God is Greater

Hey Treasures, how is it going??  I hope and pray that you are having a great week.

Have you ever had those days when you just feel tired or when you are battling shame, guilt, condemnation?  Days when you are just wounded, the pain in your heart is not letting up?  When sorrow suffocates you and you just feel like you can not take another breathe?

I have had these days sometimes all that and some all in a day. In our lives here in this world, we will go through things, we will experience things. Many times we allow our emotions to get the best of us. We allow the enemy to whisper lies right into our ear when he should be no wear near our ears but rather under our feet.  He has been defeated.

We can overcome doubts, fears, hurts, condemnation, lies and sin. We are no longer bound to any of this " `cause the cross already won the war" (from the song Greater by MercyMe)

Romans 6:6-7 The Voice (VOICE)
⁶ We know this: whatever we used to be with our old sinful ways has been nailed to His cross. So our entire record of sin has been canceled, and we no longer have to bow down to sin’s power. ⁷ A dead man, you see, cannot be bound by sin.

Source

This is why it is so important for us to read our Bibles, and read them again and then read them once again! The bible is clear and it is not a book of rules for us to follow. It is God's very own love letter to you and to me. It is the greatest love story there is and you know what Mr. Aguila and I have a pretty amazing love story BUT God's love for us is far GREATER. 

A few months ago, I started listening to AIR 1, a Christian music station. The stations mission statement is pretty cool, "To Create Compelling Media that Inspires and Encourages You to Have a Meaningful Relationship With Christ." (Read this on their About section on the website).  The website is pretty cool as well. You can look up the songs and listen, buy them and/or find the lyrics.

On my way to work I usually start my day with this station and the other day while driving into work, I heard this song by Mercy Me. I am sharing the video because it's pretty cool. The video has the lyrics but I want to share them with you.
No matter what is going on with us we must remember this scripture,
1 John 4:4  The Voice (VOICE)
My children, you have come from God and have conquered these spirits because the One who lives within you is greater than the one in this world.


MercyMe - Greater 
From the album Welcome To The New
Bring your tired
Bring your shame
Bring your guilt
Bring your pain
Don't you know that's not your name
You will always be much more to me

Everyday I wrestle with the voices
That keep telling me I'm not right
But that's alright

‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I'll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world
In the world
In the world
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world

Bring your doubts
Bring your fears
Bring your hurt
Bring your tears
There'll be no condemnation here
You are holy, righteous and redeemed

Every time I fall
There'll be those who will call me
A mistake
Well, that's ok

There'll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn't matter
‘Cause the cross already won the war
He's greater
He's greater
I am learning to run freely
Understanding just how He sees me
And it makes me love Him more and more
He's greater
He's greater



I am still trying to keep up with 30 days of Radical Growth with Havilah Cunnington and you can also watch the videos here. They are each about 7 minutes long so you can catch up really quick. The playlist for the devotion is HERE.

So I pray that we all begin to walk in the power and authority that God has given us and that we remember that He is greater than any fear, any sin, any doubt, any condemnation, any lie, any emotion and His grace is sufficient. Let us continue to press forward and love Him more and more and continual in radical growth, In Jesus name amen.

Change with Seasons

Hey Treasures, welcome to my little piece of the world wide web. 

I am over the top excited to welcome September and the Autumn season and kiss Summer good bye as well as sit down and blog a little.
I hope and pray that you are all doing well and ready for the new season.

We have all heard the saying "Seasons Change" and "It's a New Season" this is something I have been hearing for the last couple of weeks. I am one that doesn't embrace change easily. However if we can learn how to CHANGE WITH THE SEASON then we are well on our way to grow in the season. After all growth occurs through the seasons.

At Sunday service, our pastor taught on "Recognizing the Time" this message really gave me some insight. Maria-Isabel of Agape Love Designs posted a question on her Facebook page asking this, "Did anyone feel especially moved in church today? Or learn something new? If so, please share."
Here was my response,
"At my church it was on recognizing the time. We go through seasons in our walk with God and it is important to discern what season we are in. For example, as we approach a new season in the natural, Fall(my favorite time of the year) we prepare or do things like put away our shorts and flip flops and bring out our boots and cardigans. So it is with our seasons with God, we must be in tune with what God season we are in, so we know, what to do, what to say, what to pray."

