ENJOYING BLESSINGS, While Staying Vigilant

Ephesians 6:11-12, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The day after Christmas....the day after we are reminded of the most high blessing we could ever receive, the birthday of Son of God being born. Many of us also received many other blessings during this season, some of these gifts were items, some monetary and some were actions. Some received all of these and some none. I myself feel very blessed for what I have, what I received and what I experienced. I didn't fail to give thanks for all of this and feel humbled. In one of my devotionals "Jesus Calling" (Sarah Young), she wrote: "I AM THE GIFT that continuously gives-bounteously, with no strings attached." Gods blessings and grace are the biggest Gift of all. Yet there are powers out there, that even on the most renowned Christian holiday, are hard at work to try and steal or destroy these blessings. Thus the opening scripture today.

We must always, yes even on Christmas, be prepared for the enemy to try his best to cause mayhem and destruction in our lives. I awoke this morning, not sure of what the day would bring, yet I felt this deep sense the enemy was working behind the scenes. I am not sure what he is trying to do, I am not sure which direction he is going to come at me, but I know he is lurking out there...waiting. 1 Peter 5:8, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." You see I have had many blessings this season, from grace, to gifts, to even the ability to visit with family. I am so deeply grateful and I know there are more to come. Yet I know, I felt this sense of heightened alert, as I know the enemy is very cunning and patient (2 Corinthians 11:3, But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.). The Holy Spirit alerted me this morning and then gave me peace right after. However, while experiencing this I couldn't help shake the feeling of something looming. I know it can come through many channels, including attacks on my Loved ones, friends, or even myself. With the Holy Spirit granting me peace I know the attack has not been or will not be successful. As I know God has me covered. Psalm 46:1, "God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him."

In the past I would have worried, angered and been unable to shake the sense of dread. That in itself would show not only that I was untrusting in the Lord, but left the door open for the enemy to sneak in and steal my blessings or at least damage them. Deuteronomy 28:47-48, Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. Satan is constantly looking for these open doors, even in believers, to capitalize on. He will use doubt, deception and even rumor to build doubts or questions. This will manifest into all sorts of UN-Godly decisions and actions, none of which end in anything good and can only cause destruction and hurt. God wants none of this for any of us. Be on your guard. If you are experiencing any attacks in this season, ask God for His help. Isaiah 54:17, "no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” Stop trying to lean on your own understanding of the situation and asks for Gods perspective. I used to try and figure it all out, you can see where that got me. Now I let God be my defender, my protector and my voice in times of struggle. He is my navigator, my counsel, my Love of Loves, my Savior, my deliverer and my Father in Heaven. 

You see God not only protects me, He surrounds me with people who have nothing but Love in their hearts for God and me. Like God they have only good intentions for their actions involving me. When the enemy cannot get to me directly, he will enlist the help of others close to me who may be vulnerable for one reason or another. If your circle is complete, your Loved ones are not open for attack, then he will wait. I have grown attune to what the Holy Spirit whispers to me. I then pray and ask for Gods strength, wisdom and fortitude to Honour Him in my actions or responses. I once, horribly failed everyone in my life including my God and although I am far from perfect I am attempting to not repeat my failures. God wants nothing but good things for my life and yours. Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Ask for Him to redeem you, live your life to Honour Him and see what amazing things He can do in Your life. Let go of the past, the hurt, the anger, your own failures and let God move in you. I promise everything in your life will change for the good. There will still be struggles, but they will seem insignificant with God guiding you through them. 

I trust God to fight my battles, but when they come to my door I trust he gives me the weapons I need to fight the enemy on his own ground. He has delivered me from so very much, mostly my own self. I TRUST in Him for everything. I am thankful for everything and I do not question even the smallest of blessings as this can only be seen as being unfaithful to my God. I feel Gods grace moving in my life daily and I am proud to serve Him in whatever form He directs me too. The enemy will have no foothold to build a stronghold in my life ever again. I know there are still those out there that question me, I am okay with that as I know when they find God, they too will see me through Gods eyes. Even some Christians do not see me through Gods eyes. For those I know they are trusting in themselves and not in God, as I have done many times in the past. Proverbs 28:26, "Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered." This is a lesson hard learned and can be very very painful. Yet once we trust in God, all becomes clear and easy to handle. I trust my God to protect me in all things, not just a few. I implore each of you to rebuke the enemy, trust in God for ALL things and enjoy the life He wants for you. Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  

Let's Pray: Father God, we ask You to look into the hearts of the weak Father. Give them the understanding and the strength to look to You Father. To let You guide their lives and to follow without question. I know this is a difficult concept, and the enemy counts on that Father. I also know Your promises Father and I hope many many more get to experience those promises. I pray that if they are struggling that You show them the light and keep the enemy at bay. Father forgive us for our sins, strengthen us to face what is to come and we thank You for Your grace which is undeserved. We ask all this in Jesus name...AMEN. 

Out of the Darkness

Acts 26:18, To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

Darkness....What comes to mind when you hear this word? Well, now lets add a few words like come or turn from the darkness, this should bring to mind a time in our life that wasn't very good. We all have a time (some a few of these periods) when our lives were upside down, full of sin, anger, bitterness even unforgiveness, when we were lost, misguided or even on a path of self destruction. Maybe a few of you could be experiencing some era darkness even today. I can't help but just be fascinated with the next portion of the above scripture. First was darkness to light, Satan to God, Sin turned good.  all accomplished through the forgiveness of God and symbolized by moving into the light. 

In this season of Christmas we are surrounded by millions of lights, think about the underlying significance of this. You may think it's all for decoration, but why lights? Couldn't we just used garland, tinsel, bells and such? I believe the light is representing the light of Christ. The symbol of good triumphing over evil. We are celebrating the birth of Christ, so what better way to signify this, than lights....millions of them. I also believe that with the over abundant spirit of this season in people, it forces us all to look inside ourselves. Once the  darkness inside is recognized,  the desire for change becomes stronger. They then seek the light of the Lord for redemption.1 John 2:8-11, At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

If you stop and think about everything around us in this world, it follows the dark to light principles. We tend to not go into the world at night for fear of the evil that lurks, our entertainment also broadcasts this message, even God tells us that in the beginning there was darkness then upon His command, there was light. Genesis 1:2-4, The earth was without form and void, and DARKNESS was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be LIGHT,” and there was LIGHT. And God saw that the LIGHT was good. And God separated the LIGHT from the DARKNESS. Scripture is clear that we are all born of darkness (sin), it is our nature. Then to receive the light we simply ask and believe that Jesus is the way to Heaven. To continue striving for the Light of God, we abstain from sin, forgive others and practice Loving all people, no matter who they are or what our flesh may think of them. Then with that same person, God asks us to go a step further and serve those same people our flesh wants to judge.

