A Plan of Spiritual Growth And Growth Within Ourselves

Be The Change You Wish To See In The World.

Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1-8: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

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

James 1 verse 17: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

In order to grow we need to be the change we wish to see in this world but we also need to trust God's plan in that growth because one of the reasons I started out with Ecclesiastes verses 1-8 is because this was one of the main scriptures from last year that I had someone read for me on for the time being was one of my last phone call studies for awhile. It was okay that it happened that way cause while I've been figuring things out, I realize over time that even in this year that this is where God wants me to be, being able to come and do a study on a ministry platform that has been my first forever home since I can remember and with that being mentioned, this was the time for me to search and see what I could do in what God has been helping me with and knowing that I'm following what He wants me to do with my study currently as of right now, is where I'm going to keep following and yes we are a new creation in Him and while old things have gone, new things have come and in that third verse I've shared, it's a reminder to me that God doesn't change like a shifting shadow but He does change our hearts for the better to have a better outcome and be a new creation in Him always because without Him, we wouldn't have that growth in order to be the change that God wants us to be in this world, to be a light, to give grace, to give mercy, and to love one another just as He has loved us. We need to take this to heart because if we don't and we believe lies the Enemy tries to tell us, lies in how you'll never make a difference, so give up, well that's where we stand on common and solid ground, stand up, and don't believe the lies but believe in the truth that comes from God and keep following how He wants us to be a light in this world and make a difference towards others to change what we can to show love.

Never Stop Learning.

2 Timothy 3 verse 16-17: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Psalm 25 verse 5: Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,  and my hope is in you all day long.

1 Thessalonians 5 verse 11:  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

In these three scriptures we see how all scripture is God breathed and we see how that even Romans 8 verse 28 could apply with the 2 Timothy 3 verse 16-17 scriptures as Romans 8 verse 28 reminds us of this: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. You see without all of this where would we be? Would we be living out the purpose God has called us to or would we stop learning? In the next scripture we see that we need God to guide us in order to grow and in the last one we see how if we keep encouraging people, we can keep doing what we are called to do, while we never stop learning about God's Goodness and Love. We should never want to stop learning about the spiritual growth, the growth that God wants for us, and more importantly we should never want to stop learning about God and His Word because Him and His Word is what helps us to Act Justly, Love with Mercy, and Walk Humbly with Him each and everyday.

The Kindness You Put Out Into The World Always Has A Way Of Coming Back To You.

Colossians 3 verse 12-14: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Ephesians 4 verse 32: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Titus 3 verse 4-7: But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,  He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Ephesians 2 verse 7: In order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

In these scriptures we see how we need to show kindness and love and be able to go out into the world to be a disciple of Christ and when we as Beloved Children do acts of kindness because we want to and not because we have to, that's where I'd like to think of that as random acts of kindness because just like the quote I shared from Dhar Mann, we put kindness out into the world to do deeds, deeds that sometimes don't even need an explanation of being able to know that type of kindness will come back to you and that type of kindness is a sort of kindness that we should practice daily, because we should want to do stuff that helps us grow spiritually in a spiritual sense of knowing the plans God has for us.

I wanted to do my study in this way, because I thought this would be a great way to take a look at the plans that God has for us in the Spiritual Growth that we need to remind ourselves that our Testimony is far from over and that our testimony is still in that beginning of growing into something greater in our life now.

Let us take heart in knowing that the plans God has for our life is the plan that God wants us to trust, and lean not on our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him so that He will continue to make our paths straight, because in this Growth we need to acknowledge Our Savior and trust the plans He has.

Plans

 In life we see how sometimes what we need isn't always apart of the plan God has for us.

When we think of the plan that we think we need rather than the plan God has set in place for us, we think of how we need to sometimes let go in order to let God continue writing our story which is our testimony.

Jeremiah 29 verse 11 says this- For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you but to give you a hope and a future.

