My grandma always inspires me. Today, I am sharing her testimony. The testimony of a mother’s heartache turned to peace through Jesus.

I grew up in the upstairs apartment of my Grandma and Grandpa. I loved being there. They were so very special to me.

My grandpa could be found regularly reading his Bible and outside honking his horn as he waited impatiently to get us to church on time.

To be honest, I never considered my grandma’s faith. She always seemed like the support crew to my grandfather. She was always at church. Always serving in many capacities. Always supporting whatever my grandpa was leading.

But their testimonies reveal a very different picture.

As I have learned over the years, she was the catalyst to their faith.  My grandpa shares in his testimony how my grandma “nagged him into heaven.” She says in spite of her nagging God did what He does and turned my grandpa’s heart toward Him.

I have had the privilege to sit with her so many times and pour over scriptures. She is my mentor and greatest friend. I often say that she is a walking concordance because if I need to know where something is in the Bible, a quick phone call and a bit of deliberation and I will be pointed in the right direction.

Yesterday, I had the honor of sitting down with her to type out her testimony. Dashes and all. She read it allowed as I typed. We both sat in tears, as we usually do because we are constantly moved by the glory that God brings to dark…
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Get to Know Our Story: A Mother’s Testimony – From Heartache to Peace 

My grandma grew up during the Great Depression. Times were hard and beyond my understanding. I remember the stories of her picking up cabbage off the railroad tracks so they would have a bit of food to eat. I remember her stories of how people were kind to them and helped them with things. But nothing moves me more than how God preserved her to show His light through her for generation after generation.

She was my confidant during one of the most difficult times in my life. The time when my husband and I lost our twins. In a few moments, when you read her testimony, you will see how her grief was my saving grace.

So last night, I called my grandma and asked her if I could share her testimony. Although hesitant at first, after encouraging her about how much her own testimony could bless others she quickly agreed.

Friends, if you have a testimony. Don’t keep it inside of you. Many times we may think our story isn’t exciting enough or it is too personal. But it is the hope that Jesus has given you that is so important.

I think that as you read this you will be encouraged, as I always am, about how a gracious God can turn a heart of stone into flesh. He can take our brokenness and turn it into peace.  He can comfort those places in our hearts that were made only for Him.

If you are hurt, feel broken, or incomplete by what this life has to offer then I want to introduce to Jesus through the words of my grandmother.

Just share your story!

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

Before you get started, I want to encourage you with one more thing. A testimony is someone’s story. Your testimony is your story. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to point to Jesus. I loved how my grandma didn’t care if it was perfect. I love how she wanted it preserved in her own voice and style, and I just love how she felt compelled to share.

A Mother’s Testimony: Heartache to Peace

The year was 1951 – Dec 16^th   a tiny precious baby girl was born to my husband and I. Twenty seven and a half hours later she slipped away from us. That left an impact on my life that I can not talk about sometimes to this day –  the period that followed was the darkest of my life – because of my guilt and the feeling that God was punishing me by taking my baby it almost drove me over the brink – such depression I wondered why I was even alive – the first six weeks after her death I did not eat or sleep – at my checkup my doctor told me to go to work – that eventually the work would wear me out instead of my nerves and he was right that did help some.

Sometime after that, I asked George to go to church with me – I just had to find peace somewhere! What followed was nine years of doing everything I could to be good – trying hard to do what was right but always failing. The pastor would say be perfect even as I am perfect – me be perfect – what a laugh – I couldn’t even be good enough for me let alone a holy perfect God.

In 1953 I had Lori – what a sweet baby – so pretty – just like a doll – was I happy? Sometimes – did I have peace? No! In 1954 I had Lylie and Linda who was stillborn – another sweet little girl and even though we only got to keep one of the twins it was a happy time – I had so much any woman would have been completely happy wouldn’t she?

March 17 my husband was injured at work – very bad!

I was due to deliver another baby and it was a very stressful time not knowing if my husband would lose his arm or not – but on the 18^th sure enough, I started labor – oh no not now! I need to be with George but baby was not going to wait – I delivered about 6:41 pm a beautiful 10 lb 5 oz baby boy!

So I had my hands full – Lori was 2 years 5 months – Lylie was 1 year 5 months – a new baby and a husband that couldn’t do much with his arm in a cast up to his shoulder. Three babies – a good husband – a nice home – a very busy life – everything to make you happy right? But I was always wanting something and never finding it!

Four years later another baby girl – stillborn – more pain.

By this time we had gone to another church. We had a very good Sunday School teacher. He always taught the lesson and now I know but I didn’t know then he would always weave the gospel into his lessons – one time I heard all afternoon taste and see that the Lord is good – echoing in my head and another time it was like being like a baby and learning to start all over – learn to live all over again – what does it all mean? I am a pretty miserable person – one morning I was home alone all morning – where were my children – I don’t know!

Everything I had ever done began to pass before my eyes – and with many tears, I began to tell God what I sinner I was and he impressed on my heart that Jesus had died for me not for everyone else but me. I asked him to be my savior and take away my sins and make me clean – did he? He said he would and he did! I have felt his presence with me since that day – that was the most important day of my life.

Life does have meaning – life is in Christ and he is in me –

I have eternal life because I have him – everything settled in place for me. In the years since I have had doubts – I have been unfaithful I have failed him many times but he has been with me through it all – patient loving and gently drawing me to the place where he wants me to be.

I know that I do not have to do anything to make him love me he just does – I don’t know why – but I am just so thankful that he does and

I love him.

September 10, 1992

Thanks for joining me on this journey as we read A Mother’s Testimony: Heartache to Peace

You, too, may be feeling a bit hopeless but be assured that we can have hope and assurance in Jesus.  We don’t have to feel alone. We don’t have to keep searching for everything else in life to fill us up.

If you would like to talk more about how you can move from heartache to peace, I would love to talk to you. If you feel that there are empty places in your heart that just can’t seem to be filled by anything else, I would like to talk to you about my best friend, Jesus, who has been there with me through it all.

I would love to hear from you in the comments.

Maybe a snippet of your testimony. You can read parts of mine here.

Also, if you are looking to write your own testimony but don’t know where to begin, check out this document that you can print from the CS Lewis Institute, which is a really great resource and can get you started.

Writing your testimony makes it easier to share. Writing out your thoughts beforehand helps you clarify the parts of your story you want to preserve. Not that you have to memorize it, it just helps you be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have in you. (1 Peter 3:15) It is also a great exercise in remembering God’s faithfulness (John 1:17)

If you have a testimony to share, I would love to hear it. I would love to read it. You can email me at yoursewtrendy@gmail.com Subject: Testimony. They always truly bless my heart.

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I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

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A Mother’s Testimony: Heartache to Peace

A mother’s testimony: heartache to peace

The post A Mother’s Testimony: Heartache To Peace appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

— On Board

As I was driving home from my son’s school, I saw a lady with one of those “— on board” signs.

I’ve always thought they were funny. When my sister lived in Australia she bought me one that said “Baby On Board” and it had a picture of a momma Kangaroo and her joey. So cute.

So I got a little closer because I wanted to see who was “On Board”. Only her “On Board” sign did not say “Baby” or “Cubs Fan”. It wasn’t followed by anything cute or funny.

Her’s was a derogatory word and it was referring to her. I’m sure you can fill in the blank to who was “On Board”

I wonder what occurs in a woman’s (or man for that matter) life to bring them to the point that they think of themselves in a way that is self-degrading. Or even worse to allow someone else to think about them or refer to them in that way.

