Overcoming the Storms of Doubt in our Life -- Faith in the Love of God (Jesus Christ)

{Matthew 14:22-32}
(After feeding the five thousand) "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind (and waves), he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

I so often ... feel like Peter. I've experienced the loving touch of Jesus Christ; I've witnessed the extraordinary miracles in the lives of others and my own; And like Peter, I've come to place my faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God through whom I live. Although my faith has been strengthened by all these wonderful events, there are still momentsthat I catch myself looking at the whipping winds and fretting over the enormous waves during my voyage through this life. In that moment, when I take my eyes of the loving care of Jesus and rather look at the problem I'm facing, my faith becomes threatened, my anxiety weighs heavy upon me, and I begin to sink into the sea of doubt, sadness, and fear.

Yet, I love how through our defeat, God's love remains victorious. I love how Jesus always comes to my rescue, reaching out his hand to catch me, and remind me that "His love never fails; He never leaves my side ... that He has a hold of me".
When Peter began to sink, He cried out "Lord Save Me" and "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Him" , reminding Peter ... "You of little faith ... why did you worry, why did you doubt?".
His love never leaves us. Jesus stands by our side, He is always with us ... loving us, helping us, guiding us, and caring for us.

When we let Jesus into our boat (like Peter), it is then we forget about whats around us (troubling us), and we focus on what's holding us together. The love of God -- Jesus Christ. In that moment, the winds die down, the waves level out, and our storm ceases.

Jesus is the Peace that will calm all your troubled seas. Have faith in His Love. :) God bless You Always!

{Psalm 34:18} - The LORD is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit.

{Isaiah 40:11} - HE tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart..."

True Fulfillment -- Complete Surrender to God Brings Complete Life

Dr. Charles Stanley -- Living the Extraordinary Life --Complete Surrender to God Brings Complete Life

"Fulfillment is the result of God's presence living within you through His indwelling Holy Spirit (via faith in Jesus Christ).
But how do you reach a point of true fulfillment?

First, you must realize that fulfillment is not a matter of position or power. It is a matter of loving God and allowing Him to love you. All you need in order to be fulfilled is Jesus Christ living within you. Faith is the only way we can do this.

Fulfillment comes only when you decide to love God and give Him all of yourself.
When we surrender ourselves to God, we exchange our thoughts, feelings, and desires for new ones. Those who have never discovered the wondrous joy that comes from loving and serving God (Jesus Christ) have yet to experience His eternal fulfillment."

[Matthew 16:24-26]

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?"

Complete surrender to God is the only way He Brings Completeness to your Life!

When our lives and hearts are focused on Jesus Christ, we will then discover His purpose for our life.
Faith provides the fading of our fear, uncertainty, and lack of satisfaction; Faith removes the dead branches in our life. Faith fortifies a loving trust in Jesus Christ that produces hope, joy, and peace beyond the circumstances and conditions of our everyday life.

So we'll end on this ... "Often people become entrapped by the question, What does God want me to do? His Word says,

"Trust in the Lord with all you heart and do not lean on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When you commit your way to God, He will place you in the position He wants you to occupy.

Once you have experienced God's goodness, you will never want to return to a life of striving and self -effort. You will want to know more about your Savior and how your life can more effectively reflect His love and grace to others.
True Fulfillment comes through complete surrender to God -- For Complete Life is found in Trusting in His love and care over your life. True Fulfillment is found only in Jesus Christ and allowing him to live in you, with you, and for you.

"With man this is impossible, but With God all things are Possible" {Matthew 19:26}
Will you surrender your life over to Him today and receive the peace, joy, hope, love, and life that God has prepared for you? What's holding you back?
My prayer is that you'll let go ... for the day I "let go" of me and allowed Jesus Christ to come into my heart and live through me, was the day I discovered the ultimate fulfillment of my life ... and Nothing will ever compare to the love I have in this relationship with my God and Savior -- Jesus Christ.
May God Bless You Always :)

The Way of Love

You cannot "love", if you don't "know" love -- God is love. Jesus is the "love of God".
"If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in Him and he in God." (1 John 4:16)

God's love is unconditional. God is love ... He doesn't know how to be anything different.
[Romans 5:8]

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

[1 John 4:9-12]

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

The reason for everything? Love?
There is nothing more meaningful, more purposeful, and more pure than love. This is my argument: Is not love the purpose of life? Is not love, life itself?
If this statement holds any truth ... then the purpose of our life is to be connected by love, living from love and for love. For I believe that without love there would be no life ... for God made us in his own image (Genesis 1:27) ... to love us and for us to love him and be with Him forever.

