In studying the life of Naomi we see that she is an excellent example of what a godly woman is. Examining her life, it can be said that she stayed the course that God had set before her no matter the circumstance. When everything earthly was taken away from her, her true spiritual identity was revealed. She lost her earthly love, Elimelech (Ruth 1:1-2), her only two sons Chilion and Mahlon (Ruth 1:2). She lived in a foreign land (Moab), and no longer had any earthly security. Her affections were set on things above and not on things from this earth (Col. 3:2). We also learn from Naomi that those who endure to the end shall receive peace and security. Her earthly security was stripped completely away, but she kept her trust in the Lord, held her peace, and received Heavenly security.
Naomi represents Christ. Christ, while He walked on earth, sought continually the Fathers will. Naomi sought out God’s will in everything she did. She also secured her daughter-in-law, Ruth’s, future with Boaz. She counseled Ruth and guided her down the right path. Christ came to earth to not only make a way, but show us how to live the life.
Naomi, I believe, can also represent a female Job. She was striped of everything. When she lost much on earth, we see where her eyes truly were set. Her eyes were set on things above and not on things of this world. She lost her earthly security, husband and two sons, but her eyes were on Jesus and she trusted in Him. She went where He wanted her and stayed where He wanted her to stay. She is one woman who is a perfect example of one who put her complete trust in Jesus in every trial and situation that faced her. She praise and gave thanks to God in the pleasant and rough times.
She was the mother-in-law of Ruth and Orpah. In the first chapter we she Naomi’s love was equal towards Ruth and Orpah. As the chapters’ progress and we see Orpah went back to her home land and Ruth stayed and travelled on with Naomi. Naomi’s love increased for Ruth. She felt that she had to secure Ruth’s future and find her a proper help mate. She always looked for what was best for her two daughters-in-law. As life unraveled itself we see Ruth stayed with Naomi and Naomi’s focus then was solely on Ruth’s future.
Her trust was solely in Jesus Christ, Son of God. When a situation arose, she sought the Lord for His will. When she lost her two sons and husband she didn’t get bitter towards everyone. Her love for her two daughters-in-law remained the same and equal. It is important to seek the will of God in every situation. So many lives depend on what we do and what we need is found in God and God alone. We must hold our peace and let the Lord fight our battles. He guides us through speaking through other people, scripture, and through speaking to us personally.
In studying Ruth we learn six levels of consecration and we can narrow them down to three basic truths: submission, acceptance, circumstances. She submitted to Naomi and to the God that she served. Ruth had a complete consecration and submitted herself under Naomi’s authority, covering, and God. She accepted her situation that she was a widow and didn’t live in the past. She followed Naomi and choice to ask for Naomi’s permission to work in the fields.
I’m sure that it was a struggle for her when she made the choice to remain with Naomi. When she was tested three times to go back to her “carnal” nature, we are shown where her heart truly was. She was consecrated and loyal to Naomi and the God of Naomi. We know that it takes a commitment to be used by God. Examining Ruth’s life we see that she committed her life to follow and to take care of Naomi and through that God was able to use her.
Ruth represents the Gentile Church. She was a person who entered into the same covenant with God that was promised (Gal 6:16). Just as Ruth followed after Naomi and her instructions, the same is towards the Gentile Church. The church follows after Christ and His instructions to us. Her relationship with Naomi and Orpah changed as circumstances changed. She had a love for her sister-in-law and her mother-in-law. As the tests began to arise in hers and Orpah’s lives we see that she drew nearer and closer to Naomi. He love for Orpah was cut off as Orpah made the decision to go back to her native land. Ruth knew very little and that I think was an aid in helping her to draw closer to Naomi and putting herself under Naomi’s authority.
In studying the Ruth’s life and all the choices she made, I find a lot of truths that apply to my personal spiritual walk. Lately God has been speaking to me about being totally consecrated unto God and Naomi. She chose to submit to Naomi’s authority even though she had the youthful strength. She accepted the people of Naomi’s native land and the God of the land.
Another application is on circumcision. God has been speaking to me lately on the circumcision of my heart, lips and ears. Ruth allowed God to cut the gods from her native land out of her heart. To cut everything, from her old life, in Moab out of her heart. She gave up everything and allowed God to bring her to something new. God wants to do that same thing in my life and reading how Ruth allowed God to do His work, it helps me to give up my will and allow Him to cut those things He does not want in my heart out. Never once did I read of Ruth complaining or criticizing Naomi nor the people of Israel. Her home land, Moab, was one of Israel’s enemies. We know that her lips were circumcised because she did not criticize the people or complain. For me it is easy to complain about anything, but God wants to cut that off my tongue. He has called me to the nations and He wants to cut that nature out of me so that it will not hinder the will of God.
Lastly, the circumcision of the ears, Ruth was listening to the right voices. She asked for Naomi’s advice or correction, she saw that Boaz was a godly man and she listened to his instructions. There are many voices in this world today and it is important that our ears are circumcised to hear the right voices. If Ruth did not listen to Naomi and Boaz, if she listened to the voices of the people who hated her, then she would have lost the best that God had planned for her. She would have received the second best.
It is said to say that there isn’t much to say about Orpah. She settled for God’s second best in her life. She start out on a good path and was heading in the right direction, but then when her heart was tested she fell back. She did not break away from her hearts desires and she turned back to Moab and is never heard of in scripture again. She settled for something lesser than what God had planned for her. The beginning is not what matters the most, but it is how we finished. Orpah began well, but her heart was towards her lands gods and so she turned back and settled for something less.
She represents someone who was on the fence and when her trial came the fence was shook and she fell on the side her heart desired the most. She is the example of what I said earlier, those who settle for second best. They will make it to Heaven, but when they arrive they will have a certain sorrow in their hearts because their heart was before God and they settled for something lesser. We have a choice: to have our hearts desires before God or to give our hearts desires to God?
She had just a common mother-in-law daughter-in-law relationship. Orpah loved Naomi, but her desires were above Naomi. We see this when she was being tested on their way to Bethlehem Judah. She was given a chance to go back and stay in Moab with her family, gods, and find another husband there. She reacted according to her hearts desire. God gave her continual opportunity to follow after Him and He had something in-store for her, but she chose to go different way. We will never know what God had for her, but we do know that if we don’t listen to what God is touching in our lives daily, then there will only be a time where He will give us what we want.
She chose to look at the situation too much. Her focus was too much on earthly security and pleasures and when rough times came her way, she didn’t look to the Lord to satisfy those areas. Naomi told to her that she cannot fulfill her needs and that is all Orpah saw. Ruth saw that yes, Naomi cannot fulfill her needs, but the God she serves can. Ruth sought after that, but Orpah sought after the tangible.
In my own personal spiritual walk, I want to continually make sure that my ears and my heart are open. Listening to which door God is knocking on and using my lips to pray the right prayers. I don’t want to end up like Orpah who looked at her situations and thinking of tangible solutions. I want to look at my situations in the eyes of the Lord. To have His perspective of the situations in my life, not mine own. Lord, not my will, but Thy will be done!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
The Way to Holiness
To understand the message of holiness we must first understand what holiness is. Holiness is holy living through Jesus Christ. It is through the cross that we can become Holy and be presented Holy before God. Holiness is an attribute of God that He wants to work in His people. He tells us this in I Peter 1:16, “Be ye holy for I am Holy”.
There are two requirements of holiness. One requirement is the choosing to be holy. In the end, we always have a choice and we will be judged according to what choices we made and what God required of us. The second requirement is that Holiness must be tested. We were not born holy; so as we grow and mature in Christ, we must also grow on the attributes of Christ. We can only know how far we are when we are tested.
A good example is the life of Simon Peter in John 21. He thought that his love (phileo) was greater and holier than the other apostles. What he thought was in fact greater than what he really was. God, in His sovereign love (agape), showed Simon that he was looking through his own eyes. It is only through the cross that we can become holy and be presented Holy before God. To be holy means to be separated from the world, flesh, and the devil. It doesn't stop there, but goes on to be separated unto God the Father.
Paul liked to write letters to all the churches. He had a love for the people and cared for them and their relationships with Christ. He writes this letter to the church in Colosse because there were five issues that needed to be addressed.
The first issue was on ceremonialism, circumcision, and traditions (Col. 1:16). The people believed that through the circumcision, abstaining from eating pork, and not drinking blood they were holy. The people were stuck in the patterns of traditions and thereby limiting God in what He could do. Their knowledge of Christ was limited through their own stubbornness of not breaking traditions.
The second issue was of asceticism (Col. 2:21-23). By the renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state. They focused too much on the outward cleanliness. I believe Paul brought this issue up because he wanted them to realize that God is not one who looks on the outside. He wanted the church to come to the realization that nothing we do on the outside will help us gain anything eternal.
Third issue was on angel worship (Col. 2:18). Paul was warning them not to get caught up in angel worship; their primary function is to be a ministering spirit and not a god. One third of heavens angels fell with Lucifer and so we must not put them at the same level as God the Father.
Fourth issue was on the minimizing of Christ (Col 1:15-21; 2:2-3). The Colossians thought of Christ as just a good man. Paul is explaining that He is more than a “good man” or a mighty prophet. Paul portrays Christ, “Magnificent One”, as this: He is before all things, by Him all things consist, and he is more than a good man or a mighty prophet. Jesus does not say that He was God the Father, but He tells us that He is the express image of the Father. If you know the Son, then you shall know the Father. This is not the characteristic of a mighty prophet or some “good man”, but of the Son of God (Jn. 14:8-9).
The last issue Paul writes to the church is on the issue of Gnosticism (Col. 1:9). Some were pursuing “secret” knowledge and would see themselves above others. Many of the people were over spiritualized things. Paul was warning the people of over spiritualizing things and limiting God with their own laws and terms. God desires for His people to grow on knowledge and wisdom, but under His law and under His terms not our own.
The message Paul is speaking to the Colossians is significant to our day because we still are faced with those same issues. We see in our day and age people who try and over spiritualize themselves and put them above other people. They do not eat meat and they stick to all of the traditions of the later church, but God dwells not in their heart.
Reading about their issue of Gnosticism, we look at the life of Joseph Smith. He was a man who desired so strongly to discover something new and spectacular. He opened himself up to much and when something false came to him, he was easily deceived. This is something that new teachers and even new pastors should really heed. One who wants to always have something new and amazing to say in every message or teaching need to be careful. If he isn't rooted deep in the truth, then he can easily be deceived when he gets a visitation. Be content with what God speaks to you and don’t seek to try and find something new all the time. Our knowledge comes from the Lord and we must trust that in His time and season, He will open up the new and hidden truths.
If we limit God and only allow Him to do things in our way and on our terms, then we will be easily deceived in the last days. Satan will tempt those kinds of people and say that there is an easier way, but in reality there is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ, our Savior. A good example would be Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent talked with her and began with the truth, and then over time he twisted it; as she continued to listen to the truth as it was being twisted, her mind began to believe it. She believed that there was another way and she fell into the temptation.
All true wisdom and all true knowledge originate from God (Col. 2:3; Prov. 4:7). We must be rooted and grounded in the truth so that we may be able to stand in the last days. In the last days man will not endure good sound doctrine because it was not in their heart and they will seek teaching that will be easy to receive (2 Tim. 4:3). They won’t want to change, but we need to listen to what God speaks through Paul to the Church in Colosse. We are not to harden hearts, but we should ask God to change us. We want to make sure that we seek true wisdom and true knowledge from the Lord.
There are two requirements of holiness. One requirement is the choosing to be holy. In the end, we always have a choice and we will be judged according to what choices we made and what God required of us. The second requirement is that Holiness must be tested. We were not born holy; so as we grow and mature in Christ, we must also grow on the attributes of Christ. We can only know how far we are when we are tested.
A good example is the life of Simon Peter in John 21. He thought that his love (phileo) was greater and holier than the other apostles. What he thought was in fact greater than what he really was. God, in His sovereign love (agape), showed Simon that he was looking through his own eyes. It is only through the cross that we can become holy and be presented Holy before God. To be holy means to be separated from the world, flesh, and the devil. It doesn't stop there, but goes on to be separated unto God the Father.
