"Fiery, But Peaceful"

 

Being poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, persecuted, reviled and wrongly accused doesn't sound appealing or seem worth it to those who are merely seeking to gain and enjoy more from this world than from their relationship with Jesus and living a life that honours and pleases Him.

If you are in a church that tells you God's blessing is going to look like health, wealth, and happiness, then not only is the pastor of that church wrong, but he does you a disservice by giving you false expectations and empty promises that aren't found in scripture.

The "prosperity gospel" is not the Gospel.

A church that puts more emphasis on you and your feelings, and prioritizes self love/care above, before, or even equally with and than the actual, in-context truth of God's Word even when it's easier and more comfortable to do so (and avoid conviction) is not a Biblical church and isn't going to grow, edify, and exhort you as the church was established to do.

Don't be in a church that shies away from the teachings of the Bible and/or waters it down. Diligently study what God says in His Word so that when something said by man doesn't line up with it, you will be able to discern his agenda from Truth.

A helpful meter of church discernment is this, which I heard first from my pastor:

If the world/those in sin are comfortable* in your church, then you - Christian - shouldn't be.

°

*Note that it says "comfortable", not "welcome;" big difference and totally different conversation.

The Integrity of Christ

This isn't an excuse.

This is a reminder, that God is and always will be God, and no amount of messing up on our part messes up Who He is.

We are not powerful enough to sabotage His deity (hallelujah!)

(Specific scriptural context for the WIP quote taken from 1 Kings, chapter nine.)

Unpopular Birthday Post

In recognition of my birthday, here are exactly 26 unpopular/controversial/random/goofy opinions or preferences I have and stand by. You're allowed to laugh, and you're allowed to disagree. The blog description says sass for a reason. ;) Enjoy. <3

26. Meat is better fully cooked, and it's not "cool" to prefer it rare.

25. Leggings aren't pants. Not saying you can't wear them...but they're not pants.

24. Anxiety is a feeling and we don't need to be prescribed and excused for it, we need mental discipline. (Scriptural, fyi.)

23. Femininity is still classy.

22. Women - at our core - actually do prefer men to be manly, as much as the culture insists we don't.

21. Lake over ocean. I love them both, but prefer the lake.

20. Church is essential.

19. Live streams are not church.

18. Pro-choice only advocates abortion, no "choice" about it.

17. Pride & Prejudice (2005)

16. You are not enough. Stop hiding behind validation. God is more than enough. Stop replacing/downplaying Him.

15. With that theme, "self love" is a garbage mindset.

14. You can pour from an "empty bucket" and love others before loving yourself.

13. Homeschooling was cool before 2020.

12. College is optional. Nothing wrong with it...nothing wrong without it.

11. I love my parents and value their input and wisdom.

10. Electing leaders must be done by considering policies rather than (assumed) character; true character will be revealed in advocated policies, and the effects of policies will outlast personality.

9. You're allowed to love pumpkin spice. Pumpkins were a thing before "basic" was.

8. In spite of what the modern "church" tells you, "love and peace" is not tolerance and blind gullibility.

7. The time to stand up for truth is always now.

6. The time to be honest is always up front.

5. New York is overrated. "Getting" to go there would not thrill me. At all.

4. Kids shouldn't have phones. They should have childhoods. Before being inevitably exposed to rampant immorality, predators, and social pressure.

3. You are allowed (and would be better off) to not believe everything the media tells you to believe, and think for yourself.

2. There is no such thing as "your truth" or "my truth." Truth is set, and God set it.

1. Christian, the best way for you to lead is to follow Jesus well. (He's done/does all for us, the least we can do is live for Him.)

The Wisdom for Which You Ask

You can tell a lot about a Christian's priorities, their need, and what sort of legacy they will leave behind based off the wisdom they ask for.

You can also tell a lot about a Christian's priorities, need, and legacy based off the wisdom they neglect to ask for.

Solomon was given the opportunity to receive whatever wisdom he asked for, and while the Bible tells us his request pleased the Lord, I can't help but wonder if God would have been just as if not even more pleased had Solomon included a request for wisdom in his home when he asked to have it in the throne.

