Should Followers of Jesus be Tolerant?
Are you intolerant? Before you can
answer that question, we must first come up with a definition of “tolerance.
Traditionally “tolerance” has meant: Love the sinner, but hate the
sin. Love and accept others, but don’t necessarily agree with their
lifestyle choices. Embrace all people, but not necessarily agree with all
people.
If that is the definition of “tolerance” that we are using, then it is true
that every Christ follower should be tolerant. But the problem is that
most of the media, and now even most of the country is using a different
definition of tolerance than has been traditionally understood.
The popular working definition of “tolerance” for many is: Consider other
points of view to be of equal value with your point of view, even if you
disagree. Respect and even celebrate other points of view, even if you
believe they are wrong. In fact, to make any negative judgments on other
points of view is considered to be discriminatory and even hateful by many
today.
If that is the definition of “tolerance” that we are using, then it is true
that every follower of Jesus must choose to be intolerant. In fact, by
that definition Jesus would have to be considered extremely intolerant.
He said that He was the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one came to
the Father but through Him (Jn 14:6). What an intolerant statement!
His first followers would also have to be considered extremely intolerant as
well. They said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is
no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
How intolerant!
Well, the fact of the matter is, all points of view are not of equal
value. There is such a thing as truth. There is such a thing as
right and wrong. To respect and even celebrate something that we know is
not true, and is even harmful for those who believe it to be true, is immoral
and insane.
Don’t be duped by the schemes of the devil. He has redefined the word
“tolerance” in order to make those who will stand up for the truth look like
they are not fair or kind or loving. When in fact, one of the most loving
things you can do for someone is to help them understand the truth. Jesus
is the truth! He is also the Way—the only Way! And He is the
life—Eternal Life!
Keep loving the sinner and hating the sin. But also, be willing to speak
the truth and risk being called intolerant. It will take some courage to
do that in the days to come. It may be that with this new definition of
“tolerance,” to be called “intolerant” will be a badge of honor…… A Message from Pastor Gary of Grace Community Church in
Arlington, Texas. updated 3.23.14
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Being
Complete In Christ…
I am complete in Christ and
Christ in God, The reason Jesus was complete in God, was because of His perfect
submission to His (God’s) will. Being complete comes from being one with
Christ. It comes from allowing our souls longings and desires to be satisfied
with the Creator of those longings and desires. We were created to long,
anticipate, hunger, and look forward to eternity with Christ. That’s what our
longings should be towards. Maranatha, come Lord, Jesus, come! The longing and
desire to be loved and accepted, comes from our creator. Only Him, can fill
that void. He created that void for a reason, because He wants to prove to us,
and show us, that He truly is the Only One that can satisfy our hearts deepest
desires. Not money, sex, a significant other, career, friends, relatives, the
list goes on and on. He alone can satisfy. Just think, after you get that dream
car, that desired career, that tall or short, chocolate, dark, caramel or even
vanilla man of your dreams or woman of your dreams, you are still going to
encounter the feelings of the need to be loved, cherished, and accepted, if you
have not yet come to the understanding that Jesus is the only true source that
can satisfy your heart’s deepest needs. He is the only true source of
contentment, joy in the midst of sorrow and pain, peace that passes all
understanding, love that comes without conditions, and an identity that is
complete.
To Do The Same...
By Miss Sarah O…A Personal Journal Entry
Just
thinking about the Mercy, love, and compassion of God. How He loves that which
He created with a love that covers all sins. Just thinking about how He adopted
us into His family, without any reservations in His heart. Just thinking about
How
He sent His son to die for the family he adopted. He desired for this
family to enjoy the fullness of life that was paid for by his own Beloved Son,
Jesus Christ. With this sacrifice, we
can now live a life knowing that we are loved, cherished, and secured by the
Most High. We can now have a reason and a purpose to live for.
Life will never
be pointless, but forever purposeful. Just as Christ has brought value and
meaning to our lives through the ultimate sacrifice, He has commanded us to do
the same for others. To do the same means to take up our cross, and follow him.
To do the same means to deny ourselves, to follow Christ. To do the same means
to count everything else as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of
knowing Christ.
To do the same means to seek first the Kingdom of God. To do
the same means to have the faith that is the substance of things hoped for, and
the evidence of things not yet seen. To do the same means to base our rewards
on heavenly riches. To do the same means to be Christ’s hands and feet. To do
the same means to run the race of Faith with endurance. To do the same means to
press towards the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Most of
all, to do the same means to always be about the “Father’s Business”. Because you were about “the Father’s
Business”, lives were touched and changed forever. The seeds of love you
planted in these lives, have opened the Door for many more to enter the Kingdom
of Heaven! Added 1.26.14
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God
Is Our Refuge And Strength, An Ever-Present Help In Trouble (Psalm 46:1)
Why didn’t God help me sooner?’’ This is a question that is often asked, but it is not His will to act
on your schedule. He desires to change you through the trouble and cause you to
learn a lesson from it. He has promised, “I will be with him in trouble, I will
be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him” (Ps. 91:15). He will
be with you in trouble all day and through the night. Afterward he will take
you out of it, but not until you have stopped being restless and worried over
it and have become calm and quiet. Then He will say, “It is enough.”
Why didn’t God help me sooner?’’ This is a question that is often asked, but it is not His will to act
on your schedule. He desires to change you through the trouble and cause you to
learn a lesson from it. He has promised, “I will be with him in trouble, I will
be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him” (Ps. 91:15). He will
be with you in trouble all day and through the night. Afterward he will take
you out of it, but not until you have stopped being restless and worried over
it and have become calm and quiet. Then He will say, “It is enough.”
God uses trouble to teach
His children precious lessons. Difficulties are intended to educate us, and
when their good work is done, a glorious reward will become ours through them.
There is a sweet joy and a real value in difficulties, for He regards them not
as difficulties but as opportunities
Not always OUT of our
troubled times, and the struggles fierce and grim, But in-deeper in- to our
sure rest, The place of our peace, in Him.
I once heard the following
statement from a simple old man, and I have forgotten it: “When God tests you, it is a good time to test Him by putting His
promises to the test and then claiming from Him exactly what your trials HAVE
MADE NECESSARY.” There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is
simply to try to get rid of the trial, and then to be thankful when it is over.
The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger
blessing than we have ever before experienced, and to accept it with delight as
an opportunity of receiving a greater measure of God’s divine grace.
In this way, even the
Adversary becomes a help to us, and all the things that seem to be against us
turn out to assist us along our way. Surely this is what is meant by the words
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us”
(Rom. 8:37). Thank you Lord!!!!!
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Unintentional by Dennis Fisher Read: Leviticus 4:1-3; Romans 3:21-26
If a person sins unintentionally . . . let him offer to the Lord .
. . a young bull without blemish. —Leviticus 4:2-3
After a visit,
the traffic seemed especially challenging. Fast-maneuvering cars blocked me
from the correct toll lane, forcing me to go through a lane where only cars
with a prepaid pass are permitted, which I didn’t have. Alex told me that my
license plate would be photographed and a ticket might be mailed to me. I was
frustrated because a penalty would have to be paid even though my infraction
was unintentional.
For the ancient Jews, a violation of God’s laws committed even in
ignorance was taken very seriously. The Old Testament recognized and provided
for unintentional sins through appropriate sacrifices: “If a person sins
unintentionally against any of the commandments . . . let him offer to the Lord
. . . a young bull without blemish as a sin offering” (Lev. 4:2-3).
Old Testament sacrifices were more than a reminder that accidental
wrongs have consequences. They were given in anticipation that God in His grace
would provide atonement even for wrongs we didn’t realize we were doing. He did
this through the death of Jesus in our place. God’s grace is far greater than
we could ever imagine!
Grace is getting
what we do not deserve. Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve.
updated on 1.5.2014
ONE-OF-A-KIND
You made
my whole being; you formed me in my mother’s body. Psalm 139:1
In my closet hangs a sweater that I seldom wear. It is too
small. I should throw that sweater away. But love won’t let me.
It’s the creation of a devoted mother expressing her love.
Each strand was chosen with care. Each thread was selected with affection. It
is valuable not because of its function, but because of its maker. That must have been what the psalmist had in mind when he wrote, “ You knit me together in my mother’s womb” (NIV)
Think on those words. You were knitted together. You aren’t an accident. You weren’t mass-produced. You aren’t an assembly line product.
You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on this earth by the Master Craftsman. In a system that ranks the value of a human by the figures of his salary or the shape of her legs…let me tell you something: Jesus’ plan is a reason for joy!
-The Applause of Heaven (Added May 5, 2013)
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Loving Being Me!
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my bodyand knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born.Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! Psalms 139:13-18
This is just a quick rundown on what I have learned in Just being ME!
Before I give this list, I just want to say that I have never written something about loving myself before, because I truly never really loved who God made me to be, until in the past 2 years, or even less than that, and keep in mind I am a year away from 30. I have struggled for years in accepting me for me. I had so many faults, weaknesses, shame, regrets and downfalls, that loving me was impossible. I remember always putting others first and serving them, because I felt they were better than me due to their talents, skills, titles, and possessions, and that they deserved to be served by me! When God revealed to me the high value I was to Him, and how His heart breaks when I feel inferior and worthless, it also caused my heart to break. The Creator of the Universe loves you so much that He is fighting to see that you realize how precious, valuable, and beautiful you are to Him. As I am writing this, I am looking back and realizing how bad I treated myself and thought about myself. I realize that God is truly Mighty to Save us from our destructive ways, and help us to live in the freedom that He paid for at such a high price. (More to come on this in the next blog). I believe our Loving Father, God, is waiting for us to acknowledge the un-debatable fact that we are of great value to Him, despite our past, present, and future mistakes and downfalls. Thank You Jesus!
