Beauty in your life- change your thoughts for a positive outlook
I honestly don’t remember being incredibly attached to anything physical as a child. I was too busy avoiding my mother, so, I was usually outdoors running the town from night until dawn.
I remember my father buying me a portable radio one year. It barely left my side, because music was the way I escaped reality. While this radio is long gone. I am still attached to music.
We all live through challenges in life. Some are harder than others. There are a few things I’ve learned over the years that align with God’s Word.
Challenges teach us the through it all God is our sufficient strength, not just a hope for outcomes. He uses trials to refine us, not destroy us, aligning us with His for growth, character, and a deeper reliance and revealing that He’s always present.
He uses tough seasons to prepare us for greater things, not just to inflict pain, but to mold us and to reveal His unfailing love and power.
God’s strength is sufficient. 2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is are perfect in weakness.” This emphasizes that strength can be found in acknowledging our weaknesses.
When we recognize that we aren’t operating in our own power but His, we are able to move on to the next step, even when there are days that it feels impossible, God shows us His power in our weaknesses.
Trials are like sandpaper, they smooth the rough edges and remove hindrances which prepare us for the next level God has planned, rather than being punishments.
His presence is constant. Even when we are in deep waters, He promises not to let us drown, He assures us He is with us through any fire and flood. His presence is a light in the darkness. A few well known scriptures describe God as light in the darkness. John 1:5 states, “The light shines in the darkness, and darkness has not overcome it.” Additionally, Psalm 18:28 says, “ For it is You who light my lamp, the Lord my God lightens my darkness.”
Trust, don’t just hope. True faith involves trusting His plan and goodness even when outcomes aren’t what you want, this aligns our heart with His through surrender, Jesus molded this for us throughout His life.
There is a purpose for our suffering. Suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope, and God uses these struggles for ultimate good, not to inflict pain.
The seasons of life. Difficulties are seasons, not permanent destinations, and just as seasons change, so will our struggles. This leads to new levels of faith and blessings.
There are ways God works our challenges.
He aligns our will with His. Prayer brings our desires into alignment with His, and teaches us to surrender our will to His perfect, loving plan.
Through trials He reveals character. He uses our difficulties to reveal His power and our need for Him, this builds our character and deep dependency on Jesus.
God prepares us. Tough times aren’t just happening to us, they are happening for us, equipping us for a future purpose and greater things.
He shows is His love. He demonstrates His steadfast love and grace and reminds us that He’s there for us and has our best interests at heart. Jeremiah 29:11 states, “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 a hope and a future.” This is a message of God’s good intentions and promises of hope, even during difficult times.
My mission involves reflecting God’s love in every area of my life. To be an ambassador and light that embodies Jesus’s character and shine His light so that others can see through my good works that glorify Him.
My mission is through my actions, by letting my life be a testimony so it draws people to God through my kindness and unwavering faith.
God says you are loved, chosen, forgiven, and a child of God. You are valued and have a unique purpose, created in His image and called to be part of His family.
Understanding who God says you are is essential for your self-worth and identity. The Bible provides numerous affirmations about your identity in Christ Jesus.
Your identity is not defined by your past mistakes, or what others say about you. Instead, it is rooted in God’s love and truth. Recognizing these truths can transform your perspective and help you live confidently.
To embrace your identity in God, consider reflecting on the above affirmations daily. This practice can help you internalize who you are in Christ and strengthen your faith.
To live a long life I believe you have to find purpose by motivating positive behaviors, reducing stress, and improving your wellbeing. We have to have a deeper sense of meaning, direction, and significance. If we have a why to live, we can bear almost any how.
Often, when we think of Jesus, one of the images that come to mind is the lamb. When John the Baptist was about two baptized, Jesus, he declared Him the “lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). When we think of a lamb, we think of tenderness, gentleness, and even submissiveness.
Well, Jesus was all these things, there is another description of Jesus in scripture that is the complete opposite of Him as a lamb. There are 4 reasons we should know Jesus as the Lion of Judah.
