And Don't Let Us Yeild To Temptation

Matthew 6:9-13-"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

Temptation is a scary thing. But just like everything else, it exists for a reason. Just like trials and tribulations, temptation helps create endurance in us which in turn creates character. Dictionary.com defines temptation as:

1. the act of tempting; enticement or allurement.
2. something that tempts, entices, or allures.

Temptation always leads to one of two paths; it leads either to sin or building of character.

1 Corinthians 13:10-"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more that you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

Psalm 62:7-8-"My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge."

Trust in God when temptation comes your way and take the path that He provides. God is ALWAYS faithful. He won't leave you without a way to escape temptation. Slow down, breathe, and pray for the strength to overcome temptations in your life.

Matthew 4:1-11 illustrates an awesome story about how Jesus overcame temptation. Use Scripture to overcome it! You are very loved, and prayed for often. Keep Measuring Up!

-Jenna Hampton
with prayers and smiles :)

As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us

Matthew 6:9-13-"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US. And let us not yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one."

Matthew 18:21-35-"Then Peter came to him and asked, 'Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?' 'No, not seven times,' Jesus replied, 'but seventy times seven! Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, on of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn't pay, so his master ordered that he be sold--along with with wife, his children, and everything he owned--to pay the debt. But the man fell down before his master and begged him, 'Please be patient with me, and I will pay it all.' Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his dept. But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it,' he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king call in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire dept. That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.'"

Forgive, and you will be forgiven! This is God's way. Even though it's sometimes hard to forgive others, just think about all the times you have wronged God. He has forgiven you of so much through Christ, and he wants you to forgive others to show His love. Forgiveness is freedom!

Please pray for me. I have been having a really rough time lately and could use some prayer. Thank you. Keep Measuring Up and pressing on toward the goal of Christ for your life! You are dearly loved.

-Jenna Hampton
with many warm thoughts :)

Forgive Us Our Sins

Matthew 6:9-13-"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and FORGIVE US OUR SINS, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one."

Psalm 103:11-12-"For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west."

Forgiveness is a powerful thing. Through the Holy blood of Jesus Christ, God made a way for us to be forgiven and made right with Him. Our old ways pass away and His new life becomes ours. Why does God forgive us? Because He is love. Love keeps no record of being wronged. :) This is the Good News of Jesus Christ! All who believe and are forgiven may enter into heaven to share in the glory of the Most High God!

1 John 1:9-"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness."

Something that is helpful to me sometimes is when I fell like I've sinned a lot recently, I do something that I read at my cousin's church lock-in. If you are feeling guilty of many sins, put your hands on your eyes. Ask God to forgive you of all the wrong things you've seen. Put your hands on your mouth. Ask God to forgive you of all the wrong things that have come in our out of your mouth. Put your hands on your ears. Ask God to forgive you of all the wrong things you've allowed yourself to hear. Put your hands on your head. Ask God to forgive you of all the wrong things you've thought or planned. Put your hands together. Ask God to forgive you of all the times you've done things that weren't His will. Finally, put your hand on your heart. Ask God to forgive you of all the times you put other things before Him and dishonored Him with your heart. Ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, and you will be forgiven. :)

Luke 5:20-"Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, 'Young man, your sins are forgiven.'"

Go in peace! Your sins are forgiven by faith. If you want to read more about this, read Romans! :) Keep Measuring Up. You are loved.

-Jenna Hampton
May all glory be to God.

Give Us Today The Food We Need

Matthew 6:9-13-"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. GIVE US TODAY THE FOOD WE NEED, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

Matthew 6:25-27-"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?"

Jehovah Jireh! God is our provider. Because of His great love for us, He provides everything we need to do His will. (which is the best thing you could ever do!) He provides food, water, clothes, air, homes, other people, courage, strength, His Word, love, and so many other things! God is awesome! Don't worry! God is here, and He will provide. Believe, and you will receive.

Philippians 4:6-7-"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

1 Peter 2:2-3-"Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness."

Food such as cheeseburgers or fruit is not the only food we need. According to God, we also need spiritual food. Just as you thank and ask God for physical nourishment, cry out to Him for spiritual nourishment, too. He will provide!!! He is faithful! Here is a little song I like to sing when I'm thankful for food-both physical and spiritual.

'Thank you Lord, for giving us food to eat and a song to sing! Thank you, Lord, for everything!'

Keep Measuring UP! You are loved. Ask God for forgiveness today, and pray that He would lead you and nourish you in every way so you may give Him glory. All glory to God!

-Jenna Hampton
with prayer and God's powerful hand.

May Your Will Be Done On Earth

Matthew 6:9-13-"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. MAY YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yeild to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. For yours in the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

God ALWAYS has a perfect plan. Everything He does is perfect. Nothing is happening in your life that He doesn't already know about and isn't part of His perfect plan. Maybe you don't know what God's will for you is, and that's okay. Most of us don't know. As long as we seek to do God's will and follow His Word, though, we can have confidence that He will move through us, and show us His will. The best thing to do is to trust Him, read His Word to make sure what you're doing follows what He says, and then obey Him as His will is revealed to you. Obeying Him is one of the very best things you could ever do! Even though we suffer, through Christ, we can be confident that there will be joys to come in eternity that will far outweigh any trials we face.