I realize that some people find derogatory words to be a joke or find humor in them.

Personally, I think that deep down, those insults really hurt and are a cover-up. I realize that some people have built up a thick wall around themselves to protect their hearts from further hurt. But there is room for healing. There is a soul healer.

I know I have thought terrible things about myself — and by the grace of God, I was rescued from my own self-degrading thoughts.

You are Beautiful

I am here today to give you this message. You are more than your circumstances and your past failures. Other people don’t get to decide who you are and they don’t get to place words on you that mark your value.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Right before leaving my son at school we were listening to the radio. The song on the station was “Beautiful” by Mercy Me.
Part of the chorus of the song says:
You’re beautiful
You’re beautiful
You were made for so much more than all of this
You’re beautiful
You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His
You’re beautiful

I was just singing this song to my kids. I pray they will believe all of God’s truths about them and not the world’s version of them.

But now, this is what the Lord says—

he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush a and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Isaiah 43:1-4

Dear Friends, You Are Beautiful

Dear Friends, The One who created you has a clear message.

He calls you by name. You are His.

You are not who the world says you are and you are not what your circumstances say you are.

He calls you precious and honored and he gave so much because He Loves YOU.

In fact, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for YOU. To rescue YOU. He did that all for YOU.

Why? He tells you here in Isaiah because YOU are precious to Him and He Loves YOU.

Your job is to respond to this call. Accept the gift that he offers you in Jesus.

The choice is yours. Choose what the world calls you or choose your identity in the fact that your Creator calls you by name. By your actual name.

Beautiful one, God, who knit you together in your mother's womb, knew you intimately before the foundations of the earth and knows all about you and loves you just the same.
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You are beautiful because He created a Beautiful You.

I love making new connections! Want to connect on Pinterest? Join Me Here.

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Please help us support each other. Find a couple of friends to like, comment and share their amazing posts.  

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. It would be a blessing to visit another friend in the linkup and enjoy their posts.

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts. 

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The post You Are Beautiful appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

We may go through life uncertain about many things. Uncertain if we are going to land that job we recently applied for.

Uncertain that our parenting skills will not fail our children. Even uncertain if we are going to come out of the latest health crisis we are facing.

Whatever your current uncertainty is, there is one thing that we can be certain of. That is our salvation in Christ. We can be certain to Seek God with hope and assurance.

The story In Acts 17, has to be one of my favorites because it addresses our frailty as humans to want something greater than what we can see.

The Greeks created gods to explain what they could not understand. They grasped at everything and when they were not certain what it was or how to fix it, they created a new god for it.
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They had it right in looking to the Heavens, but so far off by seeking everything but the True God.

Bottom line was they were looking for hope. They were looking for assurance in this life and they looked in everything they could think of.

In fact, they even left that open for a possibility, the unknown. They had resorted to every god they could think of to fix something but still were left feeling broken.

In Acts 17, Paul visits Athens. What he notices is their city of full of idols. There is one particular altar, however, that is dedicated, “To An Unknown God”. Paul addresses the people who seem to be seeking everything, even the unknown.

Are We Different Today?

Not much is different than today. People are constantly seeking unknown gods. Seeking fulfillment in nearly everything except the source of life.

We try to find it everywhere. In riches, fame, work, hobbies, activities, even family and friends.

Yet, somehow, we are left empty. Seeking more.

There was a time in my life when I lived in complete rebellion against God. I sought fulfillment in everything this world had to offer. When one thing didn’t satisfy me, I moved onto another.

But every time, I came up feeling less and less satisfied. I had worshipped what this world had to offer. I looked for gods to be made out of a career, lifestyle, and even pleasure.

When those things could no longer fulfill my needs, I found myself in the bottom of a pit with only one way out.

Looking Back to Jesus.

Are Christians Exempt?

As Christian people, we can find ourselves doing much of the same things.  We are guilty of filling our time gaps with all of these things in pursuit of this one thing.

Maybe it’s not as blatant as worshipping the ways of the world. Maybe is it something we so often do; create our own God to worship.

Maybe it’s the God who only loves or the God of only grace. We create gods out of attending worship service or following the legalistic rules we have created.

Yet, no matter how hard we try and make our own god, the one that may be more palatable to us or to the world, we feel empty.

This purpose, this fulfillment that just can’t seem to be met no matter how hard we try.

In this Seeking God Series, we are going to take in God’s Word. My purpose is this one thing. This thing we seem to be missing. This thing we are in hot pursuit of, only to be left empty-handed.

His name is Jesus.

We are going to be learning and living and breathing Him in. We will be seeking His heart so we can find our identity in Him and not in the unknown.

Getting to know God so we can know who we are in Him will be our great reward.

How are we going to do this? Great Question!

God has left us all He wants us to know about Him, about us, in the pages of Scripture. If we are in Christ, He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, convict us, and teach us.

There is one way to know God. We have to dive into His Word! We are going to do just that.

One concept at a time.

Learning and holding tight to scripture to get us through all of our life’s circumstances.

We are going to hide His Word deep in our hearts so when times of uncertainty flow from our lives, we can bathe in the certainty of God’s Word.

We are going to be able to breathe out the truth when we are filled with the unknown and with lies that seem bigger than we are.

5 Ways to Seek God with Hope and Assurance

As believers in Christ, we want to know God personally, intimately, and deeply and the great news is… we can!

     Combat the Lies of the enemy

If your anything like me, you want something tangible you can hold onto. Sometimes, our faith feels alone. Even when we have God, He may feel at a distant or silent. I want to seek God with hope and assurance.

Often times that is the lie of the enemy. Telling us God is not here for us or that He leaves us for another more important assignment.

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Psalm 13:2 (NLT)

Let’s not give the enemy the upper hand. Let’s combat him with the Word just as Christ did!

Our feelings don’t get to dictate the truth and reality of God’s Word. To know God is to love His commands and to love His Word and that is exactly where we are going to start.

Being uncertain is okay. We just don’t want to stay there.

If you are here, I know you are seeking. That’s awesome and completely excites me. I am so glad you’re here. Let’s Get started!

Ready to have something to hold onto?

Swords in the Air! (Hebrews 4:12)

Take a look at these verses and pray over them. Let God sink His Words into your heart and to a place where you will begin to have full assurance of Him.

You can start with the assurance of this verse.

     ASK. SEEK. KNOCK.

Matthew 7:7-8 (BSB) 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; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

God says for everyone who asks receives, who seeks finds, and to him who knows He will open the door for you.
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One time, I had a guy online get really mad at me, well honestly, he was mad at God. He said, “I tried to find God and I couldn’t” He felt empty after his pursuit. Friends, let me assure you God is not trying to hide from us.

But He will be hesitant to reveal Himself to us when we don’t really want to find Him. He knows our heart and our motives.

He is not a genie that grants wishes and shows up when it is convenient for us. Honestly seek Him and you will find Him.

     RECEIVE. FIND. BE WELCOMED IN.

Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21 (NASB)

We want to seek God wholeheartedly, just as Hezekiah did. Then we, too, will prosper in the will of God.

Why do we want to seek God? Why do we want to do His will wholeheartedly by faith?

The author of Hebrews tells us without faith it is impossible to please God. We want to please God because we love Him and there we will find our rewards, His blessings.

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) 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.

We will find God and we can rest in His hope when we are earnest seekers of His will, not just our own.