ØI do not have to change the way I am with different environments, groups, or people ØI can be more honest with myself and others
ØMy confidence in who God has created me to be has increased tremendously
ØI am able to accept my faults, struggles, and downfalls more, and depend on the Lord to help me overcome and live a victorious life
ØI have higher standards for myself
ØI have now come to the realization that I do not have to please anyone on this Earth, except for God
ØI do not have to explain myself to everyone
ØI can now be free to live up to God’s standards and expectations of me
ØI don’t worry as much what others feel and think about me
ØI feel free to love Jesus more, and live an honest life before Him
ØI realize that not everyone will like me or accept me
ØI can freely accept the love of Christ and give it to others
ØMy gifting is able to flow more freely
ØHidden talents and gifting have been unleashed
ØI don’t seek affirmations from others continually
ØI go to God more for direction and affirmation, than people
ØI am assured that no matter what, God’s love and grace is available to me unconditionally, and the list goes on and on….
Lord I pray for everyone reading this blog that is struggling to accept the unique beautiful individual you have created them to be. Father, I ask that you would wrap your arms around them, and that you would inscribe the revelation of their worth and they value to you in their hearts. Lord, I pray that you take away the hindrances that keep them from receiving your unconditional love and grace. Reveal your love, Jesus. Reveal their purpose to them. Help them to entrust their lives totally to you. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen! Added on April 28, 2013******************************************************************************
An economy consists of the economic
system of a certain country or region, which comprises the production, distribution or trade, and consumption of goods
and services
in that country or area. From an investment
perspective, an economy depends on, and is limited by, available capital and resources,
including land and labor.
Why A+B does not always equal C?
Ø We can never
always understand God’s ways. We know things happen for a reason, but we can
never always figure out the reason for everything we go through, but as a
believer, we know there is purpose to everything we face. Isaiah 55:7-8 speaks more about God’s ways
being higher than our ways, and His thoughts being higher than our thoughts.
Ø God is
Supernatural
Ø God does not
call those that are equipped, He equips those that He calls
Ø His Grace is
unmerited and undeserved
Ø You may have
come from a broken, painful, and horrible past, but your past does not define
your future, He is a God of restoration!
Ø If you have been
praying for healing for years, just keep praying persistently, and don’t give
up, just because you don’t see any answers yet, does not mean you are going to
be in this same condition for years to come. My God is a God that still answers
prayers. It’s just a matter of time! Healing is not a thing of the past, it’s a
thing of yesterday, today, and forever.
Ø If you feel that
you don’t have the finances or education to accomplish something you’ve always
desired, God can send those finances your way in a matter of seconds. Hey don’t
forget, my father owns the cattle on a thousand hills
Ø Your times are
in God’s hand: A day is like a year in His sight, a 1,000 years is like a day
Be
Encouraged and claim that A + B does not equal C over your life. Jesus is in complete control and you will overcome!
(Added 4/21/13)
(Added 4/21/13)
God has a Plan B for facing failure
"Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve.” -Leonardo da Vinci (taken from the Devotioanl: God always has a plan B)
"Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve.” -Leonardo da Vinci (taken from the Devotioanl: God always has a plan B)
If you have recently bitten into
a bitter mouthful of disappointment, don’t let it ruin your appetite for life.
You are in good company. Consider the following examples:
NBA superstar Michael Jordan was once cut from his high school
basketball team.
After his first audition, screen legend Fred Astaire received the following assessment from an MGM executive: “Can’t act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.”
Best-selling author Max Lucado had his first book rejected by 14 publishers before finding one that was willing to give him a chance.
A so-called football expert once said of two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Vince Lombardi, “He possesses minimal football knowledge. Lacks motivation.
Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he lacked ideas. Later, he went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.
Upon his election as U.S President, Abraham Lincoln was called “a baboon” by a newspaper in Illinois, his home state. The paper went on to say that the American people “would be better off if he were assassinated.
A young Burt Reynolds was once told he couldn’t act. At the same audition, his pal Clint Eastwood was told he would never make it in the movies because his Adam’s apple was too big.
Further, failure can actually enrich you as a person, build your character, and sharpen your perspective. Andre Agassi, after winning easily in the first round of a U.S Open tennis tourney, was asked if he felt bad for destroying his opponent. “No,” he said, “you don’t cheat anybody out of their experience, whatever it is. I promise you, it’s all part of what makes you who you are down the road. And if a match is getting blown out one way or the other, you’ve got to learn from it, and you’ve got to understand it for what it is. I’ve been on the other [losing] side. I wouldn’t want to cheat anybody of that experience.”
So, learn from failure, from rejection. Let them fuel your determination. And hang on to those negative letters, reports, and evaluations. You might want to frame them someday. added 4/14/13
NBA superstar Michael Jordan was once cut from his high school
basketball team.After his first audition, screen legend Fred Astaire received the following assessment from an MGM executive: “Can’t act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.”
Best-selling author Max Lucado had his first book rejected by 14 publishers before finding one that was willing to give him a chance.
A so-called football expert once said of two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Vince Lombardi, “He possesses minimal football knowledge. Lacks motivation.
Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he lacked ideas. Later, he went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.
Upon his election as U.S President, Abraham Lincoln was called “a baboon” by a newspaper in Illinois, his home state. The paper went on to say that the American people “would be better off if he were assassinated.
A young Burt Reynolds was once told he couldn’t act. At the same audition, his pal Clint Eastwood was told he would never make it in the movies because his Adam’s apple was too big.
Further, failure can actually enrich you as a person, build your character, and sharpen your perspective. Andre Agassi, after winning easily in the first round of a U.S Open tennis tourney, was asked if he felt bad for destroying his opponent. “No,” he said, “you don’t cheat anybody out of their experience, whatever it is. I promise you, it’s all part of what makes you who you are down the road. And if a match is getting blown out one way or the other, you’ve got to learn from it, and you’ve got to understand it for what it is. I’ve been on the other [losing] side. I wouldn’t want to cheat anybody of that experience.”
So, learn from failure, from rejection. Let them fuel your determination. And hang on to those negative letters, reports, and evaluations. You might want to frame them someday. added 4/14/13
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Words of Wisdom
“Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.”
“Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.”
“The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.”
If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord's people have always been a waiting people
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Just a little about what Jesus death and Resurrection Means to
Me
2. His
Grace is enough for me to overcome my addictions, struggles, battles,
cycles, and shortcomings. His Grace is Sufficient.
3. The reason Jesus demonstrated His love by dying on the cross, was so I could never have any reason to doubt His Massive, Great, and Extraordinary Love for me!
3. The reason Jesus demonstrated His love by dying on the cross, was so I could never have any reason to doubt His Massive, Great, and Extraordinary Love for me!
3. I can live free from condemnation
4. Jesus is not dead, but He is
alive!
5. The same power that conquered
the grave is within me!
6. My identity in Him (Jesus) was
bought at such a high price
7. I was the joy that was set
before him that he endured the cross
8. He saw me as a reward for his
pain, suffering, and humiliation when He was on the cross
9. I was worth the dreadful and excruciating
suffering He endured
10. My inability to grasp the
“ALL-In One Sacrificial LOVE package deal” paid for by the blood gushing out of
His veins, the intense torture He endured, and the excruciating pain he felt,
is the doubt that will ultimately KEEP ME from fulfilling the purpose and the
plans He has for my life.
11. God wants me to enjoy the
benefits of the cross He sent His son Jesus to pay for
I can never be
able to list a complete list of the benefits of Christ’s
death and
resurrection, because the benefits of the high price He paid are COUNTLESS!!!
You are truly my Defender, my Redeemer, my Strong Tower,
my Healer, my Refuge, and an ever present help that never fails.
(updated 03.31.13)
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ALL Because of His G.R.A.C.E
God’s Reassurance
that All is Covered
for Eternity
21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has
been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This
righteousness is given through faith in h Jesus Christ to
all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25God presented
Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, i through the
shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his
righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed
beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to
demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one
who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26
(Added 3.24.13)
A Poem on Hope...
By: Ashley Robinson
We have seen it, maybe felt it
found ourselves believing
maybe conspiring
but definitely desiring, to be seen.
We hang on a hope for this
What is hope made of anyway?
A glimmer of light on a dreary day?
A delay, to my loss in faith?
Faith it could be...
Faith in a purpose...
faith in a plan....
Faith that keeps me on the road I demand!
Or maybe I don't....
Yes, the road is for Him!
I walk it for Him because He walked one for me.
A road written with love
from the beginning to a tree.
A tree marked with death.
It should have been the death of me.
But No!
What I've searched for has been all along.
A deep, passionate Love
that cleanses all wrong.
Love is the greatest,
we were created for these...
A Faith to Hope.
And Hope for Love
And Love....Love is for me.
1 Cor 13:13
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(Added 03.17.13)
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Have You Learned What It Means to truly REST in Lord
Reassurance that the Everlasting Father is Still on the Throne
Father, in the Name of Jesus, I pray that you will
open and enlighten the eye’s of everyone’s heart, as they watch this video, that they may KNOW the hope
to which you have called them and the riches of your glorious inheritance. In
Jesus Name I pray, Amen. May you be Encouraged!
added 3.10.2013
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Following Jesus Will
and Stepping Out in Faith
By: Jennifer Bowden
Several years ago I
was sitting in my multicultural education class, one of the required classes
needed to fill my degree in Elementary Education, when I felt the calling of
the Holy Spirit. He birthed in me a desire to teach in a culturally diverse
classroom, as well as a deep understanding for unique individuals. In my heart
I knew this meant leaving our home in Wyoming and following Gods will. This
move came much to the distress of my husband's family and our church family,
but as I'm sure you have heard before when God calls you to complete a mission
He prepares every step and every last details. In response to the Holy Spirit
and God's will we moved our family to Liberal, Kansas, and
I assure you the
process in which I came to find a job offer in Liberal was truly God ordained.
