There may come a day when you look into the mirror and no longer see yourself but a blurred image of who you used to be.
You’ll see your eyes, your nose, the physical features you were born with yet not be able to recognize the person you’ve become.
“Who is that?” you’ll think, as you wonder what lurks behind those eyes in the depths of a mind controlled by the world.
Will you ever escape? Will you be able to find who you once were?
Or is it too late?
Who are you anyway?
Worry often is a lurking portrait of who you could become. As a young adult you may fear resembling a family member or friend that harmed you in the past. You might even fear a stigma that hangs over your family name or a gene that has been passed down for generations.
What if your family history of temperament, lack of judgement, abusive behavior, or addictive nature was never told to you, would you worry about who you will become?
Maybe your family is perfect, do you worry about not being able to live up to their standards?
Would your genes and stigmas phase you if you never knew them in the first place?
We often worry about the futures we create in our minds not the ones that God has planned for us.
Worrying about your future will not change any of the circumstances God already has set in front of you.
To live a patented future, you must learn to live without the fear of becoming someone else.
Erase who you could become and face who God wants you to be.
When you look in the mirror the only image you should want to see is that of Jesus Christ. But is someone else standing in the way?
Could that someone be the “you” that your mind has created from the influences of the world? Is fear of becoming someone else determining the next step in your life?
It’s time you wipe off the mirror, erase the smudges, and let your reflection start to clear.
Can you see Jesus now?
“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
Who are you afraid you will become? Is there a family stigma that you fear the most? How can you let it go and let God be the image you pursue?
Let others see Jesus in you.
May God bless you and show you His grace every day.
Governor McMaster recently declared Sundays as a National day of prayer, a day to remember the ones that are fighting COVID-19, the heroes on the front lines, and the families of the ones that have lost their lives.
Matthew 6:9-13 sets an example of how a person should pray.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
(Acknowledge God and give Honor to Him, ask all things to be done is His will)
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
(Ask for forgiveness and provision for your needs – not list of wants)
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
(Ask for God to help you overcome and temptations or sins you are struggling with. Submit to God and let Him deliver you from Satan’s ways)
Today, I want you to realize that prayer does not have to be a sermon of fancy words or a night time ritual that puts you to sleep, it’s much more than that.
Prayer is personal. It is direct communication with your Heavenly Father.
It is great that our state supports a national day of prayer; however, we need to make sure we are treating every day as a day of prayer.
The Bible says is 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray continually.”
Prayer is your most powerful tool as a follower of Christ. Let’s take this day and every day and declare it days of prayer!
Become a prayer warrior and watch the world change!
Praying for you always!
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
“Worry in weighs you down, but a good word makes it glad.” Proverbs 12:25
I’ll never forget a drama that was performed at my church, East Pickens Baptist, several years ago. The drama opened with a young girl standing on the stage alone with her backpack ready for school. Her parents entered the stage arguing and throwing their hands at each other causing the young girl’s demeanor to quickly change. As they left the room, they added a brick to her backpack. As a group of teenagers entered the stage whispering behind her back, she held her head low as they placed one more brick into her bag. One by one different people walked on stage adding bricks until she eventually fell to the ground in tears. The weight she was carrying was too much for her to hold alone. In a glorious moment, the Lord entered the stage with a bright light and lifted her up, took the bag off her shoulders, and threw it on His own back. What she could not carry alone, the Lord could.
“Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest in your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29
Our hearts tell us we can carry our troubles alone. We are taught to be independent from the very first breath we take. We are shaped into beings that have a hard time letting go of the control we think we have. Jesus tells us, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens.” (Matthew 11:28)
You are not meant to fight your battles alone. Let the Lord lift your worries, your burdens, and your brokenness from your worn out shoulders.
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
Friday night, I turned off the lights on the cross that stood beside my door for Easter.
It was dark. It was silent. It was a reminder of the darkness that would have filled the night when Jesus breathed His last.
I walked away in tears reflecting on what it would’ve been like to look up to the Light of Jesus on the cross one last time.
“It is finished” would’ve echoed through the land.
Imagine walking away from the cross in a darkness you’ve never felt before.
As I was walking away from the cross to go to my comfy bed, in my nice warm home, with my family and all that I’ve been blessed with, I felt guilty. Jesus died because of my sins. How could I be worth that?
