EARS TO HEAR AND EYES TO SEE

     Life in general can knock you down, catch you by surprise and try to destroy you. Yes its true and being a Christian does not change that fact.  In fact, when you have a Heavenly destiny and whether you know (or maybe don't realize) what your purpose is, life can be especially cruel to try and displace you from your calling.
I haven't written for awhile, been going through one of those hard places, but I woke up preaching to myself this morning :) .

Matthew 13:15-17  For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because   they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

So ask God to open your ears and hear His voice and open your eyes to see the wonders that He has for you.

     I have struggled all my life with not belonging anywhere. I realize that this is a blessing not a curse. I don't get caught up in the need to be seen and accepted by man,  I don't covet material things, I am genuinely happy when someone gets blessed or succeeds in something. I don't envy them. I really don't care if people think I am weird. My ultimate purpose in life is to allow the Lord's love to overflow in me so powerfully that I in turn will spill out His love all over those I do come into contact with. I fail miserably because I am still a work in progress, but my Father's love never waivers. I'm not saying if you are social person that is wrong, it's in your make up and everyone in their uniqueness compliments the whole body of Christ if we allow ourselves to recognize the differences in each other and revel and praise the Lord for each other's gifts, talents, quirks etc. whatever you want to call them. I just happen to be different and you would be surprised how many are just like me.


   Time is short, we know it, we feel it, and some are consumed with fear and trying to survive not realizing we will not be able to survive in our own strength, intelligence or ingenuity. Only by allowing God to wrap His loving arms completely around us, spirit, mind and body, will we survive.  And love casts out fear.
I John 4:17-19 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.
     We are called to take back and restore the things defiled by the enemy and have them restored back to their original purpose. This includes people, government, places, and situations. According to several studies done there are 2.1 billion people who believe Jesus was the son of God in the world. 73% of the people in the United States consider themselves Christians. Can you imagine if all of those who believe Jesus is the son of God actually understood who they were created to be and their purpose is, what our world and our country would look like? We need to take back our purpose and pray the most profound prayer found in the Bible.

Matthew 6:5-15  “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
 Give us today our daily bread.
 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

 

Father, YOUR Kingdom COME! YOUR Will be DONE! on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!

So this Christmas with it's celebrations and office parties and all the nonsense with shopping and stressing over everything, take the time daily to soak in your Father's love and pray and take something back this season. Even a small victory is a victory.

 

Some ideas

1. Pray for the clerk that checks you out at the store. Father, YOUR Kingdom COME! YOUR Will be DONE! on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN for this person.

2. Pray for your family members that are struggling or that you are struggling with. Father, YOUR Kingdom COME! YOUR Will be DONE! on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!

3. Pray for our government leaders no matter how you feel about them, they are people too and need to know what their true purpose is. Father, YOUR Kingdom COME! YOUR Will be DONE! on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!

4. Pray for all those suffering abuse, oppression, depression, homelessness, the hungry etc. one person at a time as you see them in your daily activities. Father, YOUR Kingdom COME! YOUR Will be DONE! on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!

 

Be blessed this season and be a blessing! Love you all and praying you all find your purpose and your identity in Jesus.

 

 

 

 



  

Foolishness! lmfo (laughing my face off) :)

   

 Some people think me foolish because of my belief in God. I have gotten to the point that I really don't care what "man" says, whether friend or enemy, judgments, criticisms, and speculations of what is going on in my life. Don't worry God has factored my foolishness into my destiny. :)

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
 
I Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  (There is no one more foolish or weaker than I am!) So to God be the glory; when you look at who I am I pray you are seeing my Father in Heaven with His mercy, grace and love.

I Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

²⁰ Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

 

I Corinthians 2:6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him—¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.¹⁴ The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵ The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶ for,“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

 

     I have finally become comfortable and accepting of myself as God created me, even with the foolishness and the flaws, its all me and its ok, I was created that way, unique and special in my Father's eyes. So that being said, here is my prayer for everyone reading this:

 

“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.  Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

 “All things have been committed to Jesus by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” I pray that you find the peace and the rest that I have been able to find in my Lord Jesus. When you are surrounded by His love you have no choice but to surrender all.  Amen

 

 

    

 

Word of encouragement for those of you that are in the trenches.

     There are days and then there are days! Chaos running rampant all around us, sometimes it just feels like I should have no hope.  And I will be completely honest there are days when I feel hopeless even for just a minute and get overwhelmed with the every day stuff that wants to knock me off track like a drive by shooting.  Bang! "Take that!" my enemies scream and maybe they shake me for just a second but then I remember Whose I am and I get up and yell  "Bang! Get under my feet where you belong!" Then the praising starts and the Lord will remind me of all the good things He is doing behind the scenes if I will just rest in Him.
     My Father in Heaven sneaks in several miracles in my midst that I wasn't even praying for and I sing and dance and praise Him for His ever present concern for me and my life and the little things. 

I love this word the Lord gave me this morning.

1 Thessalonians 5 (NIV)

The Day of the Lord

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, ² for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵ You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶ So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Final Instructions

¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. ¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt ²¹ but test them all; hold on to what is good, ²² reject every kind of evil.

²³ May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

 

 

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us. ²⁶ Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. ²⁷ I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all my brothers and sisters.

Finishing the Race

     The other day I stopped by to visit with a dear old friend, we spent a couple of hours just talking about old times, how things have changed and what has happened to our loved ones the last twenty years.  There were so many things I wanted to ask him and tell him.  I couldn't bring myself to ask the things that have weighed heavy on my mind about church splits, rumors I had heard, why he made this decision and that one. I wanted to pick his brain, I wanted to know so many things.
He was tired and still plugging along.  This man was so much a part of my past, training me up to be the mature Christian I eventually became, I can still hear his voice repeating sound good advice in my head when the occasion arose that I needed to hear it again.  I love this man and his family.
    I cried on my way home from the visit. I asked the Lord, "please explain to me what has happened and what is happening with this man I love so dearly like a father".

My mind began to flash back to scriptures about running the race of faith.

Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

This man will finish the race, he has touched so many lives and the Lord began to show me the other side of the rumors, he has been betrayed and hurt by those he loved. He has not been understood and has had very few people he could trust and those he trusted betrayed him instead of coming along side of him and giving him a hand up. In the end God will say," Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!"

Its not about winning the race, its about the journey of the race, those of us that have been fighting for a long time might be the last to come in to the winners circle and we may be dragging our feet and out of breathe but we will make it.  Those of us dragging are dragging the heavy load of our fellow brothers and sisters also. 

So why is it that we feel we have to go and tell people what they are doing wrong? Why do we feel that we are better than them and know what they should or shouldn't be doing.  We should be coming along side of them and praying for them and speaking all good things for them so our Heavenly Father will hear and lift them up to a place that they can stand on their own feet once again. 

Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 
I don't want to be the one who cut in and kept someone from obeying the truth.  Do you?

Pillars of the Temple

Pillars of the temple

2 Chronicles 3:17  He erected the pillars in the front of the temple, one to the south and one to the north. The one to the south he named Jakin and the one to the north Boaz.

Revelation 3:12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.

 

     "Its time for my people to stand up and take their rightful place standing before the Throne calling Me Father." Your shepherds and your intercessors are worn out praying for you.  Time to take up the fight and hold their hands up. "

 

As the church we have been spectators sitting back like watching a TV show on Sunday mornings, leaving the service saying that was a good sermon or I didn't feel it.  We have idolized the leaders of TV ministries or in our own pulpit crying out to our shepherds, help me, fix me, pray for me, feed me, me, me, me, me. 

 

I declare all who read this today that you will take your place and help others, fix others, pray for others, feed others, the lost, the hungry, the broken, the abused, the orphans, the widows, the prostitute, the homeless, the little children. 

