Giving Thanks in the Season of Thanksgiving



What are you thankful for?

Too often we allow the rush of the holiday season to take our minds off of what is truly important. We're thinking about the turkey and the stuffing, the desserts and the table setting, but is that what Thanksgiving is? Rushing around the kitchen, getting angry about nobody helping to prepare a meal that takes five hours to complete and ten minutes to eat?

All year long we have things that we have to do. Between work, taking care of kids, helping with homework, cleaning the house, washing that pile of laundry that seems like when it's almost gone, it magically reappears, and on and on and on. But how often do you stop and look around you? How often do you thank God for that job you get up every morning to go to, for those little pattering feet you hear running around the house, the ability to help with homework, for the home that you live in, and yes, even for those clothes it seems you're always washing? These are things that are taken for granted sometimes, and yet when a day comes that is set aside to remember these things, we let it pass us because we allow the worry that dinner needs to be perfect override the chance for us to enjoy what we've been blessed with.

Recently, I heard from a friend of mine and her dad just passed away. He wasn't an old man, but middle aged, in his prime. He was about my own dad's age. And it made me think. Life is a journey, but in the whole scheme of time, a person's years are not very long. So often we live day after day as we did the day before. We do the same things, go about with the same attitudes, see the same people. But are we making the most of it? Are we showing those around us how much they mean to us? Are we showing those special people in our lives how much we love them even when they do that little thing that always irritates us, like leaving their socks on the floor? We let little things get on our nerves, but these are the things we would miss the most if one day we woke up and they were all gone.

Thanksgiving is not about the perfect dinner, or even making the perfect day. It's about being around the ones you love the most, and having a full day to enjoy them, to show them, "I'm thankful for you".

This is my nineteenth thanksgiving, and I love spending the day with my parents. My dad doesn't have to get up at 4 in the morning to spend all day at work. We get to spend time with him and enjoy having him around for the day. I get to learn my mom's secrets for making a great meal and it's just a gloriously peaceful day. But, you know something? I can hardly wait until I have a family of my own and I get to hear my dad, father-in-law, and husband rooting on their favorite team, our kids running through the house and playing, and cooking a Thanksgiving dinner with my mom, mother-in-law, and my own little girl. I want to have a huge family dinner, so we can all sit around the dining room table, have great conversation, and learn all over again why we're thankful for each other.

This Thanksgiving season, I challenge you to slow down and take in your blessings. Enjoy your kids, show your spouse how much they mean to you and how thankful you are to have them in your lives, tell your parents you love them and you appreciate all they've done for you over the years. And most of all, thank God. Thank Him for life, for love, for everything.

God bless, everyone, and have a great Thanksgiving. 

The Blessing and The Blood (Part One)

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; 1 Peter 1:18-19

It's a sorrowful thing to dismiss the power in the blood of Jesus because of ignorance. As a Believer, you can't. The blood is one of the most important things to know about in our relationship with Jesus, because without it, none of the promises in God's Word would be ours. That's why in this post I want to give you some information to bring you into the light on this subject.

From the above verse, we know the blood of Jesus is precious. It's something to be treasured. Why? Because there is never going to be anything else like it. Jesus' blood will not be shed again, and it will not be reproduced in this earth. It was shed once, and that one time was enough to cover all the sins we'd ever commit and bring into the Believer's possession all the promises of God. We need to prize the blood of Jesus and what it's accomplished for us.

The blood of Jesus has redeemed us, or freed us, from sin. (Ephesians 1:7) In the Old Covenant, a high priest would enter in to the Holy of Holies to offer the atoning sacrifice for his own sins as well as for the Israelites once ever year. The atoning blood of these sacrifices only covered the people's sins, which was why the ritual had to be repeated annually. There was always a reminder of their iniquities hanging over their heads. The annual sacrifice. But Jesus, a Lamb without blemish and without spot, being our High Priest, offered up Himself as our sacrifice into the Holy of Holies of heaven, once on the cross to redeem us eternally. Let me explain it this way. Whereas the Israelites had a reminder of their sins, the blood of Jesus has completely washed away our sin. It's no longer there. As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

1John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The Israelites had to have an annual sacrifice to receive forgiveness and cleansing. Jesus only had to shed his blood once and we have an everlasting flow of cleansing blood washing us free of all iniquity. Now don't mistake me and think that gives you a free right to sin. No! It doesn't! We are to desire to be pleasing to our Father in heaven who has loved us so much that He's provided a way for us to be forgiven and freed from sin and cleansed of all unrighteousness so we could come before Him boldly without any sense of guilt, shame, or inferiority. Because of the blood of Jesus we can stand in Almighty God's presence and ask for whatever we may need and know that he has heard us and is willing to give to us what we've requested because we're clean in His sight. That is nothing to think lightly of. Jesus' blood differs completely from that of goats and bulls, for His blood that was shed was not atoning blood but remitting blood, and purges our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:12 AMP) It's not giving us a right to sin, but is giving us a right to live on this earth in the presence of God the Father. This is only one thing the blood accomplished. There's so much more!

-We've been purchased by the blood of Jesus. (Acts 20:28) In Genesis, when Adam committed high treason against God by bowing his knee to Satan and giving the devil the authority over the earth that God had given him, man's nature, which was that of God's very own,  was changed to the nature of Satan. But when Jesus shed His blood, he purchased us back to God. When we are born again, our nature is changed and we are born of God.

-We've been cleansed by the blood, as I've stated already, and are no longer stained by sin. (Revelation 1:5)

-We've been emboldened by the blood to come before God's throne of grace ( Hebrews 10:19)

-We've been reconciled unto God by the blood of Jesus. (Ephesians 2:13) We have fellowship with Him.

-We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11) Satan has been defeated by the blood of Jesus. And when he attacks us with trials and our minds with doubt, we can throw his defeat in his face by testifying what the blood of Jesus has accomplished on our behalf. Our sure and already gotten victory.

-We've been justified by the blood of Jesus. (Romans 5:9 AMP) Which means we've been brought into right relationship with God. And lastly, but certainly not least,

-We have peace by the blood of Jesus. (Colossians 1:20)

These are just a few major points about what the blood of Jesus has accomplished for us. I encourage you to go through the Word of God and study these scriptures and find out even more. I'd love to hear what the Lord shares with you. Check back often, because next time I'm going to post on one of my favorite topics about what the blood has given to Believers. The Blessing.