In Hebrew the word for darkness is "choshek" which translates to "obscured". Isn't that how we feel without God in our lives? As if our lives are obscured or unclear? The Hebrew for light is "or" and it's defined as "shine". How many Christians do you know that shine? I know many whose appearance is so brilliant in presence, that this can only be of God. Some have very little worldly possessions or status, yet they brighten any room they walk into, appearing full of happiness and Gods grace. I strive for that feeling daily. I am a long way from it, but I know that I will continue to strive and be just as full of peace as they are and in Jesus name, so full of the Holy Spirit that my joy is beyond measure. God is so Great. 2 Corinthians 4:6, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

So in this season, lets all try to not have the "Scrooge" attitude. By this I don't mean you have to run out and buy up the world. I would just  like to encourage each of you to take that extra moment and be kind to everyone you meet. Whether they deserve it or not. Remember if God gave us what we deserved it would not be pleasant at all, yet He gave His ONLY SON for the one purpose....OUR SIN. 1 Corinthians 15:3, For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures. So I believe it is a small tribute,  for a sacrifice we could never repay, and just maybe we can affect someones life in a positive manner. Who knows that may be the only kind gesture they receive all day or week. Lets come together and put the true meaning of this season back in the word Christmas. Lets help others move from the darkness in to the light. Lets take back this world, put prayer back in school, morals back in Congress and God back in first place where he deserves. It starts with you.

Lets Pray: Father God.....I thank you so very much for this life, and the People you have placed into my world who Love and support me in ways that only a Christian could do. Father I am not proud of my past, yet I am so thankful you delivered me from the darkness. I have never seen so clear, my heart fresh and full of a Love I never known before. Father I ask that you forgive, not only me, but any others who read this prayer and seek Your light Father. Help them too see and feel the Holy Spirit fill them with such a portion of Love, that no words can describe it. Father I pray you reach all those who need you and help each and every person find the peace only You can deliver. And Father I/ We pray that this season of Christmas a record number of people find Your light Father. We ask all this in Jesus name...AMEN.

BELIEVE: Understanding an Unseen Trust

John 8:24, I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you BELIEVE that I am He you will die in your sins.”

In this season of Christmas we see the word BELIEVE almost everywhere we turn. On signs, bulbs, shirts and even wrapping paper. What does it mean to BELIEVE? To BELIEVE, in the Greek (pisteuo) is to have faith or trust. In Hebrew ('AMAN) it is to be steady, be firm or trustworthy. Websters defines BELIEVE as: accept (something) as true. Now ironically if you look at the word itself BELIEVE it contains "Be" and "Lie". So many choose to understand when they are asked to BELIEVE, that they are to support or trust a lie. Think about this for just a moment. For example, we are all introduced and taught to BELIEVE in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny and even the Tooth Fairy, only to be told later in life they are all fake, lies or even make believe. Even make believe is to accept as not real or imaginary. Sorry if I just spoiled any adults Christmas by revealing the truth about Santa, wasn't my intention. :)

So many wonder why we struggle with understanding what others are trying to teach us. Unlike Santa and The Easter Bunny, which symbolize fun times, we usually only begin to seek, understand and have faith in Jesus when we have hit bottom or had some tragedy in our life. Granted God designed it this way so we are totally broken and we can truly give ourselves to Him. But even in these times, many wrestle with the fact that all the other unseens they grew up with were eventually discovered to be falsehoods. An adult knows a child can be easily tricked, however they are not willing to be victimized again to this unseen force known as God. They feel something and yet they can't quite explain the curiosity. This is God tugging at your heart. He is trying to get through. Still we resist. John 20:29, "Jesus said to him, Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Eventually, some of us, discover this gift that has been long talked about. We feel the Holy Spirit moving in us and wonder how we ever lived without Him. We feel the warm Love of Gods touch in our lives. We hunger for His word and teachings. The blessings begin to reign down on our lives. Our hearts are now open seeing the world for the world it is and in the midst seeing all of Gods wonders all around us. Our families suddenly become so very important. The need to serve fills our hearts. Understanding what our Father in Heaven did for every one of us. The price Christ paid for you and I suddenly becomes an overwhelming feeling and we only want to serve Him and make the Kingdom proud in return. Our relationships become much stronger, with God, Family, Friends, Co-Workers and anyone else important to us. Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

What occurred has become the single most important life changing event in our life that will never be surpassed. We spend the rest of our lives in training for what is to come next. We live to Love, forgive, serve and spread Hope to others. As the Christmas season looms closer, lets remember what this season is really all about. Lets be thankful for all that we have, God's grace, our families Love, children, homes, work, food, clothing. Luke 1:47-49, And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. There are so many who have so much less. So let's not pretend, lets not be selfish, find forgiveness, find grace and serve your fellow man. Maybe if we all pitch in just a little, God will smile and see all is not lost. Maybe we can put a little faith back in Him about us. He has done so much for us, lets Glorify Him in our actions. You may even save a life, better yet a soul. Praise God. Matthew 25:34-40, Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

BELIEVE in God and with that He will help you BELIEVE in others. What do you have to lose? You once thought there was a Santa, an egg laying bunny and a fairy that replaced money for a tooth. So what are you going to lose to take that step? Two hours on Sunday? The time to read a good book (Bible)? Take that leap and He will show you a life you could never fathom. It doesn't hurt, there are no strings, just ask Him to forgive you and BELIEVE in Him. That's all there is and if your not sure what to pray, just pray the prayer below. There is no format with God. He just wants a conversation in your new relationship with Him.