"Lord, I pray today that all those reading this their eyes will be opened to the truth of their calling in You and their ears will be opened to hear Your voice and they will understand who they are in You. " In Jesus precious Name

 

I realize this will probably not get a lot of "shares" or comments but I don't write things for attention, I write that you might seek the Father a little deeper or for the first time if you never had before.

God bless you all today and forever.

9-11

  

Annual Tribute in Light tested in New York's Lower Manhattan as a man takes a picture at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, September 9, 2013.

 

  Today is a day of remembering the horrific tragedy that our country suffered. Everyone is asking "where were you when the towers fell?"  Anyone that was at any age of understanding can recall exactly where they were and the emotions they felt. Feelings of total shock, vulnerability, fear, anxiety, even panic were running high on our emotions meter.
     I was working in a call center for an unemployment office and many people called in with questions on their claims just to turn the conversation into "Did you hear what happen?" and everyone wanted to be consoled and know they were not alone in the things they were feeling.  I remember some of the people in the office were terrified and thinking the world was going to end. I did my best to show my faith and my hope in the Lord and I was reminded by my Heavenly Father that there is nothing in this world that happens that can affect who I am in Him.  Physical circumstances do not dictate my destiny.  Only God alone determines my destiny and no matter how dire the situation surrounding me, God is with me and has equipped me with all the weapons and tools that I need to overcome anything.  Even if the body is destroyed, I will live on in eternity worshiping at the foot of the Throne with everyone that has gone before me.  There is a peace and a calmness that comes over me in the midst of tragedy that can only come from my Father who loves me more than anything or anyone could on this earth.  That doesn't mean I don't feel the emotions, but I have learned to not dwell on them, they are meaningless and change constantly and cannot be relied on as a source of truth in my life. 
     I challenge you today to not look at the past through your emotions and seek to find the miracles that came out of the rubbish and the terror.  So many stories of heroic people, God miraculously rescuing people, a renewed pride in being an American, and most of all people coming together to protect and help their fellow man. 

1 Corinthians 16:13  Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

 

1 Peter 5:9  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

 

Psalms 56:11 In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?

 

^{Go out and be a blessing to someone today.}

 

 

 

Faith versus Hope

     I was sitting here thinking about the many things have happened in my life in the spiritual realm and I began to thank the Lord for the blessings in my life.  I was pondering what exactly having faith means.
     Many of us mistaken hope for faith and are sorely disappointed, always on a roller coaster of highs and lows because some things we hope for don't materialize in our walk with the Lord and we blame ourselves and say we didn't have enough faith and then we try to muster something up out of thin air to create more faith.  Then we think ourselves as less than those around us that seemingly appear to have super faith in their lives.
The definition of hope from the dictionary is: to cherish a desire with anticipation, to desire with expectation of obtainment, to expect with confidence.  Hope is the state which promotes the belief in good outcomes related to events and circumstances in one's life. Hope is the "feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best" or the act of "looking forward to something with desire and reasonable confidence" or "feeling that something desired may happen.

Don't get me wrong we need to have hope. 

2 Corinthians 1:20 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us

 

Hope keeps us going, hope gives us a desire to continue in our walk, hope gives us a reason to move forward day by day following Jesus expecting great things with confidence.  But the difference of hope versus faith is Faith is a concrete belief that our feet rest on and it keeps us balanced, hope is an action we take to help us move forward day by day.

Hebrews 11:1-2  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

When we really enter in to a relationship with the Lord and faith develops in us, we truly understand that we are not only hoping things will work out the way we wish they would, we are completely putting our trust in the Lord that no matter what happens, even when it goes against what we have been praying for that we trust him completely that He is the creator of all the world, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end and He is in full control.