     Face to Face

I love this next verse. It always reminds me of the hope I have in Christ. To See Him face to face.

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” Psalm 27:8 (ESV)

The longing that I have for that glorious day wells up inside of me. It is a fresh spring that quenches my soul when my heart grows faint.

I can look forward to the day where my gaze is no longer on the clouds or a hope in the future but on my Father who will someday return in the clouds just as He left.

Our eyes will meet, just as all eyes will see Him in His glory, and I pray for this day when my knees will bow before my King.

     Don’t put off till tomorrow what needs to be done today

Finally, David, gave instructions to his son Solomon to serve God wholeheartedly and willfully.

I used to believe that spending time in God’s Word was a task. A to-do. Put it on the list and mark it off.

That didn’t excite me or keep me very dedicated. Especially because I am a procrastinator and my to-do can always wait until to-morrow.

Not my time with God.

Now, I realize this is a relationship I depend so deeply on. This verse reminds me of God’s Authority over my life and King over All.

It puts me in proper placement to Him. It also reminds me that He will be there when I seek Him. I love to know my unchangeable God.

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)

We can use these verses as reminders to Seek God. We are reminded that when we do, we will surely find Him and the hope that He offers through His Son Jesus.

Seeking His ways gives us hope and assurance not only in this life but in our eternal life to come.

Knowing God’s Word is key to having this truth reign in our lives.

Do you have other ways or verses that you hold onto that help you seek God with hope and assurance?

Thank you for joining me, stick around for Sitting Among Friends Blog Party.

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This linkup will go for two weeks. You can leave up to three posts. Please visit some other bloggers to show them some <3. And be sure to come back on Thursday to check out my link to my latest post at Experience His Freedom Blog as part of the 21 Days of Marriage Series. 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. It would be a blessing to visit another friend in the linkup and enjoy their posts.

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts. 

You can add up to three of your favorite or new posts. 

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them. 

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

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Seek God with Hope and Assurance

The post 5 Ways to Seek God with Hope and Assurance appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

5 Bible Verses about the Bible

Many people have a lot of things to say about the Bible, but what does the Bible have to say about itself? Today we are going to look at 5 Bible verses written specifically about the Bible from the Bible.

Many people debate the validity of the Bible and question whether or not it is written for our time or whether or not it contains errors. Although that is a deeper discussion for another time, we can look closer at what the Bible has to say about itself and in the process maybe answer some of those questions.

While I don’t have any question, that the Bible is inerrant and 100% contemporary based on my experiences and study of God’s Word, I believe that God’s Word speaks well for itself.

The Bible speaks clearly of itself. It presents its own validity. It is the living and breathing Word of God.

I can attest to countless times that I have needed nothing more than a whisper from the pages of Scripture and God has given me exactly what I need.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12.

You could quickly argue that I was just reading what I wanted to hear or needed to make myself feel better. That by no means is the case. Although reading God’s Word is uplifting and encouraging, there are many times that I am convicted of my wrong thinking or doing. My soul is divided and my innermost thoughts, sometimes not very nice ones, are exposed and laid wide open for examination.

A Lamp for My Path

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

I can often time find my way. North, South, East, and West, forget it. But when I need to get to a new place, I am able to navigate the streets and the land quite well. I use landmarks and physical features of the land to get where I am going. When I lived in Hawaii, I was easily able to navigate my way by following or looking toward the ocean or the mountains. I was confident in not getting lost because I paid close attention to my natural surroundings.

But life isn’t the same way. I am a mom of three busy kiddos. There are so many times where I mess up and fail and need good guidance. I need to be able to find my way and back from selfish desires and turning to the needs of those around me with a servant’s heart.

There are so many times in my life when I feel lost.

I feel like I am wandering around in a dark world and my navigation becomes skewed. So quickly, I can become inward focused and near-sighted in my circumstances. I can easily become consumed by the pressure of taking on one more task that is not in my playbook.

But then when I sit down with God’s Word, my perspective and reality don’t always line up. The story I tell myself and sometimes put on replay in my head is not always the truth that captures the moment.

God’s Word guides me back and illuminates my path. It helps me take the focus off of myself and what only lies in front of me. It lights my days with the truth that God seeks for me to indwell in my heart, mind, and soul.

My path becomes clear. My days become brighter. Not because they are without trials and troubles of their own but because I am walking in the light and my focus is clear.

I can see that my days are sprinkled with hope. Hope for the present and a future. I can see the heart of a Father who so desperately wants a relationship with His children and hurts when they want to let go. My path and purpose are clearly lit when I am in the presence of The Word.

The Word of the Lord Stands Forever

The grass withers and the flowers fade but the Word of the Lord stands forever. Isaiah 40:8

I love flowers. In fact, every year, I go to the store and buy seeds and new plants. All with good intentions. To make my yard look beautiful and my heart to feel happy from taking in the beauty that would surround me.

The problem is the only one with a green thumb in my house is my husband. In fact, my last gift few plant gifts sat by and withered away. One of them was even an air fern, which is really hard to kill. I was sad for its loss because it is so pretty.

I water them. Most of the time. When I think of it. Apparently, every couple of weeks isn’t often enough. especially in the summer when they are being scorched by the sun. My husband insists that he is not buying me anymore every time he has to water them. I can’t blame him but I truly love their beauty. I just remind him that the kids are still alive because I do remember to water and feed them.

The reality is that flowers and plants are temporary. Mine plants are just a bit more temporary than most. Maybe it’s because I don’t put my greatest love in things of this world and I can’t quite bring myself to remember the temporary.

So I put my hope and faith in something greater.

God wanted us to remember that seasons and time comes and goes. The beauty in something may only be there for a season. But there is something greater. Something that we can hold onto even as the seasons of our life seem to be fading away.

His Word is truth and reality that we can stand on. It is eternal, just as we are. God’s Word offers hope and confidence in something more than the temporary. It offers us the eternal life through Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross. A message that is timeless. A message that doesn’t and hasn’t faded with time and anything that we contribute to it. God’s Word will stand the test of time and will never fade no matter the season that this creation goes through.

Man Cannot Live on Bread Alone 

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4

When I go to a buffet or have a meal over the holidays, I just want to eat the bread. Literally, I could have a whole meal of delicious rolls. Why? They are so delicious. Why can’t I have just that?

If I only engorged on warm and did I mention delicious roll, I would be missing so many nutrients that would be sufficient for my body to stay healthy. And at some point, I may look like a roll.

I love the story of the woman at the well. The disciples go away to get food as Jesus speaks to this woman. In the process of Him telling her everything he knew about her, He also declares that He is the Messiah her people had been waiting for.

When the disciples return they try to get Him to eat and He says I have food which you do not understand. Jesus feeding truth was satisfying Him more than any amount of food they could have brought Him. Likely some flatbread.

He knew that the only way would ever truly be satisfied in life was not dining on delicious warm rolls but dining on the truth that He has to offer us. So not we couldn’t physically or spiritually live on just the bread because we need the substance that is given us through His Word.

All Scripture is the Breath of God and Useful

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

As we were reading through Job tonight at the dinner table, my son shouts out, “Where is all this coming from?”

Confused I asked him, “Where is what coming from?”

“All these words. Who came up with all these words?”

Even at a young age, we wonder about the words poured out in the Bible.

There are so many of them. Where did the words come from? Who wrote them? Where did the people come from? How did they all come together? How did they know what to write?

