A New Mindset For A New Year

So first I want to say an early happy New year's to every one reading this. I know that 2012 has been a rough year for many to different extents. I just want to say some things about the new year that will be upon us in just a few hours. I see how most of you mention on twitter how you plan on turning this year and how 2013 is THAT year when everything is going to be great etc. Well this year I think that it is time to make it THAT year. We all know how New Years resolutions go... we make them and stick to them for about the first week and then after that we go back to the same ole same ole. Not really to interested in doing anything different because we have done it a certain way for so long. How about this year we actually change that, why not put in a little initiative and discipline into this year.

I want to direct this blog towards resolutions we definitely want to have for this up coming year.

1. Positive Speech
To often many of us have such negative things to say about not only others but about our own lives. we constantly talk about our selves in such a negative light and then wonder why our life seems so bad. In Proverbs the bible talks about our speech and how it affects us, everyone has head this scripture at least once in their life.
"death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [ for death or life] Proverbs 18:21 AMP
When it comes to school we constantly joke about how "o I'm just gonna fail that test anyway" even our little phrase "I'm weak" in just that alone we wonder why we give into temptations so easily. You want to stop dealing with something but in you bring up this term often. even though it is not directed towards a temptation you fight your STILL claiming weakness. Now I know some may say "Chelsee its really not that deep." and yet it is THAT deep. and example of how powerful words are, many of you remember in Mark where Jesus curses the fig tree because it was not producing in the time that it should have been. Jesus says to the tree in verse 14 of mark 11 " No one ever again shall eat fruit from you" later on when Jesus and his disciples were leaving jerusalem the disciples noticed that the fig tree has withered away by the roots. although that scripture is commonly used for how faith works it also shows how our words work especially when we believe in our heart what we say.So it still ties in.

2. Single-mindedness
From what I have seen many of us want to stop being so confused and complicated about how we live and how we want to live. So many are sitting on the fence what we want to do this year is to officially make the decision to be on GOD's side. Take this New Years for example so many will go to church and be at church until like 12 and the next stop is not home, the next stop might be a party or a club, to do what? Strut your stuff, risqué dancing. How is it that you pray to God and present yourself as holy and then take Gods temple and defile it? "double mindedness" if you truly honored God and his temple which is your body you would have given up all of that. Now I'm not saying you have to be boring and not go anywhere but I'm just saying understand your surroundings and how that affects you. How being in those situations can compromise the integrity of your relationship with God. Just be aware of that. But I digress. Don't let people talk you into feeling like you serving God is not good enough and that your missing out if your not out there living a worldly life. Remember we are in the world not OF the world. Your not missing out.

let's talk briefly of what the bible says about double mindedness.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways James 1:8 KJV 9 double minded people have a hard time committing to one thing. they want to be in the church and in the world at the same time. They are are easily influenced by what the world says even though they know in their heart and spirit that what ever it is, is wrong. They are unstable because you never know what they are going to do.

3. Forgiveness
This probably should have been first but thats ok as long as its here. This one is MEGA important. We like holding grudges against people for what ever reason and yet that only affects us. It just burns us up on the inside, While the other person is still living a carefree life. But you know what. God does not take your unforgiving lightly. Jesus says in Matthew 6:14 and 15

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
basically your refusal to forgive another cause God to not forgive you. and realize that if God does not forgive you that means that you are not in Gods will therefore God wont be able to bless you. It causes a domino effect. So forgive, get over your pride and talk to that person. Go and ask that person to accept your forgiveness after you actually forgave them, and if they don't accept its ok you will be good in God's eye and thats what matters.

ok Im trying to speed this up I didn't realize how long this got but its all important.

4.Self-Esteem
(sigh) there is SOOO much that can go with this but I'll try to keep this short.
1. Dont compare yourself, your life, your relationship status,etc. with anyone else doing that causes your self-esteem to drop way down. You dont have to worry about your life God has your life. Everything will be in his time if you let it be. Dont believe me just read what God himself had to say about that in Jeremiah.
"i know what I'm doing. I have it planned out plans to take care of you,not abandon you plans to give you the future your hope for" Jer 29:11 MSG
2. know who you are God's child. " I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well" Psalms 139:14
under all of that if your trying to get in shape then get in shape. find a person to go with you to they gym to eat with you so you chose healthy foods and so forth. Remember your body is the temple of God keep it up and keep it clean.

5. Singleness
I am going to write a blog on this later but just for now know that its not bad that you are single for the moment. Just because all of your friends got engaged or started relationships during this holiday season doesn't mean that you are behind in life God has his own plan for your life. remember the scripture that I used above about his plans for you. Trust him. If you start having ring envy then just go buy you a ring put it on your finger and get over the hype. I decided that my purity ring would have a double meaning because even i had a moment. trust me it helps. Also know that this time for you is to do what you can for God and the kingdom with out being tied to a significant other. You can also grow your relationship with him. Which is the ULTIMATE relationship.

