Twenty4teen

Happy 2014 Friends.

New year, fresh start! Cheers to a new year and a challenge that is both attainable and rewarding.

don't look to closely... I wrote 2013! lol

For as long as I could remember, I have been journaling one verse a day. Challenging you to do the same and share that good Word with a friend. And as a byproduct of spending time in the word may we be used as a diffuser: spreading the knowledge of Christ everywhere we go... Like a sweet smelling aroma. For we are the fragrance of Christ. God bless you!

the hope of the afflicted

The goodness of The Lord reflected in this single verse. May this fill you with hope as you endure your affliction. May the truth that God has not forgotten you, restore and renew a right spirit within you. 

I challenge you to do a word search on Hope. You will uncover much light in the midst of your darkness. 

Beautiful

[photo credit]

Happy Monday! I am currently reading a Youversion plan: Praise in the Presence of God. It's 365 days consisting of a short read that pertains to a specific verse on the topic of praise. Today's read: 

[Beauty may not be your first thought when you get up in the morning and stare into the mirror. Stress, tragedy, or deep sorrow may have etched creases of weariness or suffering on your face. But make this experiment; prove God’s Word. Take that countenance, as it is, into the presence of the Lord day after day, in frequent, steadfast praise and worship. The prophet Isaiah says plainly what you will receive in return. He says the Messiah is sent specifically to console those who mourn with “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning” (Isaiah 61:3). That’s an oil that surpasses the anti-aging effects of the best cosmetics!]

Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. Psalm 147:1 NKJV

Praise the Lord! How good to sing praises to our God!How delightful and how fitting! Psalm 147:1 NLT

I challenge us to dedicate five minutes of simply praising God every day. 

who enjoys stinky perfume?

Better to have wisdom than weapons of war,
    but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink,
    so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.

Ecclesiastes 9:18-10:1

[photo credit]

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I own perfumes, lotions, candles, incense, oils, air freshener, and even scented pens. I purchase cleaning products based first on their effectiveness and secondly, on their scent. When I get fragrance samples in the mail, I cut the strips and put them in my Bible, books and drawers. Baking and cooking create such delicious smells that it can almost be hypnotizing. I am an aroma fanatic. And because I am, I can easily go from one extreme to the other, from heart shaped pupils to the transfiguration of deadly X over each one. Let's face it, a wide range of scented items can be easily labeled, "the stench of death!" And we cannot overlook the unforgiving smell of anything spoiled; food, bin of garbage, perfume or a sweat-saturated shoe.

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Scents do matter. 

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  2 Corinthians 2:14-15

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Did you catch that? Christ diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge through us. Other words for diffuse are: radiate, scatter, sprinkle, deposit, bestow, and disperse. Replace the word diffuses, with these words. Christ _________ the fragrance of His knowledge through ME. 

This is a great responsibility, because if a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor, then it is the knowledge of Christ that is spoiled before a watching world. A little of one thing can spoil a lot of good.

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A few years ago, I received a birthday card from a lady at church who I rarely interacted with. She wrote, "Raquel, you are the fragrance of Christ. When you leave my presence, the fragrance of Christ remains." I have not forgotten that. God showed me that I am filled with the fragrance of Christ when I spend time in His presence, when I apply His word to my life and love His people. It is my daily prayer, that I may be the fragrance of Christ to those around me... not a Pepe Le'Pew who repels people. Let's be real, who enjoys stinky perfume? No one.

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Challenge. Discern whether your actions/words are foolish or wise. Let's be a people who purpose to be the fragrance of Christ by forsaking foolishness. 

anger and our words

Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
Psalm 37:8 
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{photo credit} 

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. Proverbs 15:1
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Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful/perverse tongue crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:5
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A hot-tempered person starts fights;  but he who is slow to anger stops them. Proverbs 15:8
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Fools vent their anger/feelings, but the wise quietly hold it back. Proverbs 29:11
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As dead flies cause a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. Ecclesiastes 10:1
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But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Colossians 3:8
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With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. James 3:9-10
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Convicted and challenged by these verses. May our anger be controlled by the Spirit of God and our words be well pleasing to Him. Here are a few more that never fail to keep me in check and encourage me. 

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Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3
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Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles. Proverbs 21:23
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Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21
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A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls (aka vulnerable). Proverbs 25:28
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Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2
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Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
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Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Proverbs 12:25
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The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will. Isaiah 50:4

plant. water. grow.

Hi Friends.
I am very excited to share with you what the Lord has been laying upon my heart these last two weeks. It has been hard to blog, every single day I have wanted to write, yet could not find the right words to share with you what God has to say to you, to me. But here we are and I am confident that it is the Spirit of God speaking.

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. -2 Corinthians 9:10

This verse is of great comfort. The Lord has not only given us eternal salvation, a Helper (His Holy Spirit) but He has supplied us with seeds. Trust me, I do not have a green thumb nor do I know anything about agriculture but I do know one thing related to seeds: The Lord has planted a vineyard in my life. 

He has sown seeds of forgiveness, mercy, grace, truth, love, laughter and so on. What has the Lord done in your life? Those are seeds planted in you. He has sown recovery from an eating disorder, He has sown healing (countless of times), He has sown restoration, He has sown contentment, He has sown the amazing fruits of the Spirit in me. I can go on. But unless I water them with the Word of God there will be no increase, no growth. I must water, water, water. As I mentioned before, I know nothing about agriculture so I will consult someone who does know... the Helper! He will surely help me.


Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
The challenge the Lord has given me, and now I pass on to you: PLANT. WATER. GROW. The challenge is however, to plant in other's lives. Has the Lord planted a seed in your heart? Go therefore and plant that in someone else's life, that is what discipleship is all about (Matthew 28:19).  [For example, it took two years for the Lord to heal my broken heart. He planted a seed of restoration and I watered it with the Word of God. Now, the Helper is leading me to dry vineyards aka ladies around me who are going through similar hearaches and I am able to plant the seed I received and repeat the cycle: plant, water and God will make it grow as I pray.]

I encourage you to take this challenge. I'll post "vineyard moments" as they happen, so share yours with me. Ask the Lord of the Harverst to lead you to dry vineyards. Once He reveals or possibly lead you to that person begin the cultivating process: plant, water, grow. As the Lord does the growing you pray without ceasing for that person. Women minister to the women and men minister to men. I bet if we all allow the Lord to discipline us in this area, we will have many Isaiah 17:8 people. 

May we never forget that it is by someone else's wounds that we have been healed. May our wounds, our past trials or even currents ones be used to help someone else. May our seasons of being filled be used to fill others. God bless YOU!


The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters WILL ALSO be watered himself.
-Proverbs 11:25

 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare WHAT HE HAS DONE for my soul.
-Psalm 66:16

 KNOWING that your FAITH is alive keeps us alive.
-1 Thessalonians 3:8 (The Message)

 Imitate ME, just as I also imitate Christ.
-1 Corinthians 11:1

 And by his wounds we are HEALED.
-Isaiah 53:5

Sow for yourselves RIGHTEOUSNESS;

Reap in mercy;

Break up the FALLOW GROUND of your HEART,

For it is time to seek the LORD,

Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

-Hosea 10:12