So I leave you with this: Jesus said This is my command: Love. Love eachother as I have love you" (John 15:12).

Let us love not with words, but with our actions and in truth. Live in love, if not for yourself, than for the God who made us and loves us -- for Jesus Christ ... our Way of Love :)
For its when I live for love and by love that I discover who I am and what I am living for; Love completes me! Love is the only thing that will complete you!

" God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us..." {1 John 4:15}

The Seed of Salvation --- the Love of God -- Jesus Christ; It will grow ...

The Parable of the Growing Seed

{Mark 4:26-29}{Jesus Said...}

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

I am a seed planter; I am a waterer of already planted seeds. Yet, I remember that it is God who works in the heart of those who have the planted seeds. For I am nothing but a seed planter and a waterer; it is God who makes things grow.

The purpose of this blog is: to share with the world the salvation and eternal life in Heaven that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

No matter where I am, what I am doing, or what time of day it is ... I can plant seeds and water already planted seeds through my testimony of Jesus Christ via this blog.

It is God who makes people grow. One day I took a leap of faith ... and placed my hope, my faith, and my love in Jesus ... and not even two years later this is where I sit, this is where I stand, this is where I find my purpose and truly live a life of unimaginable joy and love, with a peace of knowing I am going to heaven because of Jesus ... not because of Drew :) God took my faith and made it grow into all this hope, peace, love, and joy!

All it takes is Faith and Love in Jesus Christ. If your heart wills' it ... God will make it grow.

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything,

but only God, who makes things grow."{1 Corinthians 3:7}

One Hope. One God. One Love :) Keep Planting! Trust in God (Jesus), He will make it grow!

Blessings and Burdens of Life -- Just clueing my readers in on whats going on

So ... I apologize for the lack of blogging. There will be more consistent "blogging" in the time to come. The Lord has called me to this ministry, and as 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, "Those who have been given a trust, must prove faithful..."; So will I prove faithful in reaching out to others through this blog and providing greater consistency in maintaining weekly blogs.

Like everyone else in life ... I sometimes get caught up worrying about and poorly addressing the tedious yet demanding responsibilities of life I need to juggle just to get by. So I ask for your patience and understanding. If you could, I would be very gracious for your prayers as I learn to become more organized and time efficient. So here's whats been going on ....

Burdens :)

• I am nearing the finish line here at Kutztown University as I am taking care of the "things I need to do" in order to graduate this coming May (2009).
• I find I have more motivation in spending time with and serving the Lord (Jesus); I often lack motivation/energy to focus on completing the academics that are placed before me ... so I'm just juggling a lot of school related stuff I've pushed off to the last minute (go figure).
• :) well I always consider myself a burden ... so just pray that I will let go of me, and allow Jesus to take complete control of me. I really find discomfort in the times where I feel that I'm doing things in my own strength or trying to take the wheel again.

Awesome Blessings

• Finally Graduating -- And anticipate attending Graduate school at Westminster Theological Seminary in the Fall -- Accepted :) all I got to do is send them my diploma. I plan on completing a two year Masters program in Biblical Counseling ... I have to admit, I still am amazed at all that Jesus has done in my life within the past two years and just how his love has me going down this awesome Godly path of Love. Your prayers are most appreciated and I have no doubts this program will help strengthen my life calling in sharing the salvation that comes from Jesus Christ with the world
• The Blog -- I'm so thankful for all the feedback and encouragement from everyone. All the praise is owed to Jesus Christ ... who has saved me from death and in whom has given me a life calling of Love to others. Please continue to send feedback, as I try to allow myself to be a messenger of the Lords love to all those who read the blog. The Lord is doing great work planting seeds, watering planted seeds, and growing others in producing a great harvest of believers for Him :) I'm so thankful He has allowed me to be apart of this process ...