In the natural, we make changes and/or adjustments according to the seasons which I believe are mostly subconscious changes. In the supernatural it is important to make the necessary adjustments and align ourselves with what God is doing or we can get stagnant.  Change must take place in order to get in alignment.  Once we are in alignment, then comes the breakthrough. We can break FORTH into the new season. (on my next blog post, I will be discussing more on breakthrough and breaking forth) 
So if we don't make the adjustments or change with seasons we will continually stay the same. My pastor spoke on if we keep doing the same things, we will keep getting the same results. Change is necessary if we want to continue to grow and who doesn't want to continue to grow. We don't want to get stale and stuck in the same ol' same ol', at least I don't.

This leads me to the next thing I want to talk about. Today I started an online devotional, 30 days of Radical Growth with Havilah Cunnington. I went to a conference a couple months ago and heard Havilah teach an awesome message about the different ways God speaks. She is such an anointed woman of God and so relatable. At the conference I picked up this book and so when she announced the online devotional I was happy to participate.

The book, Radical Growth also touches on some of the stuff God has been speaking to me and what my pastor spoke on. She references this famous quote, "If you do what you've always done, then you'll get what you've always got." and she says "if we want growth, we may need to change our thoughts and/or our behavior. "  I am excited to participate in this devotional and to see the Radical Growth as I purposely set out to grow in this season.

If you might be interested in joining us for the online devotional, here is a preview.



Leave me a comment if you decide to join in. I would love to hear what you get from this as well.

Let's pray...
Lord I thank you for the work you have begun in us. Open our ears to hear what you are speaking in this season. Open our eyes to see what season we are in so that we can make necessary adjustments. Help us to get in alignment with you Lord. Throw down the plumb line and let us adjust and align accordingly.  I pray that we will continue to grow at a radical rate and that we will enlarge our faith.  I pray that we would all desire more of your Word as your Word tunes our minds into the channel of your voice.  May we catch the time we are in, the season we are in, all for your glory, for your honor and we thank you for loving us too much to leave us the same. We seal this in the name of Jesus, amen.

If you have any prayer needs please leave a comment or email me and I will be happy to pray with you according to God's Word and Will.

Follow Me Bible Study {Week 3} Delight in God

Hello Beautiful Treasures, how are you doing?  I am sorry I took  break without any notice.  It wasn't really planned but with birthday weekend, I needed a couple of days to catch up at home and do all that fun stuff we love, clean house, do laundry, cook, clean up and start all over again.

  

I did leave you with some great giveaways so I hope you have entered them. 

PIER 1 $50 GIFT CARD (ends 10/24) // $750 PAYPAL CASH (ends 10/27) // $225 PAYPAL CASH (ends 10/31)

 I am behind on my reading for...

This is what I have so far for this week.

Week 3

"DELIGHT IN GOD"

 

This week’s Scripture Memory

source: Pinterest

This week in a daily break down

I usually will share what stood out to me the most from each day (There is a lot of good points throughout the days, from what I have read and l only share one but this week it will be different because I haven't read through the week or taken notes on all the days.

I hope that you will join us on this bible study and share with us what stood out to you, ask questions and/or leave comments.

 

Day One – Our Father

The creator of the universe is my Father, this chapter really spoke to me. It touches on "God Delights in Us" and "We Delight in God".  These are to two subtitles in this chapter. 

 

In the God Delights In Us section, David Platt says that in the Old Testament God is rarely described as Father; 15 times to be exact. He says in the New Testament, in the Gospels alone, we see God described as Father 165 different times and 164 of them occur when Jesus is teaching His disciples.  He uses the Sermon on the Mount, as an example, where Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray.  You know the Our Father prayer right? David Platt says, "Amazingly, this is the first time in the Bible where anyone is encouraged to pray to God as Father.

 

~~"Jesus' words are both astounding and significant.  As Christians, we have the distinct privilege of knowing, worshipping, talking, and relating to God as "our Father.”  BY DAVID PLATT, page 66

 

What a privilege this is indeed to call the creator.  of the universe Abba Father! Jesus tore the veil and now we can now talk to directly to our Father in heaven.

