Great Bible Verses About Self-Worth

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As a Christian, self-worth comes from God-knowing who you are and who He called you to be. So who did He call you to be? These bible verses below will help you grow your self-worth.

Know Who You Are

Knowing who you are and what God has called you to be is one way to grow in self-worth. Check out what the bible says below about knowing who you are.

Heir

As a Christian, you are an heir to all wealth, riches power of kingdom of God according to Galatians 4:6, and the wealth of the wicked is stored for us (Proverbs 13:22). 

Anointed by God

Just as king David was chosen and anointed by God to His calling, so you are anointed by God to do whatever you are called to do.

“Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil” Ezekiel 16:9. 

Blessings on Blessings

Christians are blessed because our bad deeds are forgiven and because we trust God according to Psalm 34:8.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” Psalm 34:8.

Redeemed!

You are redeemed because we serve Him.

“The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” Psalms 34:22 

Justified by God

Justified is a lot like being redeemed in that you are made righteous by God because of your faith and getting saved. And by His grace, you don’t have to suffer for your sins.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Romans 3:24. 

How to get saved.

Light for the World

According to Philippians 2:15, you were saved so you can be a light for all the world to see and be drawn to Christ. An amazing, and important privilege! 

“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” Philippians 2:15.

Worthy

You are worthy. Worthy of respect, worthy of love, and worthy of every blessing the Lord has stored up for you. Why? Because all humans have value and are loved by God. John 3:16 declares,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Not only that, but when you walk with Jesus in His ways you are already worthy of all the blessings the Lord has in store.

“…they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” Revelations 3:4

Protected

Isaiah 54:17 says Christians are protected because no weapon formed against us will prosper.

Called for a Purpose

We all have a purpose to fulfill in our lives.

According to Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 

Holy Priesthood

One purpose Christians have is to be priests. Since we are to be lights of the world directing people to Jesus, its important we know what the word says and have communion with God just like the priests did in the Levitical priesthood.

They would offer praises and prayers to God on behalf of the people. 1 Peter 2:5 says, “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Have Strong Confidence

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Knowing these things will give you confidence and higher self-worth! As evidenced in the bible verses below.

Bold as a Lion

Proverbs 28:1 boldly declares “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. We too can stand against kings, and giants with boldness.” That is our portion!

Strong Confidence!

Have strong confidence because you fear the Lord. Proverbs 14:26 says, “In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.”

When you have a healthy reverence for God, you can be confident because you know He will cover you and be with you since you are living righteously.  

Will do Valiantly

Psalm 60:12 states, “through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.”

We will do wonders because Jesus promised this and He lives in us!

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” Mark 16:17-18. 

Conclusion

This post is so encouraging, and its for me too! For women in our modern society, it is hard to maintain high self-worth especially in American culture where we are daily bombarded with images of what the world thinks is beautiful.

Well I want to be what God calls me to be. When you know these things, you won’t be afraid of anyone or anything because you know God has your life. You can have high self-worth.

This isn’t an overnight miracle, but with daily meditation and reminding yourself what the word says about you will increase your self-worth.

Blessings,

M/M  

What is Faith? Three Easy Ways to Grow Your Faith

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As a Christian, faith in Jesus is the glue holding the Christian life together. But what about those who are struggling with their faith? Let’s discover what is faith and three easy steps to grow your faith.  

Faith Comes by Hearing  

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 NKJV 

Faith is believing pure and simple. In order to have it you have to have something to believe in.

That’s one of the reasons church is so important, and having a pastor is important. Preachers teach us about Jesus, and help us understand the life we should live according to the bible. Reading the bible is also important. You need to hear the word of God first in order to act on it.  

Remember when Jesus healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda? Jesus told Him, ““Rise, take up your bed and walk.”  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.”” John 5: 8.  

The lame man heard what Jesus said first then he had to decide if he would believe it as true (that if he tried to, he would be able to walk). Again, faith without works is dead. 

Study the Bible

The Bible is our guidebook for life. Understanding what God desires of you will help build your faith.

Listen to the bible app, read the bible in the morning and evening. Listen to a good preaching, a few times a week.  And memorize bible verses: write them down on sticky notes, post them on your bathroom mirror.  However you can get the word in you.