Paul liked to write letters to all the churches. He had a love for the people and cared for them and their relationships with Christ. He writes this letter to the church in Colosse because there were five issues that needed to be addressed.
The first issue was on ceremonialism, circumcision, and traditions (Col. 1:16). The people believed that through the circumcision, abstaining from eating pork, and not drinking blood they were holy. The people were stuck in the patterns of traditions and thereby limiting God in what He could do. Their knowledge of Christ was limited through their own stubbornness of not breaking traditions.
The second issue was of asceticism (Col. 2:21-23). By the renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state. They focused too much on the outward cleanliness. I believe Paul brought this issue up because he wanted them to realize that God is not one who looks on the outside. He wanted the church to come to the realization that nothing we do on the outside will help us gain anything eternal.
Third issue was on angel worship (Col. 2:18). Paul was warning them not to get caught up in angel worship; their primary function is to be a ministering spirit and not a god. One third of heavens angels fell with Lucifer and so we must not put them at the same level as God the Father.
Fourth issue was on the minimizing of Christ (Col 1:15-21; 2:2-3). The Colossians thought of Christ as just a good man. Paul is explaining that He is more than a “good man” or a mighty prophet. Paul portrays Christ, “Magnificent One”, as this: He is before all things, by Him all things consist, and he is more than a good man or a mighty prophet. Jesus does not say that He was God the Father, but He tells us that He is the express image of the Father. If you know the Son, then you shall know the Father. This is not the characteristic of a mighty prophet or some “good man”, but of the Son of God (Jn. 14:8-9).
The last issue Paul writes to the church is on the issue of Gnosticism (Col. 1:9). Some were pursuing “secret” knowledge and would see themselves above others. Many of the people were over spiritualized things. Paul was warning the people of over spiritualizing things and limiting God with their own laws and terms. God desires for His people to grow on knowledge and wisdom, but under His law and under His terms not our own.
The message Paul is speaking to the Colossians is significant to our day because we still are faced with those same issues. We see in our day and age people who try and over spiritualize themselves and put them above other people. They do not eat meat and they stick to all of the traditions of the later church, but God dwells not in their heart.
Reading about their issue of Gnosticism, we look at the life of Joseph Smith. He was a man who desired so strongly to discover something new and spectacular. He opened himself up to much and when something false came to him, he was easily deceived. This is something that new teachers and even new pastors should really heed. One who wants to always have something new and amazing to say in every message or teaching need to be careful. If he isn't rooted deep in the truth, then he can easily be deceived when he gets a visitation. Be content with what God speaks to you and don’t seek to try and find something new all the time. Our knowledge comes from the Lord and we must trust that in His time and season, He will open up the new and hidden truths.
If we limit God and only allow Him to do things in our way and on our terms, then we will be easily deceived in the last days. Satan will tempt those kinds of people and say that there is an easier way, but in reality there is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ, our Savior. A good example would be Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent talked with her and began with the truth, and then over time he twisted it; as she continued to listen to the truth as it was being twisted, her mind began to believe it. She believed that there was another way and she fell into the temptation.
All true wisdom and all true knowledge originate from God (Col. 2:3; Prov. 4:7). We must be rooted and grounded in the truth so that we may be able to stand in the last days. In the last days man will not endure good sound doctrine because it was not in their heart and they will seek teaching that will be easy to receive (2 Tim. 4:3). They won’t want to change, but we need to listen to what God speaks through Paul to the Church in Colosse. We are not to harden hearts, but we should ask God to change us. We want to make sure that we seek true wisdom and true knowledge from the Lord.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
"Greater is He that is in me, then he that is in the world!"
What is the one thing man-kind has been doing sense the first sin was down? It's running away from God because of fear. We cannot hide anywhere in this world from Him! God is not deceived, like man. I say, just take the easier road and open up your heart to Him. All He has is plans to prosper us, not to harm us (Jer. 29:11). We do something do something wrong and we sin and try to hide it so that God cannot see it. He never sleeps nor does He slumber! He knows and loves us! We can cry out to Him at all hours of the day/night. He has a plan for us and us hiding those shameful things will cause us to continue to stumble and fall. He wants to help us remove it, to get out of the snares we fell into, so that we can continue to press on further into the things He planned for us.
We are born weak, but He has the strength for us. It's new everyday and He has it and waits for us to ask Him for it. One thing about God is that He doesn't just ask, ask, and ask from us, but He asks and then has the supplies ready for us. Funny thing is, all we need to do is ASK :-D (ask, seek, and knock).
"Greater is He [God] that is in me, then he [the enemy(s)/man-kind] that is in the world!"
Do you believe it? God supplies us with the power and victory before the battle has even started! "If God is for us, who can stand against us?" The answer is, NO ONE!!! Do you believe it?
I do not wish to hear God say to His army, "Oh ye of little faith..", but I wish to have the kind of faith that can move mountains! God has it and can supply it to us all and wants to. Do you believe? "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!"
Arise ye children and press on ye young men, raise up the army of God ye Fathers of Zion! Let us press onward and Never, Never, Never Give up!!!
I pray for those who read this blog and hesitate to say, "Yes, I believe..Amen!" That you would "test" God and open up your hearts, even if it may hurt. Open up your heart and see what God does in your life! May God increase your faith and may we press on towards Mount Zion!
God Bless!
We are born weak, but He has the strength for us. It's new everyday and He has it and waits for us to ask Him for it. One thing about God is that He doesn't just ask, ask, and ask from us, but He asks and then has the supplies ready for us. Funny thing is, all we need to do is ASK :-D (ask, seek, and knock).
"Greater is He [God] that is in me, then he [the enemy(s)/man-kind] that is in the world!"
Do you believe it? God supplies us with the power and victory before the battle has even started! "If God is for us, who can stand against us?" The answer is, NO ONE!!! Do you believe it?
I do not wish to hear God say to His army, "Oh ye of little faith..", but I wish to have the kind of faith that can move mountains! God has it and can supply it to us all and wants to. Do you believe? "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!"
Arise ye children and press on ye young men, raise up the army of God ye Fathers of Zion! Let us press onward and Never, Never, Never Give up!!!
I pray for those who read this blog and hesitate to say, "Yes, I believe..Amen!" That you would "test" God and open up your hearts, even if it may hurt. Open up your heart and see what God does in your life! May God increase your faith and may we press on towards Mount Zion!
God Bless!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Forgiveness
What is:
The hardest thing to give away?
The last thing on your mind?
Goes to those who don't deserve it?
The opposite of how you feel when the pain someone caused is just too real.
It takes everything your have to say it?
It will clear the bitterness away?
It can even set a prisoner free!?!
There is no end to what its power can do?
Forgiveness!
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." ~ Eph 4:32
The hardest thing to give away?
The last thing on your mind?
Goes to those who don't deserve it?
The opposite of how you feel when the pain someone caused is just too real.
It takes everything your have to say it?
It will clear the bitterness away?
It can even set a prisoner free!?!
There is no end to what its power can do?
Forgiveness!
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." ~ Eph 4:32
Thursday, August 9, 2012
I John 3:20 & Proverbs 3:5-6
"For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God....Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Leadership Volume III By Dr. Brain J. Bailey
"The Lord is a God of love; and He is looking for love. He is looking for the "Abrahams," those who are faithful friends of God, who know His ways, who are strong in Him, and who will raise up a godly seed--teachers of righteousness who will turn many to righteousness."
# 153
Something I learned tonight in my studies:
There are 153 references to Zion in the Bible (the same # of fish Peter and six other disciples caught and brought to Jesus)
153 is a product of 17x9.
17 - A separation from evil and a joining unto righteousness
10 - the keeping of the Law
There are 153 references to Zion in the Bible (the same # of fish Peter and six other disciples caught and brought to Jesus)
153 is a product of 17x9.
17 - A separation from evil and a joining unto righteousness
10 - the keeping of the Law
7 - perfection or completion
9 - The fullness of the gifts and fruit of the Spirit.
I never had a favorite number before, but call me crazy I found one tonight and it's #153 :-)
9 - The fullness of the gifts and fruit of the Spirit.
I never had a favorite number before, but call me crazy I found one tonight and it's #153 :-)
Monday, July 23, 2012
I John 3:20-22
"For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
My Pastor brought this verse out in our Sunday evening service. It was the Lord speaking right to me with this verse. Our hearts are so condemning, but God is not a condemner but an He is encouraging. He get into a snare or a trap on a road path and we put ourselves down. God is biding us to stand up, telling us it's okay, and wants us to press on.
When this verse talks about "heart" it's not talking about our physical heart, but our spiritual heart. One thing my God has taught me about the spiritual heart is that what is in it comes up to our mind and what is in our mind we tend to speak.
The next time you go through a trial and find yourself condemning yourself and putting yourself down. Say this verse to yourself!
God IS greater than our heart! Do you believe this?!?! If God encourages us to press on, then be encouraged and press onward.
God Bless!
My Pastor brought this verse out in our Sunday evening service. It was the Lord speaking right to me with this verse. Our hearts are so condemning, but God is not a condemner but an He is encouraging. He get into a snare or a trap on a road path and we put ourselves down. God is biding us to stand up, telling us it's okay, and wants us to press on.
When this verse talks about "heart" it's not talking about our physical heart, but our spiritual heart. One thing my God has taught me about the spiritual heart is that what is in it comes up to our mind and what is in our mind we tend to speak.
The next time you go through a trial and find yourself condemning yourself and putting yourself down. Say this verse to yourself!
God IS greater than our heart! Do you believe this?!?! If God encourages us to press on, then be encouraged and press onward.
God Bless!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Romans 12:6-8
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teaches, on teaching; Or he that exhorts, on exhortation: he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Staying Hydrated in the Word
I just returned from my missions trip to Shiroles, Costa Rica. While I was there the Lord taught me a lot of things. One thing I'd like to share is on hydration. For those of you who have never been to Costa Rica or may not know much about this country, here are some brief facts about the climate. The nation's climate is classically divided into two major seasons: rainy and dry. The dry season runs from January through May and the rainy season from May to November and December. Locally, the seasons were named by the early Spanish colonizers, who compared them to their own Mediterranean climate, calling the dry months "verano" or summer, and the rainy, grey and gloomy months "invierno" or winter. It is interesting to note that some of the coldest temperatures are registered during the early dry season or "summer". Lastly, it is very easy to lose your hydration even during the rainy season. While I was in Costa Rica, I did not keep up on drinking water and so I became dehydrated.
The Lord taught me a valuable lesson through this experience. The lady missionary informed me that most Americans live on a mild dehydration and they don't realize it. The thing that Jesus spoke to me is that, many of His people are living on a mild dehydration of His Word and they don't realize it. I was amazed when Jesus opened my eyes to see this. It is so very important, especially in this day and age we live in, to stay hydrated in His word.
Revival is drawing near and God needs a prepared people. Those who are ready, properly equipped for their calling, prepared, and hydrated. You cannot win anything if you are dehydrated, weak, and unfamiliar with the equipment you are to wear and use. Before and during revival many people are going to have their eyes opened up to how thirsty they are. We are to have enough in ourselves so that we are able to be full cisterns; ready to be used to pour out into the lives of those who are lacking. They aren't going to know what they are lacking and so we, God's people, will need to help them and supply them with what they need.
People who don't know or understand things will be coming into the church and we must be prepared. If we are empty vessels, then it only makes sense that the Lord cannot use us. We want to be prepared vessels that the Lord can use continually.
How do we make sure that we are hydrated and prepared vessels for the Lord? By setting a pattern of filling ourselves up before each day begins, allowing God to pour that water out to other people throughout the day, filling ourselves up with pure worship, allowing God to pour that out. Listening to contemporary music and ready the modern fantasy books are just like one drinking a cup of coffee. When you drink coffee there is a lot of water that exits your body. The same happens to our spiritual body when we listen to modern music and read modern books. Maybe you are reading God's word daily, but what are you also taking in that counteracts it?
I share this with you because I want to encourage everyone to stay hydrated in the Word of God daily! Help each other to set a pattern and to stay on that pattern. There's times where I need reminded to drink water and that applies also in our Spirit lives. Learn from our Master, apply to your life, and then go and teach others what you have learned. There are battles and if you find the battle is to strong for you to fight, then cry out to God for His grace to drink of His word.
