Rooted Sunflower

IBS- Luke 2:46 Here they are talking about Jesus. This is a perfect example of how God never stops ministering, teaching and guiding us. There; Jesus was sitting watching and listening and asking questions to the ones who had been through this life longer. God never stops using people either. Even Jesus had to learn. Hebrews 5:8 it says, " though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered" Jesus set aside His Godliness to minister to the people He was with and to learn the human way. He did that just for you and me so we could sit here and learn from this example of laying our self aside. When I think of this i am in awe, Jesus, Son of God; humbled before man to learn and listen. That's what being a student is all about. Listening and learning- asking questions too. Sometimes I lack in my ability to recognize this love He had for us all. God knows us just that well- actually He knows everything about us even the things we are still to learn ab

IBS- Mark 4:9-10 “But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, to you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables…”   When we ask, we receive. God promises that. The parable that is being talked about in these two verses is the parable of the sower and the soil. How deep is your relationship with God? Will it stumble when trials come or you don’t like something? Being good and faithful students of the Word of God, that’s what we are called to be and do. When I first thought about coming here to ignite I prayed about it… now this was almost 5 years ago, that was the most I prayed about it since being here. When God didn’t open the door right away I said okay and walked away from that situation. Come to find out I held on to that “no not right now” and made it become a thing I held against God. I would use excuses and make things up to tell myself

IBS- 1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers” This one challenges me more than I’d like to admit. I find myself at the end of the day sometimes in a place of great worry or distress trying to figure things out on my own- yup and there is the key problem. In my own strength I am not able to do anything, in my own power I get myself no where. Prayer is our connection to the One, our father in heaven. Prayer is powerful. It is how we talk to God. I used to think of prayer as a hassle or a job but it is one of the most wonderful parts of my relationship with God. When people used to say “prayer is powerful” I used to just say “yeah I know” its not that I never believed in the power of prayer but I never took it seriously. In everything we do there should be prayer but not just prayer in the hard times or for little simple things like we used to do as kids. If you have Christ as Savior, then you need to pray more. We all do

IBS- 2 Samuel 11:11-13 Uriah was a man of great discipline. He had the opportunity to go home and be with his wife but choose not to because he felt compassion for all the other men out at war. “shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live and as your soul live, I will not do this thing.” (verse 11). His discipline was even shown through his drunkenness he didn’t go back home to be with his wife. He committed to those men and he meant it. I think about my commitment to God and how it sadly wavers at some point. I am a committer to people not things, I have always been like that and I do thank God for that but like everything, I abuse that; I will make people my god and put God second. I used to not be totally aware of this but now that I am - so no excuses. I am so encouraged by this man and his act of discipline, and commitment to David. In my generation there isn’t much commitment it’s a very selfish world and there is very few people with ev

IBS-Psalms 119:11/ Mark 1:35 Being in a constant state of communion with God. In the morning before doing anything else- praying and not just making it a routine but something you yearn to do. I know for me now it is the morning that I can have that quite time but also at night right before bed. At home that prayer time would be in the car on break or driving to the next patients house. God isn’t saying if you do not set aside this certain amount of time to pray and be still you will not be welcomed into His kingdom, but to know that coming to that place of peace and prayer with God can and will not only help you rejoice throughout your day but it will grow you in many ways. The psalms say’s 119:11 “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” This leads us back to being in a constant state of prayer. That I may be able to meditate day and night on the things of His word and stand firm in what I know. I never really knew how self-centered my prayer walk w

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Here it talks about running a race. Many people run races all the time- I’ve ran a few and the adrenaline that runs through you (no pun intended) is really what gets you going- well for me that is. And just like me running in those few races my race to the kingdom of God is one that should be full of excitement and even fast moving just like physical race. Always moving forward- I like that the Bible refers to following Jesus as a race. It is- its full of its curves, breaks, hard moments, hills, sweet and tears but also the joy and refreshing moments that He brings us to in perfect time. The race with Christ to live as if it where my last is a race that should have us all on an adrenaline rush for Christ. It is just that too- when we give it all to Him He gives us everything we need to live on. He gives us the rest we need even when the world says its not enough to function- let me tell you I have met a ton of God fearing, men and women that have a lack of sle

