Who Are You Glorifying?

A friend of mine asked me the other day what I honestly thought of her blog and if I thought she was glorifying  God through it.

Who are you glorifying when you post?

I asked her this “What is your motive when you post?”

I think this is an honest question every believer needs to ask themselves before they post. Some of us become attention seekers turning others gaze away from God unintentionally. If we honestly question our next post we should be cautious and open to a friends opinion. Remember guys it’s not about us.

Another friend of mine was saying how God should be relevant in all the areas of our lives. I have been convicted of my media posting. Christ should also shine in your media! She wasn’t saying post verses and how amazing God is every other day. She was talking about being clean in our posting. Although crude humor, vile language or the look at what I did all by myself post may be appropriate for our audience we as believers can and should be aware of our posting.

Believers and other bloggers I leave you with this question: Who are you glorifying?

https://hylaandpeterechols.com/2015/07/27/me-monster/

https://www.bloglovin.com/people/hylaechols-17002353

Romans Reality

As I read I am blown away at how God reminds me of these truths…

                “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved His life. And not only this, but we exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation… For if by the transgression of the one, death through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” Romans 5:1, 5:10, 5:17

  These truths are part of what was going through my head one Sunday morning as I fought a spiritual battle against the lies Satan wants me to believe. The prince of this world was pushing and pushing at me to accept thoughts like…

I am worthless

I will never measure up

I cannot lead in ministry

  But God says no and we read it in Romans. Once all I had was sin in my life but now God supernaturally has changed everything except the physical appearance. The underline part above is what stops me in my tracks because of how good God is. Not only does God’s grace and righteousness cover and wipe away our sins, because of the cross; it also puts us in a new whole new light and life. Abundance in our imagination still cant describe just how much God has poured into us.

 I am now justified, reconciled, redeemed, and put in a righteous standing with him. He does not see me for any other idea than…

A masterpiece

A son of God with the Holy Spirit testifying to God (Romans 8:14-8:16)

Washed clean by his blood (Romans 5:9)

  Then there is still one more amazing thing that he has done for me and all believers. He gave us the Holy Spirit…

   “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.” John 16:13-14

  That Sunday morning as I fought against Satan and all the junk he was trying to put into my head, the Holy Spirit kept reminding of all these truths. God is at work all the time for our behalf.

 

 

 

Not This Time Satan

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    An hour is all I get to show my Sunday school children God’s love, teach them truth, and life skills. It is still not enough, but this past week showed me its still impacting. 

     The weight of the responsibility of not only being intrusted with pieces of parents hearts but guiding them toward Christ was and still is a fear of mine. What if we they don’t remember what I taught them last week? What if I am teaching them the wrong thing? What if they don’t like me? The fears grew each week for months.

Fear has the power to paralyze. 

    But God is stretching me, and forming  me especially in my new challenges. The past two weeks of being gone has brought tears to my eyes. I have realized how passionate I am about being apart of children’s walk with Christ and am amazed by my helpers and subs. I came back to children who were open to me. It amazes me how they trust us. But what really will always have a hold of my heart was last week’s lesson. The burden and fears were arrissing in me as I was talking about how Jesus died for all our sins. So badly Satan wanted me to give up because I was sharing the most powerful lesson of a life time. But not this time Satan. I continued.

Our lesson: 

    I asked them to get their hands in the dirt, happily  they did. Then we talked about sin. “Sin is what makes God sad.” -Lilly. We talked about what makes God sad. 

    I asked them to make a line. They did. I spoke with each child about how God washed our sins away on the cross just like how I am washing their hands.

    When we were making sin hearts and clean hearts I was overwhelmed! When a child is making sad faces on her flower sticker because it’s on the sin heart and happy faces on the clean  heart I am in awe. What we are teaching them each week is making a difference. THIS IS WHY I TEACH SUNDAY SCHOOL! I am taking no credit. Parents way to go! Keep reading those Bible stories and speaking truth into their lives. I have seen so much growth in my helpers and my preschoolers these past few weeks and am thrilled to see where God is going to take us.

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/the-hidden-gifts/

All or None

Session #5 (chapter 13)

Goal

How much effort are you putting into your purpose? 

What are the things that distract you from your purpose? 

    People? Work? Projects? I have learned my biggest distraction is myself. It is humbling to admit this especially on a blog. Personal detox with me readers and let’s say goodbye to  our distratons and keep our eyes on the prize.

     Think of your purpose then find a quote that will remind you of the importance of your purpose. Write it down. Make a collage. Save it as your screen saver. What ever you can come up with to help you remember your purpose. 

Here is my quote.

God is not a cafeteria line you cant just pick and choose the things you want from him.

-Dad

Continue activities by:

  • Watching for posts on My Readers page
  • Doing the exercises on your own time
  • Journal it!

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What drives session 1

Where Are You Going? session 2

What Are Your Strengths? session 3

Walking With A Purpose session 4

Walking With A Purpose

Session #4

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  “Walk with a purpose.” Is what my mom would tell my sister when she would go to LaLa land after my mom would have her do something. Walk with a purpose. That sentence alone screams the purpose of every session. The people above know exactly why they got out of bed that morning, why they are walking step by step, and where they are going.

    Take a walk around the block sometime then come back to your journal. Write down the things that came to mind. This is your purpose. “What is purpose? The God in your life.” (Session #1) If it consumes your mind it controls you. Is your purpose included in your every day life? (Chapter 11 Purpose Driven Life) After walking would you say you like your purpose?

    I know it’s a lot to swallow but that is why we are doing these sessions.  What honestly is the most important to you?  Is it your purpose?

 My purpose is to glorify God in all that I do. Parts of my web (session #3) have it more evident than the other parts but I still have, and want God included in my every day life.

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Continue activities by:

  • Watching for posts on My Readers page
  • Doing the exercises on your own time
  • Journal it!

Session 1  What Drives You?

Session 2 Where Are You Going?

Session 3 What Are Your Strengths?

 

 

What Are Your Strengths?

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Session #3

Could your strengths be used toward your purpose?

    Here in chapter 7 toward the end talks about how our strengths can be used for our purpose. This one really made me think. Here is where another list comes in. Grab your journal this will only take a few minutes and you will be amazed at how far your strengths could go. I’m tired of lists so I am going to make a web diagram, but a list works just as well. On the top of your list or the center of your diagram write your purpose. Then branch out or start listing your strengths. For some reason this part was hard for me. I had to ask people. Then from there branch out or write next to your strength how it can benefit your purpose.

My diagram looks like this:

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Then my sloppy list:

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I learned a lot from doing this activity and didn’t even realize that they all tie in with each other as well.

Continue by:

  • watching for more posts on My Readers page
  •  Responding if you’d like to my open questions
  • Doing the exercises on your own time
  • Journal it!

What Drives You? session 1

Where Are You Going? session 2

 

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Where Are You Going?

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Session #2

Readers, after  going over session one What Drives You? I have a few other  hard questions for you from Rick Warren in the Purpose Driven Life: When you die where will you go?

Chapters four, five and six talk about how our decisions today effect eternal life. Each thing we do serves a kingdom, heaven or hell. That’s it. Our bodies will die but our spirit lives on forever.

Society focuses so much on living with all the beauty and health tips on how to stay young, because they are fighting death. In fact some peoples purpose is to live. Death is often a gloomy topic because of the out look on it. Ponder my questions death is real and we will all eventually go through with it. 

Where are you going?

What kingdom will you serve?

Often this links with our purpose.

Continue the activities by:

  • Watching for posts on My Readers page
  • Responding if you’d like to my open questions
  • Doing the exercises on your own time
  • Journal it!
  • What Drives You?