My hunger is for You

Oh Father, my hunger is for You.

My heart is broken for the lost. My heart is healed by your love for me. My heart is transformed by your word. My heart is lost in your endless love. My heart has found it's home in You.

My life is changed by your calling. My life is undone by your free gift. My life is seasoned with seasons. My life is made complete in You.

My love is for You. My love is from You. My love is pure because of You. My love is You.

You make me come alive!

Hey, guess what? NO LIMITS!!!!!

Today I got to take a friend of mine up to a school at o'dark-thirty in the morning. Father told me to stay and love people, so I did. I got to pray over many, bless others, speak life to people in need, and just overall be the hands and feet of Jesus! There is no end to His affection!!! At the end of the trip, I was about to leave, and I felt like there was one more person I needed to talk to. So I looked around and saw two elderly people getting out of a car. I asked them if they had any back or hip pain, and they said no. I asked them if they had any problems in their bodies at all, and the lady asked why I was so interested. I told her that it's because God loves people and wants them to be healed, and so I reach out to try and find those who need healing.
She seemed skeptical, but asked about my background.

So I shared my testimony.

She nodded and he smoked, and I talked about how amazing my Best Friend is. Then, unexpectedly, at the end of my story, she surprised me and said: "Well I definitely agree with your mission, and I'm proud of you for standing up for what you believe. Don't stop. There are many people who need it, and when we don't stand up is when we get in trouble. So keep going!"

I was like, WOW! Jesus knew exactly what I need! Every moment He knows, and cares, and shows his love, because He's awesome like that. :D

There are no limits to how He will love you. None. There are no limits to who you can love with the story of his love. None at all. So go across the street when you see the man with the limp. Pray for him. Jesus loves him. That man is amazing, and he is made because of the love of the Father. There is hope. You have it. Don't talk about it. Give it.

Father, move our hearts with compassion.

Purity of Heart

Waaaay back when, (like, less than 2 months ago) I thought that I was more spiritual than some others because I spent my time praying and seeking the heart of God, and reading my Bible, and listening to Christian music only. But then I would look at a friend of mine, who approves of secular music, who goes to public school, and who loves the Lord with all their heart. At first I thought this a contradiction, and couldn't understand how that worked. Then just today, the Father showed me something I had "known", but never really understood.

He doesn't want me to have purity of heart just because. If I am not okay with what the rest of the world calls "normal", there has got to be a reason for it.

When I was younger, that's just how I was raised, and that's how I thought. If you listen to worldly music, you are of the world. If you use bad words, you are of the world. But the Father spoke to me and said simply: "When you are spending your time and making your choices, are you really making them for Me? Or are you making them to uphold your opinion, your way of thinking? I love them just as much as I love Jesus, because they are covered in His righteousness. Are you going to be the judge? Or are you going to be the forgiven?"

In the words of the Bible: "I desire obedience rather than sacrifice."

I guess what I'm saying is, we need to ask ourselves why we do what we do. If we are choosing to stay away from certain things, or to do others, it must be for the sake of simply loving Him. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength."

I'm very sorry now. I was doing it because I thought it was the right thing to do, not because it was for the One who declares what is right and wrong. It's not about being perfect, you can't get any more perfect than you are now. It's about loving the One who made you perfect by His own righteousness and love.

So if you want to be closer to Him, talk to Him. Ask Him what you can do to get even closer to His heart. He longs to know you more! He is undone by your affection for Him!

He loves you. What will you change about your life so that you can love Him more?

God bless y'all!
Joey

Overwhelming Joy

Jesus died to set me free from brokenness and depression.  His blood is enough to break EVERY chain.  I have been redeemed; I have been delivered.  His love is so sweet, so merciful.  His love radically changes the hardest of hearts.  He loves me.  He loves me.  He loves me.  This love is so much better, so much sweeter, than anything this world has to offer.  The incredible thing is that He heard my cry and came and rescued me.  He lifted me out of the valley and put me in His arms.  He took me out of despair and put a new song on my lips.  His love is enough for me.  He is so incredibly faithful.  I can’t even begin to explain it.  His love is beyond comprehension.  He knows exactly what I need, and He provides for all of my needs. 