When you know what the Bible says and act on it your faith can grow.  Here are some Bible verses to get you started! 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4: 13 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 

“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah.” Psalm 62: 8 

“Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16: 3 

Don’t Talk about it Be About it

Finally, faith = action.

James 2:17 says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (NKJV).”

If you are reading the Bible , and trying to grow in your relationship with God-for more insights into growing in your relationship with God, check out my article here-there will come a time when you will have to act on those beliefs.

Conclusion

If you are going through hard times, study Psalm 62: 8 and trust God is your refuge. Need healing? Believe Psalm 103: 3 and know God will heal you.

I’ve heard many pastors preach that faith is a muscle. Thus, it has to be flexed and strengthened daily. That is how to grow in your faith.

Blessings,

M/M

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As a Christian, faith in Jesus is the glue holding the Christian life together. But what about those who are struggling with their faith? Let’s discover what is faith and three easy steps to grow your faith.  

Faith Comes by Hearing  

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 NKJV 

Faith is believing pure and simple. In order to have it you have to have something to believe in.

That’s one of the reasons church is so important, and having a pastor is important. Preachers teach us about Jesus, and help us understand the life we should live according to the bible. Reading the bible is also important. You need to hear the word of God first in order to act on it.  

Remember when Jesus healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda? Jesus told Him, ““Rise, take up your bed and walk.”  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.”” John 5: 8.  

The lame man heard what Jesus said first then he had to decide if he would believe it as true (that if he tried to, he would be able to walk). Again, faith without works is dead. 

Study the Bible

The Bible is our guidebook for life. Understanding what God desires of you will help build your faith.

Listen to the bible app, read the bible in the morning and evening. Listen to a good preaching, a few times a week.  And memorize bible verses: write them down on sticky notes, post them on your bathroom mirror.  However you can get the word in you.

When you know what the Bible says and act on it your faith can grow.  Here are some Bible verses to get you started! 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4: 13 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 

“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah.” Psalm 62: 8 

“Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16: 3 

Don’t Talk about it Be About it

Finally, faith = action.

James 2:17 says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (NKJV).”

If you are reading the Bible , and trying to grow in your relationship with God-for more insights into growing in your relationship with God, check out my article here-there will come a time when you will have to act on those beliefs.

Conclusion

If you are going through hard times, study Psalm 62: 8 and trust God is your refuge. Need healing? Believe Psalm 103: 3 and know God will heal you.

I’ve heard many pastors preach that faith is a muscle. Thus, it has to be flexed and strengthened daily. That is how to grow in your faith.

Blessings,

M/M

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As a Christian, faith in Jesus is the glue holding the Christian life together. But what about those who are struggling with their faith? Let’s discover what is faith and three easy steps to grow your faith.  

Faith Comes by Hearing  

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 NKJV 

Faith is believing pure and simple. In order to have it you have to have something to believe in.

That’s one of the reasons church is so important, and having a pastor is important. Preachers teach us about Jesus, and help us understand the life we should live according to the bible. Reading the bible is also important. You need to hear the word of God first in order to act on it.  

Remember when Jesus healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda? Jesus told Him, ““Rise, take up your bed and walk.”  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.”” John 5: 8.  

The lame man heard what Jesus said first then he had to decide if he would believe it as true (that if he tried to, he would be able to walk). Again, faith without works is dead. 

Study the Bible

The Bible is our guidebook for life. Understanding what God desires of you will help build your faith.

Listen to the bible app, read the bible in the morning and evening. Listen to a good preaching, a few times a week.  And memorize bible verses: write them down on sticky notes, post them on your bathroom mirror.  However you can get the word in you.

When you know what the Bible says and act on it your faith can grow.  Here are some Bible verses to get you started! 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4: 13 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 

“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah.” Psalm 62: 8 

“Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16: 3 

Don’t Talk about it Be About it

Finally, faith = action.

James 2:17 says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (NKJV).”

If you are reading the Bible , and trying to grow in your relationship with God-for more insights into growing in your relationship with God, check out my article here-there will come a time when you will have to act on those beliefs.

Conclusion

If you are going through hard times, study Psalm 62: 8 and trust God is your refuge. Need healing? Believe Psalm 103: 3 and know God will heal you.

I’ve heard many pastors preach that faith is a muscle. Thus, it has to be flexed and strengthened daily. That is how to grow in your faith.