IBS- 1 Timothy 4:8 “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” So I love running, I really enjoy being outside and exercises but because I live in New York and the weather is really bi-polar it’s hard to gage when is a good time to go out and it can never be a set schedule. So I had a gym membership as well. I used to workout once a day in one way or another and all my jobs have been very active in different ways but I was never just sitting at a desk all day- I always said I would never be able to do that but I also never say never anymore… anyways before I came to Ignite I was worried about that- moving and exercises because I didn’t know anything about it and it had just moved its school to Montana and I was going in the dead winter and well needless to say that was literally going to be one of the things that I was going to allow Satan to hold me back from coming here

IBS- Philippians 3:11 “…if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” That I may gain life from my own death. Dying to self. Dying to my flesh day in and day out. He has been working in me day in and day out- dying to self is not easy when your whole life you have been trying to gain everything in this life… God is life. God is everything. To be able to “attain to the resurrection from the dead” would be losing everything here on earth and gaining my whole life- life in Him. This week I have been learning all about this but the most beautiful part is the fact that God has been doing this very work in me since I got here- now I just have an understanding on what it is totally. I lose all hope in one thought and want to wave my white flag and just give up and surrender to the things hindering me- BUT GOD. but God has power and is constantly at my beck and call, surrounding me with people who work for His kingdom and are vessels being poured into and praising God

IBS- Philippians 3:10 “… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to His death…” That is my prayer, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…” more and more each day. There is power in the name of Jesus and that is one thing I stand assured on. He gave everything, so we may have everything- life in Him. What a savior we serve. I am still learning all the power there is in Him and what is so extraordinary is the fact that there is always going to be something new; a new event, a new chapter, a new vision and it is all given to us in perfect timing by God. There is great “fellowship” in His sufferings. Now this is hard to fully grasp for any none believer because they do not see the beauty within what Christ did for all of us. But even me now seeking after the Lord and learning so many new and exciting things about Him and where He is taking me I am constantly reminded of this suffering and how there

IBS- Philippians 3:9 “…and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith…” To “be found in Him” that’s a life worth living. To live out each day learning more about God and seeing Him work in and through you. We can never be perfect, we weren’t meant to be. But to work towards the goal and that is to be more like Christ till the day we get to see Him now that is the way to do it. Its not easy; especially when trials and troubles come and spring up. “not having my own righteousness.” Sometimes I think if I do it all right then I am more righteous or if I own up to my own faults then I am getting somewhere. Shame on me for first of all thinking I would be ahead of anyone, when we all sit at the foot at the cross. And all I am doing is drawing myself away from seeing the righteousness of Christ. Sometimes I get caught up in doing my life by the commandments of God- whic

IBS- PHILIPPIANS 3:8 “Yet indeed I also count all thigs loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” I am reminded of the Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” To hold onto the things of this world only hinders you. Your relationship with Christ Jesus, your walk, your mornings, and your everyday life. To gain the whole world but lose your soul is gaining nothing. To fight for anything of this world is going to get me nowhere if not led by the Lord. I have held on to so many things of this world, it has bonded me and there is a weight on my shoulders because of it. When I try to gain the whole world- I lose myself. I feel caught in a net with no way out. I can see the good in God, but I am to twisted and wrapped up in the ways of me that I can not figure out the way out. In Christ I have no bondage I have no net. To gain knowledge

IBS- AMOS 3:3 “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed.” Can two be in complete understanding of one another even if they differ from belief. This is very challenging for me and I never even knew it was that big of an issue until I distance myself from it and became in constant communion with people of same belief and relationship with God. I think of one of my closest friends and how when I used to struggle with things and situations how he could pull out a handful of quotes and sayings that helped him just get by when sad, depressed, angry the whole nine yards. And how that was very sweet of him but yet there was still that void and one thing missing; God and a firm relationship with Him. My friend isn’t of the devil or just never took there walk with the Lord seriously; and I wasn’t being a good example of someone who was… now that I have taken that step and followed Christ as He has called my deeper; my old ways of dealing with things I am learning how to not resort to