 

==EVEN NOW RUN INTO HIS ARMS AND SAY, "MY FATHER."=

 

This is somewhat of a struggle for me.  My dad died when I was five.  I have distinctive memories of him and I and then one day we got the sad new that my died dad, even now it brings me to tears.  I remember that day so clearly.  I remember I was in my mom's room playing Lite Brite with my brothers and my cousins. I can still hear my mom screaming "NO, NO, NO"!!!! and banging on the wall while on the phone.

Although I was only five, I had a great relationship with my dad. I was daddy's little girl. My mom says when he would go out, all I would do was cry for him.  The void in my heart even now has me typing and crying.  After all these years it still hurts.  I use to think my dad abandoned me.  I was so young  I didn't understand. I battle or have battled a fear of abandonment because of this deep wound.  This also makes for a difficult time to fully embrace God almighty as my Heavenly Father.  Growing up without my dad was a challenge BUT the void in my heart and the pain deep within me affected me more than I care to admit. 

I want the wall removed so I can run into God's arms and say "My Father."  A part of me even feels guilty because all my life (well since I was five) I longed for my daddy's love and I searched for it. Oh let me tell you, I searched in ALL the wrong places.  encountering Jesus has helped me a lot BUT I am still a work in progress and I know the God reveals to heal.  As this stuff services and the ache in my heart becomes ever so real, I find comfort knowing that through this God is healing me and He promises to never leave me nor forsake me and I can feel safe with my Heavenly Father and hold onto the memories of my daddy.

Thank you for reading. I pray you were blessed.  This book has my attention. Please make sure  to stop by Satisfaction Through Christ’s to read  Christie's discussion on the this week’s reading and also check back with us every Wednesday for the next 3 weeks for the rest of this study.

God bless you and if you have any prayer requests please leave me a comment or send me an email and we will lift up your needs in Jesus name.



Follow Me Bible Study {Week 2} Be Transformed

Hello Treasures and welcome to Week 2 of the Follow Me Bible Study series with Satisfaction Through Christ.

This week’s Focus

Be transformed.

 

This week’s Scripture Memory

John 15:5 – Vine and Branches Wallpaper

This week in a daily break down

I will share what stood out to me the most from each day (There is a lot of good points throughout the days, from what I have read but I will only share one.  I hope that you will join us on this bible study and share with us what stood out to you, ask questions and/or leave comments.

Day One – United with Christ

What a blessing to be united with Christ, united with a purpose.  We get to unite with Christ and continue the work of God the Father, the work to further the kingdom of God.  United to share and fill earth with God’s love; with joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

~~ “If you’re a Christian, Jesus Christ lives in you and is with you. Moreover, you live in Jesus and are with Him.  That’s what He meant in John 15:4 when He told His disciples to “remain in me, and I will remain in you.”  BY DAVID PLATT, page 42

==TO BE A CHRISTIAN IS TO EXPERIENCE UNITY WITH CHRIST==

Day Two – Jesus  Changes  Everything

Oh boy, Oh boy, does Jesus change everything.  When we truly unite with Christ, we will be changed and transformed.

~~ “First, when we’re united with Christ, He begins to transform our thoughts.  He changes the way we perceive and process information so that, over time, we’re able to think more and more like Him.  Paul wrote about this transformation in 1 Corinthians 2:”

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (VOICE)

12 You must know that we have not received the spirit of this rebellious and broken world but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may experience and comprehend the gifts that come from God. 13 We do not speak of these gifts of God in words shaped by human wisdom; we speak in words crafted by the Spirit because our collective judgment on spiritual matters is accessible to those who have the Spirit. 14 But a person who denies spiritual realities will not accept the things that come through the Spirit of God; they all sound like foolishness to him. He is incapable of grasping them because they are disseminated, discerned, and valued by the Spirit.

Question

Read 1 Corinthians 2:16 (AMP)

16 For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.

What does it mean when it says “we have the mind of Christ”?

