i'm legal

Yes, it's true. I now have my permit. I can drive without breaking the law (we're not under the law but under grace anyway. lol) I've been legal since Monday. Any way, that stupid test was easy- nothing about how many feet do have to stay behind an emergency vehicle (Holly).

These last couple of weeks have been rough. It seems like all hell has broke lose and the more we fight, the worse it get's. Why is that? why when we "fight" things don't seem to change? God has been showing me that it's not about the outward appearance of things, the physical things around us that He's changing, but Us. It's not about what the wind and the waves look like but about focusing our eyes on Him at all times. The moment we take our eyes off, we begin to sink, deeper and deeper into the waters of fear, selfness, self- reliance, old mind sets, pride.... the list keeps going. It's not about the all the junk but about the one how keeps you stable through it all. He’s testing us to see if we will obey. He’s seeing whose hearts are really steadfast on Him. God has been showing me where I have been “slacking off”. Where I haven’t put I the time, effort, or energy to seek first the Kingdom. It’s like I’ve, for split moments, have taken my eyes off of Him and put them one the situations around me. I’ve been sick for this whole week and haven’t been at school. The fact that my body is not working right has distracted me in ways from trusting Him. I have faith that God can and will heal me but it’s almost like it’s a test to see how well I focus on Him through rain or shine. I would like to describe it as ¼ of the Job test. I know God is faithful- am I? am I faithful enough to remain faithful through trials and temptation, or am I really so weak that I will fail every time. God is challenging my relationship with Him and it may sound like this horrible thing but there is nothing better to me. The word says in Hebrews 12: 11 “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” It actually makes me happy to think that all this is just going to produce fruit unto righteousness.
Bro. Danny sent out a word, if ya’ll haven’t read it here it is. It came at just the right time.

Trials And Temptations

"I believe that there is a big misunderstanding about temptations and trials in the church. We can look at the Old and New Testaments to see two examples of people being put on trial. In Deu 8:1-3 we read – “Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commands or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” As we see from these verses God led them into the wilderness to be tested. He put them through a test to see what was in their heart. God was testing the obedience of their heart. It’s interesting to note that God chose hunger as a means to test them. Let’s not get confused though, they were not hungry to the point of starvation. God fed them everyday with manna. However the manna did not meet or quench their fleshly appetites but it did sustain their lives. They were craving meat, leaks, and onions, the things they ate while they were in bondage in Egypt. God wanted to let them know that man should not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Where does temptation come from?
James 1:12-15 shows us where temptation originates from. First of all it does not originate from God - Verse 13 - He himself does not tempt anyone. Verse 14 gives us the origin of temptation – each man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Temptation originates from our own desires. The KJV uses the word lust in the pace of desire. This is what the children of Israel did they lusted, craved, and longed for meat, leaks, onions and even the comfort that their bondage brought them in Egypt. The bottom line is this, will we give in to and be lead by and obey our lust or will we give in and obey and live by God’s word (commands)? I see this as the difference between the love of God verses the love of self. Your love for God can be proven through your obedience or lack thereof. James goes on to state that when desire conceives (takes hold of) it gives birth to sin (disobedience), and sin when it is full grown brings forth death. Many live defeated lives in the church. Many are overcome by their sin. Oh it may not be big sins such as smoking, drinking, adultery, etc... but it’s the little sins like outbursts of rage, hatred, unforgiveness, jealousy, fear, etc… that spoil God’s vineyard. Remember these sins bring forth death too.

Is God Testing You?
I would close with some questions. Is that person at your job that seems to always get the best of you from Satan or God? How about the other things in your life that seems to always get the best of you, Satan or God? I think from the truth of the word that the test is from God and Satan is and can be His agent or messenger. Make no mistake about God; He is the originator of your trail. Why is He testing You? To see if you will obey Him or not and to show you what’s in your heart and that you cannot live by your lust but only by every word that comes from His mouth. In Mat 4, Jesus not only quotes this scripture but He obeys this scripture. In every trial Jesus was tempted to do something through his fleshly appetites but He chose to submit to God and His word and obey. He didn’t do one thing the devil enticed Him to do. We can do the same. Humble yourself in the sight of God resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7). Humility is trusting and relying upon God’s word not yourself. Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16). A Spirit controlled man will not give into temptation and let sin be birthed. Trust in the Lord, hear His word, and come out of disobedience. We have the same Spirit living in us that was in Christ. Come out of defeat in Jesus name. God wants fruit from our lives so that he will be glorified (Jn 15:8). This is true abiding in Christ: hearing and obeying His word. To abide (continue or remain in God), we must abide in His love. Loving God always equals obeying God. I was reading a book this week and found a great quote which states “the love of Christ must quench the love of sin”. "