Romans10: 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith is a tangible supernatural manifestation of our intimate relationship with our Father in Heaven.  The more we get to know Him through His Word the closer we get to Him and the greater our Faith. He is the Creator of all things and we trust Him for every aspect of our lives.    

Loving the Lost

     I have been increasingly becoming more sensitive to my Father's heart for the lost.  In that I mean I have begun to see people with new eyes.  I feel their pain as if it were my own and I know the Lord is preparing me for something different. 
     Do we really understand how Father feels about His people?  All of His people which includes every person on the face of this vast world with no reference to race, color, creed or religion. As "Christians" we have taken Biblical truths to beat people up and have shown intolerance for anyone different than us.  The church has certainly missed the boat in that aspect.  Not judging just making a statement.  It's time we get back to the truth and start loving one another.
     I have always been interested in the Justice system, and now with the wonders of television I can watch criminal trials and I am always amazed at the twisted way we can turn the law into what ever we want it to be.  The church for the last 100 years has done that very thing.  We have taken a gospel of good news and love and turned it into rules and condemnation for those that don't follow "our" rules.  We need to get back to the basic simple spiritual laws that God has set before us and stop trying to twist them into something to suit our own selfish needs. 
     My Father has recently opened up my little world, in this little bubble of Reno Nevada to seeing that not every one lives like us. As I grumble about having to sweep all the dirt in my house daily (and there is a lot :)  ) the thought came to me that I could have a dirt floor like many other people live.  I sometimes complain about my transportation and I have come to realize there are people serving God with everything they have in other countries that have to walk miles just to get to their church or to help others and they do this unselfishly and without complaining. We are so spoiled here, so very spoiled. We voice our opinions loudly everyday about the politics of things going on this country and yet we forget to thank God that we still have our freedom to express our opinions and we forget to shut up long enough to actually look around and find someone, a real person, right in our path that we can help. 
     There are so many needs right here right now, right in our faces that we can be fulfilling for people and showing the love of God instead of pointing fingers. 
      I became aware of one particular group of kids that I had never heard about. They don't tell you this stuff on the news.  Once a child becomes 18 and they are in a foster home the foster parents stop receiving funds for the child so they get thrown out to live on the streets.  I was devastated to learn this takes place everyday right here in our community. These children need love and need to know someone cares about them.
     So I challenge you for the next week, step outside of yourself and look around to see what you can do for someone.  It can be as simple as holding the door for an elderly person at the store, letting the guy wash your windows and instead of giving him change, give him a twenty, it won't kill you.  Take the time to smile and start conversations with those in the grocery line, just be pleasant and nice.  Slow down, stop complaining, start thanking the Lord for all the blessings you do have and love on someone and show them who Jesus really is.
    

Jump in with both feet!

    I woke up this morning filled with new life and a renewing of my spirit singing praises to my Father in Heaven and excited that I am chosen to participate in the greatest times of the history of the earth.  There is no question that according to prophets and apostles, church leaders, lay people and everyone else that we are in the last days.  I say Come on latter rain! Let's move forward and come into the place that we were all called to be. 

     It's time to mature and move forward in your own life.  One time I had a revelation about the Holy Spirit and He is the living water flowing all over the earth in streams and rivers giving life to everyone that dare step into the water.  You have several choices, you can stand on the bank and watch it flow by, you can step into it about ankle deep and complain about it being murky or you can jump into the middle where the current will carry you where the Lord wants you to be in your life. 

     Once you are in the mainstream stay there with your praises and your worship to the Almighty Father in Heaven that loves you so much He would let His son die in your place.  If you start to float off into your own thing, you will find yourself caught up in the stagnant puddles left over from past experiences with the Lord, there is no life there, you have to keep in the current. 

     When raging flash floods come don't end up as debris on the banks broken and destroyed, reach out and hang onto the Father's hand as you ride it out and you will come out stronger and more blessed than you will ever know. 

