Fixing Your Eyes Away From the Little Traps of Life

The new year of 2015 is just around the corner, can you believe it? Every year we all make new years resolutions that we attempt to keep all year long. If you made a new years resolution that failed, do not worry because this year is your year to make a difference to your life. My new years resolution for this year is to fix my eyes away from what the world has to offer. Away from temptations, traps, lies, and other schemes of Satan. My new goal is to fix my eyes only to Jesus. It is so easy to loose our focus on Jesus. Our daily activities calls for our constant attention that makes us lose our focus to what is important. But we need to be aware that when we loose our focus on Jesus, that is when Satan takes the opportunity to steal, kill, and destroy us. John 10:10 says, "The thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy."

Satan always works in ways to deceive our mind. He allows us to face temptations in believing that they are small and will not harm us. He wants us to believe that we can keep doing what we are doing because it is not important enough to hurt us. But watch out for the little traps in your life because the little traps lead to a deadly trap. Don't lead yourself into a path of destruction, but rather a path that will take you to prosperity and life, which is a path that fixes on Jesus. Matthew 7:13 says, "You can enter God's kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way." A life that focuses and follows Jesus is a narrow path, because it is not the easy path that many will take. It is hard to always fix our eyes onto Jesus, but when you do, your life will be filled with unspeakable joy and blessings. No one is perfect and we all fall into sin, but we just need to bounce right back up and walk that narrow path fixed onto Jesus. No one is perfect, but striving to be a perfect christian will never harm you. 

Allow God to shine upon you so that you may see him clearly and focused everyday. Focus on Jesus 100% in everything you do. Don't even give Satan a 1% chance to grab your attention away from God. Because Satan will take any opportunity, big or small to grab your attention and eventually destroy you. Avoid digging small holes of sin that will eventually turn larger and deep enough to consume you. Small sins build into larger sins and that is always Satan's trick. To avoid falling for the small and large sins in our lives, we just need to fix our eyes on Jesus. How do we fix our eyes onto Jesus? By meditating the bible and praying daily during any free moment that we have. To focus and remember God in everything that we do. Satan is always trying to grab your attention away from God, so do not loose your sight on him. 

2 Corinthians 4:18 says, "So we fix our eyes on not what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what we see is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Let's all make a goal to take our focus off from what is physically seen in this word, to the unseen glories of God. We may not see the physical rewards of following Jesus right away, but in his time you will reap his rewards. God's blessings are more abundant than what this world has to offer. Only God can offer eternal blessings and life. Do not let this world distract you or give you a reason to reject the word of God and his truth. So remember, fix your eyes on Jesus everyday.

The Gift Of Freedom

Have there been times when you felt that you had no hope? Times when you felt that your pasts just kept catching up and never letting you go? We are all inseparable from our past mistakes and failures. We are imperfect humans who are never mistake free. However, the good news is we all have hope because we can be made perfect in God's love. God's love offers an overflow of mercy, freedom, and love. Ephesians 2:3-5 says, "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved." Under God's love and the blood of Jesus we can be forgiven of our sins. No bad pasts, mistakes, or failures can hold you down. God has given everyone the freedom to let go of your pasts. God is the God who restores and makes all things new to perfection. No stains, shames, or chains can hold you back. You can be made new through Jesus.

To accept the freedom that God has instilled for us, we need ask and surrender everything we are and allow him to consume us. God owns your past and you can now let it all go. It is not about what you were, but what you are now and what you will become. God has broken all chains and ties and has given the special gift of freedom that we should never take for granted. Galatians 5:1 says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Use his freedom to live a life full of love to others. We do not have to live with the burden of our sins because God has taken everything off our shoulders. He has given us the freedom to live our lives and to choose in freedom to love him. God is never forceful but is always there with open arms of love. It is our own duty to ask and take Gods love for us. God may seem far but in reality he is only a call away.

Open your arms in surrender and allow God to rescue you. God gives us the option to take his freedom and love. He is holding the key to freedom for you and is simply waiting for you to take the key and unlock your chains. Jesus is the key to your salvation and freedom. All you need to do is to make Jesus the key to your heart and accept his mercy and love and let it become everything that you are. So remember, Jesus is the gift of freedom.

The Bliss of Remembering

Thanksgiving is just a few more days ahead! Despite the yummy food and happy gatherings with family and friends, thanksgiving is a great time to remember and be thankful for everything that we have. Be thankful for everything because everything that you have is given from God alone. The people that he has brought to your life, such as friends and family are all from him. Always remember to be in thanksgiving not just for the next coming days but for your everyday lives. Life can easily take our minds off of God, but it is important to always remember God in our daily lives. We want to keep our eyes focused on him so we can always reflect his love and mercy in our actions. This is certainly hard to do at times, but never give up trying! Remembering God will bring you abundant blessings to your life. 