If your social and professional standards don't mirror your personal, foundational, at home standards, you will eventually come down to the wire of these questions:

Where do your priorities lay, at their most raw?

What growth do you need, spiritually, in order to serve and live for God to the fullest?

What sort of legacy do you want to leave behind?

Seek God's wisdom for these areas.

Seek His guidance in detail, not just in a blanket request for help...He knows your needs, but you will grow in humility, faith, and contentment when you ask for His specific help and see Him work.

Title Reveal

(Not just talking about political positions, though definitely not excluding them.)

We still answer to Him first. Yes, man needs accountability and authority/leadership was instituted by God, but 2 Samuel 23:3 says "he that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God."

If those elected to hold us accountable to morality disregard God's Word and make rulings that are out of line by His standards, then our responsibility is to adhere to God's Word anyway, as those individuals are no longer eligible for the position they are obviously not biblically qualified to hold according to God's design for authority.

Don't buy into the lie that Christians should roll over and accept unbiblical or immoral man-made rulings and decisions simply for our "testimony's" sake; your testimony will be proven and evident as well as thrive when you stand fast and hold to God's Word, even and especially when it means going against the current and holding unpopular opinions while respectfully making biblical, moral choices in spite of irresponsible leadership.

Your honour of man - no matter their position - ends when their dishonor for God - the ultimate authority - begins.

°

Also, low-key title reveal for my WIP.

Drop in the Bucket

"You can't pour from an empty bucket."

Wrong.

That's an excuse that the church has adopted from the world.

God can do just as much with your last drop as He can when you're full.

Ask yourself why you keep checking the bucket in the first place...

Your job is to serve, and be in His Word.

God is in charge of the bucket, and the only One who can replenish it (which He does primarily through His Word.)

He will give you what you need to serve Him.

You just keep serving Him.

Aren't We Over This Fad Yet?

Saying "no" to the wrong thing is not "self love", it's being a responsible human and making wise use of your God-given conscience...

Saying "no" when your plate is overflowing and you're getting burnt out is not "self care", but is also being a responsible human and using your God-given time wisely.

(This is only one of many examples of world-indoctrination - that has crept into the church - and it's nauseating.)

Please stop equating common sense with self-love.

Please stop equating God's blessings with self-care.

Please stop humouring the culture by buying into the unbiblical agenda of self-centeredness.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: when the Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself it states up front that you love yourself; it's not something you will ever have to learn or put effort into.

Stop equating being irresponsible or lacking common sense with a lack of self-love.

And learning to be responsible or to better use common sense or to humbly appreciate God's blessings are also - you guessed it - not self-love/care.

It's called good stewardship.

Thank you.

Peace on Loan

The peace the world gives is only a surety for your devotion; once it gives you the feeling or result you think you want or need, it comes to take that peace back and you are left with an empty and quickly fading satisfaction, devoid of any peace.

The world only loans its peace, and always for a price; God gives His peace freely as we walk with Him, and left it for us to rest and find comfort in.

Worthy Scars

 "I will forget who I am for who You are

'Cause the truth is all my worth can only be found in Your scars."

One of the biggest lies of the culture you can buy into as a Christian (yes, even "church culture" pushes it, unfortunately) is this idea that "you are enough"

I talk about it a lot and some of you are probably tired of it, but some of you are also probably tired - more than you would readily admit - of the emptiness that comes with being "enough".

Being "enough" was never an expectation or responsibility placed on you by God; you accepted it from the culture, but you can let go of it today. HIS yoke is easy and His burden is light (and being enough is no light burden.) He calls us spread the Gospel, to be set apart, to be holy as He is holy - ongoing things that require His wisdom, grace, and strength (because - you guessed it - we're not enough to achieve them on our own.)

The only "enough" you are is enough of a sinner to need a saviour...

Jesus is that Saviour.

HE is enough, (what a reassuring reality) and that should be more than enough for you.

News Flash