Lets Pray: Father we come to You today with open hearts. Some of us will ask this for the first time, others just reaffirming with You. Father we ask humbly and in great need for You to forgive our sins. Father we know we are undeserving of any Grace, yet Your Word tells us through the sacrifice of your precious Son, we will be saved if we only BELIEVE and confess. Father we BELIEVE, unconditionally. We Trust in Your Kingdom and Your ways father. Change our hearts Father and we ask this in Jesus name...AMEN.

God's Comfort & Grace in Tragedy

2 Corinthians 1:3-7, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 

I was going continue writing on marriage today but after yesterdays deplorable actions of one man, I felt led to discuss what many people are thinking right now. As a Father my heart breaks for those parents in Connecticut who lost someone so sweet and special, a child. Now many of us, as parents, would ask "where is God in all this?" or "why did He let this happen?" I believe these things are not  Gods plan for any of us, no more than an airplane falling from the sky or any other accident. Yet I absolutely believe our Father was right there with those children comforting them in their time of need. Just as He is there for the grieving family members. The scripture above promises this for us. 

As the events of this world become more unforgiving, we should remember to turn our hearts to God for guidance, Love and comfort. Everywhere we turn we see the enemy's hand at work. Surrounding us is death, divorce and general destruction of this world. But through it all stands one beacon of Hope and Promise. We are promised to find Peace in all things and that they work together for our good. Romans 8:28, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. God knows when we are suffering and he asks us to live through Him so that He may comfort us. He will give us peace in these troubling times as He tells us in John 14:27, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 

Our flesh wants to put some explanation on this horrible event and others like it.  When in fact God also prepares us for those questions. Proverbs 3:5, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. I believe, in incidents such as the school shooting that there would be no excuse good enough to fulfill my worldly questions about such things, therefore God tells us to just trust in Him and He will provide our comfort and peace. Remember, He knows all to well what it feels like to lose a child. He grieves with those who suffer in a special way, because of this intimate knowledge of this loss. Let God cradle you in His Love and carry you into peace. Know He also cradles those children right now and they are enjoying the playgrounds of Heaven. We trust Him with our children here, we should also trust Him with them in His Kingdom. 

I want to also ask each of you to pray, not just for the innocent victims and their families, but also the other children that were in the school as well as the father and brother of the suspect. They too hurt and question how someone they Loved could do something so senseless, while a whole world is looking to them for answers when there actually may not be any. We know, God is holding them too and helping them through these times of need. As parents lets take an extra moment to Love on our children and families. Take that moment also, to thank God for the ability to share another moment with them. Tomorrow is not promised, yet eternal life is. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." So please if you haven't made that decision yet, take a moment and pray the prayer at the end of this article. Our Father doesn't want a single one of you to perish into the "lake of fire", he only wants to forgive and Love you.

Lets Pray: Father God, we come to You today with heavy hearts. Our hearts hurt for the families of this horrible school event Father. We ask that You wrap all involved in Your Grace and Love Father, comfort them and shield them from those that wish them further harm. Father You know exactly what it is like to suffer this loss, so we implore Your intervention in these times to come. Father and I ask all who do not know You, to ask You for into their hearts right now. Father please forgive us for our sins, show us the strength and path to follow the path you have laid out for each of us. Father please meet the needs of each person who cry's out to You Father. Father we turn away from our sins and choose a path to glorify You. Father we ask all this in Jesus sweet name...AMEN.

Marriage Separation: A Godly Choice?

1 Corinthians 7:10-11, "To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife." 

I am going to reference a Facebook profile called "stronger marriages" (S.M.) which someone shared many entries with me. This entries have some sound Christian advice regarding marriage and I wanted to share and speak on some of it. This entry (Many struggling couples choose to separate as a way to "work on their Marriage." Separation is not a step towards healing your marriage; it is a giant leap towards Divorce. If you're serious about working things out, stay under the same roof, seek counsel, communicate, pray and don't give up!) spawned the above scripture. I stand with both authors, that separation is definitely not the answer to your marriage issues. I can speak from experience it truly is a path that is almost impossible to recover from. God can heal your marriage if you BOTH truly trust Him to do so.

 S.M. says "Forgiveness does for Marriage what breathing does for a body; you can't survive without it! Forgiveness doesn't mean that the painful mistakes don't matter, it simply means that you love your spouse too much to keep holding past mistakes against them. Choose to let go of bitterness and replace it with grace so that trust can be rebuilt. Be quick to give and seek forgiveness and your marriage will stay strong!" We all know that this is the single most difficult thing to do. Our selfish pride in most cases doesn't want or allow us to follow Gods will in this instance. Mark 11:25, "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” This is the easiest way the enemy can continue the attack on your family. Obviously there is already some offense that has already occurred and by not finding a way to forgive then you have given the enemy permission to take your family from Gods hands and have dominion over your lives. Now I believe that either party can open this door. Both must give the relationship to God together and work in tandem to keep the enemy at bay. Satan doesn't want just your marriage, he wants your family. 2 Corinthians 11:3, "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

I believe 1 Corinthians 13 is our road map for Love and Marriage in short. It gives you all the guidelines needed for anything you may face in your marriage. S.M. highlighted a few of these in a post of marriage builders and killers:
MARRIAGE-BUILDERS: Time together, Thoughtfulness, Prayer, Sex, Communication, Shared Dreams, Forgiveness, Faithfulness, Humility, Generosity and Trust.
MARRIAGE-KILLERS: Unhealthy Friendships, Secrets, Lies, Porn, Financial Debt, Greed, Drama, Pride, insults, infidelity, Disrespect and Selfishness.  
I'm sure many of you can see many traits that coincide with some positive and negative issues in your lives. This is all covered by the versus in 1 Corinthians 13 which I am going to close with. The powerful meaning in these words should be read over and over into your marriage. God puts such an emphasis on Love and states there is nothing that can overcome Love except a "hard heart", Ephesians 4:18, "They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart." Do you have a hard heart? Is there unforgiveness in your life? Do you wish to feel Gods grace and blessings in your life. I heard someone speak, not to long ago of a dream, where God said "tell them to stop reaching for me.....", I was taken back and then Gods words were finished, "Tell them to start living through Me." So normally I would tell you to reach to God, but I believe that dream was meant for this message and for everyone to read the versus below and start believing them in your life and this will be living in Love and through God your relationship will be stronger than ever.