Blessings,

M/M

The Parable of the Talents: Living Your Best Life for God

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The Parable of the Talents is a popular parable of significant meaning. The most interesting character being the man who hid his talents out of fear and was condemned. Are you like this man? Not pursuing God’s perfect plan for your life, and at risk of condemnation from God? Well, you don’t have to be!

God’s Perfect Plan for You

The Bible says God has a perfect plan for our lives. But He does give us free will. We can choose to do things our way, outside of God’s will.

Just look at Adam and Eve. God’s perfect will for them was to stay in the Garden of Eden: where they lived in peace, and had all the food and fulfillment they needed. But they chose to live outside of God’s plan for them. This plan was not as good as God’s plan: filled with toil, pain, sweat, and hurt. I often wondered what would have happened if Adam chose to allow God to lead his life instead of himself.

If we allow God to lead our lives, we won’t ever have to question what if. Because we will be in God’s perfect will. Now we are human, all of us struggle with doubt, or fear. But this is an appeal to live a life of faith. If you feel the Lord leading you to write a book-write the book. Or if you hear Him tell you to start a hard conversation with a family member about their faith, start that conversation.

If you’re feeling afraid, do it afraid. God will see you through! You never know what is on the other side of your obedience. And if you stumble in your obedience, repent and keep going. God doesn’t give up on us if we struggle with our faith.

Use Your Gifts to Worship God

Live your best life for God! Use every gift and talent the Lord has given you. He gave it to you, so use it! Are you gifted in painting? Sell paintings or teach a class. Can you play piano? Play at church or in a band.

Be like the man in the Parable of the talents who used all the talents the Lord gave him and brought a return on them (Matthew 25:14-30). And if you aren’t sure what your gifts are, pray for guidance, do some online personality tests and some self-exploration. Check out the personality tests below:

https://www.16personalities.com

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/bring-your-bible/personality-test/

“He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.”

“His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord…Lord (wicked servant speaking), I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown…And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.”

“His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed…And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:14-30).

Don’t hide your talents out of fear. Do you know why the Lord was angry at the servant for hiding his talents? Because God gives us gifts to be used. Our gifts aren’t given to serve ourselves, but they’re given to be used as a form of worship in service to others. Just as Christ came not to be served but to serve others (Matthew 20:28).

Live Your Best Life for God

I don’t know if you can feel it but I feel we are in the last days. It’s like a feeling in me confirmed by what I see in the world every day.

Jesus says in the last days there would be wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6). Just take a look at the news and you can see this is a fact. Right now, commentators are speculating the US and China could go to war in the South Pacific. Daniel 9:27 says the antichrist would establish himself as god in the third temple in Jerusalem. There hasn’t been a temple or sacrificial system in Israel for many years but Israeli leaders have already started planning for the building of the third temple.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I don’t want you to have any regrets. Now more than ever, Christians need to be who God called us to be: ALL of what God called us to be. We are called to be bold as lions (Proverbs 28:1), have strong confidence (Proverbs 14:26), to preach the truth to all who will listen (Matthew 28:16-20), to work hard (Colossians 3:23), and to love God and others (Mark 12:31).

We should live hard for God everyday. Compared to our lives on Earth, Eternity is a long time. I personally don’t want to spend that time asking myself what if: What if I had prayed more? What if I had fasted more? What if I had loved more? What if I did everything God wanted me to do? Because by then, it will be too late. If you want to know more about being saved, check out my post here.

Blessings,

M/M

5 Ways to Have a Relationship With God

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Many of us want a stronger relationship with God. It often seems like God is so far away from us, but He is not. How do we do that then? How do you have a relationship with God? 

Spend Quality Time with Him 

Prayer, bible study and fasting are great ways to know more about God, and to destroy your own sinful desires. But also spending the day talking to Him helps you grow in your relationship with God. The Bible teaches us to “pray without ceasing,” (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). Just like you text your friends or family members when something happens, talk to God about it too. 

Watch movies or read books with Him! Include God in what you’re doing and spend quality time with Him. Make sure you take the time to listen, too. Sometimes we treat God as our therapist and just blab on and on about everything when God is waiting to get a word in. I’m guilty of this!

Give him that space to talk too. Prayer should be a conversation not a soliloquy. When you spend time in prayer daily, (mornings are best in my opinion) you start to recognize His still, small voice.  

