacrifice ( Defintion)- 1. Sacrifice of one's personal interests or well-being for the sake of others or for a cause. 2. The act of offering something to a deity in propitiation or homage, especially the ritual slaughter of an animal or a person.
Now the kind of sacrifice I'm talking about doesn't require you to go and kill an animal.
I'm talking about Self Sacrifice.
What are you willing to sacrifice for God, or others?
We are growing up in a generation that is so selfish, and doesn't care about others at all, and sometimes don't care about God and the things we'll have to sacrifice for Him.
Jesus was a sacrifice for us, to live. I think that we can definitely sacrifice something for Him.
Sometimes Christians tend to think that just the simple fact that we are Christians, we won't endure hard times or trouble or that the sacrifice for Him will be "willingly". Sometimes we have to sacrifice for Him, and it may be the hardest thing we've ever had to do, or we may not want to do it, but we have to.
We have to realize that we are set apart from this world, we can't blend in, and it may result in giving up some music that others listen to, or tv shows, or even cutting loose of some bad influences in your life. It won't always be easy but we have to do it.
For me, sacrifice, has always came to me when I wasn't expecting it or it was really hard to do it. Even as far back as I can remember I was making sacrifices for God, and it was really hard. I was 8 years old in a Catholic School. We had been Christian and going to COTR for a couple years. It was movie day that day, and the teacher put in Harry Potter for us all to watch. We were new Christians and I had been hearing for the past couple years not to even watch stuff like that to get into my spirit. ( I don't know why they had that in a Catholic School to begin with but that's another long story) My friends tried to talk me into just watching it, and " going along with it", but I knew that wouldn't be right. I went to the teacher and told her that I couldn't watch Harry Potter, because it wasn't good to watch and she and the other students treated me like I was weird, and I could tell that she didn't believe me and was frustrated with me. So was just going to sit in the back of the classroom and read a book, but she sent me in the lab by myself to read for a few hours. It was one of the hardest times of my life. I remember sitting on that cold floor( Reason why I had to sit on the floor is because there were dead frogs waiting to be dissected on the table) in the dark lab by myself crying out to God, asking Him, " If I did the right thing, why does it seem like I'm being punished for it?" " Couldn't I have just watched the movie?" " Is it really that bad?"
I had the choice to stay in the classroom and be with my friends, and just watch that movie, but I knew I had to sacrifice for God. Back then, I didn't know I was sacrificing, I was just doing what God wanted me to do. I had to do it for Him. From that moment on in my life, I knew that I was set apart, and things would never be the same. I talked about Jesus so much that the teachers had to tell my mother to tell me to " cool it down on the Jesus stuff." ( Remember this was a Catholic School) it's not like it was a public school. Ever since that movie day, I was treated as an outcast, among sinners, catholics and sometimes even Christians because they aren't willing to sacrifice. They don't want to change.
My reason for telling that story, is we seriously need to realize that we ARE NOT of this world and we MUST set ourselves apart by sacrificing for God. Even though it's NOT going to be easy AT ALL, and you may get pushed aside, laughed at, and treated differently for it,but you MUST do it anyway. Think about it, Jesus was laughed at, mocked, and pushed aside by His own people and He saved us all, we have to go through the same. Get used to sacrificing for God, make it a LIFESTYLE, because God forbid if you get left behind, you will seriously have to make some sacrifices for God then and it WILL NOT be easy. It'll come along with pain, heartache, and in that case even starvation.
BUT...
Even though we have to go through some hard times for God, doesn't mean it won't be worth it! We'll be sitting in the Kingdom of Heaven with The Lord God Almighty! Walking on streets of gold and fellowshiping with Him! Praising His name for Eternity! God will reward you for your sacrifice, even if we don't see that reward while we are here on earth, we'll most definitely see it in Heaven!
Til Next Time Fellow Sacrificers,
Tori Taylar
Now the kind of sacrifice I'm talking about doesn't require you to go and kill an animal.
I'm talking about Self Sacrifice.
What are you willing to sacrifice for God, or others?
We are growing up in a generation that is so selfish, and doesn't care about others at all, and sometimes don't care about God and the things we'll have to sacrifice for Him.
Jesus was a sacrifice for us, to live. I think that we can definitely sacrifice something for Him.
Sometimes Christians tend to think that just the simple fact that we are Christians, we won't endure hard times or trouble or that the sacrifice for Him will be "willingly". Sometimes we have to sacrifice for Him, and it may be the hardest thing we've ever had to do, or we may not want to do it, but we have to.
We have to realize that we are set apart from this world, we can't blend in, and it may result in giving up some music that others listen to, or tv shows, or even cutting loose of some bad influences in your life. It won't always be easy but we have to do it.