     I challenge you today to move forward into your calling even if its just one tiny step, each step will bring you closer to peace and prosperity.  Start by meditating on this scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to give you revelation of what He has for you today.

 

Ephesians 4:1-16 (NIV) As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) ¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Be blessed!

Grace

     I was driving the other day and contemplating what exactly God's grace means. The actual dictionary meaning is this:

1a : unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification

b : a virtue coming from God

c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace

2a : approval, favor <stayed in his good graces>

b archaic : mercy, pardon c : a special favor : privilege <each in his place, by right, not grace, shall rule his heritage — Rudyard Kipling> d : disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency e : a temporary exemption : reprieve

     A lot there to try and comprehend but the revelation that God gave me was that of being in the womb.  Covered in complete protection, connected through the umbilical cord directly to Him who provides every need we have.  We don't need to eat, drink or even breathe, He is our complete source of life.  If we continue to stay connected through prayer, praise, worship and declaration of who He is we will never want for anything.  We will be submersed and protected by the fluid waves of the Holy Spirit and all of the stimulation of the outside world will be filtered through the warmth of the Lord's comfort and glory.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
2 Corinthians 1:12
For our proud confidence is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.

 

What's in your gas tank?

This morning as I was getting ready for church the thought came to me that my life is the vehicle that will take me from birth to eternal life.  What I put into it will determine the quality of the ride and force of impact I have on people around me.

My first car was a Pontiac GTO, yes, really, my Dad and I have always had an extreme love and respect for automobiles. 

If I fill my gas tank with fear, apprehension, guilt, shame, greed or unforgiveness, my vehicle is going to sputter and it will crank hard and be slow going on this long journey.

So I choose to fill my tank with unconditional love for others and faith which will make the vehicle purr and run smoothly.

If I really want to have the utmost ride in this life I will also fill it with God's glory, sending me into supercharged speed moving forward like the "Fast and Furious".

What's in your tank?

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Dancing in Praise

This morning I woke up singing "and Your praise goes on" by Chris Rice.

     I have come to realize as Christians we spout off scriptures but the words have not really affected us.  I was thinking back over the years of dedicating my life to Jesus and I have come to realize I finally get it.  It isn't any longer a philosophy its a relationship.  So when I say "(Philippians 4:10-13) But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me", I mean it.
    I have lived it and I have felt with all the pain of having nothing, being homeless and abandoned and losing everything including the betrayal of those I love, I can stand before you and say this is the living word of God and it dwells deeply within me and I can be content no matter what is going on in my life.  I have learned to forgive as He has forgiven me. I have learned to love and show love no matter how people treat me, I shake the dirt off my shoes and move on because God loves those people who hurt me as much as He loves me.  I have died to my emotions and they don't rule me anymore, my Papa God has got this, I am content and I can dance and praise His Name without embarrassment because I don't put importance on what "man" thinks of me.  I don't write this full of pride but humility, it has been a long hard lesson and I have the scars to show the battle.  If I could hug everyone of you and transfer this revelation and relationship into your very souls I would.  So be encouraged today, God loves you, its not a meaningless saying.  He loves you so much He sacrificed His son so you could have life and contentment.  Think about it.  Selah

Hi Dad

Hi Dad,
I came to visit today.  I know, I know, you aren't really there.  But it helps me to be in the last place I saw you.  I just wanted to tell you I love you.  I know we didn't always have the perfect father daughter relationship due to my stubbornness (that I got from you by the way) and both of our frailties and weaknesses.  But I wanted to say thank you for the little ways you showed me you loved me.
Here are some of the memories precious to me:

• The way you polished my school shoes and left them by the front door for me everyday when you worked the graveyard shift, and you would set your alarm to wake up so I could come home for lunch. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup still my favorite comfort food!

Thank you for showing me its important to take the time to do the little things for those you love.