Saturday came and I spent the day with my family complaining about being stuck at home and not being able to go and do as I pleased. I was bored and had already forgotten that moment of silence I experienced the night before when the Light dimmed on the cross.
Sunday, I woke up and the same cross stood by my front door, lights still on. I accidentally left them on the night before but woke up to a dark cloudy day lit up by the cross. May His Light I’ll never fade.
As the storms rolled in Sunday night, I was reminded of that glorious day when the stone was rolled away and Jesus rose from the dead.
Let the darkness remind you of the sin debt that Jesus paid for you.
Let the wind remind you of His last breath.
Let the rumbling storms remind you of the stone rolling away.
Let the lightning remind you of His glorious Light.
Let the calm and the silence remind you of His control over any storm.
Let His love be remembered every day!
Today and every day, Jesus is alive!
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
Better than good news – Great news! During this shut down my students have opened up more than they ever would have in class. They’ve participated in Bible discussions, sent me prayer requests and concerns, and kept in touch at least once a week or more. It’s been amazing to hear their stories and how much they care for their lost family and friends. I’ve even received a few apologies and requests for forgiveness for behavior (from teenagers). It’s been amazing! Yesterday morning, I had a student ask me how to share Christ with a nonbeliever. I gave him some encouragement and direction and by the end of the night he messaged me back so excited to tell me that he had led them to Christ through what he had learned in Released Time! There is no greater feeling to be there during that moment or to hear the excitement from others when they can be a part of that amazing life change! If a Middle Schooler can be bold enough to stand up for their beliefs, why can’t you?
This is a tough week for us all, but think back to what Jesus was going through during this week. His life on earth was about to end and He knew it. He knew His time had come and He would soon face the cross. He knew He had to prepare those around Him for what was to come. Can you imagine the pressure, the concern, the desire to encourage and prepare His children of the importance of the next few days.
If you knew this were your last week on earth, your last week to physically be with your family and share the hope of Christ with them, what would you do differently? Who would you talk to? Would you use your “quiet” time in chaos to seek God’s direction and be His hands and feet, or would you focus on your life here and what you would miss, build up your kingdom on earth, and ignore those around you?
What can you do to make a difference? Do you honestly realize that your next breath is not promised, your days are numbered, and your time is limited. Look at the statistics for this terrible virus, life on earth is not eternal, only God is eternal. You get to choose where your eternity will be. You get to make the choice to be silent or share His love with others. Who can you tell about Easter today? Or anything else about God’s amazing plans?
Don’t wait! Text that friend you know is bitter against God. Call the one that doesn’t believe. Open your eyes to the ones you are unsure of. Be the hands of feet of Jesus…before it’s too late.
“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”
Romans 1:16 NLT
Love and prayers! If you ever need someone to talk to, know that I’m here. Send me a message to KaylaRampey@yahoo.com and I would be glad to pray with you!
May God bless you and show you His grace every day! (As He always does)
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Matthew 6:19-21 NLT
As quarantine continues, many people have found themselves ‘storing up treasures on earth.’ Just look around, grocery store shelves are empty, toilet paper has magically disappeared, and people are rushing in and out of stores with carts full of random items they don’t even really need. When the government shut down non essential stores like furniture, clothing, and craft stores, people panicked even more. Last
Friday, I drove by Lowes and Walmart and the parking lots were crammed pack! People were everywhere despite the risk of spreading the virus.
Amazon and online shopping sales have spiked in the last few weeks as well. Since people are stuck at home, they are spending more time online shopping and improving their earthly homes with more items they don’t really need. Based on where their ‘treasures’ are being stored up, what do they find most important? Eternity or this world?
People are so worried about their lives on earth that they aren’t even concerned with their eternity.
The Bible says, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT
I challenge you to think of a way you can “build up your treasure in heaven” instead of on earth.
By focusing on eternity, you’ll start to see how little and insignificant our earthly struggles are. Our struggles on earth are temporary just like our time. We need to use our time wisely and use it to bring others closer to God.
“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:21
Where are you treasures? Do you desire to bring others closer to God?
Change your focus. Change lives!
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
When the quarantine started and schools were closed down, I really felt like I was being taken out of my mission field as the Released Time teacher at Pickens Middle. I felt lost, confused, and had no idea what to do next. I hated being away from my students. I knew that there was unfinished business they needed with the Lord, and I knew they needed God’s guidance through these hard times.