Then in Proverbs 16 verse 9 it talks about this- In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

We then take a look at the next scripture which is Romans 8 verse 28 that reads- And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 3 verse 5-6 says this- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Philippians 1 verse 6-  Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2 verse 8-10:  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

2 Peter 3 verse 9- The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Psalm 119 verse 105: Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

In every scripture we have read, we see that God's Ways are not our own way but His Ways are greater and we need to trust, lean, and show the grace of what He lays on our hearts to be servants of Him and trust the plan that is greater than what we may imagine or think it should be.

We may not have everything figured out but as long as we stand on the Promises of God, we can know and we can trust that the fulfillment of what He has in store for us, is greater, stronger, and what is best for us and that when we trust in His Timing, there is nothing greater than seeing that plan unfold in the way we need or should go because God's got us and this.

Philippians 4 verse 13 even reminds us in how we can do all things through Him that gives us strength and when we think of that, why would we not want to trust the plan God has for us? 

You see, when we are uniquely and fearfully, and wonderfully made and are called to help others know about Christ or even called to pray with and for them, we then begin to see how when we take that into action, when we put the leap of Faith and steps into action for Christ, we see how just a small step like that can come a long way and we see how the goodness of Him can help us continue to run our race well in the plans that He has for us daily.

Imagine this for a second if we saw this acronym for Plans and how if we applied that into our life to help someone else struggling in their walk or relationship with Christ, and how that could help benefit the person that God wanted us to help in that very moment and at the time because we are uniquely called to strive into action and into Faith and be His Disciples.

Pray

Love

Admire

Noble

Saved

When We Pray we are seeking God for Help in the Plan He has for our life.

When We Love one another just as He first loved us we are seeking the humbleness and humility of how we should admire God's Love because He is Love and how we should admire the plan that He has set for us because when we are Noble in Humility and Noble in Faith, we can seek the action of Christ and how His is that plan for our lives as Beloved Children can help those who want to know Christ and be Saved because it all comes back into His Timing of the Plan He wants for each and every single one of us and when we trust it, we are being obedient in what He is showing in our lives every single time out because we are trusting Him and His Word and when we begin to trust Him at His Word also, we are letting Him write what happens next in our story which is our testimony and when that happens we see progress.

I'm going to end on this quote because I think it is fitting to end on, and the quote is this: Let Go and Let God.

When we let Go of what isn't in our circle of control but we let God handle what is, we see progress even more because we are having that leap of Faith to let Him write our Testimony. 

Arise For Easter

Romans 10:9-10 says: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

When I think of this verse, I think of how God gives us that time in knowing that we can seek Him with our hearts and how He gives us that knowledge to see that if we open up our hearts, we can have that deeper relationship in knowing what His Love is because God is the truest of Loves.

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His word; Just to rest upon His promise; Just to know, Thus saith the Lord.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er, Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more.

O how sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to trust His cleansing blood;

Just in simple faith to plunge me, ’Neath the healing, cleansing flood.

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus, Just from sin and self to cease; Just from Jesus simply taking, Life, and rest, and joy, and peace. I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend; And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.

In this song, we see how God gives us the strength to Trust Him.

We see in this Easter season that when We Trust God, when we confess with our mouths that He is Lord, we open the door to a relationship with Him, a relationship so deep that nothing can withstand His Love for us.

Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest. In this scripture, we know that even when we are tired, God will give us rest, why? Well because on the Sabbath Day, God created rest.

The Sabbath Day is the 7th day that God intended us to rest.

We shall renew our strength and mount our wings like eagles.

For God so Loved The World That He Gave His One And Only Son That Whoever Believes In Him Shall Not Perish But Have Everlasting Life. This Scripture can also apply with having Eternal Life. 

You see, we need to Believe In Christ because Believing In Him gives us Freedom to Surrender our Burdens and lay them at the foot of the cross and remember that we can let go.

For I Know The Plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you but to give you a hope and a future.

In this scripture we see, the plans God has set in stone for us. We see the plans that He has to give us a hope with a future, even when we don't understand it.

What the Enemy meant for Bad, is what God intended for Good.

We are called according to God's Purpose, We are called as Beloved Children To Serve and to ask God for Direction in the way we should go, in order to succeed in the plan He has for us because without God, what would we have?

