My Utmost For His Highest....(daily devotional) 

                                  By Oswald Chambers

The Witness of the Spirit

Oct

22

2012

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit . . . —Romans 8:16

We are in danger of getting into a bargaining spirit with God when we come to Him—we want the witness of the Spirit before we have done what God tells us to do.

Why doesn’t God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won’t abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do, immediately God witnesses to Himself—He cannot witness to you, but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you. If you received the witness of the Spirit before the reality and truth that comes from obedience, it would simply result in sentimental emotion. But when you act on the basis of redemption, and stop the disrespectfulness of debating with God, He immediately gives His witness. As soon as you abandon your own reasoning and arguing, God witnesses to what He has done, and you are amazed at your total disrespect in having kept Him waiting. If you are debating as to whether or not God can deliver from sin, then either let Him do it or tell Him that He cannot. Do not quote this or that person to Him. Simply obey Matthew 11:28 , “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . .” Come, if you are weary, and ask, if you know you are evil (see Luke 11:9-13).

The Spirit of God witnesses to the redemption of our Lord, and to nothing else. He cannot witness to our reason. We are inclined to mistake the simplicity that comes from our natural commonsense decisions for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature, and to the work of redemption, never to our reason. If we are trying to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder that we are in darkness and uncertainty. Throw it all overboard, trust in Him, and He will give you the witness of the Spirit.

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in just over a year...

Nine weddings, graduation, new jobs, new house and a new phase of life.. Sitting down to reflect and take time to rest is crucial! 

The Jacob's Wedding

Jenelle and Patrick

June 25, 2011

The Guy's Wedding

Mikayla and Jake

October 2011

The Fazio's Wedding

Katherine and James

November 2011

The Robbins' Wedding

Nikki and Taylor

April 13, 2012 

graduation photos by Angie Afman

"If you can dream it, you can do it."

Point Loma Nazarene University

Graduation

May 5, 2012

Bachelor of Arts degree in Kinesiology

The Meilke's Wedding

Jenna and Brett

May 2012

The Ferrell's Wedding

Taylor and Kevin

June 2012

Summer 2012

July 1-7

Hume Lake counselor

 The Hitman's Wedding

Brianna and Graham

July 8, 2012

The Ormonde's Wedding

Krystal and Cory

August 11, 2012

The Taylor's Wedding

Jessica and Kevin

September 29, 2012

fear

Fear is the root of all evil. We know that so why can't we stop being fearful! Haha When I think of being fearless I think of bungee jumping, sky diving, downhill mountain biking or some extreme sporting activity.
Fear is such an intangible feeling, thought, indwelling. I am such a tangible and tactile person that I want to identify my shortcomings hold them in my hands and tear them apart. I want to find out what my weaknesses are and blow them to smithereens. Fear and doubt have a sneaky way of working their way into our minds and making us feel insecure about the skills, talents, abilities that we already have.
We must choose to believe truth, choose to love, choose to be carefree and LOVE. Easier said than done.
I realize that the lies that the enemy attacks us with are not anything new. Satan is not creative, he is not a creator. He perverts and twists God's truth to make us believe. We are much more prone to believe a half truth that has been tweaked just so.
The most affective way for me to identify a lie in my life is to journal about it and physically write down my insecurities, doubts, and fears. There is something about writing them down that objectifies the statements that I had been believing and makes it easier to see how wrong they really are. Having scripture next to these lies shows such contrast from these dark lies that it makes life simpler when you can call out lies in your own life.
Satan has stirred a fear in me to write, which would make sense because it produces so much good in my life. I must overcome my own fear to write and choose what God is telling me to do.
I love to write and see my own thoughts captured in a concrete way. I have so many abstract 'dreamer' thoughts that I need to focus myself to slow down. Resting in the Father's arms and knowing that I am worthy is the only way that I come to peace.
"Don't let the enemy rob you of the rest, confidence and security we have in Christ."- Janet Ables Blog

He who has begun a work in us will complete it.
-Phillipians 1:6

sin- is refusing to allow God to have authority of our lives.

Let us rest in the knowledge that the Father is the source of LIFE and he has so much more to offer than we could even imagine for our own lives. Do this by FAITH and TRUST that he is good.

We are saved by GRACE..

choose to love...
over what your mind screams,
over what the world cries,
despite all the lies
CHOOSE to love.

i've been here before so it should be easier this time,
now i know myself more than i ever have,
why am i so at a loss?

Why do i not believe that I am HIS. I am beloved. I am LOVED. i am LOVED.

intentionally yours.

The life that intends to be wholly obedient, wholly submissive, wholly listening, is astonishing in its completeness. It's joys are ravishing, its peace profound, its humility the deepest, its power world-shaking, its love enveloping, its simplicity that of a trusting child.
                                                                                               -Thomas R. Kelly, A Testament of Devotion

My presence will of with you, and give you rest.
                                     Exodus 33:14
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
                                    Psalm 37:23-24
In that He himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted.
                                   Hebrews 2:18
Set your mind on things above, not on the things on the earth.
                                  Colossians 3:2
He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
                                 Psalm 107:9
You are all fair, my love, and there is not spot in you. The whole head is sick and the whole heart faints.
                              Song of Songs 4:7
If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
                              John 7:37
We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags.
                                 Isaiah 64:6
You were washed...you were sanctified....you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
                               1 Corinthians 6:11

Merry Christmas!!!

Mary said:

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.

Luke 1:46-48

The angel said to Mary.."Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

Luke 2:29-33

... " I am the Lord's servant, " Mary answered.

 "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Luke 2:38

The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul to too."

Luke 2:33-35

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...

John 3:16

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

1 John 4:10

 Love leads to hope. Hope does not disappoint.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:3-5

We who are strong ought to bare with the feelings of the weak and not please ourselves.

Romans 15