I like the Amplified Version of this scripture.  It says we do hold the thoughts, feelings and purposes of Christ heart! This truth is enough to change us. If we really mediate on this, we will forever be changed. Think about it, we have the mind of Christ and hold thoughts and feelings and purposed of HIS heart! That is life changing. Join me on this life changing study.

David Platt goes onto say that Paul also wrote about the benefits of this transformation.  I love these cartoons from Joyful 'toons and I think this one depicts this well.

==THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BENEFIT OF CHOOSING TO FOLLOW HIM==

Day Three – From Internal to External

There are several sections for each day in the book.

On Day three, my favorite section was JESUS TRANSFORMS OUR RELATIONSHIPS. (This is big for me)

Here is what David Platt has to say,

~~ “As our transformation continues to progress from internal to external,  Jesus impacts more than our individual actions. He also transforms our relationships with others.  Specifically, He gives us the ability to love others as He loves them: (See John 15:12-15)

In this same section He goes on to say,

~~ “As we abide in Christ and Christ abides in us, He transforms our ability to love and relate with others. He enables us to love our neighbors as ourselves (See Matt. 22:39).  As a result, Christians should be distinguishable from the rest of the world because our relationships with one another and with those who still need Christ:

Question

In what ways do you express sacrificial love for those who still need Christ?

 

==YOUR WILL, YOUR RELATIONSHIPS, EVEN YOUR ENTIRE PURPOSE FOR LIVING IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AS YOU ABIDE IN JESUS AND AS HE ABIDES IN YOU==

Day Four – Abide in God’s Word

This was full of some wisdom for me. There were a few questions discussed on this day.
David Platt talks about believing the scriptures and believing through the consequences.

~~ "So part of what it means to remain in Jesus is to spend regular time reading the bible, which is His Word.  But we know from James that even the demons have an intellectual awareness of what God has revealed in His Word--and shudder (see Jas. 2:19),
Therefore, Jesus makes it clear that obedience is also part of the equation: 
John 15:9-10
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. (emphasis added), David Platt (page 53)
 

Questions

What part do we play when it comes to remaining in Christ?  What choices do we need to make in order to remain in Him? What actions do we need to take?

 

==BEAR THE FRUIT OF THIS WORD IN THE WORLD, EVEN IF THAT MEANS LOSING EVERYTHING ELSE==

Day Five – Personal Disciple-Making Plan:  Fill Your Mind with Truth
This one had me in tears for personal reasons but good stuff. Great questions to think about and advice on how to plan for filling our minds with truth.

~~ "As you consider a plan for reading, memorizing, and learning God's Word, don't forget that we do these things as disciples not for information's sake but for transformation's sake.  Once again, the words of James are helpful:  "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says" (Jas. 1:22)

As believers in Jesus, we're followers of Jesus , which means that we not only hear the truth of Christ;  we apply the truth of Christ.  Our goal as disciples is never just to believe God's Word;  our goal is to obey God's Word."  David Platt, (page 61)

Question

Are you satisfied or unsatisfied with your current plan for reading God's Word? Why?

No, No, No!!! I am not satisfied with my current reading plan for God's Word. I crave God's Word but it is hard for me to stick to a reading plan for some reason, so I usually just read random scriptures.  After reading this, I am following a reading plan and sticking to it and intentionally filling up my mind with God's Word, God's truth.

==THEREFORE, AS YOU PLAN TO FILL YOUR MIND WITH TRUTH, ALSO PURPOSE TO FOLLOW THE ONE WHO IS TRUTH ==

Thank you for reading. I pray you were blessed.  This book has my attention. Please make sure  to stop by Satisfaction Through Christ’s to read  Christie's discussion on the this week’s reading and also check back with us every Wednesday for the next 4 weeks for the rest of this study.

God bless you and if you have any prayer requests please leave me a comment or send me an email and we will lift up your needs in Jesus name.

My Current Reading List

Hey Treasures, how are you doing? This time of the year is so busy as we have lots of birthdays to celebrate (including mine) but here I am sharing a little about Life as Mrs. Aguila and what I am reading right now.

So last week we started what I am calling a Blog Bible study with Christie of Satisfaction through Christ and you can read my week 1 post here, Follow Me Bible Study by David Platt and be sure to check back tomorrow for week 2.