HE IS SO GOOD!!!!

I am overwhelmed, overwhelmed by the love and grace that He so freely gives.  He is so worthy, so holy, so true.  He is truth.  He is life.  He is love.  In Him is unending joy, unspeakable joy.  I can’t explain the love that has overtaken my heart.  There is no greater love.  There is no greater joy.  There is no greater peace.  There is nothing more beautiful.  I have been lost in love.  He is my love.  He is my healer.  He is my peace.  He is my Savior.  He is my everything.  I am FREE!!!!!     

I have been wrecked by the heart of

MY FATHER!!!

Old things have passed away.  All things have been made new!  He deserves all the glory, all my love, all my affection, all my praise.  He is worthy of it all.  EVERYTHING!  He is worthy.  I am a new creation because He has washed me with His blood.  Brokenness is gone; I have been made WHOLE.  Fear is gone; I am His BELOVED.  Death is gone; I have been given NEW LIFE.  Depression is gone; I have been given JOY.  Confusion is gone; I have been given PEACE and WISDOM!  The chains are gone; I have been set FREE!  Rejection is gone; I am HIS CHILD!  Pain has been beaten; I have been HEALED!  Lies are gone; I have been given the TRUTH!  I am no longer lost, I have been FOUND!  I am LOVED, ACCEPTED, CHOSEN, BLESSED, DELIVERED, SAVED, RESCUED, REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!!

HE

IS

THE

WAY!!!!

JESUS!!!!!!!

Based off of: Psalm138:3, Psalm13:5-6, Psalm 18:16, Isaiah 43:1-3, Psalm 28:6-9, Psalm 34:18-19, Psalm 16:8-9

View of the King - Deliverer

I am now 18 years old. Kind of a weird experience, being brought to the next level of maturity, but still, I have gleaned much wisdom from this time already, and am looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me in the future years.

One of the things that has been brought to my attention is our perspective toward God. Our view of him makes a huge difference in our view of life.

The one I came across this morning comes from Psalm 34:17-20.

"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken."

So. We know that God is for us, that his thoughts toward us are uncountable, and full of life and hope. Yet now we know that we will go through many afflictions.

The life of a Christian should not be easy. Paul says in 2 Tim. 3:12 that "... all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

If we love Jesus and desire to follow him, there will be many trials, numerous times of testing, wilderness seasons, and persecution. He doesn't keep us from these painful things, but he delivers us out of them. My dad once told me: "Rule of the Kingdom. Never process in a storm." And thus I would suggest that when the storms come, our calling is to sleep in the boat like Jesus did. When our emotions are flying up in our face, and shame and guilt and loneliness and fear come swirling around us,   r e s t   in him.

Let it go. You will not die.

"I would have lost heart, unless i had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
14 "Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"
-Psalm 27:13-14

Purity of Childlike Faith

Can we ever get tired of God's love?

Or is it infinite?

Can we ever go through something with Him and be permanently hurt by it?

Or does He work all things for the good of those who love Him?

Can we be in the presence of the Lord and not be satisfied?

Or is He everything we were made for?

Can I ever know all of Him?

Or is He endless?

Do I have to strive or work to get more of Him?

Or does He love giving good gifts to His children?

Can I be wanting more when I'm wrapped in His arms?

Nope! :D


I love you Papa.

in my weakness

"In my weakness His stength is made perfect."

In my complete inability, he always comes through.

In my desperate pitiful state, he is faithful to complete that perfect work.

Always.

When I have no control, and fail with everything he has given me, then I see his grace. And it is beautiful. And it is glorious. And it is perfect. And it shows me once again that I don't need to have it figured out, I need to have him fully in control. I can't trust my own ability to stop trusting myself. Its not as much about the dos and don'ts as it is about letting him do his work.

I am very capable of showing that I am incapable. And in that I can be confident. Because his strength is perfectly shown in my lack, in my failure, in my pain, in my weaknessess.

Blessed be the Lord!! For he is good, and his mercy endures forever!!!