The short answer is, there at least 40 authors of the Bible. It spans the writings of around 1400 years from people spread out over what we would call today, the Middle East, parts of Europe, and Northern Africa.

Those are great facts if you like details, like me, but the Bible is more powerful than mere facts. That God could orchestrate such a symphony is writing is beyond our comprehension. He could breathe life into the pages and words that each author poured onto their scrolls or writing pages this vast is a pure miracle.

The Bible isn’t just for our viewing pleasure, to collect dust on a shelf, or to hold us in any position of high esteem. The Bible, like Jesus, has a purpose. It is to teach us the words and way of the Lord. It is for rebuking the sins that enslave us. His Words are for correcting that sinful behavior and steering us toward righteousness.

We are not to end there. We are given all of those gifts from God so that we could be properly equipped to accomplish His good works and point people to Him and His Kingdom.

Where is this coming from? The very breath of God.

Men Spoke from God as They were Carried Along

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For the prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV)

Seems possibly far-fetched? That the very breath of God breathed life into the words and pages of Scriptures.

Well, I don’t think so, but I also wholeheartedly believe in the miracles that are poured into those pages. But we don’t need to just take my word for it.

The writer of 2 Peter, Peter. One of the over 40 authors of the Bible. A disciple of Jesus and close confidant who would have been privy to more information than the average person.

Peter was also more privy to more information than most of the disciples and Jesus’s closest friends. He had the insiders scoop.  Jesus often took him aside and spoke only to Him.

He ascended the mountain and saw Jesus transfigured in His glory. Peter sat by the garden while Jesus prayed inside. He was the first to enter Jesus’ empty tomb.

You couldn’t get any closer to the Son of God than Peter probably did.

Yet

Peter himself writes no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.

He gives all credit to the Holy Spirit, who inspired the words that authors had the privilege of holding the pen for as they sketched God’s Word onto scrolls. God’s will put pen to parchment and the result was a Book that has become the eternal Word of God.

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Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. It would be a blessing to visit another friend in the linkup and enjoy their posts.

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

This linkup will go for two weeks! Be sure to stop back next week, too, and link up your new posts! You can have up to three posts per linkup!

The post 5 Bible Verses About the Bible appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Seeking Glory from the Father

“If you find yourself constantly trying to prove your worth to someone, you have already forgotten your value.” – Unknown

We live in a society that is seeking glory from every direction. We want our value to come from our education, wealth, fame, families, house, job, social following, you name it we’re seeking it.  I don’t know about you but that has left me, let down.

We are faced with the dilemma of those things going away or not proving reliable.

I want my value to come in something more secure, more constant, and more absolute and I know you do, too!

We are going to look closely at the life of Jesus because He sought His glory from one place and that one place was what truly satisfied Him. As we look at His ministry we will see how He was seeking Glory from God and was seeking to glorify Him in all that He did.

Believe in yourself? “Think it and you can achieve it”. It’s a mantra that we are taught from a young age. Your mind is so powerful that you can actually make things exist, maybe even if they don’t, or so we’re told. Although your mind is powerful in changing your perception in life, it is not always powerful in changing your reality.  In fact, it would be contrary to popular culture to think in opposition to this thinking.

While that mantra sounds legitimate, as believers in Christ Jesus, it is contrary to Biblical truth and should contradict our own Biblical worldview.

Live to Bring the Father Glory

While Jesus was working out His earthly ministry, He constantly spoke with people who were finding their value from what others thought of them. What other’s thought of them was based on their position, their education, their wealth, even their own self-glorification.

Sound Familiar?

Jesus spoke directly to this kind of thinking and these men on more than one occasion.

For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. John 12:43

They didn’t quite get Jesus. His mission seemed so unlike theirs.

Do you feel that same pressure in your life today?

Maybe now you know people, lots of people that just don’t quite get you. You are working and serving someone outside of yourself. You have laid down your own desires and the desires of this world for a future place (1 John 2:17).

Does your kingdom perspective have you feeling out of the norm?

I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge.

Jesus knew that God was going to glorify Him through His death and resurrection on the cross. What I love about His ministry was He was always mission minded. His focus was on His Father’s will and bringing glory to His Father.

Jesus’ contradictory message then is still going against the “norm” of our day. It leaves us feeling out of place. But Jesus’ response gives us comfort and hope.

And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. John 8:50 (NLT)

The great news is we are daily being sanctified through Christ. Meaning, He is making us more like Him every day. Our hope rest in knowing one day we are going to meet Him face-to-face and He is going to give us our glorious redeemed bodies. (Philippians 3:21)

Glory from God!

Jesus sought glory from His Father. So often, we find ourselves seeking glory from things that are temporary.

If you have suffered any loss in your life, you know first hand that things, people, and even ourselves will falter.

They go away and we are left feeling empty.

Even with all the things that we can amass, we are still left with a hole in our hearts the size of a cross.
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We can continue to search in this life for glory, but in the end, Glory can only come from God!

Our Worth and Value

Because of Jesus, the One who has received glory by finishing the work of His Father on the cross (John 17:4), you are offered the opportunity to be glorified through Him.

Although, we often feel the pressure to receive our value from others or even from our own accolades, our value is in whose we are and not who others say we are.
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We have hope because our worth and value are not given to us by other people.

But now, this is what the LORD says– he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 (NIV)

For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush, and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Isaiah 43:3-4 (NIV)

For such a long time, I went away from the Lord. The truth is there were times, I was in a dead sprint in the opposite direction.

Why?

Because I didn’t realize who I was. More importantly, I didn’t realize who Jesus was. He is the Lord God Almighty and when He has called you, He has called you by name. You are His, and just as He was in hot pursuit of me in my life, He is in hot pursuit of you.

Because of all the wonderful things you have done? Sorry to say, No!

It is better than that. We are pursued by the creator of life because we are precious to Him. We are honored in His sight. Wow!

I hope you got that, dear friend! You are precious to the one who gives you the breath in your lungs. He will honor you, He will redeem you and one day, He will glorify you because He loves YOU!

You are valuable to Christ and that makes you valuable!
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Whatever You Do, Do It All for the Glory of God 

Are you ready to make a change? Ready to let God determine your worth and value? Are you wondering where to start?

Giving God His glory because it is where all glory is due. Living to bring glory to God will, in turn, one day bring you glory.

So you might be asking yourself, how am I to bring glory to God?

Great Question!

The answer is simple and complex but Paul is pretty clear in his letter to the church. It applies today as much as it did then.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)

This is pretty cut and dry. As you journey, keep this reminder at your forefront.

Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God! 

Personal Reflections:

1. How often do you catch yourself seeking to be glorified by the people around you?
2. Do you often find yourself wondering if anyone noticed you or your circumstance?
3. Are you seeking your value in things or from people?
4. Do you know that the words God wrote in His word are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago?
5. Have you taken the words that God has given you as truth to become your own when it comes to who you are and what your worth is compared to what you tell yourself or hear others tell you?

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Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

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I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

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Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

This linkup will go for two weeks! Be sure to stop back next week, too, and link up your new posts! You can have up to three posts per linkup! 

Seeking God Daily Facebook Group

This summer we are are going to be doing Word Studies. We are focusing on three words. The first word we are digging deeper into is the word grace. Please feel free to look around and enjoy these Seeking God Daily Resources.

On this page, there are several resources for Seeking God Daily. If you are not already a part of this wonderful community, join us here or by clicking on the “Yes, I would love to get daily encouragement” Button Below!