David: A Champion of God (A Man of Victory-Part 3)

And he took his staff in hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:40

A while back, I began a short series about David. He was just a boy going to take his brothers some substance from home while they were on the battlefield and he ended up participating in the battle. Goliath, a giant and an enemy of Israel, came out by day and night, taunting the Israelites, trying to persuade one of them to duel with him, and David was the only one courageous enough and with enough faith in God to take Goliath up on his offer. The outcome of their duel would determine the fate of the Israelites.

Now from the above passage, we see that David didn't go to Goliath with the usual tools of warfare. He went with some rocks, a staff, and a sling. Then he went up to that Philistine as if he were the most confident man in the world; in a way, he was. The Bible says in verse 42 of the 17th chapter of Samuel, that when Goliath saw David, he disdained him. And in verse 43 it states that Goliath cursed David by his gods.

Verse 44-"And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field."

Now imagine yourself standing in front of a man heads taller than you, older than you, more experienced than you with that sword in his hand, bedecked in armor, angry and cursing you by his gods, and finally stating, very convincingly I might add, that when you go over by him, he's going to give your flesh to the birds and the animals to eat. Would you be shaking in your boots? Most men would probably hear what Goliath had to say, look down at that little sling in their hand, drop it, and run for their lives. But Goliath didn't scare David one bit. If anything, he made him mad. Remember, David knew he had a covenant with the God of Israel and he had faith that God was with him.

David says, verses 45-47-"Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands."

I want you to see what David's doing here. He's talking right back at his enemy, and he's confessing the outcome of their duel. David is confessing his victory. As Believers, we have an enemy, his name is Satan, and like David, we have every right to talk right back at that devil and confess the outcome of whatever situation we may be facing. Instead of allowing him to put those thoughts of doubt and unbelief and fear in our minds, we can say, The Word of God says in 2 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 that God always causes me to triumph. Now it may look bad, but I win. I confess my victory. The Lord will deliver me! Because He's said so.

Jesus said in Mark 11:23 that we can have what we say.  (Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea: and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.) There's more to it though, than just speaking what you hope will come to pass. See, you have to believe it in your heart that it's already so. That's what faith is. Faith is now, not hoping sometime in the future it will be. Faith says when you're feeling sick, By Jesus' stripes I was healed, and if I was healed, I am healed right now even if it doesn't look like it. Faith doesn't go by what your physical eyes see, but by the eye of faith. We have to learn to see with our eyes of faith. When David was looking at Goliath, he was looking through his eye of faith. He knew that he knew that he knew that God was going to deliver him. But how do we get that way? How do we see through our eye of faith instead of by what our physical eyes are showing us? It's as simple as this. We allow the Word of God to put an image in our hearts.

 Don't stop reading now and think I'm crazy, because I'm not. This is one of the things that makes your faith work.



"Well, if I confess it enough, it's supposed to work," one might say. But that's not necessarily true. If you're not believing what your confessing, you're not going to be speaking those words in faith. There will be doubt in your heart, and Jesus said that when we believe we have what we say we'll have it. Not if we just think we might have it, it will come to pass. Do you see the difference?

The moment you felt a pain in your body, doubt would come up in your heart and any faith you had would be gone. Your victory won't come with doubt.

The proper way of putting your faith to work would be to get that scripture your standing on, in this case it will be 2 Peter 2:24, sitting down with it, reading it over and over, thinking about it in your mind, By His stripes I was healed, and allowing that word to paint an image in your inner self of you being healed from whatever sickness you have. Then once that image is there, you speak it out and speak it out and speak it out until it's manifested. And it will be. God doesn't lie. His Word is truth. Jesus healed you when He took those stripes on His back and shed His blood. We just have to take it because that enemy of ours doesn't want us to have it. We have to take it by faith.

So getting back to David, he saw himself as a covenant man. When he stood before Goliath, he saw himself defeating that lion and bear all because of God and that image in his heart built his faith. He was fully persuaded that God was going to deliver Goliath into his hand. And when you're operating this working, living faith, fear won't be able to keep you back. The Bible says that after David spoke Goliath went to meet David in their duel and David hasted and ran toward that army of the Philistines to meet Goliath and he hadn't even gotten out his stone yet! David ran, pulled out a rock from his pack, put it in his sling, shot the stone, and it hit the giant right in the head! Like a bullet that rock was, sinking into Goliath's forehead, and Goliath fell face down. David had won.

In closing I want to say this. Know your covenant with God. Walk by faith in His Word. Allow that Word to put an image inside you. Confess your victory. And act on your faith. You will be a champion of God.

David: A Champion of God (A Man of Faith- Part Two)

And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:32

On my last post, I began the account of David and his legendary fight with the Philistine Goliath. We know that the armies of the Philistines and of Israel are head to head and Goliath is going out morning and night calling for a man brave enough to fight him. The victor of the duel will be the victor of the war. But the men of Israel were scared and none answered Goliath's call. Yet one day, a young man named David entered the battlefield to bring his brothers substance and this young man decided to stand against him. Why? Because he knew of the covenant he had with God.

I want to continue the tale in this post.

Because of the knowledge of his covenant with God, David had his mind made up that he was going to go fight that giant and he asked around for the prize should he be victorious. The answer was, ". . .the king will enrich him [the man who kills Goliath] with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel." Well, David's brother, Eliab, heard David speaking to these men and the Bible says "Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle." David answered, "What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"

I want to point something out here. We already know that David went there by his father's order, not to be a spy. This is just an example to what people will say when we make a statement of faith. David's faith was mistaken for arrogance. Do you see that? David was confident in God, and in what God would do for him, he wasn't arrogant. But Eliab didn't understand David's relationship with God and so he mistook David's faith for arrogance. That still happens today. When someone says that a certain thing is going to happen to them, for example, they're healed of a sickness that's been plaguing them because God loves them, He wants them to be healed, and Jesus bought and paid for it with the shedding of His blood, some will think that's arrogance because they don't understand it. But it's not. It's confidence in God and living by faith.

David's words and inquisition got to the king's ears eventually, and King Saul called David to speak with him. The young man told the king that he would fight Goliath. Now you must remember that David is young, like still a teenager, and a shepherd boy at that. He didn't have any traditional arm's training. Goliath was a man of war, and he was BIG. Saul said to David, "Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."

Listen to how David replies. Beginning at verse 34.

"Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philisitine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee."

We can get a few things from these passages.