When I arrived in town everything fell into place. Please don't misconstrue my
words and think that everything was perfect, but the major details locked
together like a puzzle. As the years have gone by I thought Liberal was the
place we were going to make our permanent residence. This thrilled me as I was
always told by several members of my family to "find a place and put down
roots". Therefore, when the still small voice of my heavenly father spoke
to my heart and confirmed that we would be moving I was a little stunned. I
quickly contacted my husband to relay the confirmation of the Spirit. My
husband told me that he had felt the same tug at his heart. I quickly began to
ask questions and search. My mind was racing with thoughts like ;where would we
be going and why would we be leaving here. My husband and I both love our jobs
and the people we have met. Our children had friends and activities here.
I began to analyze the
spiritual growth my family has gained here and our comfortability in this town.
Satan began to speak to my mind, bringing up the words of my family, "find
a place and put down roots". God quickly assured me with the parable Luke
8:13. Those that are deeply rooted in Christ shall not be washed away. I am
rooted in Christ! He is my place to put down roots! I put my roots in Christ
when I was 17 years old. Be reassured that Christ follows us everywhere. It is the Lord
who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.
Do not fear or be dismayed Deuteronomy 3: 8 In my anxiety I pressed my ear and
my heart closer to God. In every false claim spoken to me by Satan, God was
there with His words verse after verse. When I was struck with moments of fear
He gave me Proverbs 3:26 The Lord will be your confidence so that Satan will
not snare your foot. He was there with His words and at times He spoke straight
to my heart. Finally, when I was drawn to a city that is much larger than
Liberal and well out of my comfort zone I sat slumped in my chair. I quietly told the Lord I could not go there and I
began to pray. Like the gentleman that He is the Lord directed me to my phone
where I downloaded two sermons the night before. The list that I chose the
sermons from was extensive, but I know in my heart they were not coincidence.
When I began to listen to the story of Paul and hear the process of his
sacrifice to follow the Lord it confirmed in my heart that Jesus is worth dying
for.
We
have to die to ourselves daily! I had to die to my selfish desire to be
comfortable! I will follow Him ! I will step out in faith prepared to do His
will! I will do it with Joy in my heart! Where ever and whenever He leads me!
(Added 3.03.13)
A Tree Planted By The
Riverbank
Psalms 1:3 today is the day I reflect on the scripture verse that I have meditated on for the week. In Psalms 1:3 it says if I delight in the Law of the Lord, and meditate on it day and night, that I will be like a tree planted by the riverbanks, bearing fruit in every season. My leaves will never wither, and in all I do, I will prosper.
If I delight in the Law of the Lord, and meditate on it day and night, the immediate effect is that I will be like a tree planted by the riverbank. The riverbank nourishes, refreshes, provides foundational support, purifies, and keeps the tree alive. The word of God does all the above and more. No matter the season I am in, I will be fruitful. In seasons filled with pain, sorrow, joy, frustrations, disappointments, through various trials and tribulations, I will be fruitful. That means in all seasons if you’re fruitful, there will be growth, endurance, perseverance, joy, faith, hope, and peace. That’s what being fruitful looks like, no matter the season, because you have made the very word of God your security and foundation, you will come out of each season of your life, renewed and uplifted.
Through the trials and tribulations, you will not fall apart, break down, drown, be crushed. No, rather, you will come out in victory, with a stronger faith, renewed hope, exceeding joy, and endurance. You will not wither, you will bloom. Yes, this is what it means to be a tree planted by the Riverbank. This is what happens when we allow the Holy Spirit and the word of God to bring about the transformation we so desire, within our hearts.
Allow the Lord to plant you by the riverbank. After he has planted you, it is your responsibility to read, meditate, and abide by the word of God. Find your need for approval, peace, contentment, value, and worth in the word of God. That’s what it means to delight in the law of the Lord. To take the word of God as your most prized possession. To know that nothing else can bring you satisfaction, contentment, true joy and life meaning, than the word of God. Thank you Lord!
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. (Added 2.24.13)
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Don’t
Compare!
One of the hardest things about hard things is that they always seem to be uniquely our hard things. Permit me to explain!
When something difficult comes into our life, when we suffer, when we’re discouraged or hurting, it’s natural to feel isolated by our trials. This emotion is conveyed in the poignant rhetorical question most of us have voiced when hard things hit: “Why me?” The “why me” question implies that we’re the only ones burdened with such trials, an insight that comes by superficially surveying the lives of those around us and comparing our troubles with theirs. “Why me?” wants to know why they’ve got it better than us.
The irony of this attitude is
that it is most certainly factually untrue. It may seem to us that others’
lives are relatively trouble free in comparison with our own, but they’re not.
Everyone has their cross to bear. Some just have a more public one to carry.
But even hidden crosses are still heavy. And so comparing our lives with others’
yields false conclusions and produces unnecessarily bleak emotions. That’s why
Paul the Apostle writes in 2Cor. 10:12: “We do not dare to classify or compare
ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by
themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
So here’s a powerful biblical
principle that, if followed, will significantly increase your faith and
enjoyment of life with Christ: don't compare! Don’t look at God’s
blessings in the lives of other believers and get bent out of shape that He
hasn’t treated you the same! Comparative Christianity will make you ungrateful
for the blessings you do have while rendering you incapable of trusting God for
those He has yet to bestow.
Do you believe that Christ is
with you now and always, guiding your steps and straightening your way? If
you’re His child by faith, He absolutely is. He is the Master who gives His
best to those who leave the choice with Him. He is the Author of our salvation
who delights in weaving an utterly unique and beautiful story of each
believer’s life. But to comprehend His work, we must be willing to reject all
comparisons. We must be willing to jettison the “why me?” question and ask
instead, “why NOT me?”
Evidently, this was a difficult
challenge to Jesus’ disciple Peter. Even after Christ’s resurrection, he was
comparing his life with others in deciding if God was fair. We see this in his
last conversation with Christ: ‘I tell you the truth, when you were younger you
dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will
stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you
do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which
Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’ Peter turned and saw
that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one, who
had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going
to betray you?’) When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus
answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?
You must follow me’ (John 21:18-22).
I can understand Peter’s
curiosity. He’s just been told how he will die. Can we blame him for asking the
“why me?” question and wondering if his friends faced a similar fate? But
Jesus’ reply is blunt: “None of your business, Pete! I tell no one anyone’s
story but his own.” This time, Peter understood. The Lord doesn’t issue
cookie-cutter callings. When Peter got his eyes off others and accepted God’s
unique work in his own life, the greatest chapters of his story unfolded.
Christ’s message to us is the same: please don’t compare!
Don’t Compare Yourself!!! God is
writing a bestseller, and you are His co-author. Your history is the plot-line,
your experiences the setting, your faith responses is the dramatic tension.
Insisting that He craft your story to mirror others is a demand for boring
sameness. God is the Maker, the Master of new things, the Singer of new songs.
Don’t insult His creativity by asking Him to plagiarize old stories.
In your experience, God is
creating something special. Trust Him to do a good job. No matter how bleak
your prospects, no matter how blessed your peers, be assured that if Christ is
your King, every heartache is but a new chapter in your story. Never forget: in
a masterpiece, every chapter is not only elegant, but essential. Let the
Almighty Author finish!
I’m so glad that Joseph didn’t
bail out on God during his stints in the pit and the prison. Moses endured the
desert, Paul the dungeon, and Daniel the den of lions. Jacob did twenty hard
years in Haran and John was imprisoned on Patmos. These adversities were
necessary interludes in the great stories God created around these heroes in
His Faith Hall of Fame.
Joseph transcended prison to
become a Prime Minister. Daniel in the lion’s den slept peacefully with his
feline friends. Jacob traded the moniker “manipulator of men” for “Prince of
God”. Moses took up a rod and released the Hebrew slaves. In solitary silence,
John received The Revelation. During legendary journeys, Paul mediated God’s
revelation. Each allowed the Divine Writer to finish the story. Each received
God’s best because they left the choice with Him. Each trusted until every
sentence was crafted, every paragraph polished, every chapter completed. Won’t
you do the same? The result will be yet another masterpiece.
(Added 2.17.13)
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Not
Your Failures, but Your Doubts…ALL Because
of His Great Love!
God needed something that He did not have on this
Earth. So He created you! That something, was just not only you, but the
specific purpose and plan he has for you to fulfill, that He branded or you
could say “tattooed” on your heart. What makes you question the reason you are
here on Earth, What makes you think you have no purpose or a sense of
direction, What makes you feel as though you are “trash” at times or worth
nothing, What makes you feel so useless? What makes you feel like a failure?
What leads you to seasons of depression? What leads you to instant
gratification? What? Yes, What is that thing or the things that causes you to
doubt God’s love and forgiveness that covers ALL your past, present, and future
failures, mistakes, and feelings of ______ (fill in the blank). Whatever it may
be, it’s time that you nail it to the cross, by simply giving it to Jesus and
receiving the Healing He paid for in place of those thoughts, feelings, and
life experiences. The reason Jesus demonstrated His love by dying on the cross,
was so you could never have any reason to doubt His Massive, Great, and Extraordinary
Love for you! Take a look at your palms. If you compare the lines, shades, and
fingerprints to someone else, you will immediately realize that they are different
from everyone else. Even identical twins have different prints. Fingerprints don’t
change overtime.