God blessed me with an amazing Released Time team that came together to make a plan to connect with our students. After a few plans started, we were given access to Schoology so we could finally post lessons and encouragement for our students.
It’s taken a few weeks to realize this but God’s not finished with me and this class yet. Being away from my students has allowed me to appreciate them even more and allowed them to reach out to me individually on a more personal level and ask for prayer when they are struggling. It’s been a time of worship and connection that I would’ve never had if we were always in a classroom setting. No one wants to open up when they are surrounded by their peers. I’ve loved getting emails from my students and being able to share God’s word with them. It’s been such a blessing to be in a different mission field.
It’s been a time of growth, a time of learning, and a time for God to remind me (and hopefully others) that you are never taken out of your mission field, you are just introduced to another one.This world is your mission field. Wherever you are, whatever situation you are in, locked in your house, working from home, or just surrounded by neighbors that need encouragement, you can still serve the Lord.
Serve where you are.
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
Not too long ago, I taught a lesson in Released Time on Noah’s ark and how Noah was given over 100 years to build the ark and warn the people that God was about to flood the earth and destroy all mankind. For over 100 years he stood strong in his faith and told others about God, but no one listened. They laughed at him, ignored him, and considered him crazy for building an ark before anyone had even seen or heard of rain. Noah had extreme faith and it saved his life and the life of his family.
A few lessons later, we learned about Joseph and how his older
brothers hated him so much that they plotted to kill him. Their jealousy turned
to anger that they could not control. First, they were going to throw him into
a pit where he would surely die without food or water. Then, not by chance but
by God’s will, an opportunity arose for the brothers to sell their brother into
slavery. As they considered their options, they decided that it was better for
them to sell him and make some money while also taking his blood off their
hands. The brothers sold Joseph into slavery and lied to their father by
telling him he had been killed by a wild animal.
Joseph’s path was not as he had planned, but God had a plan
all along. Joseph started out working for Potipher, a leader in Egypt, where he
gained his trust and more freedom in Potipher’s dwelling. Unfortunately,
Potipher’s wife falsely accused Joseph and caused him to be thrown into prison.
Potipher very easily could have had Joseph killed for what his wife accused him
of, but instead, he threw him into prison. What sounds dreadful was actually
God’s protection and part of His plan. While in prison, Joseph used his
spiritual gift to interpret the dreams of prisoners. When Pharaoh had troubling
dreams, he called upon all the magicians and wisemen to explain the meaning of
his dream to him. No one was able. It was then that word got to Pharaoh that
Joseph, a servant turned prisoner, could interpret dreams. The guards cleaned
Joseph up and sent him before Pharaoh to explain his dreams to him.
Joseph told Pharaoh that the first dream and the second one
were one in the same. When something is repeated more than once, it means it’s
important. Both dreams meant that Pharaoh’s people would have 7 years of
plentiful harvest followed by 7 years of famine.
In class, I asked the question, “If you knew that for 7
years you would make a ton of money, but after that you would be broke for 7
years, what would you need to do?” Most of you answered “save some of your
money.”
Since Joseph interpreted
the dream, Pharaoh gave him rule over preparing for the future. Joseph insured
that all people would put back 1/5 of their produce in preparation for the
upcoming famine. His preparation saved thousands of lives.
When his brothers approached him and asked for food, they
told him that they had one brother that died and a younger brother that stayed
behind with their father, Israel. Joseph commanded them, without letting them
know his identity, to go back home and bring their youngest brother back with
them. He wanted to insure he was safe. When they brought him back, Joseph took
all of his brothers into his home and revealed his identity as their brother to
them. He didn’t yell at them for selling him into slavery or causing him years
of struggles; instead, he welcomed them with forgiveness and had a feast for
them. He told them that everything that had happened was part of God’s plan. He
forgave them with mercy and grace. He then sent for his father, Israel, so he could
seem him before he died. When he returned, Joseph welcomed him and provided
land, food, and protection for his entire family. His faith in God saved his
family and many other people from famine.
God protects and God provides when you trust in Him. Though we may be suffering today, God has a plan for everything that is going on. Trust in Him.
