Most Highly Favored Lady!

Besides the most obvious thing to dwell on during Christmas time ( Jesus birth and His purpose for coming) I also really like to think about Mary and everything she went through. I can only imagine! It would be as if an Angel came to me today and said that the Holy Spirit conceived a baby inside me. Besides that, that baby would be the Savior of the world! Mary was an ordinary girl just like me, but all at once she became the mother of our Lord. Now Mary didn't think so at the time, but God knew what He was doing when He picked Mary. We can see that in Luke chapter 1: 35-38, Mary had questions, but she didn't doubt God's will. I mean who wouldn't ask how they got pregnant and still be a virgin? But Mary offered herself to  God's plan and trusted in it. Not very many people do that, back then or now. 
I think the most beautiful passage in the WHOLE Bible though, would be what Mary sang to Elizabeth when she cam to visit: 46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Lets just go through some of this real quick!

Mary glorifies the Lord, she is thankful for this gift. She doesn't worry that her family and friends would probably estrange her. She rejoices that the Spirit has come over her. She humbles herself before God and thanks God for thinking of her, for giving her this privilege. She doesn't say "Oh look at me, I'm the mother of the Messiah". No! She can't believe that God found favor in her. I wish everyone could be that humble. She praises Him endlessly for how great and mighty He is, she says "The Mighty One has done great things for me". She found favor in God's eyes because she feared Him (verse 50). She lists off all that God does to help His servant Israel (54): to bring down those who are exalted by those of the world, to provide for those who hunger and thirst, and to remember to be merciful. Mary remembers God's promise and how He never fails to keep them. 

Mary gives us a very good lesson: trust in the Lord always, keep in His Word and in prayer. Remember His promises!

Merry CHRISTmas! 

Melody :)

Frightened and Scared in the Midst of Hope

Ones life is a very precious thing. Given to us by God to fulfill a purpose. We are beautiful in His eyes. We are worth more than gold. So why tell someone that they are worthless and ugly. That they are not needed in the world? Who would do that? 

The sad reality is, yes. People say things like that and worse to other people. They are so engulfed in themselves, they don't even realize what they are saying. But those words eat away at the victim. Those words are Satan lies. Satan wants us to believe we are not capable of being loved by God. That we are horrible sinners. DON'T BELIEVE HIM! We are saved sinners, by the grace of God we have the opportunity to spend eternity with Christ in Paradise. 
For some those lies have taken their toll and some cases have taken their life. They believe those lies. Their mind is not in the right place and they sincerely believe that they are worthless and unlovable. For those of us to whom those lies are easily thrown away, we need to lift each other up.  We need to be aware of those who do struggle to believe the lies or not. They are alone. We need to be a part of their lives and remind them Who made them and Who created them before it's too late. 
Having two friends who were sucked into believing those lies that they decided to attempt to end the hurt, (both unsuccessful thank God!) the worry will always be in mind weather they will try again. But I can't have that rest on my shoulders. That's what Jesus came to do. He became a baby in order to only end His life in the most painful way imaginable because He wanted to bear our loads and sins. To take care of them COMPLETELY. That's what Christmas is about: Jesus here for us.

Hard Work

Acts 20:35 "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When it comes to working now a days, it seems like some people always look for the easy way out. They don't want to work hard, but yet they still want the benefits of the hard work. Well, God tells us here in Acts that working hard is a way to show Jesus we love and care about Him. He has given us all gifts to use to and for His glory. When we don't do our best, we are wasting away the gifts given to us. It would be as if a dear friend gave a a gift, but we decided not to use it because it was too time consuming, or hard to use. Using our God-given gifts to the best of our ability is what we ought to always do. 
I have been struggling with this lately. Mostly when it comes to school work. I want to honor my teachers, not waste their time and do well in their class. But when I decide to do other, less important things other then homework, I suffer the consequences and I put myself down. I have told myself that I am stupid and that none of my teachers like me because I have a bad work ethic. Well, that fact-of-the-matter is, it really doesn't matter what the letter on the top of my test or assignment says. Yes it is nice of course to get that B or A. But the reality is that all the Lord cares about is that you are putting all you have into your work. In school grade cases, if that's a C or B, that's good enough for Him. In non-school cases, be proud of the work you do with all you have. Thank God for giving you those gifts and that time. You will feel much better when you do!

Blessings! 
Melody :)

You're Worth It!

So I recently found a little devotional in a drawer in my bathroom , yeah you heard me, bathroom. Well, anyways, I was just reading a few of the devotionals and they talked about worth, going through hard times and the way God uses us.  
Have you ever felt that you weren't worth much? It seems like everyone looks down at you, thinks you're a nerd or a goodie-goodie? Well who cares what others think! The fact of the matter is that God, the Creator of the Universe, created YOU! He WANTED you and He has a plan for you. It says in Matthew 10: 29-28 that God knows the number of hairs on our head. That's a lot of care and love for us. That means a lot more then what anyone else can say about us! So next time someone says something against you, or judges you, remind them that you are loved and cared for and thought of as AMAZING by Jesus, God. That will get them thinking. 
When God made a plan for each and everyone of us, He didn't plan for us to go through hard times. HE wants the best for us, and despite those hard things that WILL happen to us, He will use them to shape us in who He wants us to be. He strengthens you and your faith to be a display of His power in your life. People will see the strength and ask "how you could possible handle it" All you have to say is:" I'm not, God is. I'm just following His lead." 
No matter what you think, you are a beautiful creation of God. Made for a purpose. You are worth Christ's dying on a cross. Don't forget it! Preach it!!

Have a great start to the week!
Melody :)

The Talk

So, I know this subject can be weird and awkward, but I feel like it's not talked about enough from a Biblical standpoint: sex. Specifically holy sexuality. In our world, sex is looked at as something to do when we are board, if we feel an immediate attraction to someone, of if we are truly in love. It doesn't matter if we are married or not, the same gender or not, or if we barley even know the person. 
Now I'm not saying that sex is a bad thing. Trust me it's not! God created sex, but there's a catch: He made it specifically for a married man and woman. And guess what? That is the BEST way to enjoy that gift God has made! But since I am not married (yet), the thoughts about sex are a little different for me. For me, and a lot of you out there, the struggle about sex right now is if it is worth waiting until marriage. So many teens have already done it, why not us? Well I know a few people who lost their virginity before marriage. It hurt. It didn't feel good. They felt empty and wasted. I have always thought of my virginity as the one last pure thing I have left that God gave me. The rest of me is dirty with sin (but made clean again by Jesus death). I want to save that last clean thing I have for the ONE man God has picked out for me. I want to fulfill that clean gift the right way. Not just throw it away to any guy that wants it. 
I will admit, I have wondered what it would be like to do it, other then the only way I have been taught. You know sometimes it sounds good. Especially when I haven't had a boyfriend yet, I am really looking forward to the guy who loves me and thinks that who I am as my own self is an amazing person. If's it's hard now, I can't imagine when I do have that guy in my life. The temptation is going to be hard! Talk and pray about it. Focus on the the beauty and joy it will bring you when you know you have done it the way God intended it to be. Weather you are in a relationship right now or not, think about what God says about sexuality. Are you thinking that way? And if you have already lost that gift to someone, YOU ARE FORGIVEN by GOD. Your heavenly Father, who loves you and wants the best for you. Don't think you're not worth more than one night with some random guy (or girl), or even someone special you're not married to. You were forgiven as soon as your mind made the decision. Start new! Repent and begin to live life as a child of God once again. Because you can never loose THAT gift!

God's blessings to you as we start this season of Advent, preparing for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ the Messiah!
Melody :)