From this day forward, I encourage you to allow
your fingerprint to symbolize the purpose and the plan that God has for you,
that no one else, and that’s no one on this Earth, could ever, ever fulfill,
but you! Look at your palm one more time. Imagine with me someone putting a
nail on your palm and hammering the nail through your hands. Yes, I know this
may be something hard to imagine, because it’s so painful to even think or visualize
this. Despite if you could visualize this or not, the fact is that over 2,000
years ago, nails were driven into the palm of a man Christ Jesus on the cross,
just so you would have no reason to doubt His Great Love for You! So, from this
day forward, whenever you look at your palms, be reminded that your failures
can never keep you from fulfilling the plan and purpose that God has for you,
just your doubt of the Great Love He demonstrated when He was nailed on the
cross.
Again, always remember not your failures, but your
doubts…God wants His purpose fulfilled through you, even more than you think
you want it!
(Added 2.10.13)
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…Not Your Failures, But Your Doubts
**************************************************************************
…Not Your Failures, But Your Doubts
Have you ever thought to yourself, if I fail, I
will never reach my goals, or this failure will definitely delay my progress?
If so, I have good news for you, which come straight from the heart of Christ,
which is…God wants you to know that your failures will not keep you from your
purpose in life. It will not keep you from fulfilling the plans that I have for
you. It does not matter what the details of your failure entails, whether it be
a past mistake or a wrong decision, His Love covers it all, it’s an ALL
INCLUSIVE DEAL! So, because His LOVE covers it all, your doubts of His GREAT
LOVE without conditions, is what will keep you from fulfilling the plans and
the destiny He has for you! Plain and Simple. Yes, if you are unable to
understand the FACT that He paid the price for the fulfillment of your destiny
at the cross, the price which included (your failures, mistakes, feelings of
insignificance, unworthiness ) your inability to grasp the “ALL-In One Sacrificial
LOVE package deal” paid for by the blood gushing out of His veins, the intense torture
He endured, and the excruciating pain he felt, is the doubt that will
ultimately KEEP YOU from fulfilling
the purpose and the plans He has for your life. (to be continued in next issue on 2.10.13) Added 2.3.13
***********************************************************************************
God Sees The Real You!
God sees the REAL
YOU, doesn’t that count for anything??? Stop trying to explain yourself,
recreate yourself, camouflage, and compromise with everyone else. God sees the REAL
YOU and that’s all that COUNTS towards eternity, and eternity is
what you should be living for, not the pleasures of this world….so STOP spending
your life trying to be like everyone else, or you’ll die as a COPY and
not the ORIGINAL, UNIQUE Individual God created YOU TO BE, Filled with
endless potential!!! (Inspired by Pastor Bryan of New
Beginnings Church in Liberal, Kansas) (Added 1/27/13)
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**********************************************************************************
Hope Revealed…Begins By Finding JOY In Your PainWhat Are You Hoping For?
I HaveOvercomingPower for Eternity
The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words, I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss, yet I still dare to HOPE when I remember this: The FAITHFUL love of the Lord never ends, His mercies never cease, Great is His FAITHFULNESS’ His mercies begin AFRESH each morning. Lamentations 3:19-23
How do we define HOPE? A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen To cherish a desire with anticipation,,,To expect with confidence
How do we define HOPE? A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen To cherish a desire with anticipation,,,To expect with confidence
Pain Can Come Through…or Come In a Form of …
Waiting…and not seeing anything come to pass, Fears
Unfulfilled desires and longings, Unworthiness
Disappointments, Condemnation, Discontentment
Persecution, Grief
Unfulfilled desires and longings, Unworthiness
Disappointments, Condemnation, Discontentment
Persecution, Grief
How to Build Your HOPE in Christ…
Ø Pray…build yourself up in the spirit through prayer, Ask the Lord to remove hindrances to your trust in His Faithfulness
Ø Praise…praise brings hope, because of who you choose to focus on, you’re looking at God, and not at your circumstance. When Peter kept His eyes on Christ, the impossible came to pass! Psalms 103:2 Praise the Lord, I tell myself, and never forget his benefits.
Ø Confront Condemnation … Identify the liesand claim the truth by replacing it with the truth of God’s word. You are making your way out of captivity, because there is freedom in truth.
Ø Recount Memorials…bring to memory the miracles and victories that God has given you…. Build my altar wherever I cause my name to be remembered, and I will come to you and bless you, Exodus 20:24
Ø Commit to Be a Prisoner of Hope …God has called you to be a Prisoner of hope, not a prisoner of despair, but a Prisoner of Hope! You are not tied and held captive by your circumstance; rather you are tied to the FAITHFULNESS of Daddy God, and the FACT that He is greater and above your circumstance! God has called you to be a Faithful witness, not a prisoner of despair, but a Prisoner of Hope!
“It has been said that man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, and about eight minutes without air-but only one second without HOPE.” -Anonymous
If you dwell in the misery you’ll miss out on the joy
Added 1/20/2013
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Just Think…
Just think, you’re here not by chance but by God's
choosing. His hands formed you and made you the person you are. He compares you
to no one else. You lack nothing that His grace can't give you. He has allowed
you to be here at this time in history to fulfill His special purpose---Roy
Lessin ….Celebrating
your Graduation and the Amazing Person He created in you.
God has a great
adventure planned just for you. Jeremiah 29:11
(Added
1/13/2013)
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Be still in the
presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act…Psalms 37:7
My
child wait on me, I am your God, your creator, your maker. I love you with an
everlasting love, my plans for you are of good and not of evil. Trust me, I say
trust in me, focus on me, and I will grant you those things down deep within
your heart. I am here, I am with you and I will never leave you nor forsake you.
My thoughts are towards you, just wait, and don’t look to man as your standard,
look to me and me alone. I am not a God created by human hands; you will not be
disappointed, if you wait. You will not be disappointed, it’s a guarantee. That’s
why I am telling you to wait, wait on me, be patient and courageous, don’t give
in, don’t give up in this waiting season, it will all pay off. You will not be
ashamed nor dismayed. I have your desires right in the middle of my hands; they
are not far away from me. I have not forgotten my promises towards you. Look at
those promises that I have fulfilled. Look, I say look. Open your eyes and see.
Do not strife in this season. Take my peace that I give to you. It’s for your
sanity, joy, contentment, and fulfillment. You are right in the Center of my
will. You’ve not missed a step in this journey. I say again, you’ve not missed
a step in this journey. Trust me to make all things new in your life. Oh, yea,
I am so in love with you. Your obedience in this waiting season is a sweet
perfume to me. It grabs my attention. It causes me to move on your behalf. You are
in the center of my will. Let and allow me to guide you through this season.
Allow me, it’s not something I want you to guide yourself through. Just allow
me to guide you. Allow me. I am asking, would you allow me to guide you? Would you?
It is my desire that you are in contentment as you wait on me. No matter the
frustrations of this season, just remember that I love you, and I am with you! You
are truly mines.
(Added 1.6.13)
******************************************
Finding Peace in Life's Unexpected Turns
by Erica R.
I’m a planner. Although I admire a
person who poses the trait of spontaneity, I become anxious just thinking about
doing something that has not been completely thought through. God in His wisdom
has made us each different in this area and I happened to be on the cautious
side. If you asked my sister who is one of those persons who knows what she
wants and doesn’t hesitate to get it she’d say that I’m overly cautious at
times. I understand that the early bird gets the worm and on that line of
thought a bird who hesitates would end up hungry. The bible says it this way,
“the soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the
diligent is richly supplied (Proverbs 13:4)”. If the truth be told I struggle
with craving perfection and a fear of failing. All other striving
perfectionists can relate that the desire for everything to be just right is
immobilizing.
I try my best to prevent failure by
controlling every situation that I can and Iplan. I nitpick every
decision until I am comfortable enough that if I go through with it not much
can go wrong. Now of course no matter how much I plan life throws
surprises. A friend may call 5 minutes before my birthday dinner to RSVP and
now I have to get additional setting or I may misplace my keys or my car won’t
start and I’ll leave home later thanplanned. Still planning even
the most minor details gives me a since of security. I have been writing out at
least a 6-12 monthplan for my life since I was a young teenager. Over
the years I started to categorize my lifeplans into Love, Finances,
Education, Career, ect. Under each life goal I list tasks that I expect to help
me accomplish that goal. I have to admit that all myplanning has served
me well. When I do decide to take action I have thought each step through and work
hard to reach my goals. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to
abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty (Proverbs 21:5).”
I’ve recently reviewed my goals for the last several months and discovered that
I had actually accomplished about 80 percent of what I had set out to do. By
now my life sounds pretty smooth. It sounds like I think things through,
I plan and I accomplish. Well that is about right. But this whole time
I’ve talked about ‘my’ goals for ‘my’life. You see I’m a Christian and
that I believe that Jesus Christ died for me.2 Corinthians 5:15
says, “that He died for all, that those wholive might no longer live
for themselves butfor Him who for their sake died and was raised.” If
Christ died for me and Ilive for him and not myself then I should be
seeking His will for mylife and not my own. I’ve known this
intellectually, but I still have been hesitant to let God fully direct mylife.
Iplanned to
graduate from college and I did. Iplanned to get a job after graduating
and pay off my car and save some money and maybe take a few courses. Before I
even walked across the graduation stage I began applying and applying and
applying for work and soon after I graduated I was hired for a great position
with an awesome company and a few months later I was laid off (which I didn’tplan
for). No problem, I planned to apply and apply again and receive
interviews and become employed again. Well a few months later I am still
unemployed and still following ‘my’plan. Every morning I awake facing a
plaque on my wall that reads, “For I know theplans I have for you
declare the Lord.Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,plans
to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).” What kind ofhope
and future do I see for myself if myplans aren’t working? These few
months that I have been unemployed Iplanned to get busy volunteering,
but nothing seemed to work out. I planned to take a class, but
financially haven’t been able to. Despite my plans falling through I
ironically have more hope for my future now, than I did while I was
working that perfect job that just landed in my lap right after graduation.