1 Corinthians 13

1)If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2)If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3)If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4)Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5)It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6)Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7)It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8)Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9)For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10)but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11)When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12)Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13)And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Here is a radio broadcast from Dr. Ed Young on marriage called "When the Vow Breaks". This a two part powerful message and I want to encourage everyone to hear both parts.

When the Vow Breaks Part 1

When the Vow Breaks Part 2

Lets Pray: Father God, Thank you for your undeserving Grace Father. We come to you asking for that now, o forgive us of our sins, to guide us in our lives and to show us how to forgive. Father so many suffer in their marriages and we know if they knew You, followed Your principles and gave their relationships to You, that You would heal them. Father we pray that these couples follow 1 Corinthians 13 as part of the guide for their marriage as well as the rest of the Word Father. Lord we ask for healing and understanding in these lives and we ask all this in Jesus name...AMEN.

The Constant Struggle for Patience and Peace

Habakkuk 2:3,  For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 

God's timing seems to be superseded by our impatience and a world full of people demanding instant gratification. You can turn on the TV daily and see examples of this, infomercials full of get rich quick schemes, news filled with those who have fallen attempting to shortcut their way to the top and commercials telling us about convenience and speed of a business. We are being trained to demand it all now. Yet God says, wait. His timing is perfect and deliberate. Still nearly every one of us try to rush Him, trying to transfer our sense of urgency onto our Father in Heaven. We know full well, this will not speed anything up but only cause ourselves some unneeded suffering. Instead we must learn to stop and wait for God to show us the path and open doors.

Now there will be times we are asked to move and times we need to be still, so that God can work in our lives. To know which we must listen ever so carefully for Gods word. If we are not careful we will follow our own will and, well, you know how that will turn out. The Greek word for patience is "makrothumia". This translates as "long suffering or endurance". Suffering actually produces endurance, so in the long run the more suffering you experience the more patient you become. Romans 5:3,  "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance," That is surely something you did not want to hear, although it does make sense. The scriptures are full of those who suffered and until they truly understood it was Gods timing and not their own, the suffering continued. Once they understood the Kingdom principle and submitted to the will of God, they fell under the protection of God and their lives seemed to improve. 

I believe we cause ourselves so much unneeded suffering just from our lack of patience. I watch people get angry in traffic, lines (especially at Christmas) and even at work. If someone or something does not meet our expectation of speed or want, then we tend to become offended or angry with them or it. If you cannot see it yet, this behavior is clear...it is selfishness in its purest form. Not a behavior God favors. We are instructed to Love in all circumstances, even when your in a hurry. John 13:35, By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

I clearly understand this principle, but there are times I get frustrated. For over a year now I have been struggling trying to find full time employment, full time living arraignment and get back to being self sufficient and productive. Now i can say that during this time my relationship with God has bloomed, my peace and understanding has found new meaning and life itself has found a new importance. I too get impatient or frustrated at times. Calling on God to show me something. However, God has been keeping his promise to me, He keeps me fed, I do have a roof over my head, no matter how unconventional and i am clothed. I thank Him daily for these things. I even have felt inspired to write again as you can tell. Now I pray God shows me favor in the other areas soon. If not I will stand firm, facing the storms of this life and wait (not as patiently as I'd like) but I will try my best. I will listen for the voice to say "move" or "stand still". Psalm 31:14-15, "But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand..." I know God has me, I know  my children are protected. What more could I possibly demand at the moment and not seem selfish? I Love others even though they may not in return. I judge NO ONE even though some judge me. I struggle with what I find to be my needs in life. Yet in all things I remember, it could be worse and as long as I feel the Love of God I will make it through anything. Isaiah 40:31, "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

 So for a few moments lets close our eyes, meditate on what we do have and be thankful for even the air that fills our lungs. Then give thanks to our Father in Heaven for His abundance of Grace and patience he shows us daily if not every minute. So when you are in that traffic, in those lines, at work or anywhere else and you start to feel impatient about something, stop and think who is really in charge and don't you think He knows whats best for you? By wanting it right now you are saying you are smarter than our Father and you know whats best. Not a position I care to defend. So remember God's timing is perfect and it may keep you from harm, teach you something or even introduce you to someone who becomes important in your life. Patience is the only way to find out.  "Galatians 5:22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness"

 Let's Pray:  Father God, thank you for waiting patiently for us to understand what you desire for us Father. Please forgive us for our sins Father and we ask you grant us the ability and strength to wait on your will for us Father. We do not want to be of this world but of the kingdom of Heaven. So Father help us push out the selfishness we possess and replace it with the Holy Spirit. Help us find that we are not here for ourselves but to Love and serve others and You. Father please grant us the vision to see the direction we are to go. We ask this in Jesus name....AMEN.

The Tongue: A Weapon for Good or Evil? Pt 2 Responsibilities

James 3:1-10, Don't be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards.  And none of us is perfectly qualified. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.  A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything - or destroy it!  A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image.  Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! 

In America we are blessed to live in the land of Freedoms which include the First Amendment, Freedom of Speech.  Now just because we have this freedom, doesn't always mean we should exercise it. As it says in James 3, the tongue can bless or curse from the same mouth. It can build up or destroy. We are not perfect although if we are living for God, our tongue should never be boastful or self serving. It should speak only of life and never death, as these are the ways of Jesus. When speaking of Kingdom things we are held to a higher standard, for not only the content and accuracy, but the intent or use of the words. Ephesians 4:14-15, "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ..."