First, the time David spent as a shepherd keeping his father's sheep was his training period. In this time, he grew close to God and learned how to trust Him. Though David didn't have any traditional combat training, God taught him how to defend himself against that bear and lion. If you don't remember, a few chapters back, David was anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next king of Israel. And if he was going to be king, he had to be trained. His shepherding was his training. I believe that we all have our own times of training. It may seem like not a whole lot is going on, but if we use these times in our lives to seek God and allow Him to mold us into what He wants, we'll be prepared for whatever it is He wants us to do and become.

Second, in David's training period, he learned that God was faithful to His covenant, which allowed him to be faith-full, or full of faith.

Lastly, David gave God the glory of victory before he even stepped on the battlefield to face Goliath. He said, The Lord delivered me out of the paw of the lion and the bear, and he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philsitine.

David wasn't arrogant or conceited. He was completely and utterly confident in his God's ability. He was full of faith! He understood that it wouldn't be by his own might or power that Goliath would be slain. He knew that he could only come out the victor by the hand of God. Search your own heart today. Have you been thinking it's by your own ability that you're successful? Allow me to say that it's only by the power and anointing of God that we amount to anything. Give the glory to God and allow others to see that you're living a blessed and victorious life because of Him and Jesus.  

David: A Champion of God (A Covenant Man- Part One)

And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 1 Samuel 17:33

Picture it. Two of the greatest armies standing face to face with only a valley separating them. The Philistine army against Israel. The Philistine's champion, Goliath, came out every morning and evening for forty days to challenge the men of Israel. His words in verses eight and nine of this same chapter are- " . . .Choose you a man for you, and let him come to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then we will be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us." The Philistines' strategy for battle was this: the victor of the war would be decided with one duel. Two men, one from each side, fight to the death and whoever wins, triumphs. Good plan, right? Especially when your champion is categorized as a giant and a great man of war. Needless to say, Saul, Israel's king, and the men of his army were scared. And for forty days the challenge went on.

David, a young man barely out of adolescence and a shepherd, was told by his father to go to the camp of Israel's army and bring his brothers, who were fighting in the war, some food. David, as the obedient son, did as he was told, and while he came to the army, Goliath issued the challenge again, as he did every day, twice a day. The men of Israel fled from the man and wouldn't fight him for fear. David saw this and said to the men beside him-"What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

Let me give you some background before we go further. In Genesis chapters 15-17, we read the account of God cutting a blood covenant with a man called Abraham. And the sign of this covenant between the two was the circumcising of every man child in Abraham's house. Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac was the father of Jacob, and Jacob, who was later renamed Israel by God, was the father of twelve men, who we now know as the twelve tribes of Israel, the very ones who were at war with the Philistines in this seventeenth chapter of First Samuel. Now a blood covenant is the strongest agreement that you can have and this covenant with Abraham that God enforced includes, according to Deuteronomy 28, victory over your enemies.

So you see, David was the only one in that entire camp who was thinking straight and wasn't allowing his fear to cloud his senses. With these words, he was saying to those listening, This man is uncircumcised. He doesn't have a covenant with God. It's not already promised to him that he would triumph over us. No! We have a covenant with God! It's been promised to us to triumph over him! Who does that Philistine think he is standing up and challenging an army of covenant men? (It's almost like David is insinuating, What a stupid man!) David knew and believed that part of his covenant with God was his enemies fleeing from before him seven ways. Apparently, since all the other Israelites were so afraid, David was the only one who really understood the covenant that nation had with God. Why? Most surely because of all his time spent shepherding his father's sheep and talking to the One Who made the covenant.

That's an important key. Unless we spend time with God, in prayer and in His Word, we won't understand what is available to us through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. Like David, we also have a covenant with Almighty God. Galatians 3 states that the Blessing of Abraham has come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. If you don't know what this blessing consists of, I urge you to take out your Bible and read Deuteronomy 28:1-14; these are the promises of the blessing. But we have an even greater covenant than David. Our covenant is established on great promises, and because of this covenant, everything God has belongs to the believer. It's our right, it's our inheritance as a born again child of God to live in victory. The next time something big comes up in your life, trying to take you down, be like David and remember the covenant you have with God. Go to the promises and stand strong on that covenant.   

Words that Inspire

I heard this on a CD from Jerry Savelle and it really stuck with me. Hopefully I quote it right.

The depth of our praise will determine the magnitude of our breakthrough.

~Jerry Savelle

Don't Let Go of Your Dreams!

Do you remember when you were a kid and you'd have like a hundred different things you wanted to be when you grew up? I bet most of them were pretty out there, right? Like a famous singer, or a pro baseball player, maybe even an astronaut. I know one of the things I wanted to be was a singer, even though I couldn't keep a note. But despite that, when my friends and I were together we would form a little group and sing on my front porch, pretending we were putting on a concert in front of a million people. That dream of mine was short-lived though because I lost interest in the entire thing and grew to liking nothing more than being lost in a good book. This is what my ultimate dream was born out of, to be a writer, until I realized it was my calling.

My imagination would run wild, and I had a little journal that I'd write these short stories in. I was certain that one day I would write a book and see it in a bookstore. That my name would be known. But as I grew older, this dream in me began to wane as I listened to the negativity of everyday life, people saying its ok to dream but make sure you have something else for when that doesn't happen. This can really burst a person's bubble. My family supported and encouraged me, always saying to reach big, but somewhere along the line, my dream got farther out of reach for me.

When I was thirteen, I started my first novel, mostly to give me something to do. It was going to be this ultra medieval fantasy thing. I started it, stopped it, restarted it again, then stopped it again. I could never get myself to write more than 100 pages. Then something major happened a year later in my life, a personal matter that I'd rather not share except to say that it scared me. I needed something more than myself to get me through, and this is when I completely gave my heart to God. When I did that, my writing became more than just something to do for myself, and to be entertaining. It became something in which I could move people with, and that I could minister the love of God with. It became all about Him, and finally my novel was actually completed. Now, nearly five years later, my dream is becoming a reality, all because I yielded to God and to the dream that He instilled into my heart when I was a little girl.

I say all of this for a reason. When we're young, it's as if nothing can hold us back. We dream big! But as the years pass by, something changes that in us, and I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way. God wants us to dream big, and He wants us to see those dreams become a reality in our lives. Habakkuk 2:2-3 states in the Amplified Bible, 'And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by. For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.'

God has something for you to do, He has a vision He wants to write on your heart, and all you have to do to is ask Him. Maybe He's already given you a vision, but people are telling you its impossible, you're not qualified, or even that it's ridiculous. Don't listen to people. Listen to God.