Obey

Jesus taught in John 14:21, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.”  And also in 1 Samuel 15:22, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 

I heard a YouTube once says that Obedience is God’s love language-I believe that. When you obey God you’re acting in faith that you believe He is God, that what He says is true. Abraham was called a friend of God because He trusted God, obeyed God by faith, even to the point of almost sacrificing his own son (Genesis 22:1-19)! So, if you want to have a stronger relationship with God, obey what He says. 

When you get closer to him, eventually He will tell you to do things that you won’t want to do. Do it! When you obey, your confidence and faith in God will grow too.  

Tune Out the Noise 

There is so much noise in our society. So many voices and opinions. Making it hard to tune into what God is saying to us. Learn to cut out the noise: cut out voices that don’t glorify God or His ways. This includes movies, tv shows, social media, Youtube, music, books. Back in the Bible days, it was easier to grow close to God because they didn’t have the distraction of movies, Instagram, Youtube or music. 

King David said, “I will set no evil thing before my face (Psalm 101: 3).” The Apostle Paul said, “All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life] (1 Corinthians 10:23).” 

Do you struggle with envy but love  scrolling through for hours on end? Maybe take a break from Instagram for some time. Make sure you’re feeding yourself with things that glorify God more than things that do not glorify God. Know where your struggle areas are. Be attentive to what comes into your ear gate and eye gate. The eyes are the windows of the soul. What you watch, listen to, and read does affect you and how you view God.  

“Be ye Holy as I am Holy” (1 Peter 1:16

Being Holy means to be set apart. As Christians, we are in the world, but we are not of the world (John 17: 16). God called the people of Israel to be a light to the world (Isaiah 49: 6). When they got to the promised land, He told them to utterly destroy the surrounding nations who served other Gods.  

This was because God knew if they were around things and people who didn’t serve Him, His people would do the same. And they did. Eventually the people of Israel became so depraved, they worshipped the Gods of the surrounding nations and became just like them. We have to be careful not to be like the people of Israel. We have to rid our lives of things that can destroy our relationship with God. We are called to be Holy as He is holy.  

When we are filled with His spirit (Joel 2: 28=29, Acts 2: 38, Acts 10: 44-46) His spirit will help us to live holy. He will convict us if we are watching, or listening to things, or reading things that will hinder our relationship with Him. Don’t grieve the spirit by doing things He doesn’t like.

When you carry the spirit of the living and Holy God in you, He doesn’t want to be in places that are not Holy. And He doesn’t want to you to take in things that are unholy. Think about that. So when you’re filled with His spirit, you will feel uncomfortable because you have His spirit in you.  

Are There Any Other Idols in your Life? 

The final way to get closer to God is to get rid of any other idols in your life. God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14). He desires, and deserves complete and total devotion. Most people nowadays don’t worship idols from the bible days. But we all can idolize something without erecting an idol.  

Jesus says in Matthew 6: 21, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where are you putting your money? What do you worship? Do you worship your job? What about an entertainer or a sport? Is getting married your highest goal in life? Do you worship yourself?

God wants to be the only God in your life, He commanded don’t have any other gods before me. What gods are in your life? You’ll know based on how much time you spend on it, and /or how much money you give the idol. 

“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” St. Augustine 

Having a relationship with God, like any relationship takes work and dedication. But also sacrifice. You have to be willing to obey God, and to surrender your life to God. But it is so worth it. No one else loves like God loves. When you fall in love with God, you learn so much about yourself and grow in so many ways.  

Blessings,

M/M

6 Reasons Why Jesus is Coming Soon

For many years, those of the Christian faith have waited for the coming and return of Jesus Christ. But people have been waiting for years for his return making one ask the question-is He actually returning? Let’s discuss six reasons why Jesus is coming soon.

In my post “If God is real, why does He allow bad things to happen,” I explain the validity of the Bible. The Bible is thousands of years old, yet the texts written so long ago are still relevant today. Below I’ll detail many instances that have predicted what will happen before the coming of the Lord.

1. Wars and Rumors of Wars

Matthew 24 says that in the last days “…ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled (Matthew 24:6, KJV).”

There are many war rumors and tensions in the world today. Many world leaders are threatening and or preparing for war. Currently, China is threatening war with Taiwan, and the United States. Russia is also threatening war with Ukraine.