1 Peter 3:10,  For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit"...I Love this verse as it leaves no room for question. It is clear if you Love life, speak Love and life. Pretty straight forward right? Unfortunately there are those who will twist scripture to benefit some agenda, this person may want to achieve. This is dangerous ground to tread on as we see in Matthew 18 (Matthew 18:6, But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea). God has a special place for those who would manipulate others via the Word of God, as these unknowing or misled persons will surely sin from this behavior. I have seen it first hand and the stronghold some can have on others using scripture, can be terribly powerful. Prayer is the only way to break it, as God will have to reach the heart of those entombed in the lie. As for the deceiver he/ she's only hope is to stop, confess and pray for mercy as they will be judged for this at a much higher standard. Matthew 12:36-37, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Now we are not perfect, this is a fact. So in trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus we must first bridle our tongues, so that we can be sure what escapes is that of Love and Life and not of death or deceit. Proverbs 29:20, "Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him." The enemies fastest and easiest way into our lives, I believe, is our tongue. James 3:8, "But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." When in a Pastoral role (Pastor in the Greek means, Shepard and as we know a Shepard guides and protects) we are responsible to speak Gods will, not our own. We deliver a powerful teaching which can change people for the Glory of God. Yet misused we can destroy them also. Everyone at some point, has this role bestowed upon them. Matthew 28:18-20, And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” 

The point here is that as we lead in teaching the ways of the Kingdom, we be very careful what we say and how we say it. Dr. Ed Young likes to say he follows the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid) policy so as to not over complicate things. As each of us share the Gospel with others, it doesn't matter if it is friends, family or strangers, just be sure to check your heart and facts before you speak, just to make sure it aligns with the will of God. By not saying anything, rather then misleading others, you lay a much wiser foundation then one of deceit or ignorance. You never know who else is watching or listening and you may harden a heart from your unwise words as well. James 1:26, "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless."


Lets Pray: Father God, we thank you for the many blessings you show us in our lives. Father we ask for your forgiveness and plead that you sharpen our minds so that we may share your wisdom to all. Praising You and the Kingdom in the Glorious way You designed. Father for those misleading others, forgive them and change their ways and hearts Father, Help them see the hurt they cause. For those mislead do not let them be turned away from Your Love and Grace Father. Help them see the truth in You though the Holy Spirit. Father we all are here to serve You and others and we ask these things in Jesus name....AMEN
 

Entitlement or Privilege, What is Your View?

James 4:1-12 (MSG) - 1) Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. 2) You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. 3) And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way. 4) YOU'RE CHEATING ON GOD. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. 5) And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover." 6) And what he gives in Love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble." 7) So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud NO to the Devil and watch him scamper. 8) Say a quiet YES to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. 9) Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. 10) Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet. 11) Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. 12) God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?

Normally, I don't use the entire scriptures unless I am proving a point. Well here is a very simple but important one. We all too often feel we are entitled to so many things in this world, when in reality we should feel privileged and blessed just to experience those things. When you stand proud, want your way, act spoiled and quarrel over the things you think you have a right to, this is entitlement and "YOUR CHEATING GOD" James 4:4.


Our God is a jealous God and by behaving this way, this could make Him very angry. A worldly example of entitlement is heard daily in the employment community, W.I.F.M. (what's in it for me). Unfortunately this is the way many many people think in everyday life. How about asking yourself whats in it for God? When you are making that deal, standing in that line, dealing with your wait staff, or even speaking with your spouse/ family, you should ask how you can please God in this situation. When you show up at church on Sundays, this is a privilege to be able to hear the word of God spoken into your lives, without fear of death or imprisonment. There are still countries today and even readers of this blog in those countries that risk these things to hear the Word. Have you even pondered the fact that God fills our lungs with air and yet you may feel entitled to this also, when in fact it is a privilege to have such a forgiving and gracious God, for giving us what we don't deserve and not what we deserve. Galatians 2:16, Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

 When we change our view and look at things through Christ's eyes, our whole life changes. We now see the good in those the world calls bad, we have patience with those we once were short with, we see and hear everything and everyone with the heart after Gods own. We now are open to receive the blessings of Christ and many will visibly see the difference in our character. The Holy Spirit changes everything about us. Life becomes brilliant and vivid for the first time. You literally come into the light. James 1:17, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 

Lets Pray: Father God, please allow us to see the flaws in our behaviors. Allow us to have the strength oh God to look to you for the Holy Spirit. Father we want to change, we want to see the world for what it is and not all the bitter, pain filled, destructive mess that it has become. Father we ask for you to forgive us of our sins, guide us to a better path and show us the direction you want us to follow. Father we Love You and wish to be more Christ like daily. We ask this in Jesus sweet name...AMEN.

Do We Give Thanks in All Things?

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

 In this week of the Thanksgiving Holiday, I have been struggling with watching and hearing people around me, groaning and complaining. Blaming the world and others for their circumstances. However we should stand up, understand that we are exactly where God wants us right now. So should you or I complain? Shouldn't we give thanks instead? I believe we should and the scripture above states the same.

I Love the verse in Matthew 7: 3-5 msg ( It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.) We have all heard similar things in life "clean up your own back yard" , etc.. In the past I too have been guilty of this behavior. Today however I am simply thankful for the things I do have. I feel blessed to have the people around me that I have. I do not blame anyone or anything for the situation I myself am in. I alone made the choices that landed me where I am. However there are those who cannot see their choices has landed them in the situation they are in. Instead they point fingers at others, or they cannot see the blessings they are bestowed. I pity them. Life is a one time shot. God gives us the ability to be different from those of the world. It's your choice to stand apart and to see what is right.

 Many times I have heard others talking about my situation and they say "I never hear you complain". My response is simple, "There are only two people I have to complain too. God already knows and the other is $300 an hour and I can't afford that." In James 5:9 "Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door." I'm sure you do not look at complaining as judging, but if you take a moment and think about it....it is. It could even be murmuring and you know how God sees that. We should be thankful. We are in a moment God is aware of, you may not see the sense in it. But I can testify that it will all make sense at a later date. Give thanks for EVERYTHING in our lives. The good and the bad.

A few months back I watched a man at church thank God for trusting him to bear cancer. WOW! Could you or I see though all that we have and look at the spirit of God in that man? Could you see that as a God trusting you with an ailment. I believe the Holy spirit can fill us with the strength to stand in ALL storms. All you must do is ask and believe for the understanding and strength.  Sure you can blame everything and everyone. You can be bitter and hateful. Or no matter the circumstance in your life, by taking off the blinders, clearly letting true spiritual leaders reach you. Stop listening to the spirits of the enemy. I promise your life will be full of blessings and surely anointed no matter what you face. So as it says in 1 Thessalonians "Give thanks in ALL things.."