It reminds me of the story of Blind Bartimeus in Mark 10:46-52. Jesus went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people followed them. Blind Bartimeus was sitting by the highwayside, and he was begging. He was poor. When he heard that Jesus was walking past him, he cried out to Him and said Jesus! Thou son of David! Have mercy on me! But many people charged and reproved him, telling him to hold his peace. Really, telling him to stop trying to bother Jesus. But the Bible says that Bartimeus cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me! Bartimeus wasn't going to listen to these people telling him to shut up. He was blind, and he was poor, and he knew that the man that could change all of it was walking by him. He was determined to get Jesus' attention, no matter who told him to stop.

This is how we need to be. When God has put something on our hearts, we need to go after it. We need to have faith that what God promises, he's able to perform and not give ear to any negativity that people may be saying to us.

Today I encourage you to step out. I encourage you to think big and dream big, then go after it. You might have a dream in your heart that's been there since you were a kid and never went away. If you believe God has called you to do this, then try it. If it's God then He will give you the ability to do it. He did for me. English was my worst subject in school, and now look. I write novels. God is Almighty and nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible to Him, and if you serve Him, nothing is impossible to you either.

Mark 9:23- . . .If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Words that Inspire

We trust, sir, that God is on our side. It is more important to know that we are on God's side.

~ Abraham Lincoln

famousquotesandauthors.com

Words that Inspire

Perfect love will never want the preeminence in everything, it will never want to take the place of another, it will always be willing to take the back seat.

~Smith Wigglesworth 

Words that Inspire

The difference between a smart man and a wise man is that a smart man knows what to say; a wise man knows whether or not to say it.

~Frank M. Garafola

Be a Conqueror in the Midst of Battle

In Acts chapter three, a lame man at the gate called Beautiful received his healing. Peter and John had stood before him and Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. He took the lame man's hand, pulled him up, and the man's ankle bones were made strong. Peter told all who witnessed the miracle that it wasn't because he was an apostle that that man was healed,  but by Jesus' name through faith in His name. The priests and Sadducees, scribes and elders were grieved that the men taught about Jesus and preached in His name, so they threw Peter and John into prison for a night. (I assume to scare them into not mentioning the Name of Jesus again to the people. But of course, that didn't work.)

The next day, they threatened Peter and John, told them not to speak to the people about Jesus, and let them go. The apostles went to their own company and told them what the chiefs and elders had said. They decided to pray. Firstly, I'd like you to notice what they did in this time of trial. They didn't sit around wondering what should be done, they didn't start whining about how they're always being picked on because they're Christians. No. They get together and they pray. This is what should be done in the midst of a trial. We should come before God and seek His wisdom on what should be done about the situation. At times, this is hard. Sometimes you just want to go to somebody and tell them who did you wrong so they can make you feel better. I've been criminal to that as well. But that doesn't mean it's the right thing for a Christian to do. We need to seek God first.

Now secondly, I want you to notice how they pray. They say in Acts 4:29-And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word. These people did not ask God to take the bad situation away from them. They said, You see it Lord, but . . .What they asked was for the Lord to give them the power or ability to overcome the situation and go through it for His glory. When they prayed, the Holy Spirit shook they place where they stood, filled them and gave them exactly what they asked for. The ability to speak the Word of God boldly.

When I read this, I think of the 23rd Psalm. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me." Jesus never said we wouldn't have tribulation. But He did say to be of good cheer, for He's overcome. We need to stop wasting our time pleading to God to take away our bad situations and start praying in faith, believing that He will give us the power and ability to get through it. And not just to get through it, but to overcome it, for His glory. My friends, the Body of Christ is a people born from God to overcome. We weren't made to be trampled upon by Satan and what he tries to put on us. We were made to triumph.

People say Christians are weak. Well, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Christian people who walk by faith are the strongest people there are. We have the Spirit of the living God on the inside of us. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. The same Spirit that gave the apostles of the early church the boldness to defy the ones who were against them and serve their God with gladness even when things weren't going so pretty.

Children of God are not wimps. We are soldiers in the army of Almighty God and we win. The Word of God states that He always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus. We should always win every battle the devil throws at us. When Jesus said love those who hate you and be good to those who persecute you, He wasn't saying be a weak little thing. He was saying when you walk in the love of God and choose that love over meanness, you're showing strength. Anyone can go off on someone when they're angry. But when you can choose to stay in the love of God, that shows discipline.

My fellow soldiers, we are stronger than the world because of Jesus. Step into your role today and decide that you're going through your battles, not trying to find a way out. Stand in faith, stand in the full armor of God. Refuse to quit. And even if it looks like nothing is happening and you've done all you know, continue to stand. Pray the prayer of faith. Pray what the apostles prayed. Ask God for the ability and receive the power the Spirit wants to give you. Be a conqueror.   

Words that Inspire

In order to be in the perfect position to receive from God, we have to put ourselves in the position of thanksgiving and praise.

~Me

Words that Inspire

God's canopy is over you and will cover you at all times, preserving you from evil.

~Smith Wigglesworth

Words that Inspire

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear~~not absence of fear.

-Mark Twain

Quote found on christianquotes.org

Launching Out

As you read these scriptures, I want you to use your imagination. I want you to envision what's going on. When you're finished, close your eyes, and see what's happening.

Luke chapter 5 verses 1-9.

And it came to pass that, as people, pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

Can you picture this scene in your mind? Here is Jesus standing by the lake, and a multitude of people is crowding him. He sees the two ships empty with the fishermen cleaning their nets, and no catch in sight. I can picture Jesus standing there and thinking, (if it was in modern tongue) This is a great chance for me to kill two birds with one stone. Don't understand what I mean? I'm about to show you. He enters into Simon's ship, who is later known as Peter. Jesus asks Simon to go out a little bit from the land, He sits down and begins his teaching. Now every time I read this passage I thought, Well, He's just asked him that so all the people could see and hear Him. But the Lord shared with me a while back something awesome. You see, Jesus was setting Simon and the people up; He was creating an atmosphere for a miracle to take place and an avenue for Simon to prove the words He was about to teach. The passage says He sat down, taught the people, and when He was finished speaking said to Simon, Launch out to the deep. In my own thoughts, I can hear Him say, prove that what I just taught is true.