There have been wars throughout human history, but taking into account the next reasons for why Jesus is coming soon it all adds up.

2. The Euphrates River Drying Up

Revelation 16:12 says, “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”

In August 2021, Syria’s longest river prophetically dried up, and is becoming a desert. Exactly what the Bible predicted would happen hundreds of years ago!

3. Earthquakes in Various Places

In Matthew 24:6 Jesus states, “there shall be… and earthquakes, in divers[e] places.”

The Unites States Geological Survey stated in their frequently asked questions section article titled “Why are we having so many earthquakes? Has naturally occurring earthquake activity been increasing? Does this mean a big one is going to hit? OR We haven’t had any earthquakes in a long time; does this mean that the pressure is building up for a big one?”

The article states, “In the past 40-50 years, our records show that we have exceeded the long-term average number (about 16 earthquakes per year) of major earthquakes about a dozen times.”

4. “All that Live Godly in Christ Will Suffer Persecution”

2 Timothy 3:12 says,

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

In the aforementioned chapter Matthew 24, in verse 9 Jesus speaks about the last days warning,

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”

According to the 2022 World Watch List by Christian Persecution Organization Open Doors International, persecution against Christians continues to rise especially in Asian and African countries and that the COVID 19 pandemic has further exacerbated discrimination with over 360 million experiencing persecution.

5. Famines (hunger)

Matthew 24:6 also says there will be “famines…”

The organization Action Against Hunger states, after declining for a decade, world hunger increased. From 2019 to 2020, the number of undernourished people grew by as many as 161 million, a crisis driven largely by conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

6. Seas of Blood

Revelation 16:3 says “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.”

Could this “sea of blood” be the harmful red algal bloom that have been spotted and reported in every U.S. coastal state according to studies and researchers that believe it could be on the rise.

Conclusion

This post is not to scare but to inform. As Christians, we should be aware of the times we’re living in. So, let’s live the best life we can for God, and hold nothing back: love God, love others, live peacefully with others. And if you’re not a Christian, I hope this post opens your mind about the validity of the Bible. For more info about Jesus and salvation, check out my post, “How do I Get Saved” here.

Blessings,

M/M

Bible Verses for Your Worst Days in Marriage

Marriage can be tough. Really tough. But the Bible is an amazing resource to help you keep your marriage strong.

The Bible can be used for every area of our lives: including marriage. Check out the following Bible verses for your worst days in marriage.

When You Don’t Want to Forgive

Forgive your spouse, although you may not want to

We all mess up. It takes acknowledgement of that to forgive someone else: especially loved ones.

If you’re struggling to forgive, start by praying for your spouse. When Jesus was on the cross, He prayed for his murderers and accusers for God to forgive them.

Forgiveness is mostly for you. Unforgiveness can easily lead to bitterness. Plus, in marriage you or your spouse are bound to mess up.

None of us are perfect and we all mess up. Forgiving one another needs to be something we do on a daily basis.

Doing so will prevent us from harboring unforgiveness which can lead to not only bitterness, but also a lack of love. Which leads to my next point.

When You Want to Don’t Want to Love Your Spouse

When you’re hurt or annoyed by your spouse, it can be hard to show love for them. But God commands us to love each other. In spite of our faults, and hurts.

It’s important to show love. Loving each other in spite of our faults will grow you to another level as a christian and a spouse. Which leads to my next point: when your spouse is wrong about something.

When Your Spouse is Wrong

For me, if I feel my spouse is wrong about something and they dont agree, instead of arguing I go pray. The Lord can bring peace to any situation. Prayer works.

Doing this brings peace to me as well that the situation is in God’s hands. It also helps me from being so angry.

And after you pray for your spouse, show them love. Cook dinner, help them throughout the day. Be good to them still, which will not only shower on guilt but get them thinking about the disagreement. As the next verse explains,

Conclusion

Marriage can be hard, but the Bible provides instructions for your worst days in marriage.

Study these verses, and do what it says and it could help you and your marriage grow better. So study these verses, pray them over you and your spouse. For more verses for wives to know check out this post.

Blessings,

M/M

What is the Meaning of Dreams?

What do my dreams mean?

Everyone has experienced having dreams. Some of us have good dreams, that make us wake up with a smile. Others have nightmares. But some of us will have recurring dreams that frequent our heads every night. Begging the question: what do my dreams mean? Let’s see.