For me, sacrifice, has always came to me when I wasn't expecting it or it was really hard to do it. Even as far back as I can remember I was making sacrifices for God, and it was really hard. I was 8 years old in a Catholic School. We had been Christian and going to COTR for a couple years. It was movie day that day, and the teacher put in Harry Potter for us all to watch. We were new Christians and I had been hearing for the past couple years not to even watch stuff like that to get into my spirit. ( I don't know why they had that in a Catholic School to begin with but that's another long story) My friends tried to talk me into just watching it, and " going along with it", but I knew that wouldn't be right. I went to the teacher and told her that I couldn't watch Harry Potter, because it wasn't good to watch and she and the other students treated me like I was weird, and I could tell that she didn't believe me and was frustrated with me. So was just going to sit in the back of the classroom and read a book, but she sent me in the lab by myself to read for a few hours. It was one of the hardest times of my life. I remember sitting on that cold floor( Reason why I had to sit on the floor is because there were dead frogs waiting to be dissected on the table) in the dark lab by myself crying out to God, asking Him, " If I did the right thing, why does it seem like I'm being punished for it?" " Couldn't I have just watched the movie?" " Is it really that bad?"
I had the choice to stay in the classroom and be with my friends, and just watch that movie, but I knew I had to sacrifice for God. Back then, I didn't know I was sacrificing, I was just doing what God wanted me to do. I had to do it for Him. From that moment on in my life, I knew that I was set apart, and things would never be the same. I talked about Jesus so much that the teachers had to tell my mother to tell me to " cool it down on the Jesus stuff." ( Remember this was a Catholic School) it's not like it was a public school. Ever since that movie day, I was treated as an outcast, among sinners, catholics and sometimes even Christians because they aren't willing to sacrifice. They don't want to change.
My reason for telling that story, is we seriously need to realize that we ARE NOT of this world and we MUST set ourselves apart by sacrificing for God. Even though it's NOT going to be easy AT ALL, and you may get pushed aside, laughed at, and treated differently for it,but you MUST do it anyway. Think about it, Jesus was laughed at, mocked, and pushed aside by His own people and He saved us all, we have to go through the same. Get used to sacrificing for God, make it a LIFESTYLE, because God forbid if you get left behind, you will seriously have to make some sacrifices for God then and it WILL NOT be easy. It'll come along with pain, heartache, and in that case even starvation.
BUT...
Even though we have to go through some hard times for God, doesn't mean it won't be worth it! We'll be sitting in the Kingdom of Heaven with The Lord God Almighty! Walking on streets of gold and fellowshiping with Him! Praising His name for Eternity! God will reward you for your sacrifice, even if we don't see that reward while we are here on earth, we'll most definitely see it in Heaven!
Til Next Time Fellow Sacrificers,
Tori Taylar
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
His Love Never Fails You
Fail ( Definition) 1. To prove deficient or lacking; perform ineffectively or inadequately.2. To be unsuccessful
Sometimes the things we go through in life, makes us think that we are alone or that somehow God has failed us. But never will God fail us, or forsake neither will His love for us.
We sometimes tend to think that just because we are Christians, we won't have trials and tribulations. Yet God's word said that we will go through suffering and rejection for Him, just for the simple fact that we are Christians. When we have a hard time, as in a tough breakup, family members may be sick or friends betray you we have to stand strong in God and remember that He is there for us and that He loves us, that we are not alone. Sometimes our faith gets tested, to see if we will stand for Him through the good times and the bad. To see if we will still sing Hallelujah when things aren't easy at all.
Don't ever think that God has left you alone, or has forsaken you. Remember He died for us, and He loves us deeply, more than our minds can ever comprehend. Remember that Jesus does have feelings and when we say or think that He has left us or betrayed us, it breaks His heart because of how much He did for us. How can we possibly think such a thing after He died for us?
Jesus shows us what Love is, he showed us because He died for us, and no matter how wrong people treat Him, He still shows them compassion and love. No matter how many times we mess us, or turn our back away from Him, He still shows love towards us. We need to learn to walk in His love, and love others as He has loved us, to make it a lifestyle. In this we know exactly what love is, and that's simply God..God is love.
Conclusion: If we are walking in God's love that He has shown us, we learn what love really is, so how can we ever feel alone or that He doesn't love us? It isn't possible.
1 John 3:16
" By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
'Til next time fellow brethren,
Tori Taylar
Sometimes the things we go through in life, makes us think that we are alone or that somehow God has failed us. But never will God fail us, or forsake neither will His love for us.
We sometimes tend to think that just because we are Christians, we won't have trials and tribulations. Yet God's word said that we will go through suffering and rejection for Him, just for the simple fact that we are Christians. When we have a hard time, as in a tough breakup, family members may be sick or friends betray you we have to stand strong in God and remember that He is there for us and that He loves us, that we are not alone. Sometimes our faith gets tested, to see if we will stand for Him through the good times and the bad. To see if we will still sing Hallelujah when things aren't easy at all.
Don't ever think that God has left you alone, or has forsaken you. Remember He died for us, and He loves us deeply, more than our minds can ever comprehend. Remember that Jesus does have feelings and when we say or think that He has left us or betrayed us, it breaks His heart because of how much He did for us. How can we possibly think such a thing after He died for us?
Jesus shows us what Love is, he showed us because He died for us, and no matter how wrong people treat Him, He still shows them compassion and love. No matter how many times we mess us, or turn our back away from Him, He still shows love towards us. We need to learn to walk in His love, and love others as He has loved us, to make it a lifestyle. In this we know exactly what love is, and that's simply God..God is love.
Conclusion: If we are walking in God's love that He has shown us, we learn what love really is, so how can we ever feel alone or that He doesn't love us? It isn't possible.
1 John 3:16
" By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
'Til next time fellow brethren,
Tori Taylar
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