Now I don't know what Jesus taught that day, but from His words to Simon, I believe He spoke about the Blessing (see Deuteronomy 28) and the provision of God, to expect prosperity under the Covenant that they had with God. I can picture Jesus teaching these people to expect great things from God, to expect great provision. And, when He's finished, rising and turning to Simon says, Now, since you're already a little way out from the land, why don't you just go out to the deep, let down all the nets you have, and expect this word that I have spoken to come to pass in your life. Prove what I say.

But then here's Simon, looking at Jesus like He's crazy.  He's probably thinking, Why is this carpenter telling me to go fish? I'm a fishermen by trade, I know there aren't any fish out there. I mean, come on! We've been out there all night and didn't catch anything! He says as much to Jesus, doesn't he? Then he says, nevertheless, (probably thinking, Even though I know I'm not going to catch any fish,) I'll let down the net at your word.

Notice this. Jesus said nets, plural. Simon says net, one. From that one word you can see that Simon is operating in unbelief. But they half obey, go out to the deep, and guess what? They catch so many fish in that one net, that it breaks and they have to call the other ship over to help them haul in their catch which is so much that their boats begin to sink. Can't you see Jesus just standing there watching them, smiling with a patient little smile? I can.

After this happens, Simon finally sees his error. He sees that he was operating in unbelief, he did not believe one word Jesus was talking about, he didn't put it into action in his life, and he didn't obey what the Lord told him to do. So what does Simon do? He falls down at Jesus knees and cries, Depart from me! I'm a sinful man, O Lord! (He's really saying, I'm not worthy to stand in your presence.) Why? Because of his unbelief. What does the Word say? It says without faith it is impossible to please God. But I'm getting off topic.

I want you to notice something. In verse five it says And Simon answering. . . But then in verse eight, When Simon Peter saw it. . . See in verse five this was Simon the fishermen, but in verse eight he became Peter the disciple of Jesus. Simon had revelation that he was operating in unbelief. Do you remember in Matthew 16:15-18? Jesus asks the disciples who do they say He is. And Simon Peter answers, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. He had revelation that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. What does Jesus say? He says Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

When I read these passages, I see them as Jesus telling me, Hold Me to My Word. When I read verse 4- Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught, I hear Jesus saying to me, Step out into the unknown. Prove my words, and use what I have given you, the gifts and talents, expecting a great return. We are to expect. We are to trust this Word that He's given us. We're to operate in faith and trust. When you're trusting the Word, you're expecting it to come to pass in your life. When you're expecting something to come to pass from the Word, you're trusting in the Word. The two words are interchangeable. When I'm expecting, I'm trusting. When I'm trusting, I'm expecting.
Hold God to His Word. It's His bond and He has all the power to perform it. We just have to trust, believe, expect, operate in faith, and operate in love. God says He hastens His word to perform it. In one translation it reads watches over His Word. To me, its like He's on watch for people mixing His word with their faith so He can get to work in performing it and bringing it to pass in their lives. Expect from God. Expect good things, because that's what He has in store for His children. Expect to see the promises of God come to fruition in your life and great things will happen.

Taken from my original blog, Into the Deep

Words that Inspire

There is something about believing God that will cause Him to pass over a million people to get to you.

-Smith Wigglesworth

Words that Inspire

"Where Love is, God is."

-Henry Drummond

Quote found at christianquotes.org



Words that Inspire

The potency of prayer hath subdued the strength of fire; it hath bridled the rage of lions, hushed anarchy to rest, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, expanded the gates of heaven, assuaged diseases, repelled frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. Prayer is an all-efficient panoply, a treasure undiminished, a mine which is never exhausted, a sky unobscured by clouds, a heaven unruffled by the storm. It is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings.
                                                                                                      -John Chrysostom



Be Moved by Love

And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and he was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. Matthew 14:14

At the beginning of this chapter, Matthew 14, we learn of John's beheading. It states that after John's disciples buried his body, they went and told Jesus. Verse 13-When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: . . . I want you to imagine how Jesus was feeling. He was just told that the man who ushered his coming to the people, his cousin, was dead. How would you feel after learning someone you loved was killed? Sad, right? Sometimes, we think Jesus never felt the emotions that we feel. But that's not true. Jesus was God functioning on this earth as a man. The Bible says He was tempted just as we are. He wept at Lazarus' tomb. Jesus was not immune to emotions, but He knew how to control them and not allow them to control Him. After hearing of the death of John,  He went 'into a desert place apart'. Jesus was sorrowful,as any man would be to hear of the loss of a loved one. So much so, that He went off by Himself, to be alone. I like to think He was being comforted by His Father.
But then the people heard where He went and they followed after Him. Jesus, when He saw the multitude, was moved with compassion, the Bible says. Do you think Jesus really felt like being bothered by this group of people? Here He is, trying to get alone to deal with His grief, and a multitude of people come after Him so He can heal them. Do you believe that's really the reason Jesus went to that desert place? No, He went to be apart. But the Bible says He was moved with compassion toward them and healed them. He looked on them, saw their sick and suffering, and loved them. In His grief, He allowed love, the Agapa kind we read about in 1 Cor. 13 and that has been placed in the Believer's heart at the new birth, to spill out from Him and He was moved to act. I believe that had this love not been operating in Jesus at that time, none of those healings would have been able to take place. Why? Because Galatians 5:6 states that faith works by love. It takes faith to heal a multitude of people. Jesus knew this, and He allowed nothing to take the love that was in His heart. Not even grief.
As Christians, Christ-like ones, partakers of the divine nature, filled with the Holy Ghost, and partakers of the anointing, I believe we must follow Jesus' example. We need to allow love to move us to action. Even in our own grief or anger, we need to be able to cast down those negative emotions and let love take control so when we see someone brokenhearted or hurting we can act like Jesus did and maybe be the channel God uses to bring their healing. Let love move you today.   

Me Against Circumstance

This is a short story that the Lord inspired me to write, a while after I had gone through some emotional situations. It has blessed me immensely and I pray that it does you as well.

