Eyes on, eyes off

So I have been interning at my church and it has been an amazing experience so far. I know this is a passion God has put into my life for a reason because I just light up with I hang out with and talk to these youth- especially the girls. Today I went to a 8^th grade girl pool party and it was so much fun, I was asked to share a devotion and in that preparation and while talking to the girls God really spoke to me. I talked about trust/doubt/satisfaction. I used Proverbs 3:5-6 on trust, Matt 14:31 for doubt, and Psalm 145 for satisfaction.

However when I was looking at the Matthew 14 passage it is the passage where Jesus' disciples are in the boat with a storm and Jesus comes walking on water towards them… and then Peter steps out of the boat to go walk to Jesus. Peter had his eyes completely focused on Jesus when he started towards him…and he was walking on water! But then all of a sudden Peter realized the circumstances around him and saw the raging sea. He took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink… Peter looked back to Jesus and cried to Him… Save me! Jesus IMMEDIATELY reached out His hand to save Peter from drowning.

You know what…Peter was completely alright walking on water- (with God's power!) - when he had his eyes focused on Christ…but when he looked at the circumstances around him he began to sink and slip away from Jesus. He allowed his circumstances to overwhelm him and not let the power of Christ dwell within him. So then he cried out for Jesus to save him- and what gets me is Jesus immediately saved him. Jesus didn't allow Peter to drown or he didn't wait a couple of minutes to teach him a lesson or anything—it was immediate. Peter cried help and Jesus was there to pull him out of his circumstance. Peter needed Jesus.

We are such in need of a Savior…the circumstances of life can overwhelm us if we are not focused on Christ. When we are focused on Christ then we have such a connection with Him and use His power that is within us to accomplish the impossible…but once we lose focus…we lose that power and we drown. As long as we recognize we need Jesus we can be saved.

So how about we trust Jesus enough that we don't take our eyes off of Him. He can take care of our circumstances and at the same time we are being filled with His presence. That connection with Jesus will be like nothing we have ever felt…and once we have that- we cannot let doubt overwhelm us and allow ourselves to take our eyes of Jesus. Let's keep our eyes on Him no matter what…no matter what. – however if we do slip and start to drown- do not wait to cry out for help- cry out to be saved before you get underwater. . . cry out to be saved and never go back down.

Keep your eyes on Christ.

top 11

1. God is amazing
2. i love my job working with the youth group at my church
3. true Victory and contentment in Christ is more amazing than i ever had thought
4. my heart is with youth and cannot wait to see how God is going to use that desire in my life
5. i know challenges are coming, but i'm ready to take the victory in Christ every time
6. i want to learn how to play the guitar and solve the rubics cube by the end of the summer
7. i want to finish a reading list of books i have by the end of the summer
8. i miss my close friends a lot a lot. and not talking to them much is very hard!
9. The Office gives me a laugh
10. i want to see the new narnia movie still
11. i love my Jesus with all of my heart.

top 11 things on my mind tonight.

{embrace the journey}

rain

I was sitting at home enjoying an amazing conversation with my mom when she told me this incredible story.

There was this missionary lady who was somewhere in India with a tribe for quite sometime. That area was experiencing a tremendous drought, so bad in which people were starting to grow very ill and even die. they had been without rain for 8 months. the chief of the tribe called a meeting and in which to ask for rain from their god (some sort of pole). at that meeting it was being discussed how this god was not giving them rain, and they were getting very frustrated. the missionary was present and just said out loud without thinking, "My God will give you rain" the interpreter heard her and relayed it to the cheif. the chief replied, "what did she say?" and she repeated, "My God will give you rain." the cheif then went on to say, "If your God gives us rain i will become a believer of your God." the lady then immediately started getting attacked with doubt from satan. -- what have i just said? i just told them that, how would God respond, i dont know even if God will give rain! She then realized that she knew those words, "My God will give you rain" were placed in her mouth from God and stopped doubting Him and His power.
The next day, they saw dark clouds in the distance. It started to rain. It rained for 5 days straight. and because of that- everyone in that tribe became a believer.

God's power can be revealed in so many kinds of ways. She never said when God would give them rain, but it just happened to be God's timing to bring it the day after.

God's ways are so much higher than ours and when we just believe and not doubt what He can do, He will reveal Himself to us.

believe.wait.rejoice.


{embrace the journey}