Invite your friends so they, too, can be inspired by God’s Word. Just share this page! We have great conversation and encouragement through daily Bible Devotionals.

Hop over to Seeking God Daily Resource Page for more Info and some great free printable resources.

The post Seeking Glory from the Father appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

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Seeking God with a Kingdom Perspective

Do you find that Seeking God is a challenge? Like sometimes you are seeking with no answers. Maybe you feel like you are looking for something that you may never find and because of it, you have “Christian Shame”. Shame because it seems like everyone around you is “getting it right”.

Today we are going to point you to scripture to encourage you to look to Jesus. Look to His perspective on His Kingdom and receive the peace that He offers. We are going to look at Seeking God with a Heart Like Christ by Seeking God with a Kingdom Perspective.

What exactly does that mean?

In the last post from this series, Seeking the Will of God Like Jesus, we looked at the life of Jesus and at three things that He did to seek the will of the Father. I know we want to live in His will so living by the example that Jesus gives us is so very important.

Seeking God means we set our sites on the reality of Heaven. We pray to the Father just as Christ does for us and we lose the guilt about having the formula for getting it all right.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

It is about getting to really know the Father and letting Him know you. It’s about getting to know His Son and living by Their examples. They gave us a wonderful instruction manual — The Bible — and in it, we are told to seek His kingdom first. Simply put, it means to look to God for everything.

Set Your Sites on the Realities of Heaven

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT)

When I was a kid, I remember thinking I don't want to die. I believed that I was a Christian going to Heaven but quite honestly, I didn't want to go. It was beyond my grasp of reality.
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The fear of death overwhelmed me to the point that I didn’t want to know about Heaven or dying or anything of a future life. Fear had its grip on me and wouldn’t let go. I would even have nightmares of dying. This thinking went into my adult life.

Perspective Shift

God changed my perspective. He put in my path a pastor. He was an amazing beautiful soul. His years of life and study were reflected in his humility under the authority of God.

He spoke fluently about all things Jesus. He could speak and read both Hebrew and Greek and knew his Bible front to back and knew this verse and how it went with that verse.

But knowing all of that, He was a humble servant and barely took a compliment. He was someone I wanted to be around for hours soaking up all there was to know about Jesus.

I took a Bible study class with Him for over two years and every time the class would meet when our two hours were up, I didn’t want it to end. He seemed to have the secrets of God I only dreamed of knowing. I wanted to sit all day and listen to him talk about Jesus.

Better is One Day

And then Jesus revealed the most precious thing to my heart. If I could sit and listen to the pastor talk about Jesus for hours, what an amazing day it will be to sit at the feet of Jesus Himself! There I will be able to hear all that I have ever dreamed of hearing. I will be in the presence of the One person my heart longs for.

And my perspective of Heaven changed. I didn't need a new reality. I needed my gaze and focus to be shifted on Heaven's reality and to be focused on things above.
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The reality of Heaven is that we will physically be in the presence of God. Able to sit and worship at the feet of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:8) And there is nothing on this earth that is more glorious than that. The things of this earth will pass but He will remain forever.

My current reality of this earth is the Lord is not in some far off place. The Holy Spirit dwells in me and the presence of God is already sealed in me. (Ephesians 4:30).

The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (NLT)

I am reminded of the Praise Baby album we listened to night after night when my son was a baby. The song that gives me such peace and comfort is Better Is One Day. Better is one day in your house (Lord) than thousands elsewhere.

Jesus Prays to His Father

Have you ever thought about Christ praying for you? Even while on earth, He looked to His Father and prayed for you.

There is a beautiful prayer in John 17. Christ is praying to God. He prays for Himself, for His disciples and for all believers. I love the fact that Christ prays for us. Romans 8:34 reminds us of the fact that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father pleading for us. Let me tell you, I need to be pleaded for. He is Amazing!

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed John 17:1(NIV)

What is Christ’s prayer? His prayer is that He will be made known. That the Father in Heaven will be made known through Him and through us. He prays that the world will recognize Him through the love that we share in His Name.

And right in the middle of His prayer, He prays this

They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:16-17 (NLT)

My grandpa used to walk around singing these lyrics. This world is not my home, I am just passing through.

Jesus wants us to remember this so much that He prayed this for us. He wanted us to know the fact that we have a home and it is with Him. There we can find great comfort and peace.

Even though our home is with Him, John goes on to record that Jesus says He put us on this earth to reveal Himself through our love to others. We have a Mission while we are passing through.

In a world that is conflicted by truth, you can be certain to hold onto to this truth. The Word of God is truth and through it, you are to be sanctified or made to be holy until the day you reach Him in Glory.

Get Rid of the Guilt and Shame

Maybe you think you have to get this Christian Life “just right” or it needs to look like the lady across the aisle at church and so you are discouraged from keeping a kingdom perspective. Christ alone was perfect. We just have to keep our focus on Him.

Truth comes from Scripture and knowing what God says about our reality. The reality is that one day in the presence of God is going to be better than a thousand years anywhere else. Just when we think we had our best day in Heaven, God is going to make it better.

The best part of Heaven is going to be the fact that we are in the presence of the Lord and He will reveal Himself to us.

The reality is God showed mercy on us, while we were sinners. Getting this all right is only going to be the reality in Heaven. Until then we will praise God for His grace as He continues to make us more like Him. (Romans 8:30)

Don’t feel shame or guilt for what you feel. Ask God to give you a new set of eyes. Ask Him to shift your focus to things above so that you can see things in this life a whole lot clearer.

Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Psalm 105:3 (NASB)

Personal Reflections:

1. Have you been able to give yourself grace about those feelings of doubt and shame when it comes having negative thoughts about Heaven?
2. Have you prayed for God to correct and align your thinking with His Word?

3. ---

   Do you have a Kingdom Perspective? Do you look forward to sitting at the feet of Jesus or is that something you still struggle with?
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   ---

4. If you struggle, ask God today to send someone in your like that makes you see Him in a clearer way or ask God to help you crave Him more?
5. Do you feel like this world is your home or are you just passing through?

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Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post Seeking God With a Kingdom Perspective appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Seeking the Will of God like Jesus

I am super excited that you are joining us for this series. We are Seeking God and digging deep. In the post,  Seeking God with a Heart Like Christ, we went through an overview of what Seeking God looks like. Beginning with seeking the will of God, we will look closely at the life of Jesus.

There is nothing more I want than a heart like Christ. Most Christians would say they want to have a better prayer life and be more like Christ. I am so grateful He is in the business of transforming our lives to be more like Him.

Change from the inside out is available and inevitable when we are truly in Christ.

Have you ever said to yourself, I just want to do the right thing. I just want to do what God wants me to do. I just want to do His will.

But.

I don’t know what it is. I don’t know what God wants me to do.

You may find many good answers to this.

• If the Bible doesn’t explicitly say anything about your specific situation, seek wise and godly counsel. (Great Answer.)
• Pray and when you receive peace about the situation, that is the route you should take. (Another good thing to do.)
• Pray for God to open doors and shut the ones to which He doesn’t want you to walk through. (God is great at leading the way.)

In the Father’s Will

Those are all great solutions, but what does it mean to be in the Father’s will. We see when Jesus talks to the woman at the well, that pointing her to Christ was the Father’s will. We also see what feeds or drives Jesus to do His Father’s will, which is to glorify Him.

Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. John 4:34 (BSB)

There is no one to better to look at then the Son of the Father, Jesus. Jesus was walking in the will of His Father. He was talking in the will of His Father. Praying in the will of His Father. He was moving and navigating His life, in the will of His Father.

Seeking the will of God is what we must do as Christians. But what does that look like?

We are going to look at three things Jesus did that we can do that are in His Father’s will.

On Mission

What I love about studying Jesus is that He is always on mission. The attempts to distract Him or persuade Him to be or do something else were very real. The temptation in the desert by Satan to try and get Jesus to fall for his schemes is battled with Scripture.

With all the power and wealth Satan could offer, The Word spoke and the battle was won. It kept Him close to His Father’s will and sent Satan running for the hills.

We also see Jesus constantly under barrage from the Pharisee’s to be anybody but who He truly is. The final nail in the cross was due to Him continuing to do the work of His Father.

Jesus knew when His time had come. In His life, He brought Glory to His Father. Through His death, He redeemed us to Himself. Through His resurrection, He made all things new including the opportunity for us to live eternally with Him.

When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all humanity, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him. John 17:1-2 (BSB)

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” John 19:28. (NLT)

Jesus' mission to come to earth, die on the cross, be raised again, to eventually be seated at the right hand of His Father spoke loudly throughout His ministry. He knew what He had to do and He was faithful to complete it. #SeekingGod
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What does this mean for us?

It seems simple enough, but the reality is we are bombarded in this world to be anything but on mission. With us, the devil is trying His tactics to get us to wander in the wilderness with Him.

Why? Because our mission is also to bring Glory to the Father. How do we do that? By telling others about Him and pointing at His One and Only Son.

He offers us hope, freedom, peace, a future in His Glorious presence and that hope is what we are to share with others (1 Peter 3:15). It should be the fuel that drives us.

Obedience

I love the story of the time when Jesus went with His parent to Jerusalem for Passover. Maybe because it makes me feel better to know that even the parents of the Son of God, have panicked about losing a child and it helps me to not feel alone in this parenting journey.

Jesus was 12 years old and His parents had left the Passover festival and Jesus stayed at the temple. By the time His parents had realized He was gone, they were beside themselves and a day away. Shouldn’t they have known He would be about His Father’s business, even at a young age?

They were needless to say, a bit frantic. When they found their son, He obediently went home with them.

I don’t think it is a coincidence the Bible refers to children being obedient to their parents many times. Not because it is easy. Not because we want to but because we learn what it means to be obedient to the Father.  We learn what it means to be pleasing to someone outside of ourselves.

I can’t imagine raising a perfect child. I can’t imagine being a perfect child.

But Jesus was without sin. Tempted in every way just as we are — but without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

What does this mean for us?

You may be wondering to what extent are you to be obedient. Philippians 2:8 says

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death– even death on a cross! (NIV)

That was the extent of Jesus obedience. Does He call us to do that? We don’t have to die for our sins, but there are people every day that are obedient to Christ, even to death. That puts obedience in a whole new light, doesn’t it?

Obedience even in suffering makes us more like Christ.

Has He called us to that kind of life? I don’t know.

Our obedience means we follow Him. Jesus was talking to Peter and Jesus was explaining to Peter what kind of death he was going to have to glorify Him. He was telling Peter the cost of following Him meant death. Peter turned to Jesus and said what about Him? Referring to John, who was following them. Jesus’ reply was, What is that to you? You follow me.” (John 21:21)

We don’t know what obedience will lead to. We do know that it is up to God what the reward is and how it will turn out and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Submission

I left the best for last. I know this for me by far has been the hardest.

For anyone who has made the decision to follow Christ has had to go from being prideful and full of themselves to humbly submitting to the Lord.
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“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. 1 Peter 5:5-6 (BSB)

For me, this was the hardest part because I prided myself on being independent. I didn’t need anyone telling me what to do or say or how to talk or walk or live.

Submitting to God doesn’t just mean someone is telling you what to do, although, being obedient is essential.

Submitting to God means I am free from the bonds of sin that so heavily entangled me. It means I am free to have hope about my present and my future because it has been bought with the blood of Jesus.
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It means peace in the chaos of life. The kind of peace I have found in nowhere and in nothing else. In submitting to God, He has room to make me more like Him.

We see such an amazing example of Jesus submitting to the will of His Father the night He was taken to the cross. If there was any other way, but Jesus knew this was the plan. Once again, His obedience and submission led to His death and glorifying God.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 (NIV)

What does that mean for us?

This may be your biggest stumbling block to a closer relationship with Christ or a relationship at all.

May we be the person that is able to rejoice in the freedom that is offered only through Christ.

It is not God’s desire that anyone remain lost. Because of our sin nature, pride being part of that, we are not able to come to a Holy God. That is what He is.

The separation that is between us can only be brought to a place of peace when we decide to submit to His authority over our lives.

If you have made a decision to follow Christ and you feel your relationship is strained. Ask Him to reveal to you what in your life is getting in the way. Ask Him to reveal to you what you need to submit and turn over to Him. Maybe it is pride, greed, envy, jealousy. We have to completely submit to Him as the Authority and Ruler of our lives.

If you have never submitted to Christ. Don’t waste another moment. He alone can offer peace in this life that surpasses our understanding of any situation. If you need to talk further, please contact me.

Personal Reflections: 

1. We were created for worship. Does this change your idea of submission and living on mission for the Lord?
2. What do you struggle the most with, living in the Father’s will?
3. Are you currently battling any of these? Are you ready to give them up and trade them for peace?
4. What do you find, in your current season of life to be most difficult to live on mission?
5. If you have not submitted your life to Christ, what are you struggling to give Him?

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post Seeking The Will Of God Like Jesus appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

3 Ways to Seek God with a Heart Like Christ

The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Psalm 14:2 (NIV)

When I decided to start writing a blog, it was because I felt God call me to move into a new direction in ministry. I didn’t know what that meant or how that would look, I just wanted to be willing to move.

The very first post I wrote was called Seeking God In All I Do. It is where my heart feels the most at peace. And since I knew nothing about setting up a blog it somehow transferred and became the title of my blog. Which, eventually became what it is today.

God is who I think about all day. He is my consuming passion. He is where I seek refuge, hope, and freedom. It was so fitting to where my heart is so I left it.

My heart’s passion was to teach and share with others where I found that hope.

This new series is going to be focused on Seeking God.

Since creation, man has been seeking something. They have been on a path to discover what that place in their heart is that was only meant to hold the creator of their soul.

We are going to discover that the longing in our soul can only be satisfied by the Living God (Psalm 107:9) when we are seeking Him.

The greatest place to look is at the living example in Jesus. As He walked on this earth, He had one desire. He was focused on sharing God with the world and completing the mission of redeeming us to His Father.

Today, we are going to look at 3 ways to seek God by Seeking a heart like Christ.

Seek the Father’s Will

I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just,  because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  John 5:30 (BSB)

Although Jesus was God and never claimed to be anything but God, we see this unique relationship between The Father and The Son. Not one inferior to the other but two working as one Godhead.
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Jesus didn’t act on His own accord. I don’t know exactly how their relationship works but I know it does. This is one reason, I am so glad He is God and I am not Him because there are so many things, like this, I don’t understand. (Isaiah 55:9)

Being God, Jesus was fully capable of all things yet allowed Himself to be limited to His human flesh. When Jesus put on His cloak as a human being to dwell among His people, He wanted to give us a guide to live and walk by.