God Bless!
The Lord taught me a valuable lesson through this experience. The lady missionary informed me that most Americans live on a mild dehydration and they don't realize it. The thing that Jesus spoke to me is that, many of His people are living on a mild dehydration of His Word and they don't realize it. I was amazed when Jesus opened my eyes to see this. It is so very important, especially in this day and age we live in, to stay hydrated in His word.
Revival is drawing near and God needs a prepared people. Those who are ready, properly equipped for their calling, prepared, and hydrated. You cannot win anything if you are dehydrated, weak, and unfamiliar with the equipment you are to wear and use. Before and during revival many people are going to have their eyes opened up to how thirsty they are. We are to have enough in ourselves so that we are able to be full cisterns; ready to be used to pour out into the lives of those who are lacking. They aren't going to know what they are lacking and so we, God's people, will need to help them and supply them with what they need.
People who don't know or understand things will be coming into the church and we must be prepared. If we are empty vessels, then it only makes sense that the Lord cannot use us. We want to be prepared vessels that the Lord can use continually.
How do we make sure that we are hydrated and prepared vessels for the Lord? By setting a pattern of filling ourselves up before each day begins, allowing God to pour that water out to other people throughout the day, filling ourselves up with pure worship, allowing God to pour that out. Listening to contemporary music and ready the modern fantasy books are just like one drinking a cup of coffee. When you drink coffee there is a lot of water that exits your body. The same happens to our spiritual body when we listen to modern music and read modern books. Maybe you are reading God's word daily, but what are you also taking in that counteracts it?
I share this with you because I want to encourage everyone to stay hydrated in the Word of God daily! Help each other to set a pattern and to stay on that pattern. There's times where I need reminded to drink water and that applies also in our Spirit lives. Learn from our Master, apply to your life, and then go and teach others what you have learned. There are battles and if you find the battle is to strong for you to fight, then cry out to God for His grace to drink of His word.
God Bless!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
He's Alive! Hallelujah! He lives in me!
Who am I to doubt Him? He showed me His strength when He stayed on the cross. He showed to me what He loves and what He hates. How? It's all found in His Word.
He teaches me how I should treat His creation. Most important, He showed to me His Agape love when He died on the cross for me! He rose from the dead and He lives! He is living in me and I pray that Christ is living in you too.
All we must do is come to the realization that we are a sinner who has a debt, one that is too big, to pay. Christ is the only way to pay the debt and through our repentance (turning from that which we were walking in before) Christ may enter into our hearts.
Blessings!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The Tide is Turning!
Lately, in our church services, God has been speaking to us of the tide that is turning. When God repeats Himself, then it is most definitely important and we must listen, obey, and believe.
What does it mean, "The tide is turning?". It means, that the waves are going the opposite direction of what it once was going. Sometimes, when the tide turns, it changes slowly and other times it changes quickly and forcefully. We have no control over when it will happen or how it will happen [slowly/quickly]. Our Creator is the only one who does know and He warns His people. That is why we must be listening patiently, obedient to what He tells us (both corp. and personally), and believe that what He says is true.
Three biblical examples:
1.) Noah - He listened to what God said, he showed his trust and obedience by preparation (building the ark, warning the people, gathering the animals), and he believed that what God said to Him will come to past. It took years and years, but He remained faithful, obedient, patient, and loyal to his Lord. He waited patiently and suddenly the tide turned and the rain came down just like the Lord had told Him. This had to of been stressful to Noah; hearing all the cries of the people he warned. It was a drastic change, but the Lord was faithful to His obedient servants and He watched over them.
2.) Joseph - He experienced the life of a prisoner for many years. He lived in darkness for a long time, but that did not stop Joseph from trusting the Lord. Suddenly, the tide had turned for Joseph. In an instant he was free from prison and living in the palace. The Lord watched over him while he was in prison and Joseph prepared himself and waited and was ready for that sudden change. We must learn from this that we don't know the time, but what we do need to know is are we ready? When that tide does turn will we be found ready? or will we be found a waster of time?
3.) The man who was made whole (Jn. 5:2-9) - for 38 years this man lived in this condition, but one day without knowing what was going to happen, suddenly the tide turned for him and Jesus made this man whole.
The Lord has spoken that the tide is turning and we must believe. If you don't, then pray the prayer of the father in Mark 9:24b, "... Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." There's a short song we sing in our church and I want to end this blog by sharing the lyrics with you all and trust that the Spirit that we accepted into our hearts will make these words alive to you all:
What does it mean, "The tide is turning?". It means, that the waves are going the opposite direction of what it once was going. Sometimes, when the tide turns, it changes slowly and other times it changes quickly and forcefully. We have no control over when it will happen or how it will happen [slowly/quickly]. Our Creator is the only one who does know and He warns His people. That is why we must be listening patiently, obedient to what He tells us (both corp. and personally), and believe that what He says is true.
Three biblical examples:
1.) Noah - He listened to what God said, he showed his trust and obedience by preparation (building the ark, warning the people, gathering the animals), and he believed that what God said to Him will come to past. It took years and years, but He remained faithful, obedient, patient, and loyal to his Lord. He waited patiently and suddenly the tide turned and the rain came down just like the Lord had told Him. This had to of been stressful to Noah; hearing all the cries of the people he warned. It was a drastic change, but the Lord was faithful to His obedient servants and He watched over them.
2.) Joseph - He experienced the life of a prisoner for many years. He lived in darkness for a long time, but that did not stop Joseph from trusting the Lord. Suddenly, the tide had turned for Joseph. In an instant he was free from prison and living in the palace. The Lord watched over him while he was in prison and Joseph prepared himself and waited and was ready for that sudden change. We must learn from this that we don't know the time, but what we do need to know is are we ready? When that tide does turn will we be found ready? or will we be found a waster of time?
3.) The man who was made whole (Jn. 5:2-9) - for 38 years this man lived in this condition, but one day without knowing what was going to happen, suddenly the tide turned for him and Jesus made this man whole.
The Lord has spoken that the tide is turning and we must believe. If you don't, then pray the prayer of the father in Mark 9:24b, "... Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." There's a short song we sing in our church and I want to end this blog by sharing the lyrics with you all and trust that the Spirit that we accepted into our hearts will make these words alive to you all:
"The Tide is Turning"
Author: Sarah Humpherys
The tide is turning
And His Glory is coming
Healing streams will Flow
We believe the tide is turning now
God Bless!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Draw Nigh to God
The question shouldn't be, "How close can I get to this world?", but, "how close am I to my Lord?"
James 4:8a (KJV) says, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." Don't fill yourself with earthly things because they are all temporary and unsatisfying. You buy clothes or shoes and you find yourself having to buy replacements for them every couple of years. Is that what we want to be running after? One thing and a couple years later another thing? Running after the world and the things thereof is just like eating something with a lot of salt in it. It only leaves you craving for more and more and never truly satisfies you.
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away" (Lk. 21:33, NIV). Fill yourself with our Heavenly Father and you'll experience a satisfaction that cannot be explained nor found in any worldly possessions. You'll discover that your understanding and idea of God is SO minute.
There will be a time where we all will meet Him face to face. Do you want to go before Him knowing that you ignored Him and ashamed that we didn't put much effort into your relationship with Him? or Do you want to go before Him knowing that He is pleased because you sought out what pleased Him and did it!?
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need" (Mt. 6:33, NLV). I want to encourage myself and everyone around me to keep your focus on Him. He has something special for each of us and we must seek in order to find it.
Just as this song goes:
God Bless you all!
James 4:8a (KJV) says, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." Don't fill yourself with earthly things because they are all temporary and unsatisfying. You buy clothes or shoes and you find yourself having to buy replacements for them every couple of years. Is that what we want to be running after? One thing and a couple years later another thing? Running after the world and the things thereof is just like eating something with a lot of salt in it. It only leaves you craving for more and more and never truly satisfies you.
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away" (Lk. 21:33, NIV). Fill yourself with our Heavenly Father and you'll experience a satisfaction that cannot be explained nor found in any worldly possessions. You'll discover that your understanding and idea of God is SO minute.
There will be a time where we all will meet Him face to face. Do you want to go before Him knowing that you ignored Him and ashamed that we didn't put much effort into your relationship with Him? or Do you want to go before Him knowing that He is pleased because you sought out what pleased Him and did it!?
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need" (Mt. 6:33, NLV). I want to encourage myself and everyone around me to keep your focus on Him. He has something special for each of us and we must seek in order to find it.
Just as this song goes:
"We're Pressing On"
By: Norman Holmes
We're pressing on,
Towards the goal of being like Christ.
We've heard the call, forsaking all.
We run towards the prize.
Looking unto Jesus
Looking face to face.
Through the finish line,
To go within the veil,
And be perfect in His grace.
Monday, January 9, 2012
My Jehovah Jireh
Sense 2012 has begun God has been speaking to me everyday! It really is amazing and I hope that I will be able to explain it all so that you can connect things and understand it all.
God opened my eyes up to the little things! Learn the little things! Little things that please Him and continually do them. Make them a habit in your life. One of these little things for me is listening to the songs God gives to me to prepare and strengthen me for the new day that He has given to me. I found that as I would bag the customers groceries and they weren't talkative I would suddenly have a song in me.
Another thing God has been speaking repeatedly to me this year is Seek Me, be obedient to My Word and trust in Me. He wants me to seek Him more and more so that He can know me more and I Him. He wants to speak to me, to guide me, and to save me from snares and unnecessary bondage's. Disobedience towards Gods law causes a bondage over our lives. God gives us commandments because He sees the whole picture. Those commandments were give to us so that we may be saved from bondage's, pits, and snares. When we make that choice to be obedient we must trust in Him. When He speaks to me and I see it impossible, hard to do (because of fear of man), or what He asks does not make sense to me. He asks me to simply put my trust wholly upon Him. He is not man, who disappoints us all the time, but He is always there! "He will not let your foot slip--he who watches over you will not slumber;" (Psalm 121:3)
Thirdly, God has been teaching me about His presence. Showing me all the requests that have been placed at His altar and that I must enter into His presence. It's in His presence that these requests are fulfilled, that healing is given, joy, strength is renewed, true peace given, imparting of His love, and the restoration of faith. I lately have felt that God wants me to come to church now with expectations. I want something, but I late faith of it happening because I never come with an expectation that He can/will do it. I usually think about camps and long for those moments of meeting with God, but I never expect those things to happen at church. I have gone to church services now with expectations and God has been 100% faithful in meeting those expectations. I share these things because I want to encourage whoever ends up reading. God wants to meet with us!
Think of it like this: You're at work and you have a team meeting and the purpose of this meeting is here the thoughts of the employees. Everyone shows up and the boss sits down and asks them what their thoughts are and everyone just sits there starring at him. Kind of awkward, wouldn't you agreed? That's how I see church now. We all gather together to meet with God, He comes, but we have brought nothing and expect nothing. He can do nothing until we talk to Him and tell Him what we expect. He is always faithful and meets those expectations. When God has immediately answered/meet our expectations, what do you do? Give up? or press in harder? When God gives it to us strength is given and when He doesn't immediately answer/give we still are strengthened in a different way.
Last, the one that continually brings such joy to me. God - Jehovah Jireh! He has been SO faithful at being my Jehovah Jireh - LORD MY PROVIDER. The end of last year He gave me a new job, He is taking care of the plans for my trip this July to Costa Rica, and He is providing me with hours at work that I need. I have been at my job for six weeks and they usually want us to stay in that position for at least three months. My team leader already has approached me and talked to me about moving me to a better position.
We must get to the point of complete surrendering to Him! In the movie "Soul Surfer" one point in the movie sticks with me. The youth leader was speaking to the youth and she was talking about "Perspective". God has the whole picture/plan laid out before Him. All we have are the past pictures and bits and pieces of the future, through promises and prophecy's. Surrender yourself fully to God! It's the least one can do. He gave us His Sons life and all He asks is that we believe, are obedient, and completely surrender our trust to Him.