My prayers go out to everyone ... I pray that Jesus may penetrate your heart and show you the light of His love and the word of His salvation ... so that you too might have the peace, joy, truth, faith, hope, and love that I have in my relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only thing I hold as truth in my life .... and from Him I have all blessing.

Love and Prayers

Drew

The Only Way to Heaven ... the Hope for all mankind

Jesus said, {John 14:6}

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father (Heaven) except through me."

I repeatedly use this verse in my blogs because I believe it is the "crux" of the entire bible, the entire faith, and really "the only reason for my blog":

Faith in Jesus Christ is the Only Way that anyone will be able to live in Heaven, In God ... WITH God, eternally

Either Jesus is the Son of God, telling the Truth, and is the only hope OR the flipside is, He is a liar, there is no hope for humanity, and we all are doomed to suffer beyond your imaginations eternally separated from God.

I'd rather place my hope in Jesus Christ ... than have no hope at all ... and settle for the flipside. I know I will be in Heaven with Jesus Christ in Him and In God ... not because of anything I've done or am currently doing ... but because Jesus Christ died for my sins and provided the path of my salvation in his blood, through merely believing in Him.
I believe in Jesus Christ more than I believe in anything else. By the grace of God ... I will live in Heaven forever because I have placed my faith in his Son! And nothing in this world can take that away from me :)

My purpose in this life is to share this hope, this love, and this faith with as many people as possible, so that they too may live eternally in Heaven. My prayer is that you may place your faith in Jesus Christ ... and discover the entire reason of your existence ... eternal love ... eternal life with God :)

What is your hope? Do you know where you are going after you die?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

{Said by Jesus ... John 3:16-18}

{Jesus is the hope for all ... all it takes is a choice: Faith +Love}

Resting in the Vine

Jesus said,

"I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I remain in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me he can do nothing" {John15:15}

So often I forget that branches don't struggle to grow, rather they depend on the vine (root) and rest in its roots for everything it needs to flourish, survive, and grow. Life is stressful. Activities and cares can clutter our days. We all need strength in momentary weariness. We all need help when things get overwhelming. We all seek shelter when the storms of doubt and anxiety hit our shores. We cannot do it ourselves nor were we ever meant to. The great peace that comes with being a believer in Jesus Christ is that there is nothing I have to do in my own strength.

The logic behind the concept ... "when I am weak, its then I am strong" is the realization for our need to depend on something greater than ourselves to carry us through the ups and downs of life. Its when I realize that I can't do it ... that I let go of me and am caught in the arms of the God who loves me, Jesus Christ, who can and will carry me through it all.

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him (Jesus) who gives me strength. " {Philippians 4:12-13}

Are you doing things in your own strength? Rest in the vine ... and allow Him to produce the fruit in your life you so eagerly desire and rightfully deserve. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is love. He never fails! May God give you peace ... as we learn to Trust in Him.

He is before all things and In Him All Things Hold Together (Jesus)

{Colossians 1:15-18}

{The Supremacy of Jesus Christ}

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

Scientific proof that Jesus Holds all things together; its called "Laminin" -- a protein cell that holds all your cells together

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg_ZVS6Kecw&feature=related

MUST SEE VIDEO!!! YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF

The book of John is written to expose "the deity"of Jesus Christ (a.k.a Jesus is God himself). John was an "eye witness" to all the actions, thoughts, discussions, and miracles that Jesus performed during his ministry. John saw it all. John saw people born blind given sight. John saw Jesus calm storms, walk on water, feed 15,ooo people with 5 loaves and two fish. He witnessed thousands of miracles, acts of compassion, and a love he had never seen before in his life. John saw Jesus die on the cross and he witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He saw Jesus rise from the dead, live 40 more days on earth, and even saw Jesus ascending into heaven.