God is Trying to Tell you Something

Have you ever had your mom or dad pester you about the same thing over and over again? Maybe its cleaning your room, or taking out the trash. They will keep bringing it up until you do something about it. Well, as a loving father, God does the same thing with us. 

For example, In 1 Samuel 28:15, King Saul states,

“I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”

Sometimes God would speak directly to people in their dreams like He did with Abimelek in Genesis 20:3,

“But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”

 It makes sense for God to speak to us (indirectly or directly) in dreams. Throughout the day, were often too busy with the things of life and have too much on our minds for us to fully hear God’s voice. So consider, is God trying to speak to me in my dreams? Maybe the dream is a wake up call to pray. Or perhaps your dream may foretell things to come. 

Our Dreams May Foretell the Future

Considering the average person dreams four to six times per night according to the National sleep foundation, the fact we wake up remembering one specific one can be significant. It may be prudent to ask a pastor or trusted spiritual authority in your life about the dream. Just like King Nebuchadnezzar did in Daniel 2: 1-2.

“In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams…”

This king had one dream that was so impactful he threatened to kill people over it (can you say “crazy?”). When you have a dream that sticks with you and “troubles you” its from the Lord. Again, don’t be so quick to write off dreams! Especially the ones that trouble you.

Conclusion

Now I know some of us have dreams that are weird or crazy. But some of them do have a meaning: and I encourage you to pray and search for the meaning. Dreams have meaning. Don’t be so quick to write off your dream: especially if its recurring or if they trouble you. Like the wise turtle Oogway from the movie Kung Fu panda once said, “nothing is without meaning.”

Blessings,

M/M

How to be Saved: 3 Steps From the Bible

If you haven’t noticed, our world is crazy. If you don’t believe me, go take a look at the news and you’ll find: murder, depression, lawlessness, and all forms of evil in the world today. It’s easy to get depressed, or anxious, or hopeless, unnoticed, or unloved. We all are looking for something. I can tell you that when you get saved, you’ll find that Jesus is the answer to all of your questions. Let’s discover how to be saved according to the Bible.

Salvation: a 3 Step Process

Salvation is a three step process according to the Bible: Know you need a savior, Repent, Believe in Jesus, Get Baptised in water and Spirit. But don’t let those steps hinder you and make you think salvation is this long, arduous process. It is not. Each step is meant to strengthen yourself, affirm your salvation, and strengthen your relationship with Jesus.

1. Know You Need a Savior

Romans 3:23 says all men have sinned (meaning done wrong). According to God’s righteous standard, all of us have messed up in some way. All of us have done something were not supposed to because its in our nature as people. None of us came out the womb perfect. So we all need forgiveness from the bad things we’ve done. And that comes by repentance.

2. Repent

Since all of us have sinned, we all need to repent to God for our sins.

Acts 3:19 says, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” If you ask the Lord for forgiveness and recognize you need a savior then you are forgiven. Now it takes faith to do this: to believe in Jesus and to believe He’s forgiven you takes faith.

We’re saved by faith according to Ephesians 2:8,

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

But you cant stop there though. You cant just say these things without backing it up with some action, too. The Bible says by faith we’re saved, but faith without works is dead. So we have to demonstrate our faith by action: baptism.

3. Baptism (in the water and the Spirit)

Some of Jesus’ last words with his disciples was for them to “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).”

Baptism is super important: and the disciples took it seriously. They baptised people specifically in Jesus’ name:

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” Acts 22:16

Notice Paul says once youre baptised you will recive the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the final step to salvation.

Jesus instructed the curious Nicodemous that to be saved you must be baptised in the water and spirit. He actually urged Nicodemus saying in John 3:5, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”

Receiving the gift of the Holy spirt was so important for salvation it was stressed by the apostles. So how do you receive it? Simple: keep asking until you get it.

Paul mentions this in Acts 19: 2, 6,

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

Conclusion

When you have salvation, you not only have the peace of God, but also purpose, a history, a family, and a loving Father who takes care of you. I have all of this and more.

We all need purpose. We all need love. Love is a basic human need. The Bible says God loved us before we even knew Him. 