We are using a book by David Platt, Follow Me Bible Study. I have the regular book as well as the book we are using for the bible study. This book is a New York Bestseller, "A call to die.  A Call to Live."





This week I also started Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst.  This is also a New York Bestseller, "Satisfying your deepest desire with God, Not food." I received this book from my lovely friend Maria-Isabel in a swap we recently did and it was just in time to start with my fitness Coach and group.  We are reading through this together and support each other through prayer and encouragement on our fitness journey.

 

This weekend we had a guest speaker at our church and I have heard her before so I knew I couldn't miss it.  Her name is Jane Hamon and her church is in Florida.  This lady spits fire, the fire of God and just ignites my spirit.  The last time she was in town I got her book, The Deborah Company, becoming a woman who makes a difference.  I've said this before I want to be used of God to make a difference that is why I started this blog. Anyway, I started this book and never finished it so I brought it out again and really need to finish it.

 



Mr. Aguila asked me just now, "how many books are you reading?" and the other day, I posted on Twitter and Instagram.

What are you reading right now? How many books do you read at a time? #Books #reading #dailydevotions… http://t.co/7e7ib904O8
— Mrs. Victoria Aguila (@MrsAguila09) October 14, 2013

As you may already know, I LOVE TO SHOP which this Made to Crave book is really messing me up on, HAHA but anyway so I LOVE TO SHOP. I can hear about a good book or a good purse, or see some nice shoes, or some make up or anything and have no problem buying it.  I can buy books all day long. I love Amazon.com and Half.com for book buying.

Well this got me to thinking,  I can buy all these books and have an extensive library and even carry these books around with me from home to work, to my car, to wherever I go, have them nicely tucked away in my purse or my car (where I also have a big bag of books I still need to read) BUT if I don't take the time to actually read these books, it means nothing to have them, it means nothing that I bought them.  In order to benefit from these books I need to take the time to read them. If I want to blog about them or discuss them or share them I have to read them.  It reminded me of the Bible as well. We can have bibles, fancy ones, 10 of them, have them nicely placed HOWEVER, if we are not opening it up and reading it, we can't not gain the wisdom from the Bible.

I am on a mission to finish these books.  To open them up on a daily basis and complete them and not stop half way as I have done with so many books.  I want you to hold me accountable.

When is your favorite time to read? What books are you reading right now? how many books do you read at a time? Do you have books you started but didn't finish? Share with me, I'd love to hear from you.

Fall {Follow Me} Bible Study

Hey Treasures and Happy Thursday!!!

Today has been an emotional day for me, not really sure why besides being a girl, if you know what I mean! So I took a day off from work because I am just not feeling myself today.  Praying to get out of this emotional/hormonal roller coaster.

So anyways, it is my favorite time of the year (which should have me in a joyous mood) and when the lovely Christie of Satisfaction Through Christ  announced a Fall Bible Study I was all for it. 
Have you done an on line bible study before?

Yesterday we did introductions and linked up our blogs.  You can check it out here:
http://www.satisfactionthroughchrist.com/2013/09/fall-bible-study-follow-me-introductions.html

The Book we are using is FOLLOW ME by David Platt.  The book says "A Call to Die, A Call to Live."  Have you read this book?  Do you have this book? 

Join us for a time to be together and get encouraged and grow deeper in the Lord. I am really looking forward to this.  I am not sure why but I know God is up to something. Christie asked us in the intro post above to "leave a comment below introducing yourself and telling us a little bit about why you signed up, what you hope to take away from our time together, and any prayer requests you may have."  I haven't commented because I am really not sure all I know is that when she announced it, I was all for it. Ordered my book on Amazon and I am ready to go.

***TURNS OUT, I AM NOT READY TO GO. I ORDERED THE BOOK AND NOT THE FOLLOW ME BIBLE STUDY MEMBER BOOK THAT YOU CAN FIND ON LIFEWAY OR ANYWHERE CHRISTIAN BOOKS ARE SOLD.***

To view the announcement and/or to sign up, CLICK HERE!

If you sign up, leave me a comment and let me know. This is going to be a great time in the Lord.