Many are called and chosen, but few are found faithful. Do you hear the call of the Master? He is biding His people to come. Come into His presence and we will be changed! He is faithful!
Amen!
God Bless!
God opened my eyes up to the little things! Learn the little things! Little things that please Him and continually do them. Make them a habit in your life. One of these little things for me is listening to the songs God gives to me to prepare and strengthen me for the new day that He has given to me. I found that as I would bag the customers groceries and they weren't talkative I would suddenly have a song in me.
Another thing God has been speaking repeatedly to me this year is Seek Me, be obedient to My Word and trust in Me. He wants me to seek Him more and more so that He can know me more and I Him. He wants to speak to me, to guide me, and to save me from snares and unnecessary bondage's. Disobedience towards Gods law causes a bondage over our lives. God gives us commandments because He sees the whole picture. Those commandments were give to us so that we may be saved from bondage's, pits, and snares. When we make that choice to be obedient we must trust in Him. When He speaks to me and I see it impossible, hard to do (because of fear of man), or what He asks does not make sense to me. He asks me to simply put my trust wholly upon Him. He is not man, who disappoints us all the time, but He is always there! "He will not let your foot slip--he who watches over you will not slumber;" (Psalm 121:3)
Thirdly, God has been teaching me about His presence. Showing me all the requests that have been placed at His altar and that I must enter into His presence. It's in His presence that these requests are fulfilled, that healing is given, joy, strength is renewed, true peace given, imparting of His love, and the restoration of faith. I lately have felt that God wants me to come to church now with expectations. I want something, but I late faith of it happening because I never come with an expectation that He can/will do it. I usually think about camps and long for those moments of meeting with God, but I never expect those things to happen at church. I have gone to church services now with expectations and God has been 100% faithful in meeting those expectations. I share these things because I want to encourage whoever ends up reading. God wants to meet with us!
Think of it like this: You're at work and you have a team meeting and the purpose of this meeting is here the thoughts of the employees. Everyone shows up and the boss sits down and asks them what their thoughts are and everyone just sits there starring at him. Kind of awkward, wouldn't you agreed? That's how I see church now. We all gather together to meet with God, He comes, but we have brought nothing and expect nothing. He can do nothing until we talk to Him and tell Him what we expect. He is always faithful and meets those expectations. When God has immediately answered/meet our expectations, what do you do? Give up? or press in harder? When God gives it to us strength is given and when He doesn't immediately answer/give we still are strengthened in a different way.
Last, the one that continually brings such joy to me. God - Jehovah Jireh! He has been SO faithful at being my Jehovah Jireh - LORD MY PROVIDER. The end of last year He gave me a new job, He is taking care of the plans for my trip this July to Costa Rica, and He is providing me with hours at work that I need. I have been at my job for six weeks and they usually want us to stay in that position for at least three months. My team leader already has approached me and talked to me about moving me to a better position.
We must get to the point of complete surrendering to Him! In the movie "Soul Surfer" one point in the movie sticks with me. The youth leader was speaking to the youth and she was talking about "Perspective". God has the whole picture/plan laid out before Him. All we have are the past pictures and bits and pieces of the future, through promises and prophecy's. Surrender yourself fully to God! It's the least one can do. He gave us His Sons life and all He asks is that we believe, are obedient, and completely surrender our trust to Him.
Many are called and chosen, but few are found faithful. Do you hear the call of the Master? He is biding His people to come. Come into His presence and we will be changed! He is faithful!
Amen!
God Bless!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Years
Recently, I was given a book that was written by a man who once was in prison. It's a devotional filled with biblical stories and real life testimonys. I'm reading it so that I can better understand what thoughts may be going through a prisoners mind.
The first devotion was on 'Rescuing Love'. While reading this devotional God pointed out/reminded me of a couple things.
First, that God had one Son, Jesus. He loved me SO much that He sent His only Son to this earth to walk through the trials we all would one day walk through and face death with my sins on that cross. He died and rose again!
Second, this one brought hurt at first because it opened my eyes to what I was not doing. That was the importance of witnessing. I am humbled by the fact that He can witness to the lost souls and yet He offers to me the chance to offer unto others that chance of new life.
Taking you back to the devotional, he told a story of a man who committed a crime and was sent back to prison. This man sat in his sell and thought about life and wanted to end it. He found no point and so he began to tie his bed sheets to hang himself. While he was tying the sheets to the bar he heard a voice that said, "Wait!". He untied his sheets and went to bed. The next day he received a letter from the wife of the director of the rehab center he committed the crime at. She wrote to him about God and how He loves him, can forgive him, and transform his life. She offered him a Bible, which he excepted. He read the whole book of John and afterwards that same voice that said, "Wait!" spoke to him again. This voice was God telling Him how much He loves him. Told him how He sent is only Son to die and that He can give to him life both now and for eternity.
When I read that it really slapped me in the face! God gives us people at appointed times and if we ignore them, then God will choose someone else. He offers the chance to us and if we continue to deny those opportunities He will use someone else. OUCH! That's what I feel! I want God to be able to use me at any time and any place! I pray that my heart would continually be the heart of God. May I see the people crying out and may I not be afraid to take their hand and show them the way! God reached out His loving hands to me and I want to do the same!
If you don't know about God I pray that He would catch your heart and that you would one day have a relationship with Him. He is my light and my life! He gives me grace through every trial, hope when times are dry, and peace with times are an uproar, joy when sorrow surrounds me, and love when I feel all alone.
God Bless!
The first devotion was on 'Rescuing Love'. While reading this devotional God pointed out/reminded me of a couple things.
First, that God had one Son, Jesus. He loved me SO much that He sent His only Son to this earth to walk through the trials we all would one day walk through and face death with my sins on that cross. He died and rose again!
Second, this one brought hurt at first because it opened my eyes to what I was not doing. That was the importance of witnessing. I am humbled by the fact that He can witness to the lost souls and yet He offers to me the chance to offer unto others that chance of new life.
Taking you back to the devotional, he told a story of a man who committed a crime and was sent back to prison. This man sat in his sell and thought about life and wanted to end it. He found no point and so he began to tie his bed sheets to hang himself. While he was tying the sheets to the bar he heard a voice that said, "Wait!". He untied his sheets and went to bed. The next day he received a letter from the wife of the director of the rehab center he committed the crime at. She wrote to him about God and how He loves him, can forgive him, and transform his life. She offered him a Bible, which he excepted. He read the whole book of John and afterwards that same voice that said, "Wait!" spoke to him again. This voice was God telling Him how much He loves him. Told him how He sent is only Son to die and that He can give to him life both now and for eternity.
When I read that it really slapped me in the face! God gives us people at appointed times and if we ignore them, then God will choose someone else. He offers the chance to us and if we continue to deny those opportunities He will use someone else. OUCH! That's what I feel! I want God to be able to use me at any time and any place! I pray that my heart would continually be the heart of God. May I see the people crying out and may I not be afraid to take their hand and show them the way! God reached out His loving hands to me and I want to do the same!
If you don't know about God I pray that He would catch your heart and that you would one day have a relationship with Him. He is my light and my life! He gives me grace through every trial, hope when times are dry, and peace with times are an uproar, joy when sorrow surrounds me, and love when I feel all alone.
God Bless!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Law (Romans 3)
I have been studying the book of Romans. I am in the third chapter and it really has so much in it! Amazing, to say the least!
One specific part I wanted to bring out was the part on the law. If you haven't already, look around the world today and more specifically look at the laws in the United States. This nation was a nation with laws and morals, but now what do we see? We see one law after another being passed that cuts off the stable, tried and true laws. My point to saying these things is, God gives to us laws that are black and white. He gave us them so that we may use them to guide us away from the evil and towards what is right. It's through man and his unwillingness to put to death his old nature that we get where we are today. We have so many different kinds of people living in this world and all of them have discovered (wither they or it or not) spirits and they have welcomed those spirits into their home because they like the way those spirits make them feel.
How did man discover these spirits? Through hurts and pains, through searching for something to fill a void inside them, through music they listened too, and the list goes on. We are humans who all long to feel something good inside of us. That's not a bad thing, but we must be mindful and careful of what we go to to make us feel good. God gave us laws and boundaries to help us to know when what we are feeling is either temporarily good or eternally good.
Man tries to hide the real laws because he wants to do his own will and not Gods. We try and hide it and think that we will get away with it, but God is not dumb! He knows and sees all and anyone who says or thinks otherwise is only keeping themselves blind to reality.
One of the many things that happens when the Law of the LORD is removed is a lost of convictions. We see this through schools. First, man removes praying in schools. Second, no teachers are allowed to teach their students biblical applications in public schools. Third, homosexuality is now becoming more and more welcomed and encouraged. Man removes laws because that law reveals something they don't want to know or care about.
I tell you what, we can try our hardest to try and remove and forget the laws God gave (and still gives to us), but we can only 'escape' for a time. We will one day stand before our Heavenly Father and we will have to answer for our actions.
Amen
God Bless!
One specific part I wanted to bring out was the part on the law. If you haven't already, look around the world today and more specifically look at the laws in the United States. This nation was a nation with laws and morals, but now what do we see? We see one law after another being passed that cuts off the stable, tried and true laws. My point to saying these things is, God gives to us laws that are black and white. He gave us them so that we may use them to guide us away from the evil and towards what is right. It's through man and his unwillingness to put to death his old nature that we get where we are today. We have so many different kinds of people living in this world and all of them have discovered (wither they or it or not) spirits and they have welcomed those spirits into their home because they like the way those spirits make them feel.
How did man discover these spirits? Through hurts and pains, through searching for something to fill a void inside them, through music they listened too, and the list goes on. We are humans who all long to feel something good inside of us. That's not a bad thing, but we must be mindful and careful of what we go to to make us feel good. God gave us laws and boundaries to help us to know when what we are feeling is either temporarily good or eternally good.
Man tries to hide the real laws because he wants to do his own will and not Gods. We try and hide it and think that we will get away with it, but God is not dumb! He knows and sees all and anyone who says or thinks otherwise is only keeping themselves blind to reality.
One of the many things that happens when the Law of the LORD is removed is a lost of convictions. We see this through schools. First, man removes praying in schools. Second, no teachers are allowed to teach their students biblical applications in public schools. Third, homosexuality is now becoming more and more welcomed and encouraged. Man removes laws because that law reveals something they don't want to know or care about.
I tell you what, we can try our hardest to try and remove and forget the laws God gave (and still gives to us), but we can only 'escape' for a time. We will one day stand before our Heavenly Father and we will have to answer for our actions.
Amen
God Bless!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
This is a small post, but it is to be an encouragement to you
A couple weeks ago I quit my job and God provided me with my 'dream job'. There was a two week gap between quitting my old job and beginning my new on. During those couple weeks God brought me through many things. I went through three specific things: discouragement, Did I do the right thing by quitting my old job so soon?, attacks on my mind, and sorrow. God was so WONDERFUL in opening my eyes to hear what He was saying through it all! I would get discourage, but God would come in with strength and truth. I would have a million things in my mind causing me to be SO confused and left in a snare. God would bring in upon a friends heart to pray and call me to encourage me. I would have sorrow because I have no money to go out and do stuff with my friends or even friends to go out and do stuff with because they are either at work or in school. God brought me home my little sister for a couple days to cheer me up.
I tell you these things because I want your eyes to be open too. God is not human! He can be everywhere at once and never sleeps or slumbers. We sometimes get trapped in a human mind and forget that God is not us! He is NEVER too busy for us! He wants us to learn more about Him and He about us. There is Grace for every trial! There is grace for everything and all we need to do is cry out for it!
Open your mind to hear when God is saying to you, "Cry out for my grace now!" He sees what is ahead and wants us to pass through every trial alive and stronger!
One last thing I have to say as an encouragement. TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT GREAT THINGS GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU!!!! As it was Thanksgiving last week, God has been continually speaking to me, "Listen to what my people have to say. Learn from their experience and allow me to use you to speak to them!"
