New Moment, New Opportunity!

Do you ever just mess up? I do! I did this morning... My husband and I were discussing something and out of frustration I let a bad attitude take over. Immediately I felt regret. Unfortunately my flesh is very stubborn and I followed through on the task that my husband had asked me to do without stopping and returning to him with an apology.  The entire time I was doing it I felt God dealing with me. 

Do you children ever do something that they obviously know is wrong and the whole time you're just shaking your head like, Really? Come on now. That's exactly how I felt. In our next conversation we confronted the issue and I apologized and asked his forgiveness. 

I opened up my devo for the day and one of the scriptures referenced was a portion of Isaiah 55.

"For My thoughts are no your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

"For as the rain comes down,

and the snow fro heaven,

And do not return there,

But water the earth,

And make it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to me void,

But is shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Isaiah 55:8-11

I want to encourage you today, that every single moment is a new moment, a new start. Each moment is a chance to let God take over. His ways are higher than ours! His word will not return void, but it will accomplish the good work He set out to do!

Take a moment and read Isaiah 55! Meditate on this word and let God blow through and awaken your soul to the joy and peace that he has for you!

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Don't be Sorry, Be Sorrowed!

“Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”

II Corinthians 7:9-11 NKJV

http://bible.com/114/2co.7.9-11.nkjv

God is so good!! He takes the things that we (the world) were taught to condemn and he refines them and makes them Holy, and useful for his good work!

I was not raised in a Christian home. We were not taught about all of the grace and love. My parents were not terrible parents, they did the best they knew how. But apart from God so much is missed! 

Being "sorry" was always something bad. We had done wrong, we were in trouble. There was so much guilt and condemnation. It is so refreshing to know that even in our mistakes (which the bible says we all do: "we all fall short of His glorious standard") God uses the "sorry" to refine and clear us so that we can glorify Him!!

1 Corinthians 1:27 "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;"

If this doesn't make sense to you don't worry!! It used to not make sense to me either. 

-the person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come front he Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

The great news is that Jesus came to this world so that ALL may know God! (Luke 19:10)

Today, you may have the Spirit that reveals all these mysteries and untangles all the lies of the world. Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (say this out loud) and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead that you will be saved! 

Today, if you are a believer, then your challenge is to take hold of this word and never let it go!! Whatever you do today that is less than, don't let guilt and condemnation set in. Hold on to God's refining and let Him do a new work in you!!

{Behold, I will do a new thing!}

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Jesus is Here!! Ask & Imagine!!

"And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen."

- John 21:25

What a  beautiful this thought! Our Lord and Savior is Jesus! He worked many, many miracles during his time on earth. He has very great miracles for you today!!

Hebrews 13:8 says that, "He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever." 

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,"

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "'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 hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with your heart.'"

Today, get up, put a smile on your face, and start asking and imagining for your life!! Awaken to the purpose God has for you!!

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Comment below and share with us what you're asking and imagining!!