It is good to take a moment everyday in our busy lives to remember God and the sacrifice he has given for us. Remembering God and his everlasting love will renew you and give you strength, endurance, and perseverance to stay positive and keep going. Reading the bible and dispersing yourself in God's presence is a great way to remind us of God's love for us. We all need reminding to stay strong in this long and hard journey of life. While we know that God always remembers us, we also have the duty as a Christian to remember God as well. Psalm 105:5 says, "remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he pronounced". Remembering God will also give you the power to surrender your life to him because God has control over every part of our life. He is the source to heal any broken heart, to strengthen the weak, to love the unlovable, and to break all the chains in your life. God wants us to remember him and his glory. Psalm 105:8-9 says, "He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the convenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac " Just like how God kept his promise of giving an inheritance of generations to come to the faithful Abraham, God will also remember you if you remember him and are faithful to God. If you live your life to serve and love God, he will bless you in return and his favor will  be upon you. 

Psalm 25:6-7 says, "Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good."God will always remember us, his love never forgets. The only love that can endure forever is God's love. God's love for us is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His blessings are always waiting for those who remember and love him. So remember, because God always remembers us, we should always remember him. 

A Worthful Suffering

We have alway heard the saying that "Life isn't fair". I hear and experience this many times in my life but every time I face this it has always been hard for me to accept. The fact is in life, we do not always get what we deserve. The world is full of humans who are nonetheless perfect including myself. However, God has always reminded me of my imperfections and the love that he has bestowed before me. We should follow Jesus's own example of self-suffering and loving others no matter the circumstance. God want's us to love everyone and that includes those who have wronged us because God himself loves everyone. Praying for your enemies is a great way to show your love for them. 

1 Peter 3:17-18 says, "For it is better, if it is Gods will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit." For Jesus gave us an example of suffering and in return he was blessed with an everlasting life through the spirit. If we follow Jesus's footsteps, we too will be blessed with the kingdom of God. God see's your sufferings and he will bless you in return for your sufferings of doing good. 1 Peter 2:20 says, "But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. Our reward for enduring the pain to be the light of the world will be greater than doing what is easy. Taking the easy way will bring you simple rewards, but taking the long hard way will bring you a narrow and great reward that not many will receive. You reap what you sow so sow greatly onto your life. You may suffer now, but your blessing from God will come in it's time. 1 Peter 3:9 says, " Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

Be the light of the world and do not let it's dankness consume you. Win by letting the good overcome the bad. Focus on God and only him during your tough times because the blessings from God are worth more than anything this world can offer you. Your sufferings for doing good will reap great rewards in its time. So remember, suffering for good is worthful. 

Watcher of Day and Night

Did you know that you have someone watching over you 247 day and night? Someone who will never let you out of their sight? That someone is God. Sometimes life can make us forget that God is actually with us during our troubled times. I have been through times where I asked the question, "Is God really here? Does he care about my sufferings and pain?"But I am always reminded that God is always with you no matter where you are in life. He is with you during the good and bad times. We just have to trust God and be still and wait for God's time. Joshua 1:8-9 says, "Keep this Book of the law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be Strong and Courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." No matter how bad your situation is, if you love God his favor will be upon you and he will bless you in his time. 

The story of Joseph son of Israel is a great story to remind us that God will never leave us nor forsake us. Joseph experienced many bad situations throughout his life but God was always with him wherever he was. Joseph was sold as a slave and sent to Egypt by his brothers, and was later thrown in prison. However, God never forgot about Joseph and his favor was always upon Joseph because Joseph loved God and depended on him. Genesis 39: 19-23 says, "..But while Joseph was there in prison, the Lord was with him;..The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did."God never forgot about Joseph during his time in prison, and he ended up blessing Joseph as governor of Egypt. In life we may experience what Joseph experienced in prison. Joseph suffered in prison but he endured everything because he trusted that God was always with him. During your sufferings be patient and still, because your pain will never be permanent. God will never forget about you and leave you in your bad state. Allow your hope in God to be the foundation of your endurance and perseverance because your blessing from God is yet to come. Wait for God's time and trust him that he loves you and is always with you. 

Do not be let down during your waiting time for the Lord. It may seem bad now, but always expect great things to come from God. God is always watching you and he will never let you out of his sight because he loves you. He will always be there to guide you if you ask and open your heart to him. God never does a half-way walk with you if you walk with God. He will be with you through it all. So remember, God is the watcher of your day and night. 

REFERENCE: Story of Joseph, Genesis 37-45

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not?

The circumstances in our life can sometimes make us wonder, "Does God really love us?" We rejoice in times of joy but we doubt his love in times of troubles and failures. The whole he loves me he loves me not has pondered through my mind recently, but I am always reminded of Gods greater love for me. It is very hard to rejoice in times of hurt and failures, but we have to remember the greater picture in our lives. God's love can overcome any obstacle we face in life. He always wants the best for us so we need to trust his timing and put our hope in him alone. Romans 5:3-5 says, "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us into shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." God always knows what we need, and he will give us the opportunities to process our faith and character in him. Never give up when things are down because God is always preparing something better for you because he loves you.