Amen :-)
God Bless
I tell you these things because I want your eyes to be open too. God is not human! He can be everywhere at once and never sleeps or slumbers. We sometimes get trapped in a human mind and forget that God is not us! He is NEVER too busy for us! He wants us to learn more about Him and He about us. There is Grace for every trial! There is grace for everything and all we need to do is cry out for it!
Open your mind to hear when God is saying to you, "Cry out for my grace now!" He sees what is ahead and wants us to pass through every trial alive and stronger!
One last thing I have to say as an encouragement. TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT GREAT THINGS GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU!!!! As it was Thanksgiving last week, God has been continually speaking to me, "Listen to what my people have to say. Learn from their experience and allow me to use you to speak to them!"
Amen :-)
God Bless
Sunday, October 9, 2011
We are called to be Christ-like! We are in this world, not to be of it, but to show them what they cannot see. To show them that life on earth isn't forever and that they're walking on a path that leads to eternal death. As Christians we tend to fear the world more then our Lord and it prevents us from speaking the truth to others around us. We must sacrifice our fears and take that step out in faith, with hope, and with love! God is speaking to me about how He wants me to practice these three things more and more! We need faith and what is faith? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord. Now what's hope? Hope is taking that step out without knowing what is going to happen, but believing God's in control of this! And Love is what we need to be able to do the first two for someone whom we don't even know. We must take that first step of faith, when we hear from God, and continue in hope, in the middle of the trial where we don't seem to hear anything, but are hopeful, and then Love for the one we are doing it for!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
I was walking this evening in the rain and I wanted to pray, but I didn't really know what to pray about. So, when you don't have anything to pray for speak in tongues. A little after I started speaking in tongues God put some words in my mind. "Lift your vision high, we're in a way we've never been before! For without a progressive vision you will dwell carelessly" and these words kept going through my mind and each time God brought His feelings about this into my heart. He caused me to feel the seriousness of these words in this day and age!
In our morning service my Pastor spoke on the defense part of an army. God is raising up an army and we must listen to what He is teaching us! We cannot go into battle when we have no equipment. We must be equipped, have the strength and knowledge to handle the equipment, and lastly have our complete Armour on! Also, we must make sure that our WHOLE Armour is on and that there is no space for the enemy to sneak through!
Another point my Pastor brought out was that God wants us to be studying and continually learning because we MUST have the answers for the people who have questions! We sometimes may pray for God to give us people to minister to, but if we have no knowledge of what we say we believe in then He cannot use us to do what we ask Him to do! He wants us to be continually learning, meditating day and night, and equipping ourselves with the answers to questions that people will ask us!
The next thought God brought to me was on 'Difficult'. Each day is a new day full of new things both easy and hard. God is strengthening and maturing His army by bringing them through difficult trials. When things get hard, will you just give up? or will you fight the good fight?
One last thought: Matthew 22:14 - MANY are called, but FEW are chosen! God wants those who are faithful, tried, and true! The ones who listened and equipped themselves with the truth and those who will fight the good fight!!!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
GOT STRENGTH?
I was sitting in one of our Bible Certificate Program at my church. The course was on "True Christianity" a book written by Rev. Paul Caram. This book is an excellent book! It is an eye opening and convicting book! This evening our teacher taught on a portion of "Strength" and I wanted to share some of the pointers on strength and what it is. Mostly because it was an eye opener for me and I want it to be one for you too.
In this day and age, Christians, are without a doubt struggling left and right. God is bringing trials into our lives and it is to cause us to make a decision! No more "sitting on the fence"! God does not force us to do anything. The Christian walk is one that we follow Gods way, but we must remember that it is a choice. Some aren't willing to make that choice, others are, and many are in between. We are always hearing about Grace and asking God to give us Grace, but I also feel that we lack in the area of asking for strength!
In this day and age, Christians, are without a doubt struggling left and right. God is bringing trials into our lives and it is to cause us to make a decision! No more "sitting on the fence"! God does not force us to do anything. The Christian walk is one that we follow Gods way, but we must remember that it is a choice. Some aren't willing to make that choice, others are, and many are in between. We are always hearing about Grace and asking God to give us Grace, but I also feel that we lack in the area of asking for strength!
What is Strength?
Wisdom, humility are both strength! Being able to handle failure is a sign of strength (not giving up even though it gets tough). Strength is also, being ruined by success (don’t allow yourself to become over confident). It is the ability to cope with reproach and not being governed by those who reproach you. It is also facing the lose of something.
When do you know that you have true Strength?
The mark of true strength is to not be easily turned to the right or the left. Also, by having a right response to difficulties and long delays. Strength is when you are able to conquer fears. Fear is what takes away our faith and strength. There is a good and a wrong fear. We need to learn what our fears are and pray that God will help us to over come them because wrong fears can paralyze us! God wants us to overcome our fears because if we don't then they will keep us from entering into His fullness for us and our inheritance!
Properly handling injustice/hurt. God is more interested in how we handle our self and attitude then anything else. Our dependence should be found in God! Strength is not depending on our own strength, but it is depending upon God. Be whole hearted and filled with the Fruits of the Spirit! God wants His people to be fully equipped for what He has planned for us! We must realize that we are the Joshua Generation, the generation that will bring our land to deliverance but we cannot do it with our own strength! We need the continue day by day strength of God!
Blessings to you all!
When do you know that you have true Strength?
The mark of true strength is to not be easily turned to the right or the left. Also, by having a right response to difficulties and long delays. Strength is when you are able to conquer fears. Fear is what takes away our faith and strength. There is a good and a wrong fear. We need to learn what our fears are and pray that God will help us to over come them because wrong fears can paralyze us! God wants us to overcome our fears because if we don't then they will keep us from entering into His fullness for us and our inheritance!
Properly handling injustice/hurt. God is more interested in how we handle our self and attitude then anything else. Our dependence should be found in God! Strength is not depending on our own strength, but it is depending upon God. Be whole hearted and filled with the Fruits of the Spirit! God wants His people to be fully equipped for what He has planned for us! We must realize that we are the Joshua Generation, the generation that will bring our land to deliverance but we cannot do it with our own strength! We need the continue day by day strength of God!
Blessings to you all!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Labor for Eternity
"Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree bears her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." Joel 2:21-32
One of the sermons my Pastor spoke on (09/04/11) was about Labor. The main point of his message was that our time on earth is considered labor for eternity. We are to consider what we are laboring on in this earth. Make sure that it is not labor for earthly things! We want to get to Heaven and find that our labors on earth was fruitful.
My Pastor brought up this verse in Joel and I wanted to use to encourage those who are getting discouraged or losing faith. Be not full of sorrow, but be glad and rejoice for things will change soon! God promises it and repeats Himself throughout scripture and this chapter. Hold onto those promises that He gives to you and continue to labor. If you find that you haven't been laboring in the right things; now is your time to make that decision to labor in what God has planned for you to labor in! Don't run from it because it will only bring you more sorrow and suffering! Do allow yourself to be lazy and one day find yourself with with all earthly things and nothing eternal!
I pray that God would touch the hearts of those who come and read my blog. I post stuff because I want people to understand who God is and why I serve and live each day for Him! He is the way, truth, and life and I have been brought through many situations that caused me to realize my need for Him and that I cannot go through this life on earth without Him and His saving grace, unconditional everlasting love, and Holy Spirit! So if you come to my blog and read my post, know that I really am praying for you that God would get a hold of your life and make Himself real and true to you like He did for me and start laboring in the right things!
God Bless :)
One of the sermons my Pastor spoke on (09/04/11) was about Labor. The main point of his message was that our time on earth is considered labor for eternity. We are to consider what we are laboring on in this earth. Make sure that it is not labor for earthly things! We want to get to Heaven and find that our labors on earth was fruitful.
My Pastor brought up this verse in Joel and I wanted to use to encourage those who are getting discouraged or losing faith. Be not full of sorrow, but be glad and rejoice for things will change soon! God promises it and repeats Himself throughout scripture and this chapter. Hold onto those promises that He gives to you and continue to labor. If you find that you haven't been laboring in the right things; now is your time to make that decision to labor in what God has planned for you to labor in! Don't run from it because it will only bring you more sorrow and suffering! Do allow yourself to be lazy and one day find yourself with with all earthly things and nothing eternal!
I pray that God would touch the hearts of those who come and read my blog. I post stuff because I want people to understand who God is and why I serve and live each day for Him! He is the way, truth, and life and I have been brought through many situations that caused me to realize my need for Him and that I cannot go through this life on earth without Him and His saving grace, unconditional everlasting love, and Holy Spirit! So if you come to my blog and read my post, know that I really am praying for you that God would get a hold of your life and make Himself real and true to you like He did for me and start laboring in the right things!
God Bless :)
We make time for the things we love/treasure the most!
God has been teaching me lately about time and what I am spending or even investing my time in doing. Time is important and what we do with it! Most people would ask why is it important to worry about how you spend your time? Life is short and you should just enjoy it. Well it is true, our life is short here on earth, but that is why we must be wise with our time. Revival is near and God is trying to prepare His people for what is coming. I know that I don't want Revival to come and I'm found not prepared! Even thinking about that makes me realize that my Heavenly Father would not be pleased with me and I live longing to find His favor upon my life! In our Wednesday service our speaker said these words that touch me in a great way, "Only those who please God can find true contentment." I want God's favor always to be on my life.
We are living in a generation that waste their time watching too much TV, texting, sleeping too much, over eating, partying and the list goes on. God wants to show us new and amazing things, but we tend to fill our time up so that He can't show amazing things. I attended our church camp last month and each day we experience new and absolutely amazingly new things! I want to get to the point where I have that everyday of my life! Walking with Jesus everywhere I go!
Preparation is a daily task! Each day God has planned before the creation of the Heaven and Earth and I don't know about you, but I want to find out what God has planned for me and walk in it daily! I want to invest in my Heavenly Home! I do not want to get to Heaven and find that I wasted so much time and settled for less then what God had planned for me!
Amen!
We are living in a generation that waste their time watching too much TV, texting, sleeping too much, over eating, partying and the list goes on. God wants to show us new and amazing things, but we tend to fill our time up so that He can't show amazing things. I attended our church camp last month and each day we experience new and absolutely amazingly new things! I want to get to the point where I have that everyday of my life! Walking with Jesus everywhere I go!
Preparation is a daily task! Each day God has planned before the creation of the Heaven and Earth and I don't know about you, but I want to find out what God has planned for me and walk in it daily! I want to invest in my Heavenly Home! I do not want to get to Heaven and find that I wasted so much time and settled for less then what God had planned for me!
Amen!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Psalms 27:1-6
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD."
I am thankful that I am a Christian! I believe and servant a God who gives me strength when I am weak in this world. He is my God and I live each day hoping to please Him in what I do. It amazes me that, when I see my errors, God still loves and cares for me. He still helps me and picks me up when I fall down. Some days I feel like I'm always falling down and one thing God wants us to know is; we [mortals] will always fall in our walk and He doesn't want us to be discourage about it. Our fall is an opening of our eyes to what God wants us to give to Him and allow Him to cut it from the root! I love this one portion of scripture: "...even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell..." God wants us to know this! He put it into the Bible to let us know that HE CARES about us and we need not fear or be discourage when it seems like we're always failing! If God is for us, then WHO can STAND against us? The answer to that is NO ONE!!!! Which is why we must give ourselves to God fully and believe that, though the victory seems to be on the enemies side, God is with us and if we allow Him to consecrate our lives, then the victory will soon be ours!
Blessings to you all!
I am thankful that I am a Christian! I believe and servant a God who gives me strength when I am weak in this world. He is my God and I live each day hoping to please Him in what I do. It amazes me that, when I see my errors, God still loves and cares for me. He still helps me and picks me up when I fall down. Some days I feel like I'm always falling down and one thing God wants us to know is; we [mortals] will always fall in our walk and He doesn't want us to be discourage about it. Our fall is an opening of our eyes to what God wants us to give to Him and allow Him to cut it from the root! I love this one portion of scripture: "...even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell..." God wants us to know this! He put it into the Bible to let us know that HE CARES about us and we need not fear or be discourage when it seems like we're always failing! If God is for us, then WHO can STAND against us? The answer to that is NO ONE!!!! Which is why we must give ourselves to God fully and believe that, though the victory seems to be on the enemies side, God is with us and if we allow Him to consecrate our lives, then the victory will soon be ours!
