It's been a while since my last blog and I've obviously it's not from lack of things to say (LOL), but more lack of time.
I'm now sitting here on my lunch break at work where I'm usually running around madly trying to complete the day's tasks. Instead today I have a song playing and I'm relaxing, I actually ate lunch (I hardly ever have time to eat lunch on my lunch break)and I'm enjoying these moments to reflect.
For the past three days I've woken up with a song in my head.
"Open up the Sky" by Deluge.
It says:
We won't be satisfied with anything ordinary, we won't be satisfied with anything at all... we don't want anything but You
There are more great lines from that song, but those truly penetrate my heart. Here are my thoughts, the truth is, that those words are ad much a matter of choice as it is a matter of change.
I remember when Jesus touched my life and I radically changed, but I also remember those days when temptation came to be satisfied for less. There are idols all over this world offering a short cut, easy satisfaction, and short lived glory. We have to make a choice to not be satisfied with the ordinary, to press in to the heart of God and touch what we were created for, relationship with the Father.
"Here we go let's go to the throne the place that we belong right into His arms"
Do we realize where we belong? We were created for communion with the Father, we belong, with Him. That's why Paul tells us we are foreigners in this land, THIS ISN'T HOME, WE'RE JUST PASSING THROUGH.
This is humbling to me. The fact that truth says that an EXTREMELY minuscule and small portion of my life is spent in these years of living here, and the majority of my life will be the eternity that I spend with God and yet I'm so quick to look for other satisfactions, other fulfillment, while here. It's the epitome of Hosea of a lover that runs back to prostitution rather than the relationship that was given to her.
Make a decision not to be satisfied with anything, but what you are created for. Remember the eternal perspective.
Be Blessed,
J. Tate
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Valentines Day
I find Valentine's Day to be one of my FAVORITE holidays. In fact, it ranks just below Easter and if you know me you know I LOVE LOVE LOVE EASTER!
Valentines Day is a day that we celebrate love and it's really up to you whose love you choose to celebrate and how you choose to celebrate.
Of course I am not ignorant and I realize that for many women, if you are single, this holiday happens to cause more pain than celebration and frankly I just hate that; even though I do understand.
Love is why we exist, love is how I'm able to enjoy relationship, love gives me a hopeful future, LOVE. It's all about love. God is love. On this day I get to celebrate love. The love of a Father who created me, HE WANTED ME!, the love of Jesus, my best friend, my Savior, HE DIED FOR ME!, and of course the love of significant others, friends, family, etc. It's a day to celebrate LOVE.
I believe in love. I believe in the power and strength of love. I believe that we are beings created to love. Love ALL others as God loves us. We all have so much to offer, so much bundled up in our love.
Remarkably what makes this day so hard for ladies is something that God has placed inside of you, that the enemy uses against you. It's hard because you want to love and be loved, it's not coincidental that this happens to be the life God offers for us. A life of unconditional love.
On this Valentines Day I encourage you to celebrate love. Whether it be celebrating love between you and your significant other, between you and friends, or you and your Heavenly Father. You are loved and there is love to be celebrated. Don't allow the enemy to use this as a time to attack your heart and emotions.
If you're single and struggling, remember there is a reason you're waiting and when that person comes along you won't regret it.
Be Blessed,
J. Tate
Valentines Day is a day that we celebrate love and it's really up to you whose love you choose to celebrate and how you choose to celebrate.
Of course I am not ignorant and I realize that for many women, if you are single, this holiday happens to cause more pain than celebration and frankly I just hate that; even though I do understand.
Love is why we exist, love is how I'm able to enjoy relationship, love gives me a hopeful future, LOVE. It's all about love. God is love. On this day I get to celebrate love. The love of a Father who created me, HE WANTED ME!, the love of Jesus, my best friend, my Savior, HE DIED FOR ME!, and of course the love of significant others, friends, family, etc. It's a day to celebrate LOVE.
I believe in love. I believe in the power and strength of love. I believe that we are beings created to love. Love ALL others as God loves us. We all have so much to offer, so much bundled up in our love.
Remarkably what makes this day so hard for ladies is something that God has placed inside of you, that the enemy uses against you. It's hard because you want to love and be loved, it's not coincidental that this happens to be the life God offers for us. A life of unconditional love.
On this Valentines Day I encourage you to celebrate love. Whether it be celebrating love between you and your significant other, between you and friends, or you and your Heavenly Father. You are loved and there is love to be celebrated. Don't allow the enemy to use this as a time to attack your heart and emotions.
If you're single and struggling, remember there is a reason you're waiting and when that person comes along you won't regret it.