Life will always throw stopping blocks into our paths, but it is how we overcome them that determines our future. Sometimes the things we wish or plan for don't happen. You may not understand, but trust that God knows what is better for you. Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the lords purpose that prevails." As much as we work hard and use our strength, at the end of the day all the glory comes from God and is used for his purpose. Everything good that happens comes from the Lord so allow him to establish each step in your life. Never doubt God's love for you because his love for us endures forever. Psalm 100:5 says, "For the Lord is Good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness contiues through all generations." Do not forget that God's love is always fighting for us, it is enduring in faithfulness and mercy. There is no mistake or failure that can hinder God's love for you. 

Satan may try to take everything that we have, but he can never take away God's love for us. Do not let your failures doubt God's love for you, because he is always wanting us to practice our faith and trust in him. When you give your life into the hands of God and love him with all your heart, he will never let you go and his favor will be upon you. You need hope to endure this lifelong journey, so allow your hope to be based on God's love for you. So remember, God does love you.

Living Life With No Limits

Do you believe in miracles? If yes, do you believe that miracles can happen in your own life? It can be hard for many of us to believe in the things that are outside our own capabilities, or what knowledge and proof deems impossible. I have recently been battling and limiting myself with my own capabilities. Closing doors that could have possibly been open for me. In life we tend to set our minds to what we are capable of doing, but I've learned that we shouldn't let anything hold us down. Let your goals, dreams, and faith in God lead you into overcoming the challenges in your life. Don't let your capabilities hold you down because with God anything is possible. Matthew 19:26 says, "Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible'". 

When we live by faith in God, our lives can have no limits. God's ability is more than our mind can fathom. Through Christ we can do things that common sense tells us we can't do. Living by faith will open doors into your life that you never knew was possible. Our mind can understand only to a certain point, but faith sets no limits and boundaries. Trust God more than your own knowledge because he knows more than you know and his way is always perfect. 1 Corinthians 1:19 says, "For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and Gentiles. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."Allow God to work into your life and you will start seeing his miraculous ways upon your life. Miracles are the byproducts of faith. Miracles work outside the capabilities and knowledge of science and are things that common sense says shouldn't happen. When you surrender your life to God and have faith in him, you will accomplish greater things that are outside your capabilities. 

Allow God to set the boundaries in your life. Rely on him more than your own wisdom and you will see that God can surprise you. Trust your life in God's hands because he will never let you go. Let faith be the cornerstone of your everyday lives. When we depend on our own strength, we tend to find ourselves failing or frustrated. Allocate God's strength into your life because God has everything you need to be successful. He is the provider of all miracles.  So remember, live your life with no limits. 

The Ultimate Security

Fear and the unknown exists in everyones life and we simply just can't runaway from it. I have struggled through my doubts and worries throughout my life, especially now that I am almost graduating from college. Where will I go? Will I have a good job? Could I survive? We all have our own questions in life that we would love to get answers for, but the answers don't always come on the times we want them too. But despite the fears and mysteries that bundle in our minds, we should all make God the center for our security. You never have to be afraid because if all is lost you know you will always have God. He is all you need and is the only one who can provide you with 100% security in your life. Relying on people or the things of this earth will never bring a 100% satisfaction or protection for you. Rely on God and he will bring you complete peace and security. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Put you security in Christ alone. There is always safety in the word of God. Gods truth will always protect your life. 

So how do we receive the security and love from God? We just simply need to call his name and he will be there for us. Romans 10:13 says, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. God will listen to you when you call on him, and there is power in the name of Jesus. The story of Jesus walking on water and the disciple Peter is a great example on how we can depend on Jesus when we call him. Jesus had called peter to come out in the storm and walk on water. He was testing Peter's faith to him. Peter stepped out but when he saw the heavy storm his faith dropped and fear filled his mind. He started to sink but when he called Jesus's name, he was immediately lifted up. Matthew 14:29-31 says, "Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” When you call on Jesus, he listens to you immediately and he will save you because he loves you. He knows your limits and will never let you drown in the waters. He will save you just in time if you call on him.

Don't dwell on your worries, but rather dwell in God's love for you. God is never far from you he is just a call away. Pray and call on God and your prayers will be answered in his time. When you are feeling worried and scared, call on him and he will bring you peace. Knowing that we are his and he is ours is the only security we need in our lives. So remember, God is the ultimate security. 