IBS- MATTHEW 18:15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” It is very important that we go to our brother or sister if they have offended you and not gossip to others or speak indirectly but instead in prayer and in humility knowing you are no better than them, but to speak truthfully because they are your brother or sister. It would be wrong for me to take total offense and think wrongly against her or him and/or run to another source just to gossip about it-that would get me nowhere- actually that would bring me down a deeper darker place of sin and not only that but now I have sinned against them. There are so many examples I have had were I have told myself- “just turn the other cheek and you become the bigger better person.” Well no. That is first off not the way to do it with that kind of attitude. And second, I only became more bitter towards that person. We aren’t mean

IBS- 2 CORINTHIANS 13:11 “Finally brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” Paul here is ending his exhortation on examining yourself and how you fit perfectly in the body of Christ; but he ends it with rejoicing that they would enjoy the joy of walking in their relationship with God. He says here, “become complete” I know for me it is easier for me to just excuse myself and say “I wasn’t meant for that” or “I’m just not into that” or “that’s not how my brain works”, but we weren’t meant to be perfect but to continuously work on ourselves so that we may give and use all the gifts and skills God has blessed us with. It just reminds me that I’m not going to be good at everything and that is okay. That is why we form a body- not I am the body. Its humbling yet challenging at some points to keep this mind set but we must strive to be complete knowing that we will never get there. It cost so

IBS- ROMANS 12:6 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.” In the verses before this one it talks about Spiritual Gifts and how we ought to not “think highly” of ourselves because of them but to “soberly” since by the grace of God He has given them to us. Just taking a step back and thinking about that and how God not only created man in His image and everything around us but that He placed and graced us EACH with a gift- a Spiritual gift to glorify Him with. That means He took each and every one of us and not only created us but gave us all character with strengths and weaknesses so that we may work together for His kingdom. This verse is telling us to exercise our Spiritual gifts within the body of Christ. I love how it says “differing” believers have different gifts for various purposes in Gods kingdom. A elder that I used to take care of used to say “there are different s

IBS- 1 JOHN 1:5-7 “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” When you are born again in Christ Jesus you are found and saved. There is no longer you but Him that lives inside of you. The old ways of sin are no longer yours but Christ who carried the cross and died for all of them. In Him there is light, and no darkness may dwell there- now that doesn’t mean there is no sin anymore- that would be great but no that is not here, not on earth. But that means there is now a Holy Spirit that dwells in you and will be that guidance that will convict you, so you will not wonder. It comes back around to being doers and not just talking about it. In fellowship

IBS- LUKE 12: 37-40 “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will grid himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” To live each day as if the Lord is coming- not in fear but in anticipation to see the King of Kings. To have this mind set is to live for Christ and to share the gospel, love on the hurting and the lost, baring with one another with compassion and grace. When I read these verses, I looked at just my everyday life and how little I really do act as if today is it. And to live it out as if its my last day here on earth.

IBS- JOHN 15:15 “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” I think about how much I was enslaved to this world and then I look at where I am at now with God and I am just so over joyed. The fact that He gives us Hid promises and He never holds back His love for us. He is true to His Word and that is something not many are these days. So many people back-stab and twist things around- I have before. Its sad and is all about your self-worth to this world- keeping your identity in random things but in the end those things mean nothing. We are all looking for a place of peace and understanding and I was for sure looking in the wrong places and not only that, but I did know who God was and what He had done for me I just wasn’t able to grasp how much love and all that He holds for me. It says here “I have called you friends, for all things th

IBS- MATTHEW 20:26-28 “Yet it should not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  This all comes back around to what you are called to do… we are called as Christ followers to serve others in the same loving manor as Christ does for us every day. We are not called to first seek to serve and then be then served by others no. We are called TO serve. When I first read this I was confused because I read it as we are to be served- yes if this was the only scripture I had ever read I would have walked out with that intention that if someone is trying to battle you then they should step down and serve you… but the funny thing is well more cool than anything else is we are already on that step down. When you are in the family of God no one is “greater than you” maybe wise

IBS- LUKE 17:7-10 “And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and grid yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commended, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.”  So this one was hard for me to understand because I didn’t understand it fully till I was able to read a different translation and even then I was not to all understanding it all- so I prayed about it and just asked God to search me and open my eyes to what I am unable to see right now and understand what He would like me to see and understand. God showed me FAITH. Faith is what I need to have more of. Here in this parable Jesus is giving an exa