We know that at any time He could have called on an army of 10,000 angels to be by His side but He didn’t (Matthew 26:53).

Jesus in our Shoes

He wrestled this world out so that we would know how to do the same. So we could relate to Him because we know He has walked those miles in our shoes, yet was without sin.

Jesus sought the will of the Father. His heart was to please His Father and do His will.

For us, that means to Seek God with a Heart like Christ, we must seek the Father’s will for our lives. God’s Word gives us everything we need to know to live by His will (2 Timothy 3:16). By also spending time in prayer and being taught by the Holy Spirit we, too, can seek to live by the will of the Father.

Seek Glory and Praise from God

Jesus was not about the seeking glory from man or glory for Himself. He knew where His glory was to come from.

I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge. John 8:50 (BSB)

God, who judges rightly, will also give you glory at just the right time.

So often we seek the applause and approval of men and women that we lose focus on who will properly glorify us.

We want our accolades to be now and loud. We want those around us to notice us and the things that we do. Fulfilling the desire of our flesh to be counted as worthy.

But Jesus was completely different.

True joy…

…comes from the Father and it comes when we are pleasing to Him.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (BSB)

I think we could all agree that going to the cross, being beaten and battered for our sins sounds horrific.

Yet, Jesus, because of the joy that He would receive when the plan was fulfilled, He endured the cross.

He took on my shame. Something I myself could not remove.

For the joy of being able to take that away from us and allow us the opportunity to be made right and glorious in His Father’s eyes, He endured the cross. His awesomeness literally blows me away.

But to Him, He was pleasing His Father. His Father, who is a right and just judge, at just the right time, glorified Him and now He sits at His right hand.

Seek His Kingdom

When I am away from home for too long, I am ready to get back there. I feel out of sorts and want the normalcy of my life to be smoothed out.

I often feel like that on any given day. The reason is, when we are in Christ, this place is not our home (Hebrews 11:14). We are citizens of God’s Kingdom (Philippians 3:20).

So our feeling out of sorts at times, is often because we are seeking this earth to feel like home. We are looking for the things of this world to please and fulfill us.

Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Luke 12:31 (ESV)

What will be added to us? Besides a kingdom awaiting our return, God knows our needs now and wants to take care of us.
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He gives us clear instruction here not to be missed, seek first His kingdom.

Living with a Heart Like Christ

I want my heart to be focused and to become more like Christ every day and I know you want the same.

Seeking God’s Kingdom above all else, seeking His will for my life in how I act, think and talk, and doing it to receive glory from Him, will make me more like Christ.

This was how Christ lived. He lived a perfect life perfecting pleasing to His Father and these are the things that He did and directed us to do. His consuming passion was for His Father and I want mine to be the same.

Personal Reflections:

1. Do you want to have a heart more aligned with Christ? I know I do!
2. What steps can you take today to be on that path?
3. If you are someone who looks to please man, how has that worked for you? Do you find fulfillment in it or are you often times let down?
4. What does it mean to you to seek God’s Kingdom first?

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post Seeking God: With a Heart Like Christ appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Face to Face With My Lord

And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ Acts 22:10 (ESV)

After the days when Jesus was crucified and ascended into Heaven, there was great persecution against the early Christians. Saul was leading the charge.

Saul was the son of a Pharisee and had a resume a mile long. He had been trained a Pharisee by the teacher of his day, Gamaliel. Saul was an expert in the law and the knowledge of the old testament prophets ran through his veins. He was advanced far beyond those of his age.

Saul was so sure of himself and what he held to be true of his ancestors’ religion that he would stop at nothing to make sure that it remained as sacred as he held it to be.

Saul was so zealous for his religion that he spent his time doing what he had to do to keep it from being brought down by any outside thinking. This included hunting down, arresting, and even bringing people to their death over what he thought he knew to be true of Jesus of Nazareth.

The persecution was so great against the church in Jerusalem, all except the apostles dispersed throughout Judea and Samaria.

Saul was known in the early church as a great persecutor. He was at the scene when Stephen was being stoned for sharing the good news of the resurrection of Jesus. Saul stood by and approved of their killing him. He even held the cloaks of those willing to throw the stones.

Saul was so zealous that he asked for papers to hunt down the Jews that had dispersed from Jerusalem to Damascus to “bring them back” to keep them as prisoners.

Stopped in His Tracks

On route to Damascus Saul's life took a dramatic turn. A turn that not only affected Saul but has affected every generation of Christians since.
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While traveling Saul was suddenly thrown from his horse when a bright light from heaven shown all around him and his crew.

I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’ ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied. Acts 22:7-8 (BSB)

Jesus.

I just love this part of the story because even if you have never been on horseback on the road to Damascus, if you are a believer in Christ, this is your story.

You were going through life just minding your own business or like Saul, you were not and Jesus stopped you in your tracks.

The early Christians were known as followers of the Way.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NIV)

During Jesus’ ministry, He didn’t shy away from the fact that there was only one way to the Father in heaven and that was through Him.

Jesus said He is the way. The way to truth and life not only now but for all of eternity. If you have believed God’s words to be true, and have decided to take the step to turn from your way and follow Him, you have been stopped in your tracks.

For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25 (BSB)

Saul was prepared to take down followers of the Way at any cost but Jesus had different plans for Saul.

Saul’s Bright Encounter

The bright light, the glory that surrounded Jesus, caused Saul to become blind. Seeing Jesus face to face made Saul realize that this Jesus people were talking about was not just some crazed movement, but He was real and He was ALIVE!

Jesus wanted to know why Saul was persecuting Him? At this moment I bet Saul was thinking the same thing.

This is such a great encounter because in these split moments, Saul saw Jesus, it changed everything for him.

Saul’s response to Jesus tells us Saul’s whole perspective, everything he thought he knew and treasured so deeply, changed.

His response was, “What shall I do, Lord?”

When Saul called him Lord it changed everything.

Saul Becomes Paul

Saul was told by Jesus to get up and go into Damascus. There he would be told what his assignment would be.

He went from persecuting others to submission in obedience. Paul was obedient to Jesus.

He went to Damascus and waited and prayed. I can imagine that his time in the room waiting for his next thing was a whirlwind of emotions. Peace, confusion, shame, remorse, repentance, freedom, just to name a few.

His life was about to be changed forever and he didn’t even know if he would be facing it with his sight or blindly. Nonetheless, he was obedient to Christ’s call on his life.

What Can We Learn

There are so many things that we can learn from Paul and his encounter with Christ. What did these things not only mean for Paul but for you and I and our walk with Christ?

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  In order to be saved by faith, we must call Jesus Lord. Not just Lord of All but Lord over our lives.
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For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” Romans 10:13 (NLT)

• When we put our trust and faith in Christ we have to turn from our old ways to follow Him.

“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:22 (NIV)

• God has plans for us and calls us out by name.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

• When God calls on us it is best to answer with obedience. Go and do the thing Jesus calls you to do.

If you obey the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways, the LORD will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do. Deuteronomy 28:9 (NLT)

• Chosen and called does not exclude us from suffering but does come with the promise of hope and peace.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT)

Personal Reflections:

1. Have you asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life?  What does that mean to you?
2. Do you struggle with what Jesus has called you to go and do? What to you do to work through that struggle? What action stpes can you take?
3. When you feel the overwhelm of the world do you take the time to remeber the moment or moments that God stopped you in your tracks? It is a great time to reflect on His faithfulness to you!