Captivating Your First Love

Life is full of many obligations that tend to keep us busy from morning to night. By the time the day is over, many of us find ourselves all worn out and ready for bed. Despite our busy lives, it is always important to remind ourselves to grow our relationship with God. It may seem like a struggle at times to save the time to read and meditate the word of God, but if we love Jesus this should come as one of our priorities in life. Ask yourself this: "Are you still falling in love with God?" If we are in love with Jesus, having a relationship with him should come as our truest desire. It is important to keep that fire of love for Jesus lighted up in our hearts. Focus on loving Jesus and the rest will follow through. 

It's easy to be busy with the duties in this world that we forget about Jesus unless during our times of struggles. But growing strong in Jesus during our good times is necessary because when the tough times come, we will be equipped and strong to face our problems with Jesus on our side. Love is not an easy thing to grow overtime. To love Jesus we first need to have a growing relationship with him. Just like any other relationship we have with our loved ones (children, spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, friends/family), it requires dedicating our time with them which also applies to our relationship with Jesus. Love takes work and effort, but before focusing on the work focus first on simply loving Jesus. When you focus on wrapping your hearts to Jesus, the desire to know him more will stay with you. Knowing Jesus is not the final stage of our Christian life. There's always more we can learn and grow our love to him. 

Jeremiah 31:3 says, "The Lord appeared to us in the past saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." God's love is always available for us now and forever. He loves us yesterday, today, and tomorrow matter where we are in life. Let his unfailing love captivate our hearts to him. Never give up on going back to your first love with God. He will always be there for you no matter how much you have failed him. He keeps no records of wrongs, but is always there with open arms. God always has his ways of calling us back to him if we have left our first love to him. It's a matter of listening to God and having the effort to seek him. Never stop falling in love with Jesus. So remember, captivate your first love with God. 

A Fix to All Problems

We all never intend for our lives to become as messy as it can be. After all who doesn't want a peaceful and nice life? But life will never be perfect and that is why we have a God who can fix any mess we face in our lives. I've had troubles in my life where I felt that there was no way God could fix this mess and bring peace. I felt that God was great but my mess was too complicated for God to fix and it was impossible that peace could even reside. But I found that when you pray and ask God for his help, he can fix any problem you have in your life. The messes in your life are never too great for God to handle; God can handle you. God can save you and fix any battlefield you face in your life. Psalm 146:5-6 says, "Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the lord their God. He is the maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them- he remains faithful forever." We can always put our hope and trust onto him because he is the all sovereign God. There is no need to worry during your battlefields because God will never let you go as long as you hold onto him. Remember that God always means the best for you. 

God's ability for us is never ending. No matter what past we have come from, his love for us sees past our faults. Don't ever loose your hope in God when you face the worst tribulations in your life because anything is possible with God. Satan's schemes can not even measure up close to what God can overcome. No mess is too big for God to clean up. "God has a beautiful way of turning to good everything that the enemy means for evil in our lives."Satan is always on the run to bring down our lives, but if we hold onto God we can always overcome his schemes. 

Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Despite how chaotic your problems may seem, don't rely on the limits of your mind but depend on God's never ending love and power. Never hesitate to ask and pray for God to bring peace to your life because true peace can only come from God. He can amaze you and bring miracles to your life if you let him. Our God is greater than any problem we face in our lives. So remember, God is the fix to all of our problems. 

The Beauty of Brokenness

Life is always full of hardships and obstacles that can eventually bring us to a moment of brokenness. I have been through many experiences in my life where I have felt broken to the ground with feelings of fear and doubt in my mind. I'm sure many of us has experienced this in our lives, but as much as we see brokenness as a negative part in our life, it can actually have a positive effect to our lives if we use our brokenness to be closer to God. 

During times of brokenness, you are at a peak of a humble and sensitive state. Most of us are closest to God during our times of troubles and we are always open to hearing his word (although we should always be close to God during our good and bad times). Rejoice during your brokenness and use God as your source for strength. Experience his love and grace like you have never experienced it before. Sometimes we have to be broken before we can grow strong enough to blossom. It is never too late to get back up. Isaiah 43:18-19 says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell in the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Never lose hope because God can make all things new upon your life. Use your brokenness to bring every area of your life under submission to him alone. Turn to God and surrender yourself and problems to him because he is the only one who is capable of bringing you peace in your life. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit". Don't be afraid during your times of brokenness because God is always near and there for you. God still loves you the same during your bad and good times. He will protect and guide you into where he wants you to be. Open your heart to God and allow him to bring you peace during your down times. 

Never forget your times of brokenness because it will bring you strength to overcome obstacles that will come later throughout your life. Instead of allowing your down times to hurt you more, use it as a chance to grow more closer to God. Allow God to move into your heart and use this as an opportunity to strengthen your faith in God. You can experience God in a new way through your brokenness that good times cannot do for you. If you depend on God, he will turn your brokenness into happiness and peace. So remember, there is beauty in brokenness. 