Lets Pray: Father God, we come to you humbled and alone in this world Father. We all face some sort of crisis in our lives. Father we ask to forgive of us of our sins and lift the burdens we feel are pulling us down. Father we pray the blinders are lifted on those around us, so they may see your power and grace. Father there are many who need you now Lord. We only strive to learn your ways Father and are eternally thankful for all you have sacrificed for us. Father let us see the positive in all things Father. We ask this in the name of Jesus.... AMEN

When The Blessings Come

Philippians 4:16-19, 16) for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17) Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18) I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19) And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Today, a day on the calendar that I was not looking forward to as it could have been a very negative day. Yet God took this day and blessed me beyond my belief. Tomorrow I have a couple of important interviews and today an organization called and offered to make sure I was dressed appropriately for the occasion. This was a total God moment and I really was surprised and overwhelmed at the gesture.

So as this week has progressed, work has become slow, I started some new classes at church and on Monday I received a call for an interview. One that I was hoping and praying to attain. As the week went on I then received multiple calls from another organization hoping to interview me also. This company was not really something I would normally pursue, yet they worked awful hard at wanting to interview me. So thinking maybe this is a God sent moment I agreed to interview. Both of these interviews will be on Friday. Next order of business......what do I wear? I have clothes to wear to an interview, a little older and used, but nice enough. Then my phone rang and I was advised to be at this store at this time to pick out my new clothes.I hung up and immediately thanked God. Well i went and picked out something that was modest but would do the job. When the representative arrived I was again overwhelmed. I was advised that I needed to keep shopping as they were given a specific budget to spend. I had been wondering just this week how I was going to start replacing some things. God answered this for me. Psalm 40:17, As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay.

So afterwards I stood at my truck, sobbing wondering what I could possibly have done that could have warranted this blessing from God. I feel all I have done lately is what he has asked me too. I continue to work my ministries, go to my small groups and churches and try to rebuild my life from shattered wreckage. All the while keeping God first and Loving others no matter how they treat or respond to me. I never even asked for this, yet God knew what I truly needed. This was an overwhelming feeling of unworthiness. What makes me so special? There are surely others that could have used this blessing in my stead? Why did God choose me? James 1:17, Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

Accepting gifts has always been tough for me. I  don't know why because I Love to give them, I have just never been one to receive them well. Over the last several months I have learned that God does this for His reasons and to not accept would be not only not allowing others to be blessed, but to tell God I don't need Him in a sense. To overcome this and many other inequities, has taken time and a lot of patience with me form God. I look back and realize I have overcome so many things with Gods help. Before I would have been upset and tried to say I had no one to share the victories with. But God has supplied so many Christian friends to share these times and blessings with, that other situations do not overshadow the moments. 1 John 4:7, Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

I see God working in my life almost daily. I hear God speaking and moving too and around me. Even with all of that I am still amazed at His Grace and Love. God has led me so far in such a short period of time. I share all of this not to brag or boast. But to share in how God can bless each and every one of you. It simply starts with believing. Then following Gods will in your life. For each of us that is different, but I can guarantee you it will only breath Love and Life. If you think He is telling you otherwise, it's the enemy trying one of his clever tricks. So be still and listen, for God will speak sometimes as a whisper in the wind. His blessing will cover you and your family, if you just trust and obey in Christ Jesus.

Let's Pray: Father God, we pray each and every person sees what You have been declaring for centuries. As in John 14:16, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Father our prayer is that everyone finds You Father. That each of us, listens to the word that You bring us. We all serve You and Your Kingdom without reservation or selfishness. We give freely and serve others with no care or thought of reciprocation. Only knowing we are serving You Father and praising You in doing so. Father we ask of You to forgive our sins, show us how to forgive others and we ask for the strength and knowledge to follow You. Father we thank You for the many blessings that You bestow upon us and we ask all this in Jesus name.....AMEN.

Overcoming the Fear of Death

Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Many people fear death, I assume mostly because they haven't found our Lord Christ Jesus. Psalm 34:4, I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Some may just feel they haven't lived a full life or that they did not accomplish all they should have. However each of us do not know when this time may come, so I am as prepared as much as I can be in this life. In Romans 6:23 it tells me that for my sins, I should die, Yet God tells me I am forgiven through his Grace which I asked for and received. I continue to try and walk humbly in the eyes of God, while also trying to be warrior for His Kingdom. I still sin and daily ask for help to be better and walk closer with God. This week I have heard a few comments about fearing death, so I felt maybe those fears could be calmed a bit. 

I have been around death quite a bit in my lifetime. I have seen some gruesome things throughout my career and life. For years, i never really feared death. Obviously for different reasons then now, but I like others thought maybe I would only because I didn't get to see my children grow up or something along those lines. Now my lack of fear is based on God and His promises. As I know where I am going. Isaiah 57:1-2, The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. Don't get me wrong, I am not ready to go, I just don' fear the calling. I look forward to no more judgement, pain or lack of Love. I will embrace the warmth of being close to God. I have seen tremendous fear as well as peace in people who passed in front of me. Now i don't assume to know their destination, but I did notice that the known believers passed rather calmly. I found that amazing at the time. Now I understand it.

God has a plan for each of us. Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Now sometimes I know free will effects these plans and people end up meeting our Father sooner than anticipated. So I believe there is no time to waste in finding and sealing your salvation in Christ. Tomorrow is not promised nor is any other day for that matter. We should never take for granted the blessings God has given us. By waiting for tomorrow to ask for forgiveness or give it, could be too late. Today's prayer will be one of salvation and asking God to forgive us. I normally include a small version daily, I just thought this may be a better time for something more direct.

Let's Pray: Father God, We come to You thankful for all that You do in our lives Father. We do not want to waste another minute not knowing Your forgiveness. We cannot risk knowing You after this life Father. There is urgency, not just in fear as that would be the enemy at work, but in Faith that You can lead us to a better life. In this one and the next. Father we want to become what You designed us to be. We want to glorify and praise You. We cannot go another minute not feeling Your Love Father. There is death and destruction all around us. Now we give our lives over to You, to serve and follow the Kingdom Father. We ask in Jesus name for You to come into our hearts, freely, and wash away our sins Father. As is says in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." We look to You now for our daily guidance and live to serve you Kingdom. Not only You but others Father. Until the day you bring us home. Father we Love You and cannot thank You enough for sacrificing Your son on the cross for us. We ask all this humbly, in Jesus name....AMEN.