Without the business of work, class assignments, potential interviews or even a
hobby I have had time to reflect on what God has done for me in the past. How
God has restored my health and healed me from an illness. I have also been able
to spend more time involved in ministries at church, more time praying without
distractions and more time reading and talking to my Heavenly Father. Through
spending more time with God I have been given peace now that I did not have
while I was working to meet deadlines and to reach goals that I thought were
important. I know now that I don’t need money or a title to be happy or
productive. I’m praying now to be obedient to His plans for my life.
Knowing that He cared for me in the past helps me have faith that whatever
God’splan is for my future He will continue to take care of me. Myplans
aren’t perfect and His plans don’t necessarily come with a corner
office, but I choose to find comfort in knowing, “that God causes everything to
work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to
his purpose for them (Romans 8:28)
*********************************
Your burdens are
too heavy for you to carry, leave them at the alter for Me…By: Tessy
During church service this morning a
gentleman gave a Word from the Lord, "Your burdens are too heavy for you
to carry leave them at the alter for Me." That Word just bothered me. How
can a slave just do that and leave their burdens at the alter never to be
picked up again?
Lord, please, I need a clear direct Word from You. I picked up a book given to me, "Come Away My Beloved" a compilation of Words from the Lord given to Frances J Roberts. My eyes fell on, "Thou dost not need to carry thine own load, for I will be happy to help thee carry it and to also bear thee up as well. Thou dost not walk alone nor meet any situation alone, for I am with thee, and I will give thee wisdom and I will give thee strength, and My blessing shall be upon thee."
I couldn't read anymore through the tears. The Lord just gave me a direct Word and comfort. Thank you, God! (Second hand Words from the Lord can be just as personal and direct as first hand.)
I went back to read the rest. "Only keep thine heart set upon Me and thine affections on things above; for I cannot bless thee unless ye ask Me and I cannot answer if ye do not call, and I cannot minister to thee except thou come to Me."
After morning church, I came home by myself this time and decided to have communion with the Lord, in thankfulness that He answered my request for a personal Word. I used milk to represent the Blood (wine) and cookies to represent the Body.
They were delicious, but bad mistake. My mind wasn't on Christ, it was on how I can make better cookies, and how I can best dip my cookies into my milk. I have learned not to do my will, but God's will; because He knows my weaknesses and His ways are way better than my ways.
Lord, please, I need a clear direct Word from You. I picked up a book given to me, "Come Away My Beloved" a compilation of Words from the Lord given to Frances J Roberts. My eyes fell on, "Thou dost not need to carry thine own load, for I will be happy to help thee carry it and to also bear thee up as well. Thou dost not walk alone nor meet any situation alone, for I am with thee, and I will give thee wisdom and I will give thee strength, and My blessing shall be upon thee."
I couldn't read anymore through the tears. The Lord just gave me a direct Word and comfort. Thank you, God! (Second hand Words from the Lord can be just as personal and direct as first hand.)
I went back to read the rest. "Only keep thine heart set upon Me and thine affections on things above; for I cannot bless thee unless ye ask Me and I cannot answer if ye do not call, and I cannot minister to thee except thou come to Me."
After morning church, I came home by myself this time and decided to have communion with the Lord, in thankfulness that He answered my request for a personal Word. I used milk to represent the Blood (wine) and cookies to represent the Body.
They were delicious, but bad mistake. My mind wasn't on Christ, it was on how I can make better cookies, and how I can best dip my cookies into my milk. I have learned not to do my will, but God's will; because He knows my weaknesses and His ways are way better than my ways.
*******************************
God’s love NEVER Fails:
By: Bhavika G.
Hi, :) Hope everybody
had a wonderful week. I feel so lost, and then I remember that EVERYTHING's
gonna be alright, because as Lincoln Brewster sings in his song Salvation
is here"Cause
I know my God saved the day...And I know His word never fails...And I know my
God made a way for me...Salvation is here!" There are so many
things I'm unsure about, and I feel like breaking down and crying and screaming
out to Jesus. Only He understands me fully. I mean His word is the ONLY thing I
can cling on to, because His word won't fail me. His promises are
everlasting.
It's amazing to know
that such a marvelous God cares about
me and understands my heart and just knows me so well! I mean really who am I
that such an amazing God would take my place on the cross? I'm not perfect. I
make mistakes. I wear my emotions on my sleeve, sometimes. However, Jesus
still LOVES me more than I can
ever comprehend.
I'm just in
awe of His love for me. I'm in awe of His love for HIS people. Every time
I see the stars in the night sky, I'm in awe of the beauty He puts in
everything. Every time I stare into the night sky, and see the sky full of
stars, it's like God's telling me that "EVERYTHING will be okay, please just
trust ME. I know YOU better than you know yourself. I know the ALL desires
of your heart. I'm here with you my child, and I LOVE you. Everything
in this world is temporary, the pain and the suffering, but I'm ETERNAL. Cling onto my word.”
God is so eternally good, even when life isn’t.
Here’s a thought, it
only takes ONE person to make a difference, so when you meet somebody, will you
speak life and show the love of Christ? Remember, we all have the chance to
make a difference, but it’s our choice whether we will bring a positive difference
or a negative difference.
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Being Still in God’s Presence
By: Shelby Simmons
For a long time now,
there seems to be a lesson that I have to re-learn over and over. And I know I’m
not alone. We move throughout our days making sure we are consistently kind,
helpful, giving, loving, patient… we want to be the full expression of the
fruits of the Spirit. But why do some of us focus on this so intensely? Is the
reason all because we want people to see Christ living and working in us? I’m
sure that is a big part of it. But I think we can get sidetracked from that
most important reason. Somehow, and very easily, our incentive for behaving in
what we think is a “Christ-like” way becomes all about pleasing and impressing
others.
We all want to be
liked. This desire to be liked is very heavy in some of us and other people can
use that to manipulate us into going over and beyond the call of duty of what
it is to be a friend. We can even run our minds and bodies ragged by constantly
trying to please and impress the people around us. It’s as if we feel like we
have to prove that we have a Godly character. Sometimes we don’t even realize
how much importance we place on what other people (especially other Christians)
think about us.
In the process of
trying to have a Christ-like attitude and being giving and compassionate
towards others, we can end up hurting ourselves and our own relationship with
God. Time spent worrying about the day’s events and having to always provide
assistance to others encroaches on our time spent with God. When we don’t get
much of a chance to connect with the Lord on a regular basis, we begin to
attribute people’s opinions of us to
God, as if they were His opinions. This
is where Satan can sneak in. If the enemy can’t get our minds totally off of
God, than he tries to confuse us into believing that it is incredibly difficult
to receive God’s love—that we have to labor
for it. Just like how we might feel that we have to earn people’s respect. This is to distract us, make us work even
harder, and keep our minds in a worried and fretful state.
This is not a new
problem. We can see in the Bible how some people got distracted by things and
actions that they believed to be worthy—that they believed God would find
valuable. We see this in the story of Mary and Martha, when Jesus visited them
in their home. Martha was busily preparing the meal while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet,
listening to Him. When Martha complained to Jesus that her sister was not helping
her, Jesus corrected Martha and showed her that there was only one thing worth
being concerned about.
Just as Martha looked
down on her sister, we might begin to look down on others for not being as
active or “compassionate” as we think we
are. This type of attitude can be a vicious cycle, because the whole reason
that we work in a foolish frenzy is probably because someone once judged us.
But then there are
those who turn most of their judgment internally. They are the type of people
who truly are compassionate toward others—perhaps too compassionate—and they
don’t even recognize how harshly they are condemning themselves. It’s almost as
if they leave no compassion, no forgiveness, for themselves.
Satan wants God to be
so out of focus for us that we begin to hurriedly go about our lives, worry,
judge others, and condemn ourselves. All the while Christ is waiting to restore
our minds, our bodies, our souls. We must be just as careful of judging others
as condemning ourselves. We will find the truth about ourselves when we choose
to be still in reverence of God. Yes, we are to be servants to others, but with
Christ, you don’t have to prove
anything to anyone. He just wants YOU. Let us allow God to reveal to us the pride He has in us, the beauty He sees in us. As an article
called The Secret of Silence in the book Come Away My Beloved puts it, God just wants you to LIVE with HIM
as a PERSON.
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You Are For Me, Not Against Me
A personal journal entry
In the
most trying times of life, God, you may seem so far. In the darkest
times of life, you may seem so dark.
In the cloudiest times of life, when I am confused with no sense of direction,
I turn to you. I turn to you to find hope, I turn to you to find peace, I turn
to you to find a strength that will pull me through these desperate times.
During these seasons, when I feel that all is against me, I am assured that you are for me. Though it has been a long journey through this life
lesson, I now know that you were the force that propels me through. Though
everything that I considered of value, was stripped off of me, they were
replaced with the most valuable and most treasonable possession, which is you,
Jesus. I discovered that the most valuable things of this life does not compare
to the priceless possession (joy) of knowing you. Sovereign One, you proved
again to be so faithful and true. You proved to be the friend that
sticks closer than a brother. You proved to be the light that shined
brighter than the darkness surrounding me.
You are truly my Defender, my Redeemer, my Strong Tower, my
Healer, my Refuge, and an ever present help that never fails.
You Are
For Me, Not Against Me!
Remember that no matter
what you go through in Life; God is for
you and not against you! That’s a promise you can count on a 100%. The
promise that the Creator of the Universe, is
fighting for you, declaring war on your behalf, and claiming the Victory
for you!!! You are His prized
possession; you are the Apple of His
eyes.
**********************************************************************
What do I value that is more than my
relationship with God
In Matthew 19:16-26, a young rich
man is asking Jesus what it would take for him to gain eternal life, or what
good thing must He do to get eternal life. Jesus tells him a few commandments
to obey, and the man tells him that he’s done all that. Then Jesus responds
back and tells the man to sell all His possessions, give to the poor and follow
him..