A Love That Knows No End

As much as we desire for a problem-free perfect life, it never happens that way. Life always has its bumps, but the good news is that we can always depend on God who always has his open hands full of love and hope. There have been many times in my life where I have felt so helpless and full of guilt from the past mistakes I've made. But from my past mistakes and experiences, I have learned the true meaning of God's unconditional love for us. We can never truly understand God's unconditional love for us unless we go through trials and pain. Always use your troubles and pain to your advantage. As long as you have God, there is always hope available for you. Use your mistakes as a workout and come out stronger. God is good yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is always the same and his love stays the same. His love will never run dry for us. Psalm 100:5 says, "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

As long as you don't take advantage of God's unconditional love, you can always have hope and complete trust in him. No matter how bad you have messed up, Christ will always offer hope and love to you. No matter how bad we are, God never changes. Even when our love for Christ has changed, his love for us will never change. We may give up on God, but God will never give up on us. If it wasn't for God's grace, I could not be where I am now. I'm not perfect or even close to perfect, but God's Grace is more than enough for you and me. His mercy allows us to let go and overcome our past and problems. 

Christianity is not about being perfect, but striving to be more like Jesus everyday. It's all about experiencing God's Grace and love and sharing it to others. Don't ever doubt God's love for you. Understanding God's love for us is key to a strong and growing foundation for our relationship with God. It brings perseverance, strength, hope, and faith in him. We need to love God and understand his love for us to be able to use his love as a refuge for strength in our life. God's love is a love that knows no end. If all else fails, his love for us will never fail and we can always depend and trust our lives onto him. So remember, God's love is enough. 

Keeping a Heart Forever Filled

Can you believe Easter is just around the corner? Easter is a great time to come together to celebrate Jesus's Resurrection. His death on the cross just shows how great and unbeatable his love is for us. Because of Jesus, our sins can be cleansed away. Knowing that Jesus overcame death just shows that he can overcome any problems in our life.  I am always happy during Easter because it is the greatest time of year where everyone comes to church and remembers Jesus's love for us. Although Easter is a special time to remember Jesus, we should also take the time to put Jesus as priority of our lives throughout the year. Remember to thank Jesus not just on Easter but everyday in our lives. It's very easy to loose our focus on God during our daily lives. Much of our time is consumed with work, school, family, and friends. But don't forget that the most important thing in our life is God. He should be above all else that exists on this earth. Only through Jesus can we be content with our life and have have our hearts filled up. I've tried many times turning to other things in my life to fill my heart, but I learned one thing at the end: Nothing can fill your heart completely except having Jesus as the center of your life. 

Growing your love for Jesus and putting him first in your everyday life is what will truly fill up your heart. Many people say money and love is all you need. It's true that money and love can make you happy, but it won't keep your heart filled up forever. Sooner or later you will find gaps in your life. As humans, we always find ourselves wanting more and the things of this world can only offer us so much to a point where it can't satisfy us forever. But with God, you will never find yourself not content. God is the only perfect thing that exists and is the only one who can restore the gaps in your heart. That is why God should always be the center of your life and top priority over anything else. Whether you are a child, a young adult, a married couple, or even an elder, everyone needs to put God first in their lives. When God is the center of your life, your work, and your relationship, everything will fall together perfectly and you will find yourself having a heart forever filled.

Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." When you put God first in your life, everything else will fall into place. Trust God and let him fill up the gaps in your life. So Remember, God is the only one who can give you a heart forever filled. 

The Root of all Blessings

It is easy to depend so much on this world because we live and are consumed with it each and everyday. But it's important to remember to keep our minds consumed with the the word of God and his Kingdom. Sometimes we forget that God is the true source of blessings in our lives. It's easy to think that our blessings come because of others and our own capabilities, but then once we loose them we think it's the end of the world. Don't be afraid when you loose something important in your life because God's ability goes beyond human capacity. We only need him in our lives to achieve our goals and receive our blessings. 

Someone recently was telling me how he was afraid that his business might slow down and fail because his main employee had to leave unexpectedly. He said because my employee is gone I don't think my business can be as successful as it has been. I told him that his mindset was wrong. It is true that his employee was a great source for the business, but the main source of his blessings was not from that employee but from God! As long as God is still the main picture in your business, believe that the blessings will still come regardless of whoever important leaves.  As long as we work hard and have faith in God, anything is possible! James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." Your blessings in your life always come from God. We should always give God the credit he deserves because he is the true source of our blessings. 

There is only one name we have to rely on in our life and that is Jesus. Don't forget that he is our source for everything we need in our lives so depend on him. Allow God to be your main strength for your problems. Luke 11: 9-10 says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Don't be afraid to depend on God. Ask God for his blessings and he will give them to you. God should be the first one we look to and ask for help before anyone else.
So remember, God is the root to all our blessings. 