GOD Can Heal Physically & Spiritually

James 5:14-16, 14) Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15) Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 16) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Healing the sick and broken hearted is Gods specialty. He can heal any ailment you have, inside or out, yet there are a few components to these miracles. The biggest and first is, YOU. You MUST believe God is bigger than any illness, problem or issue you may be experiencing. If you can't or don't believe the odds of this blessing is very slim. Obviously, I do not know Gods plan for each of you, only He does. However scripture is very clear about believing and having faith. We must also praise our God for His works. He will heal your broken body to new, your broken heart to whole and your broken spirit will be realigned with Him. He will heal and restore your marriage, defeat your addictions, make your depression disappear forever and pull you from any pit. JUST BELIEVE, God is bigger than any problem in this world. Then once He heals you, share your testimony, this praises God and all His works. To be truly healed and healthy we must be not only physically healthy, but healthy in mind and spirit. God can get you there.

In the MSG version of James 5:15 (Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven - healed inside and out.) it clearly highlights the "Believing-prayer" is needed for Jesus to restore you. The last part of that verse reminds us we can be healed "inside and out". Not to long ago I was involved in a group prayer for a brother who was facing cancer. The next day he went in and they discovered it was a bad diagnosis. What they believed to be cancer was something that could be simply healed. Just as this verse has very powerful words and cover a very broad scope. They do not say He can heal or might heal, or He will heal if you do this or give this. It never says you can't be healed or won't be healed. It clearly says "will heal you" if you do what? BELIEVE! God has healed a lot in my life, I stood, sometimes with questions, but I always believed. He is still working almost daily I can see new things and blessings He has bestowed on me. However I still am waiting for others, yet I do not doubt He will deliver on those also, in Jesus name. Our God is a great and awesome God. 

In these verses we are reminded to confess and be forgiven. Being forgiven is one big step to healing. This will heal your spirit and position you, so that God can work other miracles in your life. First, ask for forgiveness then remember to grant that same forgiveness to those in your life who need it. Mark 11:25, "first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too." If you notice I did not say "deserve it", that is why it is called Grace. Remember God tells us we must forgive to be forgiven, as He does for us, without this we cannot receive Gods blessings. So let God heal your heart, through forgiveness, and this will also make your spirit happy. I was speaking to a friend today and he advised me that he now feels God is starting to bless him in his life. About a month ago he had said just the opposite and during our discussion it was revealed he had some negative thoughts towards his ex-wife. We discussed those and he later forgave her. Now God is free to work in his life. My friends spirit is healed and it reflects in his everyday appearance and attitude. Now there is even a hint of restoration of that relationship after many years of divorce.. I thank God that we have the ability to receive these types blessings. So if God can raise the dead (literally) then I believe raising a dead relationship is clearly within His realm, don't you? (John 11:43-44, Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out,)

Verse 16 is the key I believe. It tells us to confess to one another, this has multiple effects in our lives. It goes on to say the the "earnest prayer of a righteous person" has great results. The MSG version says this "The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with." WOW! Pretty clear right? Do you think the enemy is afraid of this person? Do you want to be this person? I know I strive to be that person. I fight everyday to be what God has destined me to be. I know I am a warrior in His fight. But I feel led to be more than just a warrior. He wants me to lead in this war. So I pray daily for God to guide me and strengthen me into this role. He will deliver me and I am looking forward to it. I know there are some who are blinded and cannot see my path or deliverance from my own choices through Jesus Christ. To those I say, watch and see. Others have taken up arms, donned their swords and armor, and surrounded me as they see what is to come. They believe and that is half the battle. I believe God can deliver us from anything. No matter how dark or bad it seems, God will be the victor. I choose God therefore I will also stand in victory, He promises this. So which side do you choose? Your fight will not be easy, it will not be the popular choice. But it will be the righteous one. Will you stand with me? Or are you going to stand alone? If your not standing with God, you will stand alone. Do you want to be healed? Follow these healing verses and watch God change your life, just as he has in my friends life he can bless yours. 

Do you have a testimony? I ask that you share it (anonymously if necessary) in the comment section here. There are others who would benefit from your witness. This blog is being read in over 50 countries now. Many of these are countries where imminent harm can come to those reading it for looking at Christian material. PRAISE GOD.  They are curious for a reason, so let us show them how powerful Jesus Christ is in our lives by sharing. 

Let's Pray: Father God, we come to You on another glorious day Father, in which You work miracle after miracle. Father we ask that You forgive each of us for our sins Father. We thank You for the Grace you extend to each of us. Father there are many, who simply by reading this, can be in harms way. Father protect those and their families. Father there are others who are in need of healing. We ask that you meet each need whether it is a healing of their own heart, body or spirit, or for a Loved one. We know if we ask in Jesus name and BELIEVE, that You will answer these requests Father. We praise You for all that You do Father and we are all blessed to call You our Father in Heaven. We pray for others Father who either have no one to pray for them or simply haven't found the strength pray for healing. Father we pray for them and ask that your healing hands reach each and every one of these people in need. Thank You God for all that You do and we ask all of this in Your son Jesus sweet and powerful name....AMEN.

Depression, The Cure

Psalm 40, 1) I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2) He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3) He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. 4) Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. 5) Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.  6) Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.7) Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—it is written about me in the scroll. 8) I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” 9) I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord. 10) I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. 11) Do not withhold your mercy from me, O Lord; may your love and your truth always protect me.12) For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. 13) Be pleased, O Lord, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me. 14) May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. 15) May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame. 16) But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The Lord be exalted!” 17) Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

The last blog (The Depression Pit, Your No Alone) compares Davids depression in Psalm 38 to our modern times and how we still feel some of the same problems. In Psalm 39, David starts to turn his gaze upwards. In Psalm 40 David realizes his cure and salvation lies in God and His Grace and Mercy. Psalm 40 reminds us of many of Gods promises. David gives us the Cure, defined in verse 2 ( He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand),  for our problems in this Psalm and when you finish reading it, apply these principles to your life when your struggling and see if God doesn't cure you. 