… The man turns around and walks
away in sadness-when He realized he would have to give up his wealth-the very
thing he valued more than a relationship with Jesus!
After
reading this passage, I started to reflect on what do I value that is more than
my relationship with God, what is that One thing that my thoughts and
intentions are driven the most by, what is that one thing that I feel will
satisfy me the most, what is that one thing that makes up my comfort zone, what
is that one thing I am working hard to achieve with all my strength, that one
thing I take so much pride in, that one thing that I identify myself the most by, that one thing
that sometimes breaks me up from within, that one thing that causes me to hold
unforgiveness in my heart, that one thing I feel that needs justice within me.
So
what is that ONE THING in your life, is it the desire for a relationship with a
significant other, your desire to be married, your desire to have children, is
it wealth, fame, or beauty, is it your accomplishments, is it your dreams,
goals, or aspirations, your need to be loved and accepted, your hurts, your
past, or your present circumstance???
Whatever
the case may be ask the Lord, to reveal the truth of your IDENTITY in Him. Ask
Him to remove the things that have replaced him in your life, ask Him to come
and fill your heart and to satisfy your desires with His love and affections.
Allow
Jesus to be your MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION!!!
Psalms
27:4-5 This ONE THING I ask of the Lord, the thing I seek most is to live in
the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s
perfections and meditating in His Temple. For He will conceal me there when
troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary, He will place me out of reach
on a hugh rock.
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It Was For Freedom He (God) Set Us Free
In the last blog, I talked about
the fear of man, and promised there would be more to come on that topic. I
would like to open up this blog with a statement from the previous blog.
Why do we allow the faces that
God created to bring anxiety and fear into our lives? Yes, the faces of men may
come off as intimidating, depressing, down-grading, oppressing, controlling and
demanding. BUT the face of that individual is only a shadow of one of the
greatest tactics the enemy uses to drag us into a state of paranoia, timidity,
confusion, self-pity, bondage, depression, guilt, and most of all condemnation.
You were created to live in freedom, not held captive or in bondage to the
feelings, attitudes, thoughts, or behaviors of others. It was for FREEDOM He (God) set us FREE!!!
We read the Bible and learn about
people like Daniel, the three Hebrew brothers, David, Noah, Joshua, Moses,
Solomon, Nicodemus, and so much more. I wonder how well we truly realize and
believe that these individuals were just normal human beings, just like us.
They too had feelings, fears and anxieties, just like us. They too, had to
overcome the BIG FOM, the fear of man. So lets explore more into their lives.
David,
did
not partake in the spirit of fear of the former generation that were fearful of
the Giant that taunted Israel for years. He did not allow the history of the
fierceness of the giant to intimidate him, neither did he focus on the physical
appearance of what he called “this uncircumcised philistine.” Rather he focused on how great His God is,
and the fact that the Great I Am, can empower him to overtake and conquer the
Giant. 2 Samuel 21:15-22
Nicodemus, though, not
talked about much in our everyday discussions of the bible, is one great
example of what happens when the fear of man controls us. The Fear of Man
caused Nicodemus to only come out at night. As a Jewish religious leader and a
Pharisee, he was probably afraid of being judged, accused, or viewed in a
negative light, and wanted to prevent these attacks by staying away until dark.
John 3.
Noah,
Noah,
may have been perceived as crazy and insane when he shared the instructions God
gave Him with others on building an ark in the middle of nowhere. He did not
care about the thoughts, opinions, or the logical perspective of others, His
focus was on pleasing the one that created him. Noah, may have been perceived
as crazy and insane when he shared the instructions God gave Him with others,
building an ark in the middle of nowhere.
All in all, the fear of man and
desiring the praise of men is loving darkness. We need to come to the point
when we realize that the fear of man is not OK and should not be something that
terrifies us in our daily lives. It is a lie that this fear is normal and
cannot be overcome. That is a lie that many Christians have accepted and
believed, that in turn, have kept them in bondage and oppression. So, ask the
Lord to free you from the fears that have held you captive and in torment. As a
child of God, its your inheritance to live a life free from the fear of man.
The price for this freedom has already been paid for over 2,000 ago, on the
cross, by the Man Christ Jesus.
It was for FEEDOM He (God) set you FREE!!!
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What are your FEARS? Freedom from your FEARS can be a Reality!!!
I sought the Lord and He answered me and
delivered me from all my fears…Psalms 34:4
More than ever before in my life
I have been confronted by the BIG FOM. Well, that’s the acronym I have given to
the Fear of Man. Due to the fact that I have ALLOWED what seems like a “big
giant” to bully and taunt me for years, it’s been difficult to truly walk in
the freedom that was paid for over 2,000 ago, on the cross, by the Man Christ
Jesus. 
So what makes it so challenging
for us as the Children of God to walk in a freedom that was given to us as a
gift and paid for at such a high price? What is the power or force behind the
faces of men that often so controls our actions, feelings, beliefs, thoughts,
and overall thought patterns? Have you ever taken the time to examine the
reasons behind your FEARS, especially the reasons behind your FEAR of Man? Have
you? No, actually have you sat down to write out reasons why you are tied up in
so much fear, anxiety, oppression, or paranoia in relation to that supervisor,
director, co-worker, staff member, teacher, professor, parent, cousin, family
member, pastor, counselor, or church member? You name it.
As I was listing my reasons, I
could not even come up with more than 3 legitimate reasons, which all centered
on the following:
Ø The FEAR that I may fail and the
individuals may look down on me and talk about me (Fear of Failure)…this
includes the feelings of inadequacy, incompetence, lack of ability or
usefulness
Ø The FEAR of losing friendships or relationships
if I speak my mind and stand for what I believed (Fear of Rejection and loneliness)…this
includes the feelings of desiring the praise of men
Ø The FEAR that I may not meet the
standards of the individual (Fear of Perfectionism)
You may have been able to list
more than these or even less than the above list. The true question is how
legitimate are the ones you have listed? Are they actually reasonable? Though I
mentioned earlier that all my reasons seemed legitimate or valid to me, they
are certainly not legitimate or valid to the Creator of the Universe, God! This
is due to the fact that the answer to all our fears comes from seeking the face
of God. God has given us all the power and authority we need to overcome our
fears. The more we seek His face, the more we receive the power, authority,
wisdom, and confidence to walk in FREEDOM from our fears.
Why do we allow the faces that
God created to bring anxiety and fear into our lives? Yes, the faces of men may
come off as intimidating, depressing, down-grading, oppressing, controlling and
demanding. BUT the face of that individual is only a shadow of one of the
greatest tactics the enemy uses to drag us into a state of paranoia, timidity,
confusion, self-pity, bondage, depression, guilt, and most of all condemnation.
You were created to live in freedom, not held captive or in bondage to the
feelings, attitudes, thoughts, or behaviors of others. It was for FREEDOM He (God) set us FREE!!!
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will
tread on the lion and the cobra; you
will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because He loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. Psalms 91:11-14
No
matter what your FEARS may be in this life, the Creator of the Universe
specializes in delivering His Children from anything that holds them captive
from fulfilling their purpose here on Earth. He has a track record of taking our
Fears and turning them into VICTORIES!
More to come on this topic!
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Words
to the Wise
Ø God did not call
us to be busy; He has called us to be fruitful
Ø God loves you,
not just everyone, but He Loves You!
Ø Those that
manipulate you and control you, do not really care about you
Ø I am complete in
Christ…if I am complete in Christ that means if not married, married without
kids, married with Kids, I am complete. I am complete in Him, is what makes me
complete, no buts, ifs, or ands.
Ø You don’t need
to feel out of place anywhere, because Christ is your place…
Ø Your only worth,
value, and status symbols is who you are in Christ, not your education, your
intelligence, nor your family, but who you are in Christ
Ø If you think the
promises of God are for everybody else but you, then you are never going to
have Victory. You will always live half-way between victory and bondage,
limping along and looking at everyone else that made it, being jealous and
resentful…the promises from God are for whosoever will (Joyce Meyers)
Ø As long as you
think you can control people's behavior toward you, you are held in bondage by
their opinions (Max Lucado)
Ø Learn how to
enjoy where you’re at on the way to where you are going
Ø As long as we
think what we have here on earth is sufficient to fill us, we will always be
searching and starving for contentment...
Ø Uproot from
where you are removed and bloom where you are planted. Discover the joys of
every moment in a season.
Ø You have to
choose to do the will of God, or choose do the will of your soul and be
miserable.
Ø God has a plan,
God has a timing, we are going to have to learn to be happy with that fact (J.
Meyers)
Ø Our identity
have to be based on Christ and Christ alone, not what others say and think
about us, whether it’s good or bad, but rather the thoughts and feelings of
Christ concerning us
Ø We depend way
too much on what we get from people, and not nearly enough on what we get from
God (J. Meyers)
Ø Don’t you GIVE
Up, Don’t you sink down into the pathetic mess the devil is trying to throw at
you, you say: I’m pressing in, I’m pressing on, I’m going through, God has a
reward for me! I am going to get double for my trouble! (J. Myers)
*********************************
He
is with us in Trouble
By:
Francis J. Roberts in Come Away My Beloved
God is our
refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (psalm 46:1)
Why didn’t God help me sooner?’’ This is
a question that is often asked, but it is not His will to act on your schedule.
He desires to change you through the trouble and cause you to learn a lesson
from it. He has promised, “I will be with him in trouble, I will be with him in
trouble, I will deliver him and honor him” (Ps. 91:15). He will be with you in
trouble all day and through the night. Afterward he will take you out of it,
but not until you have stopped being restless and worried over it and have
become calm and quiet. Then He will say, “it is enough.”
God uses trouble to teach
His children precious lessons. Difficulties are intended to educate us, and
when their good work is done, a glorious reward will become ours through them.