There are 2 places in the Bible the lion and Judah are Judah are tired together. One is Revelation 5:5,
“Then one of the elders said to me, Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
There is a significance of the tribe of Judah. Judah was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. I’ll try to make it simple, the descendants of these sons formed the 12 tribes of Israel. A reference to the tribe of Judah is a reference to the human or natural lineage of Jesus. That genealogy is in Matthew 1.
Jesus is a descendent of Judah, which also included David, Solomon, and eventually making its way all the way down to Joseph, Jesus‘s earthly father (Jesus’s stepfather)
The other mention of the lion of Judah is in Genesis 49. Where Jacob called his son together and tells them what will happen to each of them in the days to come. Clearly, Jacob is speaking with prophetic language. When he gets to his son Judah, here is what he proclaims.
“Judah, your brothers will praise you, your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lions cub, Judah, you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouched and lies down, like a lioness -who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, not the ruler’s staff from, between his feet, until he to whom belongs shall come and the obedient of nations shall be His. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch, he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.His eyes will be darker than wine, a his teeth whiter than milk” – Genesis 49: 8-12
When you consider these verses, then the reference of the lion of the tribe of Judah points to the conquering, victorious King, that would descend from Judah’s lineage. We know that this lion was pointing to only one person, Jesus Himself,  God in human form, who is the lion of the tribe of Judah. This truth is important because it fulfills the promise and prophecy of God‘s Word. It also gives us hope and confidence in this one who will ultimately be our deliverer.
The proclamation made by Jacob in Genesis 49, our prophetic truths that will come to light. From these verses, we can uncover four reasons to know God as a Lion of Judah.
“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of the Father” -Philippians 2:11
Regardless of what people think or feel about Jesus, one thing we know for sure is He is Lord. Because He is Lord, everyone will eventually praise Him as Lord. it doesn’t matter if a person believes that now, but at some point, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess this to be true. When you recognize this now, you will willingly bow and acknowledge Him as Lord of all, and most importantly Lord of your life.
2. “Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies – you acknowledge for Lion of Judas victory.”
“Then the end will come, when He hands over His kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He had put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He had put everything under His feet” -1 Corinthians 15:24-26
Alternately Jesus will destroy our enemies, even Satan who knows he is on borrow time because his defeat is imminent. Satan is the greatest enemy we face as humans in the reality of sin and death. our sin interrupted our relationship with God and our death meant for eternal separation and punishment for our sins. Jesus conquered both of these enemies for us at the cross. Jesus as the Lion has given us victory over sin and has removed the penalty of death and replaced it with promise and hope of eternal life. We can celebrate that we are no longer the penalty of sin.
3. “The scepter will not depart from Judah -you acknowledge the Lions eternal rule.
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of Hid Messiah. He will reign forever and ever” -Revelation 11:15
The good part about being on the Lord’s side is that we will win in the end, regardless of how how challenging life gets, and regardless of the struggles or persecution, we make experience in this life.
It is so important to recognize that as long as we are on Jesus’s side, we will win in the end. Because He will rule for our eternity, and we can be part of His kingdom. then we will get to experience the benefits of His kingdom for all eternity.
So no matter how bad it may feel or get, it is only for a little while, our lion is coming soon and He will reign forever.
4. “He will wash His garments in Wine, His robe in the blood of grapes -you acknowledge His shed blood for the forgiveness of your sins.”
“Knowing that you were redeemed not with corruptible things, with silver and gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Messiah” -1 Peter 1:18-19
As important as it to know, Jesus as the Lion, that wouldn’t have mattered much unless he became the lamb. He would still be God. He would still rain forever. He was still ultimately trying over His enemies. However, we would still be lost. What makes Jesus all more impressive is that His road to conquering -His road to being the Lion came through suffering. He didn’t redeem us by keeping Hid status as a Lion. He redeemed us by becoming humble as a Lamb. That precious blood He spilled purchased our salvation, for gave our sins, and allowed us to triumph.
