Butterflies

I love butterflies and hummingbirds. I have a Pinterest account and I discovered so many beautiful butterflies and humming birds so I have pinned some of the pictures under creation at its finest http:www.pinterest.com/diana160.

God paints the sky with these magnificent clouds and rainbows. God created butterflies and humming-birds that thrive in nature and love sugar-water. When I see a butterfly, I think of freedom. We are free in Christ. Sometimes I do not live like I am free in Christ. This year I have tried to thrive not just live. However, sometimes I struggle with the fact that there are times that I am just living, going through the motions each day just to get through the day.

How can I thrive and not just exist?

There is a song I learned as a child, Trust and Obey. “When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His word, what a glory He sheds on our way. While we do his good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.”

How can I trust and obey? Thrive is to know truth, to be redeemed and renewed, to have integrity, to have virtue, and to embrace hope.

T= Truth. Often I struggle remembering the truth about who I am. There is an old song that answers the question who I am? “If anybody asks you who I am, who I am, who I am? If anybody asks you who I am, tell them I’m a child of God. John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God.” John 8:31-32, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus declares in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Then Jesus said in verses 15-17, “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth.” Another truth is that I am Christ friend, John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches, if a man (woman} remains in me and I in him (her), he (she) will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

R-Redeemed and Renewed. My testimony is based on Psalm 103: 1-5 “Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His Holy Name. Praise the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”

I-Integrity. In Proverbs 10:9 says, “The man (woman) of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. Additionally, Titus 2:7 “In everything set an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

V=Virtue. In Colossians 3, God give us a list of virtues and encourages us to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. We are to forgive as the Lord forgave us. In verse 7, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

E-Embrace Hope. Isaiah 40:31 “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, the will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”

What lies have your believed? You are worthless, you are not worthy to be loved.

Which of God’s promises do you need to embrace?

Father God, I want to not just live but I want to thrive. There are times when I feel worthless and not worthy of your love. Your word says if I hold to your teaching, I am your disciple. Lord, I want your truth to set me free. You redeemed my life from the pit. You are the vine, I am the branch. You have healed me, you have renewed me. Lord, today I want to walk with you. I want to clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility. I ask for the woman reading this that if she is believing lies that she is not worthy that you will surround her with your love. That she will have courage to be in your word daily, pray daily. Let her embrace God’s promises.

“God changes caterpillars into butterflies. Sand into pearls and coals into diamonds using time and pressure. He’s working on you too.” Author unknown.