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post The Cherished Moments: Face to Face With My Lord appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Face to Face with My Salvation

I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was a preteen. Growing up in the church the message was clear on what I needed to do to have him live in my heart. I knew that I was a sinner and that the only way to have a relationship with Him was to ask Him to ask for forgiveness and ask Him to come into my heart. What I didn’t know at the time was what it meant to come face to face with my Salvation.

He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd, he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. Luke 19:1-4 (ESV)

Hearing this story played out in a children’s may make this story feel very familiar to us. I pray you are able to get a new perspective on Jesus and His visit with Zaccheaus as we further our study.

A Divine Appointment

Jesus was passing through Jericho. As we have just learned on our journey with Jesus He had just healed blind Bartimaeus. He was on His way to Jerusalem for the final time. Jesus, however, never misses an appointment. This one was with an unexpected man of wee stature, who was waiting in the branches of a Sycamore tree.

Jericho was a center for trade at this time. It was a bustling city. A man by the name of Zaccheus was a chief tax collector. A tax collector was considered a defiled man because of His great deal of unlawful behavior.

A chief tax collector would have been at the top of the chain. He would have gotten part of the taxes collected from the other collectors. It was a trickle up system. The top got a piece of all the action. Everyone had to pay taxes but what they had to pay was determined in part by how much the tax collectors could “shake” out of them.

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” Luke 19:5 (ESV)

Jesus Calls us by Name

As Jesus was walking by He looked up in the tree. It was no surprise that the man He was passing through to meet was perched in the branches along His very route. Not only does Jesus notice Him, He calls Him by name.

You may think of Zacchaeus as having a lot of wealth and associate that with popularity. This, however, was not the case. Tax collectors acquired wealth but not friendships. They were hated outcasts. Often times they did many horrific things to get the taxes from people. They were considered to be traders to their people.

Although Zaccheaus was a hated man, I wonder how many times he heard His name. Zacchaeus was Jewish, we know from his name, which coincidentally means pure. This meeting with Jesus is about to change everything to make his name suit him.

Jesus called Zaccheus to come down from that place for He must go to his house. To come down from that tree meant He had to come face to face with Jesus.

Zacchaeus had to hear about Jesus. We see from verse two that he had to see Jesus. He had to see who this man was that was able to change the condition of a man’s life. I would imagine that loneliness has to be one of the hardest places to be. Not just hours or days, but years. Not just from having someone but from having anyone.

Could this Jesus, who had called Him by name change his place in this world.

So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”Luke 19:6-7 (ESV)

Met with Great Joy

Jesus was met by Zacchaeus with great joy.

I don’t want to like Zacchaeus. I want to, like everyone else, think he got just what he deserved. What did he have to complain about? He had all that money could buy and a plethora more.

Yet, when Jesus called him out of the tree, it is as if for the first time in a long time, he found joy. Not because the man that had this huge following was coming to his house. He recognizes that Jesus was coming to his house.

This was the day that the Lord had made, he noticed and was joyfully going to live in it.
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I am excited for him. Being released from the guilt of our sin and the power that it has over us, is something to celebrate.

And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”Luke 19:8 (ESV)

Repent and Turn From Your Ways

Zaccheus was face to face that day for the first time with his real salvation and immediately it changed him. We don’t see any indication of the conversation between them. What we see is when Jesus comes to your house He comes to clean it out.

Zacchaeus stands, shows signs of repentance and is ready to make it right. According to Jewish law, they were to give restitution for their wrongdoing by offering a guilt offering.

If you have sinned in any of these ways, you are guilty. You must give back whatever you stole, or the money you took by extortion, or the security deposit, or the lost property you found, or anything obtained by swearing falsely. You must make restitution by paying the full price plus an additional 20 percent to the person you have harmed. On the same day you must present a guilt offering. Leviticus 6:4-5 (NLT)

Zacchaeus was going beyond that. Jesus had impacted him so much that he was going to give half of his possessions to the poor and pay back anyone he had defrauded fourfold. This was beyond the law. This was the power of Jesus.

That is not just a sign of a new man. That is a sign of a free man. His possessions and all the things he had acquired had to have laid on him heavy. So heavy he desperately needed to unload the burden of it.

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. Luke 19:9 (ESV)

Salvation Has Come

This day, in Zacchaeus’ house, salvation had arrived. I love thinking of Jesus posture in this verse. The joy that must have been on His face. The straight back, as He proudly calls him His son.

Today, in this house. Jesus was not just talking about Himself coming to the physical house of Zacchaeus. He was saying, Salvation has come and taken up residence in Zacchaeus. Salvation came for His appointment to meet a man who needed a new a new heart. A man who needed a new life. Zacchaeus recognized his need, repented, and turned his heart to Jesus.

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:23 (BSB)

Our heart, heaven’s home. What a glorious day!

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For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 (ESV)
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Seek and Save the Lost

This sums up what the old testament revealed and the new testament declares. Christ came with a mission.

Jesus’ mission was not just to be a good man. It wasn’t to be a teacher. It wasn’t to be a prophet or a healer or a friend. I believe we see all of these things because Jesus just couldn’t help Himself. He couldn’t stop being who He was.

But Jesus had a higher mission. There are times throughout His ministry that we see Jesus walk away from healing. We see Him walk away from the masses of people trying to get a quick fix. The ones that could only see Jesus for who they wanted Him to be.

Jesus reveals to us in this verse His mission. The Son of Man came to Seek and Save the Lost.

He sought out this day a man that was despised by all. Jesus wanted to show that the sinners, the lost, were the ones that needed found.

Coming Face to Face with Salvation

Coming face to face with Salvation means that we not only see the need for Jesus, but we repent. We turn from our own ways and follow Him.

I got the first part of my salvation right when I was young but it wasn’t until I was much older, that I realized that meeting my Salvation face to face meant turning from my ways and following Jesus wholeheartedly.  It means believing that what He has for me when I trust Him, is for my best. It means I get a personal relationship with the Living God.

Knowing that He who lives in me is greater than he who lives in the world, I can walk with confidence that today Salvation has come to this house.
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What are some ways to know Salvation has come to Your House?

• God will seek you out. He will make a divine appointment. (Make sure you don’t miss it!)
• He will call you by name.
• Meet Him with great joy because He has come with open arms.
• Repent. Surrender your old ways. Turn away from them and Follow Jesus.
• Ask Jesus to take up residence and He will come and make your heart new.
• Saved. That is a word that we all want to hear. Saved from what. Not having Christ is our lives means that we are going to spend eternity away from Him in Hell. It is a message that most don’t want to hear but I love you enough to be honest.  I don’t the day to come when you stand before Jesus and say, “No one ever told me.” The gift of salvation is available. It is a free gift that was made available to us through Jesus’ death on the cross. The next step is in your hands.

Personal Reflections:

1. Have you asked Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior? If so, I would love to hear your story. Encourage us in the comments below. If not, I would love to further this conversation with you. Please email me at youresewtrendy@gmail.com
2. Do you meet Jesus with great joy?
3. If Salvation has come to your house, what do you do to live your life, knowing you are the Holy Temple of the Living God? Does that affect the decisions you make? How you treat people? How you treat yourself?
4. Are there any housekeeping items that you need to take care of today?
5. If you have been sought by Christ and called by name, what do you do to continue to seek Him?

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post The Cherished Moments: Face to Face with My Salvation appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.