Proverbs 3:5-6-"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

God's perfect plan is displayed in all of humanity and everything that leads up to the birth of Jesus Christ. If He can work so many things out perfectly with humanity, don't you think He could work out everything perfectly with your life? An amazing story to illustrate God's plan in the Bible is Job. If you struggle with following and believing in God's plan for your life, read the book of Job and pray from understanding. God gives freely and abundantly of all things good! Also, the book of Jeremiah is very good for those struggling with God's will. The thing to do through all your struggles is pray, and to have faith that the God of the universe has heard your cry.

Philippians 4:6-7-"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Jeremiah 29:11-"For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Remember today to be humble, and to trust in all Jesus has done for you. Pray for understanding about what God wants you to do-and leave it at that. He is a faithful God. If you seek Him wholeheartedly, you will find your way. Come sincerely to Jesus, and your sins can be forgiven.

Keep Measuring Up! You are loved always. :) (Romans 8:38)
-Jenna Hampton
with much prayer and encouragement from the Holy Spirit to me and to you.

May Your Kingdom Come Soon

Matthew 6:9-13-"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME SOON. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

2 Peter 3:8-10-"But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief."

You may have thought to yourself sometime: 'Why hasn't Jesus come back yet?' Every Christian out there at one point in their lives has hoped that Jesus would come back soon, and that the Kingdom of God would be here. Instead focusing on that so often, though, I believe we should be more focused on letting God help us help others to repent and turn to Him. Here's a story I heard one time that illustrates this point well:

The world is a big cliff. Every person born begins to walk closer and closer to the edge. On the way to the edge, though, there are several crosses where people repent of their sins and turn to Jesus's forgiveness. After awhile, there are many people gathered around the crosses, waiting for the day when Jesus will return. Yet, many who ignored the crosses or didn't encounter them still walk closer to the edge. Sadly, many people fall off the edge to their death. After seeing this happen, some of the people gathered around the crosses begin to shout at the people walking toward the edge, warning them of their coming demise. Some are saved, but not enough. After seeing this, a few courageous Christians walk close to the edge, stand with their arms wide open, and block people from falling off the cliff. More and more Christians follow, and they are able to block even more people from falling. Still, most of the Christians remain safely at the crosses, where they know they will not fail or be harmed. Because of this, most of the world's people continue falling off the edge.

Take a look at the world and people around you. How many of your friends are saved? How many of your family members are saved? How many of your co-workers or class mates are saved? Every time you see someone who isn't saved walking somewhere, imagine they are walking toward the edge of the cliff-because they are. Make the choice today. Will you be a cliff-blocker or will you remain in your comfort zone?

Matthew 6:33-"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

Matthew 13:31-32-"Here is another illustration Jesus used: 'The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.'"

Matthew 7:13-14-"You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it."

Even though you make think you are too small to make a difference, or you may not know how or feel comfortable sharing your faith with someone else, God believes you can. Isn't that enough? Think about it-if God helps you lead someone else to Christ, and that person leads someone to Christ, and that person leads someone to Christ, that's 3 new Christians right there-just because of you! Sure, you may not know how or what to say, but that's not a problem. Pray about it, have the courage to walk to the edge, and watch as God moves in and through you wonderfully. It's worth it to stand on the edge!

Proverbs 3:5-6-"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

Keep Measuring Up! You are loved. Look forward to the day when Jesus comes!
-Jenna Hampton
with the Holy Spirit and God's understanding, not mine.

May Your Name Be Kept Holy

Matthew 6:9-13-"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, MAY YOUR NAME BE KEPT HOLY. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

Exodus 20:7-"You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name."


There is POWER in the name of the Lord! You may be thinking-"What's so important about a name? What's the big deal?" When I went to California this summer, I went on a plane from Chicago that was going to the L.A.X. airport. Looking at the people around me, I wondered who they were, what they did, and why they were going to Los Angelos. Some of them were very important looking people. But because I didn't know their names, I didn't know why they were important. So, God brought something to my mind-It's ALL in the name. That means, when you know some one's name, you can know who they are, and believe that they have done all the things you've heard they did. Think about it! If you lived during Jesus's time, and you saw Him walking down the street, you might think, 'Oh, there's a guy. I wonder what he's up to...' If you knew His name, Jesus, though, you would probably think, 'Wow! That's Jesus! I want to go talk to Him! He is so great! I've heard amazing things about Him!' It's true. God's name holds so much. God's name is love, just like the Bible tells us. Here's a great story about what a person can do when they call on the name of the Lord:

1 Kings 18:22-28-"Then Elijah said to them, 'I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their alter, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the alter, but not set fire to it. Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!' And all the people agreed. Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, 'You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood. So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the alter. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, 'O Baal, answer us!' But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the alter they had made. About noontime Elijah began mocking them, 'You'll have to shout louder,' he scoffed, 'for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!' So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response."

When we call on things of this world to save us, or false gods who don't have any power, there will never be a response. Where there is no love, there is no real power.

1 Kings 18:36-39-"At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, 'O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know what you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself. Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, 'The Lord-he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!'"

If you are struggling with anything today, cast all of it on God in His name. He CAN and WILL help you, and He will do it in His perfect time, and beautifully. God is good, no matter what. He is real, and He loves you, and He is only a prayer away. He is strong! Rely on Him, and you can be strong, too.

Isaiah 40:31-"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

Keep Measuring Up! You are loved. Go in peace, timid one, for your sins are forgiven.
-Jenna Hampton
with many prayers, and help from God. :)