Choosing One Path

We all have many choices in our lives and sometimes it can confuse us to which we should choose. It's easy to make a wrong move, but hard to fix the damages. During times like this, it's best to think about the root of your principles in life and live by them. From there you can make the best decision that will fulfill your needs. The root of my principles for my life is Jesus, which is what we all should live under. 

You can't follow the world and follow God at the same time. We have to choose one path in our lives; to live for Jesus or the world. Genesis 1:4 says, "God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness." We have to choose to either be the light or the dark. We can't be both day and night. We can't say we serve God and love him but don't live by the word of God. In order to truly love him we have to also show it by our actions. 1 John 1 says, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." Let's all follow God's example and be the light of the world. God gives us the freedom to choose which path we want to take in our life. He doesn't force us because he wants us to choose to love him. We can only choose to love one; either God or the worldly things. We should all choose to stand under Jesus and to love him over what the world has to offer. 1 John 2:15-17 says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the father is not in them. For everything in the world- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life- comes not from the father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. If we want to love God, we must let go of our desires on this earth. To be able to truly love him means putting God as our priority and loving what he loves. 

Just because the world offers it, doesn't mean it is the right choice. The world offers divorce, abortion, drugs, same sex marriage, and many more to us but it doesn't mean that it is the right thing to do. It's so easy to get caught up with what the world has to offer to us. It can delude our mind from what is truly right in the eyes of God. Some choices in this world shouldn't even be choices for us, yet we still consider them as choices.  No one is perfect and we will not always make the right decisions, but we should at least make it a habit to think about the root of our principles in life and that will guide us to making the right decisions. So remember, we can only choose one path in our life to follow and that is Jesus. 

A Time For Everything

As humans we tend to want things now and instant. We all hate waiting! Wouldn't it be nice to be successful and to receive the blessings from God without having to go through the wait and troubles? However there's always a time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." Some things in life require time and development. Sometimes we have to go through the troubles and tests for us to grow mature in God. Sometimes we have to fail first before we can learn. God knows the best time for everything, just trust his ways. In the long run, God's time will be rewarding.

Be patient and continue to seek God during the waiting time. When the time is right, God will answer your prayers. You might ask, well when is the right time? No one knows except God. God knows us best, more than we know ourselves. So trust in him that he will provide you the best and in the best time. When we force things to go our own way, it tends to turn into chaos. Instead, we should all give our troubles to God and let him handle them. Don't try to take control of your own life, but depend and surrender your life to him. Romans 12:12 says, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." During the waiting time, it is very crucial to rest yourself in prayer and hope. We need to keep our hope and faith strong in God during our troubles and worries so we can conquer them. Be patient because in his time, everything will be in place and your prayers will be answered. Don't blame God and say he is too slow. It's not that God is too slow, but that we are too slow to be where God wants us to be. He's always patient with us and God knows the best time to answer our prayers. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time." Trust and wait on God because waiting on God will be worth it at the end. 

So remember, God's time is always the best!

Turning your Failures into Success

Have there been days in your life when you felt like everything is going wrong? You're making mistakes here and there and it's just turning you more into a failure? I'm sure everyone has gone through days like this, I know I have! Your daily life will never be perfect. Some days will be great, while other days may be filled with failure and dissapointment. But know that the bigger picture of your life will come together into a great blessing. 

When your day is going bad, think of the blessings that God has given you. Be in thanksgiving to him and that will bring you back up into a more positive perspective of your life. When you give thanksgiving to God, you will find that you have more to be thankful for than the amount of your problems. Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." From thanksgiving, the peace of God will enter your heart and mind. 

Learn from your mistakes and be better! Don't dwell on your mistakes because that will take you no where. Instead, accept your mistake use it to motivate you to be successful. Let your failures push you back up even stronger. I'm sure many of you have heard the story about Jonah and the whale. Jonah failed God by not listening to his orders to preach at the city of Nineveh. Because of his disobedience, he ended up in the stomach of a whale for 3 days and 3 nights. Jonah spent all those nights with thanksgiving to the lord. God then saved him by allowing the whale to vomit him back onto land. Jonah then went back up and ended up having the courage to preach at Nineveh which saved the people in that city. Jonah turned his failures and mistakes into success. When he was in the whale, he didn't spend the 3 days complaining to God. He spent those days with giving thanksgiving and prayer to God. We should all use his example and apply it into our own lives. When you bring thanksgiving and prayer to God during your troubles, he will listen to you more than if you complain. Claim the power of God instead of your problems! There is power in claiming the word of God into your life (blog on Letting Fear Go talks about power of claiming God's word). 

You never know what blessings God has coming up for you. Never underestimate his blessings and love for you. Be filled with thanksgiving during your failures, and use it to motivate yourself into success. Just because you are in a state of failure doesn't mean you have to stay as a failure.
So remember, you can turn your failures into success. 