Be Blessed,
J. Tate
Friday, February 11, 2011
Assignment
In my personal Bible study time the last few weeks I have really been studying vision, calling, purpose, assignment, guidance, path, etc.
It's important to me to know what God says about my future, my day to day life, what is my responsibility, what has He promised to do, how many things about my life are those promises I talk about so often the "if you will I will" promises?
We know that all of us have a purpose, a calling. Honestly it's the same for all of us. The purpose of your life is to know God, to be known by Him, and to make Him known.
The difference is we all have a different assignment, we've all been "called" to achieve this purpose in different ways. For instance, at one point in my life I was a youth minister, now I am a teacher, this summer I will again go overseas and do missions. It doesn't matter what I'm doing or where I'm doing i've still been called to make Jesus Christ known.
It doesn't matter if you're saved at 4 or 54, whether you have a job or not, whether it's secular or ministerial, wherever you are in this moment you've got a purpose. Pursuing after God, opening up to God, and sharing Jesus.
Now here is the fun part. God has vision for your life. He gives you vision for your life. YOU SHOULD HAVE DESIRES FOR YOUR FUTURE. There should be things we want to accomplish, things we want to be, striving for more of God, and making His name known more. Maybe your dreams are to own your own business, to travel and do missions, to be a youth minister, to be a college professor, to start a ministry, to write cards for people in the hospital, I have no clue what God has placed on your heart to do, but that is your vision, that is your dream...
I could go on talking about what all I've learned in the past few weeks, but I'm working on either a message to preach or a blog I'll write later titled "Holding yourself accountable to your assignment". I've learned a lot and I'm excited about it, but more than anything I'm excited about the dreams, passions, promises, and assignments God has placed before me.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT MY LIFE!!! The thing is God knows our talents, our passions, our desires, and He has a plan to prosper and not harm us. He wants us to succeed in life and be effective in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has things He wants you to do, no matter your age, but you'll have to stretch your faith out there and believe that it is possible.
The funnest part about serving God is that He makes away for mere humans to see the impossible happen. Find your vision, find your dream, put your faith in the Lord.
Know Him, Be known by Him, make Him known. You were given breath, to give Him glory.
Be Blessed,
J. Tate
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
THEY KNEW THEIR PURPOSE AND WENT AFTER IT:
11 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. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 29:11-14)
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
(Isaiah 61:1-2)
4 "The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
(Jeremiah 1: 4-5)
It's important to me to know what God says about my future, my day to day life, what is my responsibility, what has He promised to do, how many things about my life are those promises I talk about so often the "if you will I will" promises?
We know that all of us have a purpose, a calling. Honestly it's the same for all of us. The purpose of your life is to know God, to be known by Him, and to make Him known.
The difference is we all have a different assignment, we've all been "called" to achieve this purpose in different ways. For instance, at one point in my life I was a youth minister, now I am a teacher, this summer I will again go overseas and do missions. It doesn't matter what I'm doing or where I'm doing i've still been called to make Jesus Christ known.
It doesn't matter if you're saved at 4 or 54, whether you have a job or not, whether it's secular or ministerial, wherever you are in this moment you've got a purpose. Pursuing after God, opening up to God, and sharing Jesus.
Now here is the fun part. God has vision for your life. He gives you vision for your life. YOU SHOULD HAVE DESIRES FOR YOUR FUTURE. There should be things we want to accomplish, things we want to be, striving for more of God, and making His name known more. Maybe your dreams are to own your own business, to travel and do missions, to be a youth minister, to be a college professor, to start a ministry, to write cards for people in the hospital, I have no clue what God has placed on your heart to do, but that is your vision, that is your dream...
I could go on talking about what all I've learned in the past few weeks, but I'm working on either a message to preach or a blog I'll write later titled "Holding yourself accountable to your assignment". I've learned a lot and I'm excited about it, but more than anything I'm excited about the dreams, passions, promises, and assignments God has placed before me.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT MY LIFE!!! The thing is God knows our talents, our passions, our desires, and He has a plan to prosper and not harm us. He wants us to succeed in life and be effective in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has things He wants you to do, no matter your age, but you'll have to stretch your faith out there and believe that it is possible.
The funnest part about serving God is that He makes away for mere humans to see the impossible happen. Find your vision, find your dream, put your faith in the Lord.
Know Him, Be known by Him, make Him known. You were given breath, to give Him glory.
Be Blessed,
J. Tate
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
THEY KNEW THEIR PURPOSE AND WENT AFTER IT:
11 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. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 29:11-14)
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
(Isaiah 61:1-2)
4 "The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
(Jeremiah 1: 4-5)
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