A standstill had come. Circumstance on one side, me on the other. His pressure was on me, so strong it brought me to my knees. My heart raced dangerously against my breast, blurring my vision and causing my head to spin. The coppery taste of blood settled upon my tongue. I hung my head, watching as tears fell to the dusty earth. Defeat was in the air, hanging all about me. I dug my fingers into the dirt, barely able to prop myself up. Jagged rocks cut into my palm.
"I can't take anymore," I whispered. Unwillingness to surrender warred with retreat. Circumstance stepped toward me, his features gloating as he was about to send the final blow. With a sigh, I closed my eyes, waiting for it to come . . .
A moment passed  and still I waited, but the blow never came. Of a sudden, Circumstance's pressure lifted from my shoulders. A bright light shone behind my lids. I slowly opened my right eye to find Him who is called Faithful and True seated upon a white horse. I blinked hard, the radiance of His light almost blinding. From the corner of my eye, I saw Circumstance ease back.
"Arise," Faithful said to me, "and fight."
Biting my wobbling lower lip, I shook my head and whispered, "I am too weak, Lord." His light shone brighter as he He drew closer to me. When I looked within His eyes, I saw great pools of love.
"Exchange your weakness for my strength," He said. "For I never faint or grow weary." With a deep breath, I pushed myself to my knees.
"I receive your strength," I said. At once my spirit was filled and weariness could no longer dwell within me.
"Don the Father's armour, beloved. Take back your ground," He told me. I looked over to Circumstance, lurking in Faithful's shadow, waiting for his time to strike. "Keep your eyes upon Me," Faithful said as He blocked the view of Circumstance. "Cast down your fear, for it is not of Me." I stared at Him in wonder, for my fear had gone unspoken.
"Show me, Lord," I said as I pushed myself to my feet. Satisfaction was in His smile as He threw a saddlebag to the ground.
I slowly pulled out the pieces.
"Put on the armour of Light," He said. A helmet marked salvation I put on my head, the breastplate named righteousness covered my heart, a belt of Truth I clasped about my hips, and shoes marked peace did I pull onto my feet. I wrenched a giant shield inscribed with faith from the bag. It covered me from shoulder to toe. And lastly did I grasp the Spirit's sword.
"But, Lord!" I exclaimed, gazing into the empty bag. "What of my back? Surely I should not go unprotected." He gazed at me as one would a small child.
"This armour is for attack," He explained. "A warrior of Christ never retreats." Faithful walked His horse over to me and reached out His hand. My eyes closed with the light touch to my head. "Anointed you are, beloved. He saves those as such. Hasten towards your victory." I could feel my spirit being quickened within me.
When I opened my eyes, Faithful was no longer there and Circumstance was moving towards me. I clenched the sword in my hand and lifted my feet. His pressure stirred nearer and nearer until it hovered above me.
"Over all I lift the shield of faith," I whispered, reaching it high. The pressure weighted down until it felt as if I would no longer be able to bear it. "I fight the good fight of faith." I spoke a little higher as I pushed Circumstance's pressure back. My feet picked up speed beneath me. Circumstance's eyes widened in fear. "I overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony!" I yelled. "I receive victory through the blood of Jesus Christ!" Another blow hit the shield, but my arm didn't budge. Closer and closer we came until only a few steps separated us. "I am of God. He always causes me to triumph in Christ," I said, raising high my sword. "You will never defeat me!"
Circumstance skidded to a stop and dashed to retreat. But it was too late. I delivered the blow with my two-edged sword, and broke through Circumstance. No longer would he have a hold on me. With a cry of victory I hastened toward the dawning light, where darkness no longer loomed.

Lady White

I'm finally going to post what my book is about. Hope ya'll like it!

The Realm’s sole purpose was to glorify the God who created them. Yet as selfishness and greed grew in the hearts of men, the Realm’s purpose was forgotten. Only the Kingdom of Linolae withstood the power of the evil one and made a stand against his lusting allies, remembering the God who always caused them to triumph. But the times grow darker and an army must arise. Only a lass worthy can lead this kingdom to victory and save the realms from their own destruction. From the loins of a very unsuspecting maiden will she come.

Alina aer Anya, otherwise known as the White Lady, carries a sordid past as she rides with her band of men killing for the nobles’ coin. She searches for her own path in life, one without trust, without love, and without the God of her mother. But as she rides to fulfill a task for a power-hungry ruler, she finds a crossroad in her path, and her hardened heart begins to soften. Will she allow evil forebodings and her sordid past keep her from a trusting friend and the arms of the man she loves? Or will she turn at life’s crossroad and begin her days anew? As she pens her tale in the dungeon of King Richard, only her writing and the hope of escape keep her alive. This is the tale of how the notorious White Lady became the beloved ‘Lady White’.

Lady White

Almost three years ago I finished my first novel entitled Lady White. A couple years of being rejected for not having an agent and then not being able to find an agent, caused me to kind of want to give up on my dream. But God kept it alive in my heart. One day I went online when all of a sudden, at the bottom of the screen, an ad pops up for Tate Publishing saying they were accepting unsolicited manuscripts. With a prayer, I sent mine off. Four weeks later, the phone rings, and it's Tate saying they want my novel. That day was about seven months ago now and my book is heading towards the final stages in production. I prayed for this day. I give all the glory to God because I know that without Him this door would never have been opened and I never would have figured out how to do all that I needed to in this process. A few days ago, my cover options were sent to me, and yesterday I made my choice. Here it is!

Lady White takes place in a medival fantastical realm. It's about a young woman who leads a band of assassins, and she's writing her life story of how she became that. It's a tale of romance, betrayal, adventure, and finally salvation. Look for it soon!

My Very Own Love Story

Reading is one of my favorite past times. A good book can reel me in and keep me there for hours. But one abominable thing I always do is . . .read the end before the beginning. Horrible? I know! But I like to make sure I'll finish the book feeling satisfied. One book I've read, which will remain nameless, has brought me to do this. It was a great book, but the end, though a complete shocker, left me feeling dejected and angry. You may say, But if it brought some type of emotion out of you, it must have been a great book! Usually that's what we authors are shooting for. But for me, I prefer a book that makes me sigh in happiness with the only tears in my eyes being from the beauty in the hero and heroine's love. I know this isn't how everyone feels, but let us just agree to disagree.

At times, I'll close my eyes and picture my life as one of my novels, especially when I'm lying in bed at night. I'll reminise on the events that made me the woman I am today and then I'll imagine what my future may be like, or rather what I pray it'll be like. Sometimes I'll even catch myself asking Jesus, "Lord, please show me how it's going to be." But no matter how badly I want to, I can't read the end of my story, and though I know that God is more than able to show me things to come, life is a journey, one with many twists and turns, decisions and choices. If I knew the end before the rest, it wouldn't be me making the choices and God wants us to be free to make the right decisions and the wrong ones. (But He's always wanting us to make the right ones.) The journey is a privelage. And I know that when we choose God, though it may be a shocker, our end will be great. I am most confident that at the end of my life, I will be satisfied and happy. Why? Because I'm allowing God to be the writer. I have made the choice to give Him the pen, and the rest of my decisions will be based on what He says.