Blessings to you all!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Discernment (Hebrews 4:12)
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
We are living in a time where we need to have an increasing of discernment. There will be the Anti-Christ who will arise and will deceive many people through beauty, prosperity, and by promising many other worldly treasures. We must dig into the Word so that we may eat of the Bread of Life. This Bread is not only life, but truth and we must eat this truth so that it may dwell within us. We must know the truth so that we may be able to discern what is false once it has come!
Once we have discerned what is false we must avoid it and not mess around with it! If you play with the false it will eventually gasp a hold of you and take over you. It's not that it's just false, but it's a Spirit and if you mess around with the false you are messing around with a Spirit. That is dangerous and can lead you down a road of destruction.
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" The words in the Bible were planned, by God, before the word was created. He has these exact words in the Bible and they carry a power that is sharper then a two-edged sword. If you actually take time to read Gods word daily and open your heart to listen and feel the meaning of the words you can also feel a power. What is that power? It is the Spirit of the Lord that is in the words. Words are so important! I do believe that there are Spirits behind each word and that Gods Word is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Gods word is "piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit". When we read it, it also pointing on an area of your heart that needs to be dealt with. This is one reason why many people don't read their bibles! They want to think in their minds that they are a good Christian, but they don't want to read Gods word which will point to an area of their life where they need to deal with [such as an idol]. We need to love the word and be open to that piercing. If you want to please your Heavenly Father, then allow His to touch areas of your life through His piercing word.
We are living in a time where we need to have an increasing of discernment. There will be the Anti-Christ who will arise and will deceive many people through beauty, prosperity, and by promising many other worldly treasures. We must dig into the Word so that we may eat of the Bread of Life. This Bread is not only life, but truth and we must eat this truth so that it may dwell within us. We must know the truth so that we may be able to discern what is false once it has come!
Once we have discerned what is false we must avoid it and not mess around with it! If you play with the false it will eventually gasp a hold of you and take over you. It's not that it's just false, but it's a Spirit and if you mess around with the false you are messing around with a Spirit. That is dangerous and can lead you down a road of destruction.
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" The words in the Bible were planned, by God, before the word was created. He has these exact words in the Bible and they carry a power that is sharper then a two-edged sword. If you actually take time to read Gods word daily and open your heart to listen and feel the meaning of the words you can also feel a power. What is that power? It is the Spirit of the Lord that is in the words. Words are so important! I do believe that there are Spirits behind each word and that Gods Word is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Gods word is "piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit". When we read it, it also pointing on an area of your heart that needs to be dealt with. This is one reason why many people don't read their bibles! They want to think in their minds that they are a good Christian, but they don't want to read Gods word which will point to an area of their life where they need to deal with [such as an idol]. We need to love the word and be open to that piercing. If you want to please your Heavenly Father, then allow His to touch areas of your life through His piercing word.
God Bless!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
We are living in a time where the enemy is VERY active! We need to realize what power God has given to us. This great power is called prayer! By prayer we can move the mountains and the enemy knows what great power there is in prayer. He trys to destroy that power or prevent us from using this power by causing us to think doubts and have little faith. Praying without believeing (without faith) that God is listening and will bring this to past in season is a waste of time. We must speak with our lips, believe with our hearts, and know in our minds that He will answer!
Through prayer we can also learn to hear Gods voice. This is another reason why Satan does not want us to pray. If we listen and learn to know Gods voice he cannot trick us. Satan uses the worldliness a lot of times to speak to us and we must learn and know what voice is speaking! He need to listen to when He sayes: "NO!", "not yet", and "it's time". Prayer is one key to learning how to hear and know God's voice.
Everyone has a question and everyone that has a question wants to have an answer. If we have a question we must ask God through prayer and continue to ask until He responds! He doesn't want us to stay in a pitt of confussion so if you believe that you've allowed the enemy to speak that into you! Don't believe that because God is ALL KNOWING and He wants us to know the answers! Pray, seek through His Word so that you may know the truth and that it may set you free!
God wants to bless us (Ps. 68:19), He wants us to choose to do that which is pleasing to Him (Is. 56:4), to receive the enternal He has choosen for us (Is 56:4), to come to Him when we are weary and burden so that He may give us rest (Mt. 11:28), He wants us to know Him and He you (Jer. 24:7), to provide for you in perfect season (Dt. 11:14).
Begin praying for yourself. Not for selfish or worldly things, but for breakthroughs, peace, and strength etc. As you start out praying for yourself allow God to use you to lift up others to Him! Sacrifice you time to Him in prayer and allow Him to use you to pray for others!
Amen!
Through prayer we can also learn to hear Gods voice. This is another reason why Satan does not want us to pray. If we listen and learn to know Gods voice he cannot trick us. Satan uses the worldliness a lot of times to speak to us and we must learn and know what voice is speaking! He need to listen to when He sayes: "NO!", "not yet", and "it's time". Prayer is one key to learning how to hear and know God's voice.
Everyone has a question and everyone that has a question wants to have an answer. If we have a question we must ask God through prayer and continue to ask until He responds! He doesn't want us to stay in a pitt of confussion so if you believe that you've allowed the enemy to speak that into you! Don't believe that because God is ALL KNOWING and He wants us to know the answers! Pray, seek through His Word so that you may know the truth and that it may set you free!
God wants to bless us (Ps. 68:19), He wants us to choose to do that which is pleasing to Him (Is. 56:4), to receive the enternal He has choosen for us (Is 56:4), to come to Him when we are weary and burden so that He may give us rest (Mt. 11:28), He wants us to know Him and He you (Jer. 24:7), to provide for you in perfect season (Dt. 11:14).
Begin praying for yourself. Not for selfish or worldly things, but for breakthroughs, peace, and strength etc. As you start out praying for yourself allow God to use you to lift up others to Him! Sacrifice you time to Him in prayer and allow Him to use you to pray for others!
Amen!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Waiting
If you truly love someone, then you should be willing to wait for them! God has given His people many promises and we tend to give up quickly and forget those promises, but God has been stirring up my heart recently to not give up! Hold fast to the grace received and remember that He will be faithful to complete the work He began in you!
Amen :)
Amen :)
Monday, May 2, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Seven Pillars of Wisdom: Leadership V.1 By Dr. Brian J. Bailey
Wisdom is one of the qualities of 'Great Leadership'. (Wisdom is the ability to make the right choices.)
The seven pillars of wisdom are:
1.) Pure- Victory over the passions and lusts of the flesh (free from discordant [disagreements]qualities). Our motives must be pure so that when we are held up to the light we may be found true and not deceitful.
2.) Peaceable- This word means to have a peaceful nature. One who is peaceable seeks to live in unity with others. (The key to unity is humility!)
3.) Gentle- One must remember that we must have the law of kindness on our lips when we speak! A leader must have gentle speech and remember who they are speaking to. So many tend to be rough with people and in so doing they wound the sensibilities of those to whom they are speaking to. (* A leader must remember that his speech and touch must be cradled in gentleness!)
4.) Easy to be intreated- Intreated means to plea to someone. So, easy to be intreated means that he is one who gives a listening ear to those who have a need/plea. He is sympathetic to the views of others and yields in the unimportant matters in life. Most people now don't even give a listening ear, but a leader is and must be willing to listen and give what he can. (Be that leader who people come to because they know he will listen! Also, make sure you have discernment!)
5.) Full of mercy and good fruits- As a leader you must realize that those whom you are leading will continually fail, but the constant admonition (cautionary advice about something imminent [concerning something that will occur soon]) we are given is, "You must never give up on them!" Remember, though we fall, though we fall, we shall not be cast down for the Lord upholds (causes us to remain or last) us with His hands! We shall not be cast down for He is upholding us with His hands. So as leaders under Christ we must not cast our sheep aside, but be a Christ-like leader and uphold them. Don't give up on them!!!
6.) Without partiality- This means that leader must treat all equally regardless of the position or relationship!!! Favortism does not please the Lord and He will deal with those who have partiality in them! It is easier to like those who obey you and seem to never faill, but God wants us to leader everyone and by everyone He did mean those who do well and those who seem to fail, fail, and fail! Jesus came to earth and was the example of a leader and who do not see anywhere in the Bible Him showing partiality. (Invest you time in those who seem to keep failing! God never gives up on upholding us! We must not give up upholding eachother!)
7.) Without hypocrisy- A leader must be genuine!!!!! God does not want us to be double life leaders! Those who have been given a leadership position and are a hypocritical with it! (Be that leader who practices that which he preaches and encourages others to live by!)
I am doing a study on leadership and I am studying from "Leadership" by: Dr. Brian J. Bailey. If you would also like to further your study in the area of leadership, please visit http://www.zcpublishers.com/ and type in 'Leadership' in the search box and purchase your own book for only $8.00. Also, feel free to browse through all of the books and see if there are some other books you might be interested in purchasing and studying.
God Bless!
The seven pillars of wisdom are:
1.) Pure- Victory over the passions and lusts of the flesh (free from discordant [disagreements]qualities). Our motives must be pure so that when we are held up to the light we may be found true and not deceitful.
2.) Peaceable- This word means to have a peaceful nature. One who is peaceable seeks to live in unity with others. (The key to unity is humility!)
3.) Gentle- One must remember that we must have the law of kindness on our lips when we speak! A leader must have gentle speech and remember who they are speaking to. So many tend to be rough with people and in so doing they wound the sensibilities of those to whom they are speaking to. (* A leader must remember that his speech and touch must be cradled in gentleness!)
4.) Easy to be intreated- Intreated means to plea to someone. So, easy to be intreated means that he is one who gives a listening ear to those who have a need/plea. He is sympathetic to the views of others and yields in the unimportant matters in life. Most people now don't even give a listening ear, but a leader is and must be willing to listen and give what he can. (Be that leader who people come to because they know he will listen! Also, make sure you have discernment!)
5.) Full of mercy and good fruits- As a leader you must realize that those whom you are leading will continually fail, but the constant admonition (cautionary advice about something imminent [concerning something that will occur soon]) we are given is, "You must never give up on them!" Remember, though we fall, though we fall, we shall not be cast down for the Lord upholds (causes us to remain or last) us with His hands! We shall not be cast down for He is upholding us with His hands. So as leaders under Christ we must not cast our sheep aside, but be a Christ-like leader and uphold them. Don't give up on them!!!
6.) Without partiality- This means that leader must treat all equally regardless of the position or relationship!!! Favortism does not please the Lord and He will deal with those who have partiality in them! It is easier to like those who obey you and seem to never faill, but God wants us to leader everyone and by everyone He did mean those who do well and those who seem to fail, fail, and fail! Jesus came to earth and was the example of a leader and who do not see anywhere in the Bible Him showing partiality. (Invest you time in those who seem to keep failing! God never gives up on upholding us! We must not give up upholding eachother!)
7.) Without hypocrisy- A leader must be genuine!!!!! God does not want us to be double life leaders! Those who have been given a leadership position and are a hypocritical with it! (Be that leader who practices that which he preaches and encourages others to live by!)
I am doing a study on leadership and I am studying from "Leadership" by: Dr. Brian J. Bailey. If you would also like to further your study in the area of leadership, please visit http://www.zcpublishers.com/ and type in 'Leadership' in the search box and purchase your own book for only $8.00. Also, feel free to browse through all of the books and see if there are some other books you might be interested in purchasing and studying.
God Bless!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
God will never give us a trial beyond our capability!
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
- I Cor. 10:13
Take comfort in knowing that God doesn't give Job size trials to the new in faith. The Apostle Paul states that God will never give us a trial or a test beyond our capability! (Trial of the Saints: Ten trials from the book of Daniel, written by Rev. Daniel Caram)
Amen!
God Bless
Friday, April 8, 2011
Spring Convention 2011
This week I attended our Spring church convention and words cannot seem to describe how strong, clear, comforting, and convicting Gods message was for myself.
God is so good! He wants us to take His yoke (His law) and learn of Him [Matthew 11:29]. You know we think that God is so demanding and hard, but He is not! Matthew 11:30 He says, "For my yoke [my law] is easy, and my burden [task or service] is light."
