great reminder.

I think Kelly's sermon today was really great. I've always loved her sermons and how she's so straight forward and direct. Ha, it was pretty hard to follow along because i didnt bring a pen, so i was doing everything on my iphone. It was pretty intense, having the put headings, and typing, and browsing through the bible on cue and at light speed, but i think it helped with keeping me focused. I guess i'll write the notes i took down today. (italized is my personal expression tonight)

Questions For The Heart:

a) Do you despise yourself and think you are a fake?

b) Do you discount your positive characteristics and feel you do not deserve praise?

c) Do you brag about your flaws?

d) Do you destroy your own personal success?

- it isnt healthy to dwell on these things and let it take over our lives!

To be honest, when reading these questions, i think yes is my answer to most of them if not all of them, and its not the best trait of mine. The series is called "Being More Confident" (or something along those lines), but i really am not. I do look down upon myself, and i never trust and have confidence in my work. I made it my resolution to be more confident about myself this year. See how it goes. Yah know, once i saw the title of the message today, i knew God was whispering in my ear, if not yelling. This was.. "my message".

How to Deal with Shame and Guilt

a) Accept that God's Forgiveness is REAL. (Romans 8:1-4)

- punishment for sin, which is death is paid for by God, by having Jesus Christ come and die for us

- its easier to accept God's forgiveness than the consequences of sin

- God DEMANDS that the penalty is paid

- to overcome shame, we have to believe that God has forgiven us, its real!

b) Change the way your THINK. (Romans 8:5-7, Galatians 5:22-23, Philippians 4:8)

- we need to live as SAVED people, not as PRISONERS to sin

- set out mind on the SPIRIT instead of the WORLD. This will give us peace and goodness

- Galatians 5:22-23 is the fruit of the spirit. If we continue to meditate on these things, they will be at the forefronts of our minds, replacing sinful desires, and we'll soon learn to embody these traits

- Philippians 4:8 says we need to change our mindset, know and believe that we are REDEEMED people who are loved by God.

- looking glass self: "you are what you think other people think you are

- every morning is a clean slate. As long as we realize, confess and repent in the present, now, the past is the past and has been forgiven. (this was so important to me, and i'll definitely need to continously remind myself of that)

c) Be FILLED with the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:9-11, 2 Peter 1:3)

- if the spirit raised Christ from the dead and abides in you, wont it do the same?

- ACCEPT his forgiveness and CHANGE how you think.

- Dont let Satan take over!

"As we face condemnation, we can have confidence and know that we are free."

I found all these as great reminders. May we continue to change our perspective, dwell on God, The Spirit and eternal things, and stray away from the temptations of sin.