Ok i believe that I have said enough for now LOL there is way more but I think these are good enough. I will probably do another five in the next few days. well I pray that you have a great New Years and I hope that you run with this. This year will be as great as you allow God to let it be, Be obedient to God. If your partying tonight please I beg be safe out there. Drink responsibly and dont drive drunk, and dont let your friends drive drunk call a taxi or AAA to come and help out if you must. if you have to go as far as a police officer then do it. Lets get as many people into 2013 as we can.

<3 Chelsee HAPPY NEW YEAR (2013)

Halloween: The emotion, the cover up, and the environment

Many of us at one point enjoyed Halloween but in your walk with Christ its time to learn and to grow from those days.Check your motives and how this holiday can possibly affect you.

1. FEAR

This is what halloween especially nowadays plays off of. This is probably the biggest one. It completely cancels out the whole affair all together. The bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV):  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

  This means that fear is not of God, said in another way fear is in no way Godly, God is not in it. Now if your claiming to be saved why would you put yourself in a situation to be OUT of the presence of God? If God is not there then anything you do in that moment he is not obligated to make sure that your ok when you willingly step away from you. Fear comes in this moment because you do get that emptiness/helplessness feeling inside of you. Your jumpy because your spirit man detects that it is somewhere that God is not. In my opinion thats a terrible place to be. 

2. The Costume

Where to begin. I think this is more focused towards us ladies but guys a lot of it applies to you too. For some the costume aspect really isn't that big of a deal. But for others it REALLY is. Personally in my opinion I believe that some costumes or chosen because of a self esteem level that has been failed to be obtained. Why is it that on this ONE day that ladies feel the need to find the outfits that cover the LEAST amount of skin? Why is it that you have to be seductive on this ONE specific night? What is it doing for you? We know you have that "banging body" but do you really think that it is acceptable to have it all exposed? How exactly are you representing God with your chest and your backside all out. Halloween is NOT a big 1 night stand. Not saying that, that is the intent but are you really helping to avoid the situation especially when drinks are added in for the "grown folks" population. (we will talk about the parties later). I always here how people say they are classy this and classy that....how is that classy?

1Peter 3:3-5" Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. ⁵ For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves...."

 

Does that mean dress in boring things? No definitely not but be considerate of the guys who are trying to live their lives the right way. Think about this 

matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’^[a] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Ladies the reverse of that is true to. You may not be married but its still applies and its still wrong. Lust is a sin wether you want it to be or not. Those sexual thoughts are not good things to have about a woman or man that is not given to you by God. i.e. YOUR spouse.

3.PARTY! PARTY! PARTY!

Our generations BIGGEST hang up really. The environment for these can get way out of hand. Yes, you do have like parties for the little kids and the school parties. Then you have the "grown" parties that come with drinking and things that just probably shouldn't be done. I haven't been to these parties but I have heard enough stories about them to last me a life time. If you do go to these parties then you probably understand. For a night I know its all for fun but really it is not something that if your living saved that you should be entertained by. Your getting beyond drunk at these parties.1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.sleeping around with people Hebrews 13:4Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Things just get way to out of hand and rowdy 

Ephesians 5:7-12 
Don't participate in the things these people do. For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.(NLT)

Dont let the "spirit" of the Holiday take you out of what you know is right in christ. I Promise if you don't go your not missing anything its the same ole same ole every year and it doesn't change. Dont you get tired of doing the same things over and over again? This halloween why not go out and do something you have never done before.. This year halloween in on a Wednesday.. why not try going to church instead? 

~Chelsee

God is on your side

^{Romans 8:28-39}

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified;those he justified, he also glorified.

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I couldn't pick a good place to stop so I decided not to. I was listening to a song this morning and the artist stated "That all in all things God works for the good of those that love him. That just stuck with me I just felt so empowered to go out and just achieve! 

If your like me you might be going through a time where you have been sitting and wondering how are things going to go. How do I know that what Im doing is even going to work. Why is that there are certain things that I am going through that hurt me. well here is your answer. God has called you to a higher calling and a higher purpose. That day that you felt God move on your heart and you gave your life to him that was his calling for you. Dont worry if things will work out. Matthew 6:34 says 

^" Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

 Dont spend so much time worrying. The very first scripture says that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God and as long as God loves us then he will always handle our needs when we let him.

God has already written your story so dont be afraid to act it! I know that times can get kind of hard right now especially for those of us who are in school but you know what Don't worry. God has plan! Your struggle is ONLY temporary. All of the challenges you face will resolve themselves for your good. Everything always goes back to keeping your eye on God though Matthew 6:33 says

"But seek you first the Kingdom of God and all its righteousness and these things shall be added unto you"

The more you focus on God and do his work the more he will do and give you the things you want and need.  

So dont give up keep pressing always keep your faith in action!

God wont let you fail in the things that he has written for your life.stay encouraged 

~Chelsee <3