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

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

Songs In Remembrance

Remember ( Definition)- to recall to the mind by an act or effort of memory; think of again;to have recollection.

I'd like to know that people will remember me.

  Not because I was fun to be around but because I made an impact on their life.

I don't want to be another memory to people that eventually fade along with time. I don't have to be in their minds every second but maybe once or twice at least after I'm gone, I'd like to be remembered for the Love I have for Christ.
  Remembered by my songs.

My Song Book

When someone listens to my songs, I'd like to for them to feel like they've just listened to my heart. They just listened to how I feel about the Lord and more importantly that they've had an experience with God like I do when I write them.

My songs are my legacy to be my remembered by.
They are the very reason why I'm pursuing what am I going after now. God intended for me to be a musician, to be a songwriter, for His glory. I wouldn't dream of doing anything else.

I wasn't always one to say that either. I often tried to run from my calling. Telling God that I didn't want to be influence on people. That why every person that comes in my life is because I have to be an influence on them? I stopped that way of thinking a long time ago, and humbled myself and looked at it as an honor. God chose me, to influence people, and I've learned that it's through my music. Not through talking to people or counseling ( well for now anyway) but it's definitely through my music. And I'm so grateful that He's chosen to work through me, and often I feel that I'm not worthy of such a task, but I take His hand and ask Him to guide me through whatever I have to do.

I don't write my songs.
God writes them.
I didn't teach myself to play guitar.
The Holy Spirit taught me. I know it may sound ridiculous to some people but He did, I can't tell you how I learned anything on that instrument and picked it up, but I did by the grace of God because I asked Him to be my teacher and He has been.

Yes those songs are "my songs" but really it's God's songs. I can't take any of the credit. I won't be able to write anymore without Him.

'Til next time my fellow songwriters
Tori Taylar

Psalm 45:1 -

My heart is stirred by a beautiful song.

I say, “I have composed this special song for the king;

my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.

My Special Song for the King: http://soundcloud.com/eric-chancey/place-of-intimacy/s-6n1Ec