There is a sweet joy and a real value in difficulties, for He regards them not
as difficulties but as opportunities
Not always OUT of our troubled times,
and the struggles fierce and grim, But in deeper in- to our sure rest, the
place of our peace, in Him.
I once heard the following statement
from a simple old man, and I have never forgotten it: “When God tests you, it
is a good time to test Him by putting His promises to the test and then
claiming from Him exactly what your trials HAVE MADE NECESSARY.” There are two
ways of getting out of a trial. One is simply to try to get rid of the trial,
and then to be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as
a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever before
experienced, and to accept it with delight as an opportunity of receiving a
greater measure of God’s divine grace.
In this way, even the Adversary becomes
a help to us, and all the things that seem to be against us turn out to assist
us along our way. Surely this is what is meant by the words “In all these
things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:3).
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The Disappointments of Life Are Simply
The Hidden Appointments of Love Taken from: Francis J. Roberts in Come Away My
Beloved
This is my doing. (1 kings
12:24). The disappointments of life are simply the hidden appointments of love.
My child, I have a message for
you today. Let Me, whisper it in your ear so any storm clouds that may arise
will shine with glory, and the rough places you may have to walk will be made
smooth. It is only four words, but let them sink into your inner being, and use
them as a pillow to rest your weary head. “This
is my doing.” Have you ever realized that whatever concerns you concerns Me
too? “For whoever touches you touches the apple of [my] eye” (Zach 2:8). “You
are precious and honored in my sight” (Isa 43:4). Therefore it is My special
delight to teach you. I want you to learn when temptations attack you, and the
enemy comes in “like a pent-up flood (Isa. 59:19), that “this is my doing” and
that your weakness needs My strength, and your safety lies in letting Me fight
for you. Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand
you, never ask for your opinion, and always push you aside? “This is my doing.” I am the God of
circumstances. You did not come to this place by accident- you are exactly
where I meant for you to be. Have you not asked Me to make you humble? Then see
that I have placed you in the perfect school where this lesson is taught. Your
circumstances and the people around you are only being used to accomplish My
will.
Are you having problems with
money, finding it hard to make ends meet? This
is my doing.” for I am the One who keeps your finances, and I want you to
learn to depend upon Me. My supply is limitless and I “will meet all your
needs” (Phil 4:19). I want you to prove
My promises so no one may say, “You did not trust in the Lord your God” (Deut.
1:32).
Are you experiencing a time of
sorrow? “This is my doing.” I am “a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering”
(Isa 53:3). I have allowed your earthly comforters to fail you, so that by
turning to Me you may receive “eternal encouragement and good hope” (2 Thess.
2:16). Have you longed to do some great work for Me but instead have been set
aside on the bed of sickness and pain? “This
is my doing.”You were so busy I could not get your attention, and I wanted
to teach you some of My deepest truths. “They also serve who only stand and
wait.” In fact, some of My greatest workers are those physically unable to
serve, but who have learned to wield the powerful weapon of prayer. Today I place a cup of holy oil
in your hands. Use it freely. My child. Anoint with it every new circumstance,
every word that hurts you, every interruption that makes you impatient, and
every weakness you have. The pain will leave as you learn to see Me in all
things. “This is from Me, “the Savior
said, As bending low He kissed my brow. “For One who loves you thus has led.
Just rest in Me, be patient now, You Father knows you have need of this,
Though, why perhaps you cannot see—Grieve not for things you’ve seems to miss.
The thing I send is best for thee.” Then, looking through my tears, I plead,
“Dear Lord, forgive, I did not know, It will not be hard since You do tread,
Each path before me here below.” And for my good this thing must be, His grace
sufficient for each test. So still I’ll sing. “Whatever be God’s way for me is
always best.”
The Divine Mystery in Suffering
(The Lord will fulfill
his purpose for me).Psalm 138:8. Taken from
Francis Roberts in Come Away My Beloved
There is a divine mystery in
suffering, one that has a strange and supernatural power and has never been
completely understood by human reason. No one has ever developed a deep level
of spirituality or holiness without experiencing a great deal of suffering.
When a person who suffers reaches a point where he can be calm and carefree,
inwardly smiling at his own suffering, and no longer asking God to be delivered
from it, then the suffering has accomplished its blessed ministry, perseverance
has “finish[ed] its work” (James 1:4), and the pain of the Crucifixion has
begun to weave itself into a crown. It is in this experience of complete
suffering that the Holy Spirit works many miraculous things deep within our
soul. In this condition, our entire being lies perfectly still under the hand
of God; every power and ability of the mind, will, and heart are at least
submissive; a quietness of eternity settles into the entire soul; and finally,
the mouth becomes quiet, having only a few words to say, and stops crying out
the words Christ quoted on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?” (Ps. 22:1)
At this point the person stops
imagining castles in the sky, and pursuing foolish ideas, and his reasoning
becomes calm and relaxed, with all choices removed, because the only choice has
now become the purpose of God. Also, his emotions are weaned away from other
people and things, becoming deadened so that nothing can hurt, offend, hinder,
or get in his way. He can now let the circumstances be what they may, and
continue to seek only God and His will, with the calm assurance that He is
causing everything in the universe, whether good or bad, past or present, to
work “for the good of those who love him” (Rom. 8:28).
Oh, the blessings of absolute
submission to Christ! What a blessing to lose our own strength, wisdom, plans,
and desires and to be where every ounce of our being becomes like a peaceful
Sea of Galilee under the omnipotent feet of Jesus!
Are You About The Father's Business
Just thinking Just about the Mercy, love, and compassion of God. How He loves that which He created with a love that covers all sins. Just thinking about how He adopted us into His family, without any reservations in His heart. Just thinking about How He sent His son to die for the family he adopted. He desired for this family to enjoy the fullness of life that was paid for by his own Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. With this sacrifice, we can now live a life knowing that we are loved, cherished, and secured by the Most High. We can now have a reason and a purpose to live for. Life will never be pointless, but forever purposeful. Just as Christ has brought value and meaning to our lives through the ultimate sacrifice, He has commanded us to do the same for others. To do the same means to take up our cross, and follow him. To do the same means to deny ourselves, to follow Christ. To do the same means to count everything else as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. To do the same means to seek first the Kingdom of God. To do the same means to have the faith that is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not yet seen. To do the same means to base our rewards on heavenly riches. To do the same means to be Christ’s hands and feet. To do the same means to run the race of Faith with endurance. To do the same means to press towards the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus. Most of all, to do the same means to always be about the “Father’s Business”. Because you were about “the Father’s Business”, lives were touched and changed forever. The seeds of love you planted in these lives have opened the Door for many more to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Reflection: Can you say that you’ve been about the Father’s business or yours?
1. Do you find it hard to create time to spend with God, due to your busy schedule as a mom, dad, student, and business professional, you name it
2. Are you more concerned about you and your family living a comfortable life, than reaching out to another family, who is in need of the items that you really don’t have surplus of, but can afford to give?
3. Are you constantly looking for ways to serve others and ways to be involved in more Christian fellowship activities or are you asking God to show you the needs that He would like you to meet, and the needs that you are meeting that are not meant to be on your schedule?
If you answered yes to at least 2 of these questions, I encourage you to ask the Lord to…Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24God has not called you to be the General Manager of the Universe, but has called you to be a seeker of His Heart, a God pleaser not a people pleaser, and a watchman on wall. He is satisfied with just you and you alone! Your works does not matter when it come to the UN-conditional LOVE of Daddy God!
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God looked across eternity. He saw you.
He saw everything He had created and everything He would create around you. He saw the specific need on this earth that He would make you meet. He saw the full set of traits and abilities that you would need in order to complete His purpose for your life. He knew what kind of environment that would be necessary for you to properly develop the gifts that He would give you.
God looked……. and then He created. He created you. You! And God looked at you and said, “This is good.”Do you have the same opinion of yourself? Do you agree with God’s opinion of you? It is important that you appreciate the way God created you because other people are going to treat you the way you treat yourself. They will respect you only to the degree that you respect yourself.
If you are attracting people who don’t treat you well, I’m sorry but you are the prime suspect in this case. What kind of message are you sending that allows them to treat you poorly?
In order for people to treat you well, there must be something deep inside of you that sends out a signal saying, “I am somebody because God made me to be somebody. I may not be twenty-one that wear a size seven. I may be seventy-one and wear a size twenty-seven. But I am somebody.” When you send out a signal like that, other people pick up on it.
There is something your spirit exudes that gives you presence with others. There’s a quality of inner strength that makes you attractive. It causes other people to recognize you, to pay attention to you, to ask when you walk into a room, “Who is she?” They won’t be asking because your dress is so stunning, but because your character is so magnetic. Projecting that kind of strength is not arrogance or pride. It is healthy self-esteem and the power of God’s Spirit within you.
The way you appreciate yourself impacts everything you do. It affects the way you sit in a classroom, or apply for a job, or talk to people at a social function, or go about the ministry God has called you to undertake. It even affects the way you pray and study God’s Word. If you think that you are a nobody with no future and no value, you are going to pray with less power and suspect that the promises of God are for everybody else but you. God wants you to appreciate who He made you to be and to develop what He gave you. He doesn’t want you to try to exchange what He gave you for what He gave someone else. You are a unique blend of talents and gifting and character; and you have a unique destiny upon this earth. You are somebody! .....from Woman Thou Art Loose******************************************************************************************
Our Identity…It’s A Reality
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
~Marianne Williamson~
~Marianne Williamson~
What an AWESOME, Thought-Provoking, and Beautiful excerpt from Marianne Williamson. This excerpt really hit home. Living out the principles of Christ, is truly a REALITY that we need to live out day by day. It’s never an over-night process, but rather a step by step process. If becoming like Christ was an overnight, instant, to-go, or delivered to your door step ordeal, how would we learn what it means to trust and depend on Christ? Faith would never be something we would have to learn, because we would have never been in the place where we are in need of Faith, the evidence of things hoped for, and the substance of things not yet seen.