John spent everyday with Jesus for 3 1/2 years; he knew Jesus intimately, he saw it all. He knew Jesus was God. Jesus not only showed John proof but Jesus even told them himself. John believed Jesus was God so much, he was even boiled alive for his testimony and belief ... The beginning of his testimony starts out like this:

"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning (Jesus). Through him (Jesus) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men." [John1:1-4]

Jesus was the firstborn of all creation. He was with you when you came into this world and he'll be by your side on the day you ship out. God made you to love you and to make you a member of his eternal family. Yet, God doesn't have favorites ... as you can see that all people receive the benefits of his love. The sun shines on believers and non believers a like ... he doesn't withhold his love for only a few but freely pours it out to all. To extend the love the Lord has given us, today, will be determined by two things: Our Faith (belief in Him/ Jesus) and our love.

Jesus died for the sins of the world. But only those who receive him, to those who believe in his name, will He give the right to be adopted into Gods eternal family as Children of God (John 1:27). All He requires of us is our Faith and our Love in his Son Jesus Christ. God is like a triangle ... 3 separate sides ... yet one triangle. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit (living within believers). Today's the day to experience the "life" God had designed you for; fullness of life in Him through Jesus Christ. I pray that you may receive the love that is rightfully yours, and that it may be with you for all eternity. Your not alone ... activate the love of God in your life, that is found only by Faith in Jesus Christ ... and begin your eternal life today. I'm so thankful for this love and life I never knew existed. :) God bless you!

How much time do you have left? The only way, truth and life is in Jesus Christ. No one goes to heaven except through him? He said it ... not me. (John 14:6)
Placing Faith in Jesus Christ = (1) admit you've sinned at least once (2). repent (3) place your faith in Jesus as your "personal Savior" (4) make the choice to love God and welcome his love into your life and heart. *any questions ask me* Take the love that rightfully yours. Heaven.*

The Resurrection of the Jesus Christ -- The Hope

Our entire Hope rest in the resurrection of Jesus Christ
"If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is our faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins."

"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man (Jesus). For as in Adam all die (to sin), so in Christ all will be made alive"
{1 Corinthians 15:13-15,17,20-23}

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" {1 Corinthians 15:56-57}

Our entire hope of eternal life with God is wrapped up in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his victory over death on the cross.
There is no other hope ... no other "religion" ... no other anything ... that offers a relationship with God (personally/intimately/eternally) except faith in Jesus Christ.
My entire motivation for living is the cross/resurrection of Jesus Christ. My purpose in life is to share this gift of salvation with all the people God guides me to.
I pray that many will place there faith in Jesus and receive the gift of salvation -- eternal life with God in heaven; yet sadly I know that there still will be many who never make it ... and it grieves my Spirit to know that they will be eternally separated from God.

Share the love of Jesus Christ with someone. Save a life.
Even death on earth cannot compare to the horrible tragedy of eternal separation from God.
By the Grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ -- The gift of Salvation
What have you placed your hope in? Todays the day ... tomorrow's not promised, you have no time to waste.

God knows you perfectly ... Even after all your thoughts and all your actions ...He still desires for you to live with Him forever

[Psalm 139:1-7,13,14,16] - God knows you perfectly. He love you perfectly

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? "

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,

I know that full well. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of

them came to be."

My heart breaks everytime I think of all the times of messed up in my life. All my bad thoughts, all of the horrible things I've said, all of the selfish - sinful things I've done; I've forsaken God for most of my life, but He never left me ... He never forsook me. Through it all He loves me still.
He knows your every thought, he hears your every word, he sees all of your deeds.
There is nothing you've done, are doing, or will do that he has not forseen.

What boggles my mind is that: He loves us still.

{Romans 5:8}

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

How many will live their entire lives, never reconciling the relationship of Love between the God who made them? He doesn't have favorites, He loves all of his creation (psalm 145:9); Yet not all will receive his love and live eternally with Him.

My prayer is that you may receive the Love of God -- eternal life and salvation through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, [John 11:25-26] -

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

How many will say yes, and recieve the Gift of Salvation -- eternal life with God?
How many will miss (reject) God's Gift of Salvation and live eternally separated from God?
The only thing that grieves God is the Loss of so many He loves ...
(love is a choice ... it cannot be forced).