In moments like this, we know that even at the most difficult moments, the thief will come to steal, kill, and destroy but God has come to give us life to live it abundantly or to the full.

When we think of that, we think of how on the Third Day God's Son rose again from the grave and was Resurrected.

Our Savior will come again someday, but we do not know the day or the hour, and until then, there is still so much more to be done on this Earth.

Let us remember this Easter Season that Christ Has Risen.

T U R N I N G I T A R O U N D F O R C H R I S T

 When do you realize that you need Jesus? When do you realize that Jesus is the one who will always be there for you? When do you realize that Jesus will never leave you and is always going to be your friend? You see, we need Jesus because without Him, where would we be? What would we be doing currently?

Let's take a look at some scriptures that talk about Turning to Jesus and Trusting Him with a great understanding in knowing that our Savior will never leave us because He is our greatest Friend there is.

Proverbs 3 verse 5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Hebrews 13 verse 8-  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Psalm 37 verse 5-6: Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

Psalm 56 verse 3- When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Romans 10 verse 9- If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Luke 10 verse 27- He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine, He's been my fourth man in the fire, time after time, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood And what He did for me on Calvary is more than enough, I trust in God, my Savior, The one who will never fail, He will never fail, I trust in God, my Savior, The one who will never fail, He will never fail, Perfect submission, all is at rest, I know the author of tomorrow has ordered my steps, So this is my story and this is my song, I'm praising my risen King and Savior all the day long, I trust in God, my Savior, The one who will never fail, He will never fail, I trust in God, my Savior, The one who will never fail, He will never fail, He didn't fail you then, He won't fail you now.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace, Turn your eyes to the hillside, Where justice and mercy embraced

There the Son of God gave His life for us And our measureless debt was erased, Jesus, to You we lift our eyes, Jesus, our glory and our prize, We adore You, behold You, our Savior ever true, Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You, Turn your eyes to the morning And see Christ the Lion awake, What a glorious dawn, fear of death is gone, For we carry His life in our veins, Jesus, to You we lift our eyes, Jesus, our glory and our prize, We adore You, behold You, our Savior ever true, Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You

Turn your eyes to the heavens, Our King will return for His own, Every knee will bow, every tongue will shout, "All glory to Jesus alone".

I'm praying, God come And turn this thing around, God, turn it around, God, turn it around, God, turn it around, I'm calling on the name, That changes everything, yes, God, turn it around, God, turn it around, God, turn it around, All of my hope, Is in the name, The name of Jesus, Breakthrough will come, Come in the name, The name of Jesus.

God doesn't turn things around in your favor. He turns you around to His favor.

Water you turned into wine, Opened the eyes of the blind, There’s no one like You, none like You. Into the darkness, You shine; Out of the ashes, we rise. There’s no one like You, none like You. Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God, You are higher than any other. Our God is healer, awesome in power, Our God, Our God.

In all of this we see how God can turn things around, we see how when we turn our eyes toward Him that we can give the clarity of a greater understanding in who we are as Children of God and how we can overcome obstacles that we face in life but God gives us the strength to trust in Him.

To know we have our Savior to trust in Him and to show love and compassion to one another.

Who we are in Christ is Beloved, who we are in what the Enemy tries to say is not who we are.

We can talk about how when God turns things around, He's doing it not because we have to feel bad or anything, but because we realize that God will always be the one cheering us in our most difficult moments.

When we have Jesus, we have the moments of knowing that just like in John 3:16, it talks about how God gave His One and Only Son that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting or eternal life.

You see, we make a way to have Him in our Hearts and we should be thanking Him for giving us life.

So as we go about our week, let us remember that He not only turns things around for our Good but for His Glory and our testimony which is our story is far from over and with Him all things are possible because nothing is impossible for Jesus.

I want to end on this photo because I think it's important to know how He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on the Cross for our sins and to forgive us of those sins, so that we didn't have to pay the price.

I thought it was also important because it demonstrates how when we turn around and look to Him and see His Love, we realize and really begin to realize that we are not only turning other things around for Christ but Christ is turning things around for us because He loves us as His Children so much, He do anything.