One of these decisons I've made is to wait for love. In this day and age, finding love in life is a major priority. And I'm not belittling it. We all want someone to love, that special person. But I don't want just a special someone, I want the special someone. When I was young I told my mother that I only wanted the man who would be husband. I came to this choice because I witnessed the heartbreak of friends and I didn't want to get hurt. My choice was made out of fear. And I grew up with that choice, even though as I got older it became such bondage. I was lonely, heartbroken. I had made the decison to wait so I wouldn't get hurt, yet I ended up suffering a complete different heartache that hurt just as bad anyway! Then something amazing happened. I fell in love with Jesus.

I've always known of God. My family has gone to church ever since I was born. But I never had a relationship with Christ. He was just there for me, someone I had to pray to. But then a medical scare arose and He was the One I turned to. For once in my life, I sought His face, His companionship, His love. And what love! My goodness! The love of God is greater than anything a human heart can fathom. I fell in love with Him, with His Word, with His sacrifice. He died for me! Why? Because He loves me too much to see me be condemned. Praise God! With the love of Christ I was complete.

This is something I've only realized a few weeks ago. I am complete in Him, and so is every other person who calls Him Lord. As one of my favorite preachers says, we don't need to find our second half. We are whole people, searching for another whole person. If this is new for you, read Colossians 2:10. It says, And ye are complete in him . . . The Amplified states, And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with theGodhead-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- and reach full spiritual stature . . .] He is my everything. But does that mean my desire to be a wife has diminished? No, on the contrary. I'm more excited than ever. I realize now that being complete in Jesus is going to make me a much better wife than I would be feeling as if my husband was everything. Why? Because I will be able to love him even when he gets on my nerves, even when he hurts my feelings. I'm complete in Jesus, and I am believing that the man God has for me will hold Jesus first in his heart as well. So, in a much happier attitude, I am still waiting. Not because I don't want to be hurt, but because I want the one man God made for me and me for him. I can't settle for anything less. And I know that when the time is right, my very own love story will be greater than I could have imagined. I'm expecting something great!

So for all my single brothers and sisters in Christ out there, hold on. Seek God first, make Him first in your heart. And allow Him to lead you to the one He has chosen. Let us not give in to the temptations of this world, but live as ambassadors for Christ, as an example to the rest, walking in love and loving strong. Be blessed everybody! And happy seeking

Love is . . . Seeking

Busy. It’s a word we’ve all come to use quite frequently. I’d say one of the top ten words in a person’s vocabulary. Personally, I haven’t felt that busy in a few years, just going about my daily routine, but lately I’ve come to feel a little run down. I’ve been . . . busy. There’s a lot going on; a lot that I’m expecting to happen; a lot that I’m praying for and working towards. It feels at times like my mind is a roller coaster, going round and round, faster and faster, and the stop button is nowhere in sight. Have you ever felt that way before? This type of lifestyle can take a toll on us, physically, emotionally, spiritually. If we’re not careful, busy can take first place and we can begin to ignore what’s most important. I’ve seen this try to take place in me, and I don’t like it.

It seems that even though I spend time with God in the morning, it’s not the quality time that I used to have with Him. It’s not communing with Him. A while back I wrote a blog about not just praying or going through the motions religious tradition has taught but communing with God. Commune in the Webster’s online dictionary means “to communicate intimately.” Bond was a synonym. I will reiterate my point in this blog that I made in the former; The only way we bond with people is by spending quality time with them. By getting to know their hearts. This is exactly what God wants. He wants us to bond with Him and get to know His heart.

The Apostle Paul said after thirty years of ministry that his earnest desire was to know God. This is what it says in Philippians 3:10 in the Amplified version, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], . . .” After thirty years of preaching and being closer to Jesus than any of the disciples, Paul’s desire was to know God. Can you imagine being so hungry for God that even thirty years of getting to know Him wasn’t enough? Can you say that’s your desire? My own has been dwindling, I’m ashamed to say, but I will not allow it to go out. I am determined to be on fire for God. He is my life-source, my best friend. I want to make Him proud with how I live my life on this earth. I want to fulfill every plan that He’s predestined for me. The only way for that to be accomplished is by me seeking Him continually and getting to know His voice.  Friends, things on the To Do list can wait. Time spent with God cannot. He wants to fellowship with us, to show us things by His Holy Spirit and lead us in His direction, the path for ultimate joy and blessing in life. It’s up to us to choose.

God won’t make you seek Him. It’s completely up to us. He’s given us freewill. He told the Israelites He laid before them life and death, blessing and cursing. Then He said choose. The same goes for us in this day. Besides, don’t you think it means a little more when you want to spend time with someone, rather than being forced to? I would much rather know someone sought my presence because they desired to be near me. Make that your motive when you go to seek God. Desire to be in His presence.  Look at Psalm 42:1-2 for a moment.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

I’ve learned that the hart (which is a male deer) suffers extreme thirst from its habitat, even more so when it is being hunted. It longs for water.  When it finds an avenue for which to quench its thirst, it eagerly plunges into the water and drinks and drinks and drinks, as if its thirst can’t be quenched. This is a great example that the Psalmist uses in comparing his own thirst for God. Then he asks when shall he appear before God. The Amplified version states “behold the face of God.” I kind of like that version better.  It gives us the idea of seeking God’s face and not His hands. Seeking intimacy and fellowship with God rather than provision. (Don’t get me wrong, God loves to bless us and supply our every need! It’s alright to ask for provision. He welcomes it! But there should be times when we seek to know Him rather than the material things He can give us.)

The last scripture I want to mention is Psalm 63 verse 1. “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. . .”  I want to be like David in this Psalm. Thirsty for God, longing for Him, seeking Him early to find Him in this dry and thirsty land. We can take a lot from this scripture. Think about it. Where there is no water, there is no life. Nothing can dwell in a place that doesn’t have water. There’s no life there. We can take this scripture and see the dry and thirsty land as a spiritually dead place. The people in this place have no relationship with God. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4 that He would have given her living water. He is the avenue of a relationship with God, to life. When we drink of this water, we shall never thirst. I think it’s safe to say that our land is dry and thirsty, spiritually speaking. But those of us who know God have the privilege of seeking Him and never being in want.