Blessings and Love,

M/M

Monday Musings: Five Lessons from a Wife Whose Parents are Divorced

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Divorce sucks. When it happens, it affects everyone-not just the husband and wife. My parents divorced when I was in high school, and the experience hurt. But I learned a lot examining my parents marriage-the highs, the lows and its eventual end taught me a lot of lessons that I draw upon now as a wife. Hopefully these lessons help you too.

1. Communicate as Much as You Can

As an introvert, I struggle sometimes with communicating with my spouse. I find it easier to withhold my thoughts and feelings and retreat into the safety of my mind. But I learned its better for the relationship to talk about any concerns or thoughts you have. Because your spouse wont know how you’re feeling until you tell them. Satan comes to destroy your marriage. He hates unity. He will speak lies to you about your spouse and continue to tell them until you believe it.

Satan: “He doesn’t think you look good in that outfit. In fact he thinks you’re ugly and wishes he was with his ex.”

Wife: “Does he still think about his ex? Does he think I’m ugly?”

By communicating, you put a stop to these lies and get the truth from your spouse yourself instead of assuming. Don’t be afraid to be real with your spouse. Ask him directly, “do you think I’m beautiful?” And don’t be afraid to talk back to those lying thoughts.

Wife: “that’s not true! My husband thinks I’m the most beautiful woman in the world!”

Speaking of beauty, I’ve noticed insecurities can lead to assumptions. Which can also lead to arguments. Leading to my next point.

2. Assume the Best, Not the Worst

This one can be tricky because if you’re offended, its easy to assume your husband intentionally tried to hurt you. Especially if the offense is rooted in an insecurity. Insecurities are like healing scars: if you poke or pick at it, it’ll sting. If our spouse unintentionally (or intentionally) pokes at your insecurity, it can hurt a lot. The best thing to do is to first communicate with your spouse and tell them you were hurt by them. Try your best not to attack or assume they intentionally tried to hurt you. I’ve learned the best thing to do with insecurities is recognize them, and grow from it. Assuming things about your spouse can be perceived as disrespectful. You never want to disrespect your spouse.

3. Unconditional Respect

We’ve all heard of unconditional love, but what about unconditional respect? I’ve learned that respect and love are equally important in marriage. Even the apostle Paul talks about the importance of respect as being as important as love in marriage. He commands the husband in Ephesians 5:25-33 to “love his wife as Christ loved the church and died for it…let everyone of you love his wife even as himself.”

But he also adds in verse 33 “…and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” As wives, we are to respect our husbands. Yes, our husbands should respect us too, but Paul specifically commands wives to respect their husbands. Why would he say this? I believe its because he knew respect is as important to men as love is to women and there would be times where we don’t want to respect our husbands. I’ve learned that respect is something that, when lacking, can cause lasting damage in a marriage. It can cause spouses to be embittered by one another. If a person doesn’t feel respected, they will find respect elsewhere.

Respect, like love, is a basic marital need. There will be times when I don’t feel my husband deserves respect, but I give it because in marriage, respect isn’t earned its required. More on this love and respect principle can be viewed in this awesome book: “Love and Respect: the love she most desires and respect he desperately needs” by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs which I’ve linked below.

Love and respect in marriage helps maintain unity in marriage like a glue. Glue is a perfect Segway to my next lesson, which is:

4. Keep the Unity

Unity is so important in marriage. I don’t just mean staying together forever. I also mean unity in goals for your lives. Before we got married, we spoke about life goals together and ensured we agreed on things like: children, pets, home ownership, debt, career goals, etc. We had to make sure we were both on the same page, or else we would not be unified on these topics. Jumping back on that respect point, I make sure never to disrespect or talk bad about my spouse to others including family. Because that will bring division. Speaking of family, family can be a cause of division in marriage. I spoke on this in a previous post called I married you, not your family

https://themustardseedwife.com/2021/09/17/i-married-you-not-your-family/

It’s important to set up appropriate boundaries with family members, and ensure the family knows your spouse is to be respected as another member of the family. An important  member of the marriage should be: Jesus.

5. Keep God in the Center

Keeping God in the center of your marriage will do wonders for your marriage and even before your marriage. Ask yourselves: Does God want us to be together in the first place?  Plead the blood of Jesus over your marriage daily. Pray for and with each other. Go to church together.