The Hidden Power of Humility

You have probably heard many times in your life about the importance of being humble. But have you taken it a step further and asked, why is it important to be humble? Many of us might think, why should I be humble and think low of myself? What is wrong with boasting about myself? There's nothing wrong with boasting about yourself as long as it doesn't get carried away, however, humility has more power than boastfulness and pride. Humbleness does not mean you have to think low of yourself, and it is also not about how much you show off to people. Being humble is putting others' needs before your own. Being less selfish with your own needs. 

People value more to those who are humble rather than prideful, because it is not easy living a life of humility. As humans, our tendency is to love and boast about ourselves. But through humility, we will be respected more by people. Humbleness creates a pure heart; Pride does not. 

We should all follow the example of how Jesus lived. Jesus has been humble since the day of his birth. Although Jesus is the lord of lord and king of kings, he wasn't born in a palace. He was born in a stable full of animals, the least place we would ever think of for a savior to be born. But God allowed this to happen because he values humility. God values a humble heart more than a prideful heart. It says on James 4:6, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." Jesus lived a life of humbleness. He spent his whole live preaching the word of God, healing others, and saving lives. He came to this earth only for serving and loving others before himself. He died on the cross for our very own sins. Jesus has the same power as God, but he humbled himself. He is our best example of what true humility is.  Jesus didn't have to go around bragging about himself to get people to follow him. Through his humbleness, people saw the true love of Jesus and everyone looked up to him even until this day. It says in Philippines 2:9, "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name."

There is hidden power under humility. People will value you more through your humbleness than your pride. I now realize the importance of humility in my life, and I am trying each and every day to be more humble. Not just being humble on the outside, but inside my heart as well. Putting the needs of others, family, and friends above my own. Even if you seem to be humble on the outside, ask yourself this: Are you really humble inside your heart and mind? Are you really putting others first before your own desires? 

Proverbs 22:4 says, "True humility and fear of the Lord leads to riches, honor, and long life." Humility will bring you farther in life. 

So remember, the power of humility goes beyond pride. 

Embrace Yourself!

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and wished you looked like someone else? Maybe some celebrity, model, or friend? I know I used to compare myself all the time to other people and just wished I could change my facial features. But recently, I've learned to love and embrace myself for who I am. You will never be perfect if you keep on comparing yourselves to others. Compare yourself based on your own strengths and weaknesses. You are all unique and perfectly made. I know it's easy to compare yourself with other people, but it will only put yourself down and degrade your own confidence. Self-Confidence comes from yourself, not others. You will never learn to love and embrace yourself if you keep trying to be like that person or that model. Doing so will only lead you to find endless faults of yourself.

Love yourself because you can. Love yourself because you're the only one on this earth who is made to look like you! Don't let the world define you and your beauty. True beauty is within the inside; your heart. I talk a lot about the heart because your heart is everything about you. Anyone can change their look through plastic surgery, but no one can change your heart. Your heart is what holds the key to your beauty and happiness. Many people think, "If I just looked like him/her I would be happy." The truth is, many models/celebrities who have the "looks" are not always as happy as those who aren't considered "models." Good looks will not make you happy, but having a pure heart will! When you learn to grow your heart and embrace yourself, you will see that your inner beauty will soon come out stronger than your outer beauty. Inner beauty has more power to impact the world than outer beauty. It's nice to meet people who are pretty and attractive, but meeting someone with a beautiful pure heart is what can touch the world. Instead of wishing you were someone else, develop your own inner beauty!

I used to be self-conscious about my chin ever since I had to go through surgery to remove a mole that was there. Because of the surgery, my chin is slightly unsymmetrical. I used to hate seeing my chin and would always compare myself to others. I kept thinking to myself, "I wasn't born this way, I just want to fix this!" Now, I don't want to let my chin ruin my confidence. We should all learn to embrace ourselves with our own imperfections. I would rather invest on my heart than on my outer beauty.

Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Be proud that God made you the way you are. You are all created with his love and passion before the day you were born. There may be days when you will feel down, but it's ok because we are all never perfect. The most important thing is to get back up with a smile on! You will see that when you learn to embrace yourself, you will see yourself as more beautiful.

So remember, Love and Embrace yourself<3

Taming Your Words

Have you heard of the saying, "If you don't have something nice to say, then don't say it at all". I know I have failed in this department. I've said many kind things, but at the same time I have also said negative things to and about other people. I am guilty of this and I'm sure many of you are also! We should all learn to tame our mouths.  You may think words are just words and they don't have permanents effects, however, although words are nothing tangible, they can still hurt people's feelings like a sword cutting through your heart. 

Everything you say comes from your heart. You can't say you have a pure heart if the words from your mouth don't resemble it. Your words come from one root; your heart. James 3:10-12 says, "Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should be not. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? Can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." Your mouth is like a mirror to your heart. Everything you say reflects how you feel. Keeping a pure heart should influence your mouth to say positive things, and taming your mouth/words will also keep your heart sane. Your mouth and heart work hand in hand, they are vice versa. 