Make a choice today. A quality decision with heart. Fellowship or everyday, busy, life? Sometimes we forget that fellowship is life. Love God by seeking Him, His face not His hands. Strive to know Him, even when you think that you already know everything there is to know. I assure you there is so much more than we could even think.  Make God first, your top priority, and allow everything else to fall into place behind Him. Our days will be better because of it. I know I won’t regret it, and neither will you. Seek Love.

God is Love. (1 John 4:8)

Love is . . . Forgiveness

So often when the subject of forgiveness comes up, we go by our feelings.  We ponder the wrong that was done to us, see how high it goes on our hurt-o-meter, and then we figure out how long it will actually take us to forgive.  We do all sorts of things when we are in this situation.  We act out the silent treatment, we get back at the person, we yell or cry or, if it really hurt, we kick that person out of our lives forever.  But let me ask you something.  Is this love?  (If you are a Christian reading this, I really want you to think about this.)  Is walking in unforgiveness walking in love? 

As followers of Christ, love is who we are.  God is love.  He forgives us of the most horrendous things and accepts us back with open arms.  Let me give an example of love that forgives.

Once there was a man who had two sons.  One day the younger son comes to the father and demands his inheritance.  The father agrees and distributes what he has to the two boys.  Well, the younger son takes off.  He leaves his father’s homestead and he journeys to another country.  He wastes his whole inheritance in frivolous living and indecency. When he has spoiled it all, he cuts covenant with an outsider and labors feeding swine and living in their pen. 

The young man is laying in that muck and filth when he remembers his father and the state of which the home he had left was in. Wealthy, healthy, without want.  So he journeys back.

What would you do?  If you gave someone a large sum of money only for them to waste it and then come running back to you when they were in want, what would you do? 

The father saw his son afar off and he told his servants to make a feast.  He ran to the boy and fell on his neck, so joyful that his son was found again.  He couldn’t care less about the wasted inheritance.  He forgave his son his squandering and welcomed him home. 

In this life, we will get hurt at times.  But that hurt will never go beyond healing.  We need to realize that.  It might feel like something you can’t bear.  But if you allow love to rise above the hurt, healing will come upon its wings.  Unforgiveness is a poison.  It eats you up from the inside out.  But love is the soil from which blessings grow.  Forgiveness is a powerful weapon that we have.  When hurt stands in our way, threatening to overtake us and take down all the joy that we have worked for, we can stand up and say, I choose to forgive and I walk in love.  Hurt may still rise up at times, but when love abides in our hearts, everything else must bow.  Love is master over hurt.  Choose to forgive.    

It's a Relationship

When I got a hold of this, it changed my life forever.  And it changed me for the good.

God loves YOU!

Can you recall when someone spoke to you about God for the first time?  Someone trying to convert you?  So often I hear stories of people telling others who don’t believe they’re no good sinners, especially if the person being spoken to doesn’t want to listen to what the ‘Christian fanatic’ has to say.  I have nothing against these Christians; I’m sure they love God with all of their heart, but let’s face it.  Would you just want to listen to someone tell you how bad you are if you don’t pick up a religion?  Honestly, I would not.  That is why I’m here with a different message.  Not a different Gospel, I will not compromise on the Word of God, but with a message that is long overdue to some.  I’m here to tell you that God loves you, whether you love Him back or not.  Whether you don’t believe in Him or you do.  I’m here to tell you that there is so much more to God than religion.  It’s a relationship. 

The Bible says in John chapter 3 verse 16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotton Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God loved the WORLD.  God loved the unrighteous world so much, He gave His Son Jesus so the world could be saved and have right standing with Him.  Do you want to know something?  Jesus has dealt with the sin problem.  He has made it so that every man, woman, and child on this earth can be righteous, can have right standing with God and be able to stand boldly in His presence without any sense of  inadequacy.  Jesus has made it so you can reign as kings in life on this earth (Romans 5:17).  Jesus has made it so you can be healed and prosperous in every area of your life, including finances.  He has made it so you can be happy and enjoy life on this earth.  God is not a mean god.  He is good and He wants you to be blessed! He loves you more than you can ever know.  If you’re a parent, you know that you want the best for your children.  You want to protect them, and take care of them, and bless them.  Well, that’s exactly how God feels.  Jesus even says it Himself in the Bible (Matthew 7:11- If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him?)  How much more, Jesus said! God wants to do great things for you and through you.  The only thing that’s holding Him back is you.  In order for you to take part in the riches of His glory and in the birthright a child of God has inherited, you have to become a child.  How do you do that? 

Romans 10:9- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

You just have to believe in your heart that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for you and was risen again and confess that with your mouth.  When you ask Jesus into your heart, you automatically become a child of God and the angels of heaven are rejoicing. 

Now a quick message for those who already have a relationship with God, but feel unworthy or like you really messed up.  It doesn't matter where you come from, or what you did in your past, before you were saved or after, He loved you from the beginning of time.

Jeremiah 1:5- Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee. . .

Think about it. When God created this world, He spoke everything into existence. But when it came time to create man, His family, Adam, His son, God took up dust and formed him, God breathed life into him. He didn't just say, Let there be man. He said Let us make man in our image, and then He formed us.  He formed man and breathed into that man His very own life and nature.  Wouldn't you say that that's love?
And maybe you've made mistakes in life. We all do. But that's the beauty of God's love. He forgives.

Psalm 103:8, 10- The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Romans 5:8- But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Psalm 103:12- As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Don't let Satan con you into thinking that what you did is much too bad for God ever to forgive or love you. Because it isn't. God never stopped loving you, no matter what it was. The sin may have caused you to be separated from God and His Blessing, but He never said 'Well, now, that I can never forgive. She is not worthy of my love.' God would never say that! He IS love, and when you are in Jesus, you are the righteousness of God! No, God said, 'she may have made a mistake, but she is still my child, and I love her as much as the day I formed her in her mother's womb.' So when you make a mistake, God still loves you, and when you repent (turn away from that sin) and ask Him for forgiveness and RECEIVE that forgiveness, you are not missing anything. You're still in fellowship with him, you're still in the secret place, and never once had His love for you been diminished.

1 John 1:9-If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Listen, God loves you like He loves Jesus. Jesus said so Himself.

John 17:23- I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Say it to yourself in the mirror. God loves me! Meditate on that one thing and let it fill you until you overflow. I can guarantee you that whatever trial comes against you, when you really know that God loves you, nothing is going to seem too big. His love will complete you and take you through.