David makes it clear that to receive Gods blessings we must trust in Him and make Him our refuge and not turn to any false gods (vs 4) or the proud. This verse clearly establishes we cannot fox our issues on our own. The solution is to turn to the Lord and give Him the opportunity to work in our lives. I have done nothing but screw up my life trying to fix it all on my own. Everything I tried failed. Why? Because I didn't trust in our Father to repair my relationships and life's struggles. I will never fail to not only give it to Him, but to praise Him for all that He does in my life these days. God can renew your relationships, remove your dependencies and heal your bodies if you simply trust in Him and turn your life over to His reign. 

Prayer is where David turns and in verse 6, he reminds us that God no longer wants the sacrifice of old, but He gives us the ability to hear our Fathers wishes and we must obey what He tells us. Many times in my past I ignored the path God presented me with, usually for what seemed to be a shorter or more fruitful path. I soon discovered that these directions I took was laden with pitfalls and traps set by the enemy to ensnare me. To remove me from Gods grace and presence, It worked. My life collapsed and until then I had not a clue the destructive path I had chose, and the lives I involved. Only in the aftermath of the collapse of my situation did I discover all that I hurt. God has redeemed me, however there are many who still either do not believe this redemption or refuses to accept it, as the offense to them they feel cannot be repaired. While I still struggle with this from time to time, God reminds me of His Love and renews my focus so I stay on track.

So like David in verses 9-10, I share with anyone who will listen the blessings God has bestowed on me. I glorify Him (vs 16) in everything I do. Without God I would not and could not manage a day to day existence anymore. I look to Him for every decision and ask His council in all that I do. In verse 10 David proclaims Gods faithfulness and salvation. He also shares Gods steadfast Love and truth with the great assembly. In verse 17 he also reminds us God has a plan for our lives and all we have to do is listen and let Him guide us. Lets face it, if you are like me, you already know we just keep messing things up. So why not let God take control? What do you have to lose? He will make your life more fulfilling and purposeful. If you believe He will restore relationships, guide you to that perfect job, remove any dependencies and heal your sickness. These are His promises and all you must do is.......TRUST and BELIEVE. 

So lets recap, David reminds us that God can pull is from any pit, bless our lives, allows us to hear His voice, Love, forgive and guide us and all we must do is trust, obey and praise Him. That definitely sounds as if we are getting the better end of the deal. Think about it, we get grace, forgiveness, guidance, purpose and Agape Love and what does he get? A bunch of broken, lost, undesirable sinners who He then molds into His image for each of us. Now I can't do anything but praise and thank our Father for these blessings that I truly do not deserve. I am humbled and amazed at all He does for me. 

Let's Pray: Father God, we thank You for all the many blessings that You continue to rain down on us. Father Your grace and mercy is immeasurable and all I can do is praise You Father. I only hope to have a small measure of Grace and Mercy you show, Father. Father help those who are suffering follow the plan David has laid out in Psalm 40, so that the suffering can find and lean on You Father. We come to you a mess Father and ask You to give us order and purpose in our lives Father. We thank You for all that You do and we praise You. We ask for Your forgiveness God and allow us to serve You, Your Kingdom and others Father in Your name. We come to You and ask all this in Jesus name....AMEN.

The Depression Pit, Your Not Alone

Psalm 38:1-12, 1) O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2) For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me.3) Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. 4) My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. 5) My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. 6) I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. 7)My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. 8) I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.9) All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. 10) My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.11) My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away. 12) Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception. 13) I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth; 14) I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. 15) I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God. For I said, “Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.” 17) For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. 18) I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. 19) Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those who hate me without reason are numerous. 20) Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good. 21) O Lord, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. 22) Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

In Psalm 38 David has fallen into a deep depression,  feeling pressures of life and losing sight of God he pleads and describes his feelings and thoughts. I felt over the next few days to explore this Psalm and then Psalm 40 where David will realizes his foolish ways. The mental state and emotion found in these versus , I think at one time or another, we all have had some of these same thoughts or feelings. That is why I think it is important to explore.

Through this chapter David is crying out, his descriptions of his pains and emotions are very descriptive. The first two versus David feels God convicting him, he then describes that he cannot stop thinking about his inequities. The enemy is filling him with guilt and shame, I have been there. The pain is real, the reality of my actions sinking in and the fallout beginning. This is a dangerous place to be in life. His heart literally hurts (vs 8) and finally in vs 9 (All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you) we see that he knows God sees his desires and pain and David cannot hide them from God. Our hearts are wide open to God yet the enemy can only hear our words. Now our hearts are inherently evil (Ecclesiastes 9:3, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil) but we look to God to fill our hearts with Love and Faith. Not an easy thing to see when your in depression.

David goes on the explain how he has been abandoned by his friends and family. His enemies are laying traps for him so that e may meet his demise. He finally admits in vs 13 &14 that he is not open to receiving Gods word. He finally gets quiet to and still, then confesses on vs. 18 ( I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin). He has broken finally, as the enemy steps up his attack in vs 19& 20. He pleads to God to hurry to His rescue in vs 20 & 21. I have been there, feeling faint and weak, no one to turn too. The feeling of standing in the storm alone, can be an overwhelming feeling. The enemy will bring all he has to bear on you at this point as he knows this can be the turning point of this battle. Succumbing to the enemy was never even an option to me. As much as I hurt, I still plead to my Father in Heaven to pull me out. My faith did waiver, but stood in the end.

Psalm 38, is a gut check. Many of these things shared in these versus you can see again in Job, when he feels he can take no more and cries out to God for rescue. I have been there, as I am sure many of you have too. God hasn't forsaken you, He is waiting for you to look to Him. He knows until you look up, His Love and words will not be welcomed. If you are in a similar circumstance as David, look up. Give it all to God, He wants to help. He waits for you, open arms, His Love will pull you from the pit you are in and give you Hope, Faith and Love. LOOK UP!!!!!

Let's Pray: Father God, we know there are many out there who feel as David did in Psalm 38. Father we humbly ask you reach down and touch the hearts of those lost and hurting so that they may receive a small glimpse of your Grace Father. Father we ask You to forgive all of us for our sins Father. We ask you push the enemy back and allow for some breathing room. Father this battle is more real today than ever. The enemy is strong, but Father we know You can send him fleeing and we ask that You do just that Father. Show us Love Father and allow us to be filled with Your Agape Love. Father we praise You for all that You have done in our lives and the sacrifice you made for our salvation. Father we ask all of these things in your son Jesus sweet name...AMEN