• You used to let me comb and put curlers in your jet black wavy hair when I was little and paint your fingernails.  You went to work with red fingernails at the Washoe County Sheriff's Dept. one day because we didn't have polish remover.  Sorry :)  I am sure you got harassed by the fellow officers.

Thank you for allowing me to be me.

• I followed you around the yard with my tool belt hammering things with you, you were always building, creating, or fixing something.  I learned so much from your demeanor in dealing with me. 

Thank you teaching me to think I can do anything.

• I learned my love of cars and motorcycles from you.  Remember the VW van camper you bought?  We never went camping in it because you sold it. I always assumed it was because you thought it gave me bad memories.  You had just bought it and you were so excited and we were outside checking it out and my cat got run over by a hit and run on the street.  Remember how you shuffled me into the house so I wouldn't see and you grabbed my cat and took her to the vet?  Remember how you can home and pulled me on your lap and told me the cat didn't make it and you held me and let me cry? 

Thank you for teaching me compassion.

• Remember how you used to holler at me to stay away from your full dressed Harley because I was so curious and it was SO big it could crush me if it fell over?

Thank you for making me feel safe and protected.

Ok, ok I have to stop with the memories I am crying my eyes out as usual. 

Just wanted to say I love you Dad and I will see you soon.  Tell my brother I love him, give my grandma Velma a big hug, say Hi and I send my love to all my aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents that have all gone before me.  Oh and don't forget to tell Jesus and my other Dad (God) I am sooooo glad I met them and can't wait to finish my assignment here on earth so I can sit at their feet in the throne room and worship Them. 

Love you Dad, see you soon.

Train Revelation

     Today while I was traveling back and forth to there and back to here, my busyness was interrupted by a train.  As I sat there irritated that I couldn't get to where I needed to be right now I started to feel the calm of the Holy Spirit wash over me with a still small voice, "take notice of the things around you".  I began looking at the graffiti on the freight cars as they went by.  Each one decorated with words unfamiliar, no doubt gang related but the colors were beautiful and the letters and drawings were done by extremely talented people.  My mind began to wander and I began to wonder about the hands that painted the graffiti, where did it originate, could be anywhere in the country.  Most probably young men seeking to belong and being trapped into a false sense of security within the only family unit they know.  Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light but he deceives us and he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
      Yes I agree graffiti is a nuisance to who ever owns the property and its destructive, I know all that but some times we need to look past the offense to see the person's hurting heart crying out for love and acceptance, not condemnation. 
     If you haven't figured out I am not just talking about graffiti, I am talking about mankind in general.  Every single person on the face of this earth has the same right to be loved as anyone else.  You have to look past whatever irritates you, could be tattoos, lifestyle, the walls they may put up, purple hair, piercings, occupations, race, religion, too fat, too thin, did I forget anything?  Jesus died on the cross for their lives just like he died on the cross for us. 

We are no better than anyone else on the face of this earth

Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

 

and we are no less than anyone else either

 

Romans 8:17

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

 

So the next time you see someone look past your own issues and see their need and love them.  Sometimes we don't want to because of our own issues but we don't belong to ourselves any longer.  We belong to Christ and there is no place for disobeying the most important commandment given to us.

John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Period. 

 

 

Words: the power of life and death

I haven't blogged for awhile.  I have been busy with everyday life and all that entails.  A situation came up that has been weighing heavy on my mind lately and I thought I would share it and see what people think.

I heard a conversation between two people I know.  The two talking did not know that I had heard the conversation.  It was not a good conversation and when I heard it my heart hurt for both the talkers and the talkee they were talking about.  I wanted to cry.  The words they spoke were not serious just gossip but I realized at that point just how deadly gossip is.  The person they were talking about will never know the conversation took place but the words went out and created hurt to me for hearing them. 

Proverbs 11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
Proverbs 16:28 A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

The Lord brought a quickening to my spirit, how many times have we just randomly spoke things out into the atmosphere that cause hurt to those who hear them. 

James 3:9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Just sayin'