Yours, Mine,... Or Gods?

Take a moment and look at your hands. Think about all of the things you own... All of the friendships you have. Maybe you have a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife. Do you have money in your bank account?
Your first instinct would be to call that stuff your stuff. You might say, "oh look at how many DVDs I own. Look at all MY stuff!"
Is this what the Bible says though? Is any of that stuff yours? Matthew 25:14-30 talks about the Parable of the Talents. Talents in this case are money(not abilities...). To put the story into perspective... One talent was worth $720,00 which was about 25 years pay in those times. Take a few minutes to read this parable that Jesus taught.
The Master, in this parable, had ENTRUSTED his money with his servants. Notice, he did not GIVE the money to them to keep forever. In the same way, God has entrusted us with the material things of this world along with money, relationships, and other resources. It is important for us to always remember that what we have now cannot come with us to heaven and it doesn't belong to us.
The second part of this parable is what the servants did with the Talents they had been entrusted with. Two of the servants doubled their share. The third servant hid it away and did nothing with it. What are you doing with the gifts and other things God has entrusted you with? Are you generous with your money or time? Do you look out for others? We need to use these things that we have been entrusted with to further the kingdom of our Creator. :)
So it's time now for you to reflect. This was the sermon I heard in church yesterday and it really cut me to the core. Here I am, blessed with the things God has entrusted me with and I forget that I need to use it for him. It's a powerful topic that God calls us to be aware of. So how can this apply to your life? :)

God's Promises For Us.

We, followers of Christ, are Children of God. Chosen and called by the Creator himself. So why is it, in today's society, that we doubt God's plans for us? Media corrupts our minds, sexual immorality tempts us, and we have been covered in a blanket of lies so thick that we can no longer see the truth. This has become the norm and we struggle with breaking free from the chains that bind us. This was my life. I wasn't sure of who I was or who I wanted to be. I was in the dark even when I considered my self a strong Christian. But then, a little bit of truth shone through the darkness and I latched on to it. As I concentrated on that small truth, it began to grow until most of the darkness was consumed by it. To sift through all of the truths that have been poured out on me in the last few weeks is a hard task. It takes alot of time in prayer and in God's Word. Despite the time it takes though, my eyes have been opened to a new part of myself and my Creator each day.
Today I realized that I am not the only one in need of God's truth. This is why I have created this blog. To share my experiences with you in hopes that God will use it to inspire others to grow in him.
One of the ways I have been learning more about God is through his promises that he has given us. There are so many in his Word and we just need to go looking to find them. I recently started a journal solely for writing down God's promises for me. I will post some of these on this blog among other thoughts from my journey with God. I also encourage you to do the same with a journal. It is so calming and peaceful to be able to see God's promises written out for you to read. :)