Just think how much impact we would have in this world, if we were all walking out in FAITH, our true IDENTITY in Christ, there is nothing that would be IMPOSSIBLE for us to accomplish through Christ. Remember that…
13 God made all the delicate, inner parts of your body
and knitted you together in your mother’s womb.
15 He watched you as you were being formed in utter seclusion,and knitted you together in your mother’s womb.
as your were woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 He saw you before you were born.
Every day of your life was recorded in His book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed. Psalms 139:13, 15, 16(NLT)
What if…you are the only Glimpse of Jesus that others see. Yea, what if…YOU are the only Bible that others read. Just what if…There is one thing that we have to remember as we learn to become like Christ and that is the fact that the enemy is fighting persistently for your Identity, and does not want you to come into the fullness of your calling.
Your Identity, Purpose, and freedom in Christ has already been paid for at a high price. It’s time that you take ownership of it, and begin to walk it out today.
If God says it, you better believe that He is COMMITTED to His promises.
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The FAITH that pleases God…without FAITH it is impossible to please God
Most of us by now, have memorized or have an idea of the biblical definition of FAITH, which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen (Hebrews 11:1). So what does this mean for you and I in our everyday lives. Well, FAITH is the line by which God speaks and communicates to His children. Sadly, many of us are ineffective in our ability to communicate with God, solely because of our lack of FAITH.
Keep in mind that it does not matter how small or great your faith is, what matters is whether or not you chose to have faith or chose to fear and doubt. Remember that FAITH as small as a mustard seed, can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Just imagine the size of a mustard seed, how tiny they are. If you have just a little FAITH, it will give rise to greater FAITH. So, why do we lack the FAITH that pleases God?
1. We are not walking by the Spirit, but rather by the flesh. The flesh is inclined to please man (mortal being) and the Spirit is compelled to please God (eternal being)…If you do not walk by the spirit, you will fulfill the lust of the flesh, or you will give in to your fleshly desires (Galatians 5:16).
2. The Fear of man hinders us from walking out what God has placed within our hearts. We fear what others will say, think, and feel about our actions…you should fear God more than man (Matthew 10:28)
3. Condemnation from the enemy (Satan) is basically lies that the enemy uses against us to weaken our faith, weak faith=doubt, fear & deception (Romans 8:1)
4. Open doors, sin in our lives definitely interrupts our communication with God, our ability to hear and listen to his voice, When God speaks to us, all His communication, whether it’s through guiding us, revealing his love to us or protecting us, is directed towards increasing our FAITH and Trust in Him. In communicating to us, He desires to show us that He is Who He says He is, that He is FAITHFUL to His promises, and that He can be trusted. (Romans 6:23)
5. Lack of communication with God: some of us do not have a daily relationship with our creator. We rarely speak to him or create time to know Him more. If you don’t know God, or don’t spend time with Him, how can you receive the FAITH you need to triumph over life’s circumstances. The FAITH we need to overcome, is directly from the author (Creator) of our Faith, Jesus. Jesus is the Author, Perfecter and Finisher of our Faith.
Not walking by the Spirit, the fear of man, condemnation, and open doors clouds and distorts our vision of the sovereignty and greatness of God. The FAITH that pleases God believes and is confident in the fact that God is Able to carry them through the storms, trials, and tribulations of life, victoriously. In the midst of frustration, discouragement, pain, and grief, they continuously declare that My God is a Faithful God, His promises are True, every one of His words runs swiftly to accomplish its’ purpose, God is fighting for my affections, and has promised to stand by my side till the end! I have no need to fear and worry, because my FAITH is in the ONE that conquered death and the grave, and that same power is within me to Overcome.
The One who created the universe out of nothing has a history of accomplishing the impossible. When we forsake what this life has to offer and follow Him, He does the impossible once again, He gives us eternal life! (ODB)
Jesus, Give me the Faith I need to Overcome in this season of life. I believe that you are the Author, Perfecter, and Finisher of my Faith. You are my healer, my deliverer, my shield, my buckler, and my Hiding place. I rest in the assurance that you are in total control of life’s circumstances. I ask that you continue to mold and make me, continue to clean out the crevices of doubt and fear within my heart. I desire to be part of your history of accomplishing the impossible. Jesus I surrender all to you, I ask that you have full reign in my life and be Glorified, In Jesus Name, Amen.
Philippians 1:6…Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus, Amen.
Don’t Give Up
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. 2 Corinthians 4:8
Have you ever watched a butterfly struggle out of its cocoon? It looks like it’s never going to make it. When it finally does, it’s exhausted. Is it worth it? Yes, because it’s that struggle that pumps blood into its wings, enabling it to fly. That’s why it doesn’t give up. It keeps struggling to get out. We can look at our struggles that way. No matter what we go through, it’s producing something good in us. Therefore, we shouldn’t give up.
Don’t give up, don’t give in, if you won’t quit, you’ll win, you’ll win…Misty Edwards
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Learning to Wait on God: Faith, Trust, Obedience & Contentment
Over these past five years of my life, the words Faith, Trust, Obedience, and Contentment, have taken on a new meaning and definition, and has brought a new reality to my day to day life. What I mean by this is that in the past five years, I realized that I have not yet fully grasped the revelation of what it means to truly have Faith in God, to Trust in God, to Obey God, and to be Content. In the midst of trials, tribulations, and hardships, if you turn to complaining, grumbling, depression, discouragement, back-up plans, jealousy, doubt, fear, despair, and then realize that all the above are contrary to the nature of a Christ follower, then you are certainly in the same boat as I am. When you put what “you know” to action, CONSISTENTLY, not every other time or season, you can then say that by the Grace of God, I now have a greater revelation of what it means to have Faith, Trust, Obedience, and Contentment in Christ.
I believe that we the children of God have not yet come to the point of understanding what faith, trust, obedience, and contentment looks like. It does not matter how small or great our doubt may be, what matters is whether or not we chose to have faith or chose to fear and doubt. That’s the dividing line. If faithlessness, distrust, disobedience, and discontentment are part of the waiting cycles of your life, ask the Lord to reveal to you the reality of what it means to have Faith, Trust, Obedience, and Contentment, as you wait on Him. God does not want you to wallow in fear, self-pity, anger, pain, discouragement, despair, jealousy and doubt. He wants you to rely on his perfect strength and grace, to overcome these traps of defeat, when they confront you in your waiting seasons.
What’s your attitude while you’re waiting: It’s one thing to keep the commandments of God when you are getting what you want, its’ another thing to keep His commandments when nothing you want seems to be coming your way. The Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know…whether you would keep His commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2 I
Let’s take a glimpse into the WAITING SEASONS of the lives of those who have gone before us, maybe learning from their experiences can propel us forward as we WAIT for the fulfillment of God’s promises.
Ø Abraham & Sarah, due to impatience and discouragement decided to use a back-up plan to bring about a promise that only God could bring forth in perfection, in His own timing. This back-up plan lead to regrets, shame, jealousy and ultimately delayed the fulfillment of the promised child, Isaac. Geneses 15 -17
Ø Joseph, was sold into slavery by his brothers. While in slavery, Joseph was physically and mentally abused, mistreated, betrayed, falsely accused and placed at the point of death. I believe that as Joseph waited for freedom and justice, he had an inner confidence in God, which fueled his attitude of patience, trust, peace, contentment, endurance and forgiveness. Genesis 37-42
Ø Hannah waited on God to turn her barrenness into fruitfulness. Despite being taunted continuously by a relative, Peninnah who had children, Hannah continued to trust God and seek God in prayer, as she waited. 1 Samuel 1
Ø Job, what he always feared came upon him. From sickness, physical & emotional anguish, to the loss of everything he owned. As he waited for the redemption of God, Job realized that he can never fully understand God’s ways, but can trust in His ways. Job’s life’s ending, was greater than his beginning.Job1-3
Ø The Israelites, as they waited, due to complaining, discontent, and an unwillingness to trust in God, it took them 40 years to make an 11 day journey. Exodus 13-16
God desires to take us through our wilderness in life, to bring us to a place of abundance. He has promised us that when we go through deep waters and great trouble, He will be with us. When we go through rivers of difficulty, we will not drown. When we walk through the fire of oppression, we will not be burned up. Be of good courage, the Lord is on your side. He will never fail those that hope and trust in Him! Remember that the Lord is constantly fighting for your affections!
Yes, Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! Ps. 27:14
I am definitely dealing with this issue right now. Waiting for God to guide me in what step I need to take next . . . especially when it comes to a career path. I keep having to learn over and over that if I would just spend quality time with Him, the answers will come to me more easily. I just have to remember that I am NOT to worry . . . if I would put my trust in God, I would be free from my anxieties.
ReplyDelete-Shelby
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI love this ministry “A Priceless Possession Blogs”. The most important belief as a woman’s strength, is to trust and wait on God. God is always on time. We just have to continue to believe that God does deliver. Psalm 27:14. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. May God Continue to Strengthen us (spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially) for endurance to wait on Him,
Amen
DeleteDear Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThis is incredible.Your work will bless many lives. I am so proud of you, and your deep faith in Jesus Christ. Your e-mail is clear and articulate. I have not read the message topic yet, however, it feels like you got something powerful and encouraging, beginning with this blog.
Thanks for praying for, leading, and encouraging your family and many others, for several years.
May the Lord give you strength.
God bless you,
Samuel
Thank you so much for all the encouragement sis. i thank the Lord for your obedience to be a blessing to others through this information. I love ya' in Christ. Thank you for all your prayers!!! DoRa V
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