We need to be investing our time in knowing who our God really is, in creating a stronger relationship with Him, and dwelling in His presence! If we go back to verse 29 we learn that He is humble, meek, and lowly. He wants us to be humble and lowly, to esteem others before our self, just like what He did for us. I was teaching the younger kids Sunday School last week and they were learning about the 31 kings in a Christian walk and about JOY. We, as humans, want to have true joy! As Christians, we must be willing to allow a change in our mindset. Let us remember that true joy can only be: Jesus first, Others second, and then Yourself must be last. This is so hard for us to do because we think 'to be humble and lowly' means to be sad and down, but it's now! That is a bird of lies that flies over our heads and tries to lay a nest. True joy is putting God first, others next, and yourself last! We need to kick that 'birds nest' off our head and be willing to put God FIRST, others NEXT, and yourself LAST! (God wants us to dedicate our lives and be changed by the renewing of our minds; having minds like Christ.)
His grace is so very sufficient for our needs. God is wanting a people who are willing to be made more like Him. He wants us to be completely willing to surrender ALL our will to Him alone. I look back and I see nothing, but an abundance of Gods grace. His Grace still amazes me and His love is still a mystery each day!
That reminds me of the words to one of the songs my sister wrote:
Surrender ALL your will and desire for Him to fill you! He is faithful and satisfies us! We just need to discover that! 8*) Conform me Lord to YOUR plan!
God wants willing hearts! People that will surrender their all and allow Him to use us (to conform us) to fulfill His plan. A guest speaker spoke to the youth and He said something that really gave myself a slap in the face, but it is true! He said to us, "I don't think we realize that God doesn't need our help!" That is painful to hear, but it is really true! He can do it alone, but He is an awesome God and He allows us to be able to say 'He is my God and He wants to use me to fulfill something I cannot even fathom!' Hearing those words made me realize how small I really am. When we go out into the world and work with them a lot we begin to get big heads and we start to forget who really is the one who needs help! We must continually remind ourselves that without God we are nothing and that we have the victory only through Jesus!
Humble ourselves in the eyes of our LORD! In Second Chronicles chapter seven and verse fourteen it says, "If my people, who are called by my name, would humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." We must have a completely willing to humble ourselves not in our own eyes, but in the eyes of our lord, then will He: listen, forgive, and heal. We must understand the importance of this verse because we are living in the time where our nation is loosing the favor and we must be those people who are willing to humble themselves and pray for our nation! So many lives depend on me humbling myself before God (it's the humble that receive the Grace of God!). Humility is the key to unity!!!
God also spoke in the services that we must seek righteousness and meekness.
Seek Righteousness: it is important that we love righteousness and hate wickedness! God loves and delights in those who do righteousness. "Blessed are they who hunger after righteousness; for they shall be filled." Be ye filled with righteousness of God [holiness is to be different; separate from iniquity!]
Seek Meekness: To be meek is to be tamed (one who will sit until he is beckoned), one who is broken and complete submission, no reaction to what other people say or conditions [learn to control yourself!] "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."
Be dependant upon God and He shall preserve you! No more double standards, but allow God to do a cleansing work in you! Be transparent before God!
Amen! God bless!
God is so good! He wants us to take His yoke (His law) and learn of Him [Matthew 11:29]. You know we think that God is so demanding and hard, but He is not! Matthew 11:30 He says, "For my yoke [my law] is easy, and my burden [task or service] is light."
We need to be investing our time in knowing who our God really is, in creating a stronger relationship with Him, and dwelling in His presence! If we go back to verse 29 we learn that He is humble, meek, and lowly. He wants us to be humble and lowly, to esteem others before our self, just like what He did for us. I was teaching the younger kids Sunday School last week and they were learning about the 31 kings in a Christian walk and about JOY. We, as humans, want to have true joy! As Christians, we must be willing to allow a change in our mindset. Let us remember that true joy can only be: Jesus first, Others second, and then Yourself must be last. This is so hard for us to do because we think 'to be humble and lowly' means to be sad and down, but it's now! That is a bird of lies that flies over our heads and tries to lay a nest. True joy is putting God first, others next, and yourself last! We need to kick that 'birds nest' off our head and be willing to put God FIRST, others NEXT, and yourself LAST! (God wants us to dedicate our lives and be changed by the renewing of our minds; having minds like Christ.)
His grace is so very sufficient for our needs. God is wanting a people who are willing to be made more like Him. He wants us to be completely willing to surrender ALL our will to Him alone. I look back and I see nothing, but an abundance of Gods grace. His Grace still amazes me and His love is still a mystery each day!
That reminds me of the words to one of the songs my sister wrote:
One burning desire,
Is to be more like you!
How long Oh LORD,
'til I awake in Your likeness?
Empty me of every hindrance!
Fill me, with more of your Spirit,
Lord, I surrender all my will.
Let your hand come touch my heart once again,
Conform me Lord to your plan
I don't want to be the same,
Change me in Your presence day by day
Surrender ALL your will and desire for Him to fill you! He is faithful and satisfies us! We just need to discover that! 8*) Conform me Lord to YOUR plan!
God wants willing hearts! People that will surrender their all and allow Him to use us (to conform us) to fulfill His plan. A guest speaker spoke to the youth and He said something that really gave myself a slap in the face, but it is true! He said to us, "I don't think we realize that God doesn't need our help!" That is painful to hear, but it is really true! He can do it alone, but He is an awesome God and He allows us to be able to say 'He is my God and He wants to use me to fulfill something I cannot even fathom!' Hearing those words made me realize how small I really am. When we go out into the world and work with them a lot we begin to get big heads and we start to forget who really is the one who needs help! We must continually remind ourselves that without God we are nothing and that we have the victory only through Jesus!
Humble ourselves in the eyes of our LORD! In Second Chronicles chapter seven and verse fourteen it says, "If my people, who are called by my name, would humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." We must have a completely willing to humble ourselves not in our own eyes, but in the eyes of our lord, then will He: listen, forgive, and heal. We must understand the importance of this verse because we are living in the time where our nation is loosing the favor and we must be those people who are willing to humble themselves and pray for our nation! So many lives depend on me humbling myself before God (it's the humble that receive the Grace of God!). Humility is the key to unity!!!
God also spoke in the services that we must seek righteousness and meekness.
Seek Righteousness: it is important that we love righteousness and hate wickedness! God loves and delights in those who do righteousness. "Blessed are they who hunger after righteousness; for they shall be filled." Be ye filled with righteousness of God [holiness is to be different; separate from iniquity!]
Seek Meekness: To be meek is to be tamed (one who will sit until he is beckoned), one who is broken and complete submission, no reaction to what other people say or conditions [learn to control yourself!] "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."
Be dependant upon God and He shall preserve you! No more double standards, but allow God to do a cleansing work in you! Be transparent before God!
Amen! God bless!
A Heart Fully Committed to God
Man needs to face the biggest giant of all and that is the need for a pure heart.
Psalms 19:8 - "The statues of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."
When our hearts are pure our eyes have a clear vision and our heart has a certain understanding and ability to interpret scripture with a right mind. Understanding is more an issue of the heart than the mind. Truth is only revealed to the honest and pure hearts!
Our greatest foe is a heart that is not fully surrendered to God! The issue is not the hearing of truth but the love for it!
From Dr. Paul G. Carams book, Hermeneutics Keys for Interpreting the Scriptures, He says, "Deception overtakes people not because truth is unavailable, but because "men loved darkness rather than light." They did not receive a love for the truth. I say it again, our heart must be fully surrendered to God.
God wants us to dedicate our lives and be changed by the renewing of our minds. Having the mind of Christ. In the book of Matthew chapter eleven and verse twenty nine, he brings out two aspects of Gods nature: meek and lowly [humble] heart. We, as Gods people, must be willing to be humbled and meek. Dwell and abide in His presence because He dwells with those who have a humble and contrite spirit!
We must have a humility in our mind and esteem others above ourself.
My final thought is God allowed us to be on the border, but we are now in a time where God is commanding us, His people, to make a decision. He doesn't want us to be forced to serve Him, but to have a willingness! A heart that is fully committed to Him! Single eyed!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Proverbs 18:3
"When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach."
Wicked - meaning those who are guilty, ungodly, and condemned
cometh - to attain or to carry
contempt - some synonyms for this word would be: disrespect or scorn. A dictionary definition for this word: 1. lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike, 2. a manner that is generally disrespectful and contemptuous, 3. open disrespect for a person or thing, and 4. a willful disobedience to or disrespect for the authority of a court or legislative body .
ignominy - synonyms: shame or dishonor. Definition: a state of dishonor
reproach - a mild rebuke or criticism
So now that we defined some of the main words in this verse we can put them together with a better understanding.
When the guilty, condemned, and ungodly come, then comes the scorn, disrespectful, and willful disobedient, and with shame and dishonor rebuke.
We learn in this verse that the wicked bears nor brings forth nothing good. They are the guilty, condemned, the ungodly. Their character is disrespectful, willfully disobedient, they bring dishonor and shame.
One thing I have learned about shame is that once it has a good hold onto you it's hard to destroy. It eats you up and eventually uses you to cause shame in other people. No one likes to show what they are ashamed of. What causes us to be ashamed? Criticism! When people point out our faults we become ashamed.
In this verse I also hear a warning: And that is: we must be careful of our surroundings! Last Sunday Evening the message was about 'Drinking from the Right Well' and the speaker said this, "It takes a special grace to not partake of the world! We must not drink of the waters of this world" If we don't have that special grace and we find ourselves surrounded by the wrong environment, life will be hard and no guarantee of staying on the path! We must have Grace!!! I'll admit the only thing that keeps me going at my job is the Grace of God. If His Grace isn't there then I know I must move on to another place. I have felt life with His Grace and without His Grace and I cannot life without it! Stay with His Grace!
I want to conclude by saying this: Please remember when this: when the wicked come he bring willful disrespect, shame, dishonor, and criticism.
Amen
God Bless!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Your Grace Still Amazes Me: Sung by Leah J. Anderson
Church of Mt. Zion: Erie, PA
Located: 18th & Liberty St., Erie PA
Our Telephone: (814) 456-1422
Church of Mt. Zion: Erie, PA
Located: 18th & Liberty St., Erie PA
Our Telephone: (814) 456-1422
Our Church Website: mtzionweb.org
The Church of Mt. Zion is a Full Gospel church with an emphasis on teaching, worship and missions.
We believe that the church age will end in great revival and that the great commission shall be fulfilled (Mat. 24:14). We must complete the acts of faith that our fathers saw from a distance! (See Heb. 11:39-40).
Proverbs 18:2
"A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself."
A fool hath no delight in understanding, - Why does he have no delight in understanding? and what is this understanding? I'll answer the second question first: This understanding is of the truth [Gods Word]. He does not delight in understanding the truth because the truth shows him that he is on the wrong path.
but that his heart may discover itself. - A fool seeks in darkness that he can discover what he wants to discover and forget all the things he wants to do. He wants to be 'free', but he does not know that he is blind to the fact that his 'freedom' is only for a time and is really bondage adding up.
Ex: The understanding [truth] is represented here as a bright light. No a fool he is represented as a lover of darkness. A fool loves the dark because he can go where ever he pleases and no care, but once that bright light of understanding comes closer and closer to him he gets mad. He does not like that light because it will show areas that he would rather keep in the dark.
Gods fire is like that bright light; He uses it to shine in a particular area of our heart that He knows needs to be dealt with. Through His light we can discover what is in our heart and we must not be a fool and try to hide it. We need to allow God to deal with that area now and not wait until it gets worse and harder to get ride of!
Let us make sure we are not lovers of darkness. May we be willing to allow God to shine His light upon us and deal with areas that need to be dealt with now!
God Bless :-)
Monday, January 31, 2011
Proverbs 18:1
"Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom."
Through desire a man, - We must be careful of what we desire! I say this because we love what we desire and what we love will, in time, come to us. If you desire evil things, then you will get it. If you desire God, then He shall come. Be careful though because people may appear walking on the right path, but if they are desiring evil in their head evil will come and they will leave the path to pursue more evil.
having separated himself, - Who is the 'he'?, Why is he separating? and from whom is he separating himself from?