Dear Lord, I pray for each person that is reading this right now during this uncertain time. I pray that you will give them peace that only you can give them. Help for them to rely on you more and more. Increase their time in prayer. Encourage them with your Word. Lord, let the panic all around us lead people closer to you. I pray that people will take social isolation seriously to protect those around them and stop the spread of COVID-19. Lord, we know you are powerful and You alone can give us strength. I pray that though we are apart as families, churches, and friends, we will continue to stay connected to You in your Word and connected to each other to be there for those in need. Lord, thank You for who You are. In Jesus Name, Amen.
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
If Christians are supposed to reflect the fruits of the Spirit, then we have to be able to understand them first. They are much more than just words. Each one has a purpose and each one brings us closer to God.
In the next few weeks, I’ll be exploring each fruit of the Spirit and sharing with you what I find. This week, I’m digging into is JOY. There have been many times that I’ve asked myself, “ will I ever find joy again?” So what is JOY and how can you find it in your life?
1. Find joy on your darkest days. Every trial has a purpose.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 NIV
2. Our Joy comes through Jesus not this world.
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10 NIV
3. You are chosen – be joyful that Jesus chose to die for YOU. Love as Jesus – live as Jesus and you will find joy in His Name.
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:11-17 NIV
4. Your joy is depleted when you compare yourself to the world around you. You will be hated at times, but find Joy in your Heavenly Father. Don’t depend on this world for your joy – you’ll never find it here.
““If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:18-19 NIV
5. Jesus chose joy as He walked to the cross. Why can’t we find joy in our everyday battles? Fix your eyes on Jesus and live by His example. Adjust your focus.
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2 NIV
Choose joy.
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”
1 John 2:3-6 NLT
Does your life reflect the life of Christ?
One of the most common comments I’ve heard while working in ministry is “I’m not sure if I’m really saved.” Any time this question is asked, I first ask the person to consider what salvation means to them. Is salvation an emotion-led decision or a life changing surrender? Is it a temporary change or will it fade shortly afterwards? Can you sin without feeling the pain of hurting your Heavenly Father, or do you know you are wrong and seek Him for guidance? All of these questions are answered in God’s Word; however, most people just want a secure yes or no answer. The truth is, I cannot tell anyone if they are saved or not.
I can look at a person’s lifestyle and make a guess where they stand with Christ, but it is not my place to decide whether or not they are truly saved. True salvation is a choice that each person has to make on their own. No one can force it and no one can verify another person’s decision, not even your pastor.
Salvation is a commitment between a person and God. Only those two parties will know if a person is truly saved. It is a choice, not a checklist.
The Bible does show us multiple times what salvation should look like, but that does not mean a “good person that follows the commandments alone” is saved.
True salvation begins when a person recognizes their need for forgiveness, believes in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and surrenders their life to Him. From that point on, a believer’s fruits will start to grow.
Paul describes salvation as “freedom from the power of sin.’” A true believer knows the power of sin but defeats it through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”
Romans 6:6-11 NLT
Over and over again, Paul states, “We know…” A person that is truly saved knows who they are in Him and knowsthat they are “dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11)
In 1 John 2, the Bible gives us several if / then situations that describe a follower of Christ.
“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.” 1 John 2:3
The scripture continues to say that a believer that does not follow the commandments but says he is a follower of Christ is a liar in the eyes of God, making his/her salvation false.
“If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:3-6
To be sure of your salvation, you don’t need anyone else to guess your eternal destination; instead, you need to humbly seek your Heavenly Father and ask Him to reveal your relationship with Him.
You can’t have a relationship without having a conversation first, and a relationship will not grow without communication and dedication.
If you’ve surrendered your life to Christ, others should see it. No one should have doubt if you are a Christian or not, especially yourself. The people around
you should see you as different from the sinful world. They should feel His presence when you are around, and know that you are doing all that you can to reflect Christ to others. You don’t have to be perfect, but you should have an innate desire to serve and surrender to the Lord.
“Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” 1 John 3:6
If you say you are a Christian, are you living as Jesus did? Can others tell you are a follower of Christ?
Answer the questions above honestly and you’ll know how sure you are in your salvation.
Don’t waste another day being unsure. Turn your life over to Christ and let Him show you what surrender truly means.
May God bless you and show you His grace every day!
Empowering others through the love of Jesus Christ!