Make sure your heart is right with the Lord so you can love and serve your spouse the way you should. If you include God in your marriage, you will never be disappointed. Finally, the last one which is:

6. Divorce is Never an Option

Jason and I do as much as we can to ensure divorce is never an option for us. By not only implementing the lessons above, but also loving on each other, serving each other, keeping ourselves at our best so we maintain attraction for each other, and keeping our marriage first (after God). Of course, I understand there are instances where divorce should definitely happen, and God is able to make every broken situation into a beautiful one. I want to make sure I do everything I can to ensure its never an option.

Conclusion

Reiterating what I said above: I think divorce sucks. Divorce is like a bomb. Once its dropped it damages everything in its path: the children, the spouses, your finances, your home. So I want to do everything in my power to ensure divorce is not an option for myself and my husband.

Blessings,

M/M

The One Question You Don’t Want to Ask Yourself in Heaven.

I’m a huge Marvel fan. I’ve seen most of the Marvel movies and shows. Recently, Marvel released a new show called “What If?” The show examines what would happen if the usual storylines we’re familiar with in the Marvel movies took different turns. Like what if Peggy Carter became Captain America instead of Steve Rogers? Or what if Starlord was T’challa instead of Peter Quill? “What if” is a big question. It explores the realm of possibility. This is one question you don’t want to ask yourself when we get to eternity. Why, you might ask? Let’s explore this.

God’s Perfect Plan for You

The Bible says God has a perfect plan for our lives. But He does give us free will. We can choose to do things our way, outside of God’s will. Just look at Adam and Eve. God’s perfect will for them was to stay in the Garden of Eden: where they lived in peace, and had all the food and fulfillment they needed. But they chose to live outside of God’s plan for them. This plan was not as good as God’s plan: filled with toil, pain, sweat, and hurt. I often wondered what would have happened if Adam did not eat the fruit. If Adam chose to allow God to lead his life and not himself.

If we allow God to lead our lives, we won’t ever have to question what if. Because we will be in God’s perfect will. Now we are human, all of us struggle with doubt, or fear. But this is an appeal to live a life of faith. If you feel the Lord leading you to write a book-write the book. Or if you hear Him tell you to start a hard conversation with a family member about their faith, start that conversation. If you’re feeling afraid, do it with fear. God will see you through! But you probably should do it because you never know what is on the other side of your obedience. And if you stumble in your obedience, repent and keep going. God doesn’t give up on us if we struggle with our faith.

Use Your Gifts to Worship God

Live your best life for God! Use every gift and talent the Lord has given you. He gave it to you, so use it! Are you gifted in painting? Sell paintings or teach a class. Can you play piano? Play at church or in a band. Be like the man in the Bible who used all the talents the Lord gave him and brought a return on them. And if you aren’t sure what your gifts are, pray for guidance, do some online personality tests and some self-exploration. Check out the personality tests below:

https://www.16personalities.com

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/bring-your-bible/personality-test/

“He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.”

“His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord…Lord (wicked servant speaking), I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown…And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.”

“His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed…And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:14-30).

Don’t hide your talents out of fear. Do you know why the Lord was angry at the servant for hiding his talents? Because God gives us gifts to be used. Our gifts aren’t given to serve ourselves, but they’re given to be used as a form of worship in service. Just as Christ came not to be served but to serve others (Matthew 20:28).

Live Your Best Life for God

I don’t know if you can feel it but I feel we are in the last days. It’s like a feeling in me confirmed by what I see in the world every day. Jesus says in the last days there would be wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6). Just take a look at the news and you can see this is a fact. Right now, commentators are speculating the US and China could go to war in the South Pacific. Daniel 9:27 says the antichrist would establish himself as god in the third temple in Jerusalem. There hasn’t been a temple or sacrificial system in Israel for many years but Israeli leaders have already started planning for the building of the third temple.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I don’t want you to have any regrets. Now more than ever, Christians need to be who God called us to be: ALL of what God called us to be. We are called to be bold as lions (Proverbs 28:1), have strong confidence (Proverbs 14:26), to preach the truth to all who will listen (Matthew 28:16-20), to work hard (Colossians 3:23), and to love God and others (Mark 12:31). We should live hard for God everyday. Compared to our lives on Earth, Eternity is a long time. I personally don’t want to spend that time asking myself what if: What if I had prayed more? What if I had fasted more? What if I had loved more? Because by then, it will be too late.