1.) He is the fool
2.) He is separating himself because he [a fool] desires evil and evil has come to him.
3.) He is separating himself from the truth [God].
He desires evil and evil has now come to him. He loves it and is leaving the path he is on to pursue more evil.
seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom - (Proverbs 14:10; the heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy) Like it sayes in this verse, "our hearts knows its own bitterness." We all have a foolish nature and that is the 'old man'. Once we have chosen to follow Jesus we choose to put to death the 'old man' [foolish nature] and put on a new man. A fool puts on a fake 'new man', but keeps the heart of the 'old man'. He can only do this for so long before God makes the fools ways known. A fool does not like to hear the truth [wisdom], but those who have wisdom try to speak to the fool. The foolish man also has his prideful nature and so he trys to intermeddle [quarrel/interfere] with wisdom. He quarrels with wisdom and seeks to always win.
The warning God gave to me as I meditated on this verse was: We must be careful of what we desire! What you love [desire] will, in time, come to you!
God Bless
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Psalms 81:8-9
Psalms 81:8-9
"Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; There shall no strange god be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any strange god."
There will always be a bondage that leads to a certain freedom. When the 'new man' is freed; then the 'old man' is put into bondage. If the 'old man' is freed, then the 'new man' is put into bondage! When I read these two verses it sounds like this: "Hear, O my people, if you will listen to me; there will not be a strange god in you."
If we listen to God, He will guide us, provide for us through all our trials and rejoicings. The 'strange god' here is what the old man feeds upon. He feeds on the god of self-pride, ignorance, worldliness, etc. The 'old man' does not like to surrender/submit to anyone. The 'new man' knows that there is more and longs for it. He has a willingness to listen and submit even when he is in a time where he does not understand.
In this verse we see 'O Israel' meaning the children of Israel whom God gave to them a leader to free them, but they did not allow their 'new man' to stay free. They submitted to the 'old man' and they were punished because the 'old man' choose to worship idols and caused the people to believe that God freed them from Eygpt just to lead them into a wilderness to die.
We need to get to the place where the 'old man' is bound and the 'new man' is free to worship our Lord. Just like one of my favorite uplifting songs I sing:
Set free to worship,
I'm set free to praise,
I'm set free rejoice before the Lord.
I'll laugh, i'll shout, i'll dance, i'll sing,
Hallelujah, Amen
Let praises ring.
Set free to rejoice forevermore!
It is easier to give up, just like the Israelites did and let the 'old man' free, but we must strive for the strength of God to keep the 'old man' bound and the 'new man' freed, so that we may worship our God, Savior, and King (especially in the dark times)!
Amen!
God Bless You All 8*)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Merry Late Christmas from the Anderson Family :)
I don't know about you guys, but Christmas this year snuck up on me! I could not believe that it has come and gone.Christmas Eve I worked and God helped me through it all. It was quite busy, but there was peace among us all. After work I had a power sleep before we headed over to my Aunts house where our WHOLE family gather each year. 8*) It was nice to see Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Grandma.
After stuffing our faces 8-) (hehehe) and visiting we made our way home to pray and opened one present. :):):):) That was a delight! I opened my fathers present for me which was a gloriously beautiful necklace. I cannot describe it anymore that I already have, but I was extremely grateful for it. Thanks pappy 8*D
Christmas day 8-D8-D8-D8-D8-D8-D We had a WONDERFUL brunch that my younger sister prepared for us and then the presents. This years gifts were wonderful...I got not what I wanted, but what I needed and I loved it :)
God Blessed my beyond words this year! He has brought me through many trials, worked in and out of me many things and He has given me promises that I hold on to! There were wise men who travelled to bring three gifts to Jesus: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. I want these three to be worked into me! Gold speaks of Divine nature, Frankincense speaks of faith and Myrrh of meekness. Another Christmas has gone by, another year coming to an end and a new year approaching. My question for you is: What are you doing? Do you have God in your heart? If so, is He alive and real in you/to you?
I ask myself these questions too and I hope that we all will be honest with ourselves. God is life and if you have that life in you are you feeding that life? He wants to know you and you Him in a deeper and greater way. So get going! 8*D
~ God Bless!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Fathers Provision
"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor
reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father
~ Matthew 6:26
As you read this verse you will quickly realize it is not a very well known verse. Looking at this verse, the point may be apparent to many who read it, but I hope that as we read it God may speak something specific to you through this verse.
The main points are: the birds, sowing and reaping, and the provision of the Heavenly Father.
Man is constantly sowing and reaping something everyday. If you are not familiar with the term "reap what you sow" then it means this: if one sows they are investing in something that they think will later on have a reward worth it all. Reaping is the result of your investment [sowing].
Example:
If a farmer sows [invests] much of his time into planting a good amount of his crop, then later on when the harvest time has come, he will reap [the result] a great reward- much food to either sell or feed his family.
So, back to 'Man is constantly sowing and reaping something each day.' If you sowed bad habits when you were younger, later on in life you shall eventually reap the consequence's. Sadly when one realizes and wants to change they are older and find it much harder to break those habits that they invested in for years and years. My point here is: we invest so much time into things, but do we invest enough time into thinking about what is the wiser choice? We have a Creator...are we investing time into our relationship with Him?
God provides for these birds, as this verse clearly states, so why wouldn't He provide for man? The answer is He does provide! He is our Jehovah-Jireh! Do we invest enough time into recognizing this? Invest in the right things and with the right reasons. God is our provider invest your time into Him and your relationship with Him and you shall reap a reward that is greater then anything reward this world offers can be! Why? Because His is a reward that is everlasting!
May we seek to know our Jehovah-Jireh "The Lord will Provide"!
God Bless!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Luke 11:33-34
"No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness."
I picked these verses because it is this time of year :-) I'm sure that most of us have heard the 'Jesus Birth' and also the 'Three Wise Men'. These two have to do with light! Jesus is the light of the world! [Matthew 5:14] and also the Three Wise men followed a star that was so bright. That leads me to the question that I want to ask you. What light are you following?
In this world there are many lights. There are two specific ones that I want to touch: the light of the world and the light in the world.
The First Light: 'Light of the world'
"The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light..."
As I already stated earlier Jesus is the light of the world. He was sent here to be the light by living a live of man. He was the light, or in other words, mans example. He walked this earth going through the trials and joys as man goes through. He walked each day teaching man what we are to do when we are in a situation. He knew His purpose and He submitted to His Heavenly Father! He could of hated His Heavenly Father for giving Him such a purpose, He could of given into the fame and misuse His power. Instead, He chose to be that light His Father asked Him to be. That is the light I want to be following. It is a light that is bright, one that I want dwelling in me, and one that I never want to be ashamed of nor hide! This light is one that burns in you and God uses it to move to specific areas in your heart that have been in darkness for too long. He uses that light to open your eyes to something new.
I like to sing one of the songs that my sister, Leah J. Anderson, wrote:
One burning desire to be more like you,
How long Oh Lord, til I awake in your likeness?
Empty me of every hindrance
Fill me, with more of your Spirit,
Lord, I surrender all my will,
Let your hand come touch my heart once again,
Conform me Lord to your plan
I don't want to be the same
Change me in your presence day by day
This song, to me, has the perfect words for what I want to say about the first light. God gave her these words and they exactly what I wanted to end with on this first light!
The second Light: 'Light in the world'
"...but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness"
This light is a temporary light, one that can be put out. This is the light that everyone can see and is attracted to. It shows you all the riches and glories of treasures that seem desirous. It closes our opened eyes and makes us blind! The enemy uses this to take our focus off the true light and once our focus is off the true light our attitude begins to change towards that everlasting light. We become ashamed of it and we then 'put it in a secret place' so that no one can see it!
This light will give us a false vision! It will show us only one half and that half is the glory's of the treasures in this world. It will not show us what the consequence of it all is!
In conclusion, I have told to you that there are two lights and what the two lights really are, now I want you to really think about what light you really are following (and please be honest it's only between you and God)? I would encourage you to follow the true light. To take your candle and go light your world!
~ God Bless!
I picked these verses because it is this time of year :-) I'm sure that most of us have heard the 'Jesus Birth' and also the 'Three Wise Men'. These two have to do with light! Jesus is the light of the world! [Matthew 5:14] and also the Three Wise men followed a star that was so bright. That leads me to the question that I want to ask you. What light are you following?
In this world there are many lights. There are two specific ones that I want to touch: the light of the world and the light in the world.
The First Light: 'Light of the world'
"The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light..."
As I already stated earlier Jesus is the light of the world. He was sent here to be the light by living a live of man. He was the light, or in other words, mans example. He walked this earth going through the trials and joys as man goes through. He walked each day teaching man what we are to do when we are in a situation. He knew His purpose and He submitted to His Heavenly Father! He could of hated His Heavenly Father for giving Him such a purpose, He could of given into the fame and misuse His power. Instead, He chose to be that light His Father asked Him to be. That is the light I want to be following. It is a light that is bright, one that I want dwelling in me, and one that I never want to be ashamed of nor hide! This light is one that burns in you and God uses it to move to specific areas in your heart that have been in darkness for too long. He uses that light to open your eyes to something new.
I like to sing one of the songs that my sister, Leah J. Anderson, wrote:
One burning desire to be more like you,
How long Oh Lord, til I awake in your likeness?
Empty me of every hindrance
Fill me, with more of your Spirit,
Lord, I surrender all my will,
Let your hand come touch my heart once again,
Conform me Lord to your plan
I don't want to be the same
Change me in your presence day by day
This song, to me, has the perfect words for what I want to say about the first light. God gave her these words and they exactly what I wanted to end with on this first light!
The second Light: 'Light in the world'
"...but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness"
This light is a temporary light, one that can be put out. This is the light that everyone can see and is attracted to. It shows you all the riches and glories of treasures that seem desirous. It closes our opened eyes and makes us blind! The enemy uses this to take our focus off the true light and once our focus is off the true light our attitude begins to change towards that everlasting light. We become ashamed of it and we then 'put it in a secret place' so that no one can see it!
This light will give us a false vision! It will show us only one half and that half is the glory's of the treasures in this world. It will not show us what the consequence of it all is!
In conclusion, I have told to you that there are two lights and what the two lights really are, now I want you to really think about what light you really are following (and please be honest it's only between you and God)? I would encourage you to follow the true light. To take your candle and go light your world!
~ God Bless!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Ways & Thoughts
I think that learning Gods ways is never ending. Our minds are so limited, but Gods mind is so wide and incomprehensible. His ways, in a situation, can be completely different then ours. Why is this true? It is because God can see the whole picture and He knows where each path will lead us. He has walked the path and understands, whether we believe it or not, He really does!
We go through many trials day by day and our minds some how think 'God will make everything alright' and He will, but what we lack to realize is the 'how' He makes everything alright. Sometimes we need to go down into the lower parts of the valley before we can rise up in victory. We always pray that God would take us out of the darkness, but really we should be praying and asking God either for His strength to make it through or asking Him what we should be praying for. He has a purpose for everything and usually we learn our most meaningful and cherished lessons in the deep, dark valleys.
When you find yourself or another friend in a trial try and practice taking it to God. Asking Him what He wants to manifest in you and/or out of you.
I live each day struggling and I want to get to the place where my ways are made into Gods ways and my thoughts into His thoughts.
~ God Bless!
We go through many trials day by day and our minds some how think 'God will make everything alright' and He will, but what we lack to realize is the 'how' He makes everything alright. Sometimes we need to go down into the lower parts of the valley before we can rise up in victory. We always pray that God would take us out of the darkness, but really we should be praying and asking God either for His strength to make it through or asking Him what we should be praying for. He has a purpose for everything and usually we learn our most meaningful and cherished lessons in the deep, dark valleys.
When you find yourself or another friend in a trial try and practice taking it to God. Asking Him what He wants to manifest in you and/or out of you.
I live each day struggling and I want to get to the place where my ways are made into Gods ways and my thoughts into His thoughts.
~ God Bless!
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