I am thankful that He is the Lion who fights for us and will come to our rescue. I am also thankful that He became like a lamb to win back our salvation. It was His suffering as a lamb that paid the way for Him to be the true “Lion of the tribe of Judah.
It’s January 1st of another year and I’m sure many of us have made resolutions. Maybe exercising more, saving money, or learning new skills, and those are all good ones.
But the thing I want to do differently this year is build up my relationship with God by living more in the Spirit. Remembering that every time I feel frustrated to stop and ask God, instead of running off and doing my own thing, which more times than not leads me to greater frustration.
Only God can provide true peace, unconditional love, and eternal salvation. These are gifts that cannot be found through worldly means, other gods or any relationships.
There are unique gifts that are available to us from God like Spiritual fulfillment.
He gives us guidance and wisdom.
He gives us strength and support.
He offers us Transformation and a chance to be renewed.
He gives us a chance to be part of a community and connection.
These gifts highlight the unique ways in which God can enrich our lives that provide not just material blessings but profound spiritual and emotional support.
John 15:7-11 Jesus tells us that “if you remain in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.”
By doing this we draw strength from Him as a branch draws from the vine. And by meditating on obeying, and allowing scripture we can shape our thoughts, character, and actions.
There is a promise that comes when we choose to follow Jesus. When this deep connection exists, your prayers become God’s desires, not your own selfish wants, so ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
If I had a freeway billboard, it would say, “If life hasn’t been good try Jesus.”
Jesus offers hope, peace, and a new way through faith, providing strength, purpose, and a promise of better things.
The path of God is the right mindset, attitude, choices, and actions we take that put us in line with God, and on the road to heaven. Moving towards Him, and not away from Him.
It’s also the path that brings us closer to ourselves. It brings us home to who we really always were meant to be.
This path to God is sometimes misunderstood by people. Some don’t understand that the path towards God causes division and arguments. It can cause us to push away from people who don’t yet know and believe in God.
I feel like I came to God’s path by accident sometimes. I came to the realization that everything I had tried in the past had failed. So, why not try the only thing I hadn’t -God. Doing so took me on an incredible journey I hadn’t thought possible. It took me on a four-year journey of learning who I really was.
As people we often cultivate and nurture destructive thoughts and become our own enemy. Thoughts of loneliness, fear, anxiety, worry, and immortality are more often the companions of our minds than we want to admit.
We have to embrace a new identity, characterized by trusting, obeying, loving, and imitating our heavenly Father. This leads to living a deep sense of belonging, security, and purpose, even while we struggle with sin. It involves a humble trust combined with righteous action, to do what’s right, that few are willing to give in to.
It involves knowing that we are loved, accepted, and realizing we have the standing of a legitimate child, not a slave, but adopted into God‘s family through faith in Jesus.
It’s having a deep confidence that God sees, cares for, and sustains you, even when you don’t have all the answers.
It’s striving to do God’s will, by reflecting His character and doing what is right and loving others. Even if we fall short.
It’s allowing the Holy Spirit to work within you, to transform your nature to wanting to please God by replacing the old sinful ways.
It’s following Jesus’s example of selfless love and sacrifice and leaving a mark on the world.
It’s living with hope, not fear, knowing your sins are forgiven and they you have an external inheritance and advocate in Jesus.
There are a few examples of how I put this into practice in your life.
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” In John 14:6.
There is much more to it than that. There were many more things I needed to learn about the way, and I’ve learned and still keep learning. These lessons come in bits and pieces through the course of my life. It’s a learning process and will continue until the end of my life.
It’s a deep spiritual quest for divine connection, seen across faith, and is a transformative process that involves prayer, and scripture in action.
I am more inclined to think about the present. The past is the past it no longer matters. If you’ve repented to God every mistake you’ve ever made has been forgiven. And as Matthew 6:34 says “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself Each day has enough trouble of its own.” I focus on the present day blessings and challenges and trust God for my future needs.
From Pity to Praise