Jesus also led a great example of speaking life to others and taming his words. Throughout his whole life, he always spoke of life. Even on the day he was crucified his last words were, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do."Even though Jesus was ridiculed and crucified in pain on the cross, his words to everyone were still full of love during his last breath of life. Let's all follow Jesus and let our words speak of life. Speak life to others and yourself! Let's all learn to grow a pure heart and let our mouths resemble it. Don't think that our words are too little of importance to effect our lives and others. James 3:10-11 says, "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil amount the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."

No one is perfect and we will never be perfect 247. There will always be times when we fail, but what is important is that we go back up and strive to be a better Christian than yesterday. We may fail a thousand times, but God's mercy will bring us up a thousand times more. So remember, tame your words each and every day. 

The Power of Faith

Have there been moments in your life when you felt like there's no way out? When you felt lost and hopeless? When everything around you seems to fail? I know I have had moments of worry and fear in my life and I am sure many of you out there have felt the same. During these times, it's important to hold on your faith in God. There is power in having faith. Matthew 17:20 says, "Truly I tell you, If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." This verse just shows you what faith can do. With faith nothing is impossible!

The bible shows us the power of faith through many examples of the people God used. For example, If Moses didn't have faith in God, he could never have freed all the slaves from Pharaoh and cross the Red Sea. As a human, Moses was not capable of stepping up as a leader against Pharaoh, but with his faith in God, anything was possible. Another great example is the story of Abraham. Abraham was able to reach the promise land and have many decendents to come because of his faith to God. Although God took Abraham out from his home and comfort zone, into a desert and the unknown, he still kept going and had faith that God would lead him to the promise land. His faith resulted to great blessings. It says in Genesis 22:17, "I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore." There are other endless examples used in the bible to show the power of faith. Some examples are the story of David and Goliath, Sampson, March of Jericho, Noah and the ark, and many more. If you think about it, everyone used by God in the bible needed faith. Before they could even start God's work, the first thing they needed was to have faith. Faith requires taking a huge step, but in return your reward will be great. 

If you are struggling in life, or if God has called you to do his ministry, don't hesitate and take the leap of faith. Trust in him because he knows what's best for you. The first thing we need to do to accomplish God's calling is to have faith in him. After faith, the rest will come together. Have faith in God, believe in him, and lastly trust in God! With all 3 things you can accomplish what God has in stored for you. Believe in yourself because you can count on God.  Unlike knowledge, faith has no limits. Faith is what allows miracles to happen. And yes, the miracles that happened centuries ago in the bible can still happen today! Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

God honors your hard work and faith to him. He will reward those who seek him. Hebrews 13:5 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Through faith, you can gain the promises God has in stored for you. With faith, anything is possible.  Let your faith drive your hope! So remember, faith has power. 

A New Year and a Better You!

Happy New Year Everyone! Can you believe it's 2014 already? I'm sure may of you have made your new years resolutions for this coming year. New years is a great time to look back through last year and acknowledge God's blessings in your life. It's also a perfect time to analyze ourselves. What are some weaknesses that you learned about yourself from the past year? What can you do this year to be a better person? It's important to stop and analyze yourself to see where you are at in life.  Making goals and dedicating yourself to them is what will strive you to a successful year. It's so easy to let a goal just be a goal without resulting to any accomplishments. I know I made some new years resolutions back in 2013 that never got accomplished, and I'm sure this has happened to others as well. Here are some tips that I've learned that will make your goals for this year turn into a success!

1. Take the first step and take action! Goals are't goals without action. Start working on your goals now. Sometimes we tend to think of goals as something for the long run, when really goals require action now. Take it a step at a time, but the most important thing it to take the first step.

2. Learn from yourself and others. Learn from the mistakes you made last year and be better! Listen to others and learn from their mistakes as well. Getting wisdom from others is great because you learn without having to go through the mistakes and troubles they went through. The key is striving to be a better person than yesterday.

3. Remind and Analyze. It's important to constantly remind yourself of your goals and to analyze where you are at with them. It's so easy to let the days pass by without us realizing. The next thing you know, a year has passed by and your goals aren't accomplished. I would recommend getting a planner or notebook and making it a habit to go over your goals every night.

I believe one goal that everyone should have is to be closer to God than last year. To grow in him each and everyday. We will never reach perfection in our relationship with God. There's always more we can learn, and more we can grow our love and faith to him. Deuteronomy 4:29 says, "But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul." Let's make our goal to seek God more and more everyday. I know this is one of my top goals for the year.

We will never be perfect people, but striving to be one is never a bad thing. So remember, make this year a better you!

YOUTUBE Video: A New Year and a Better You!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBkzk8MAFRQ