VICTORY

If a millionaire where to come up to you right now and say: "I will give you 400 thousand dollars, because I want to help you and I can write you off as charity on my taxes, so you will be helping me"...OR ...You came across what you think is a great business /a deal / an arrangement anything that will make you instant wealth, you think this is from God....we will most likely start jumping up and down. An answer to my prayers, finally: "Yes, thank you Lord, now I can pay that mortgage and I will not go into foreclosure; I can pay my car loan and they will not repossess it; and yes, Lord! I promise to help everyone of my family members or friends that are in need...and yes of course Lord! I have to take that long vacation, you know, I have been all stressed, and I will....and will...and will......" (and breath) You get the point......

I have news for you. It is not that easy, you see unless we stay close to the Lord and listen for His voice, we will not be alerted to the deception. Satan loves to try and counterfeit the things of God. He will always try to offer us an instant shortcut to the very destiny, the promises or blessings that God has for us, but without the trials, pain and testing that perfects our character.

YES!, God wants to bless us, but before He does this, we are to go through the process of perfecting our character and removing those things that are in the way. Let's examine ourselves right now, I can guarantee you that even though we think we are prepared; we are not prepared to receive the abundance from God. Because some of us will probably after receiving it will eventually forget where it came from, our character will change, we will become arrogant individuals...selfish...think we are better than anyone now....stop going to church...forget what we went through.....you get the point here also.

The hard part is choosing to wait, for there are no shortcuts in the kingdom of God. If we can't pass this little tests right now in our life, we will never pass the big ones. The wilderness temptations and tests are necessary to our character growth and development before God releases us into the things He has called us to do. The potential danger is that we disregard that little voice inside us that warns us of danger, simply because we deeply desire that situation or opportunity to be from God. That too, is part of the test. When we are in a test of our character, integrity and our responses, God will be silent until it's all over with. He is watching what we are doing, what we are saying, are we murmuring, gossiping, what is our attitude? You see developing trust is a two-way street. We learn to trust God, and at the same time, He learns just how much He can trust us and with how much. We may not always understand what God is doing or why, but I am here to tell you that we are ALL in the process right now. Yes, me too!

The reality of things is that the world is getting worst, it is not getting better. The economy, divorces, morality, wars you name it is happening. BUT the good news is that neither you or I have to partake in this if we stay in Him. We will always be protected, blessed living in abundance by God if we stay in Him, and allow Him to work with us and through us. Do you know that what we are facing right now is because God wants to show off through us? You see when He does something, He does it big! He likes to be notice and how else can it be done? He will use us to show the world who are His children who persevere trusting and waiting on Him, one with Him. Because, when the abundance of blessings finally comes you will be a light in the dark world that will stand out. They will know who is our God and who dictates our life, you will be a testimony to the unsaved lost world! Or did you really think that what is happening with the economy and in your life God can't prevent it? He is up to something!!!!

Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Our God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or even think, according to
the power that works in us.” This power is our faith. Our faith in God. Children of God, lets stay in faith, pass the test, go through the process, let go of anything that hinders His presence in our life, allow Him to mold our character...and be in expectancy of what is coming our way from our Father!

 

We understand the reality that Jesus defeated Satan, giving us the victory for every thing we need in life. The blood of Jesus defeats the enemy every time! We often hear about how Jesus defeated the powers of the enemy through the work on the cross, and that is absolutely true..... However, Jesus actually defeated the enemy in the wilderness, even before the events of the crucifixion and resurrection occurred.

The enemy came with very strong temptations during those wilderness trials, and had Jesus succumbed to them, everything would have been different..... He went to hell for three days and took away from the enemy the keys of everything that belongs to us....Jesus gave all mankind the opportunity for victory over poverty, sin, sickness, death and more when He rose from the grave.... The real victory, however, was won in the wilderness, when Jesus overcame every temptation and His battle with the evil one. Be alert, keep your ears tuned to God, and your eyes on the cross because we, too, must defeat the enemy in our wilderness!

When you take a hit get back up and keep going. It's all part of the process. The times of testing and waiting on God can be rough, and tiring! But there is an expected end to all of it. James 5:11 tells us, "You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord - that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful."

It is by faith we receive from Him, for Jesus said, “According to your faith let it be unto you” (Matthew 9:29). He’s our God of more than enough, and if we are ever going to experience the fullness of His blessings in our lives, we must absolutely believe in His ability, and willingness, to bless us outrageously beyond our minds can ever imagine.

You may not quite understand yet, but the testimony is always greater than the test. When the tests are over, there is no more reason to delay the blessings. Hang in there, our God is up to something!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REVELATION to the Spirit of those that were asking about Jesus going to hell and taking the keys from the enemy:

Ephesians 4:8-10----This is why it says:“When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”
9What 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.
The focal point for the word ascended and descended is the earth itself. In verse 9 it says that he descended to the lower earthly regions.

Revelation 1:17-18 : 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
These scriptures indicate that Jesus was dead and is now alive, he also has the Keys of death and hell. We can see clearly that Jesus mission to destroy the power that the devil had over death was a success.

The word "Hades" & "Geenna" are the Greek words that we translate as Hell. In the Hebrew the word for Hell is "Sheol"

Your DREAMS!

 

TRANSFORMATION IS HERE !

You've heard it a million times--- attitude is everything and indeed it is. What you believe definitely affects what you do.

Your ATTITUDE determines your ALTITUDE !.

If you want to change your situation and get on the road to success in every area of your life you must transform your mind. By renewing your mind, your life can be transformed into one of endless possibilities.. Becoming who God has destined you to be is a process--- day by day, little by little, issue by issue, reading His Word -- You can be free !!!!

Remember, there is no such thing as overnight success. For those who are successful, it is because of their diligence to refine themselves and their gifts. They were prepared for the "moment" when opportunity knocks.

Opportunity will knock but if it doesn't find a prepared vessel, it moves on in search of someone who is ready to be promoted. With that in mind, I encourage you to delight in the process of your transformation, taking it one day at a time. Set your mind, your will, your emotions and your attitude to receive all God wants to do for you. DO NOT accept any less...

He wrote the book of promises, claim each and everyone of them !...they are yours for the taking !

Now shoulders back, head up high...are you ready ?...... Now shout: All things are possible with God !

~ ~ ~* ~ ~ ~* ~ ~ ~ *~ ~ ~*~ ~ ~* ~ ~ ~* ~ ~ ~

Word of the Lord:

Romans 12:2 - "be transformed by the renewing of your mind".....

I Pet. 1:13 - "gird your minds for action......"

Jeremiah 32:27 ~ “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me ?”...

 

It's Never Too Late !!!

All of us have made some bad decisions in life. Often, God will let us experience the bumps in the road to our destiny. I know you have thought maybe it is too late, I've made too many mistakes....But realize that the bumps are designed to bring the flesh and the soul into a place of repentance, and reconciliation. God's love and grace keeps us on course because from God's perspective, it's never too late.

God is right in the mix with our destiny. He is not trying to figure out along the way what to do next, nor does God sleep or scratch his head wondering what to do with us.

"God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?." Number 23:19.

Nothing is too hard for God.We are the ones that set limitations in our minds of what He can do. Your age does not matter. He does not brake the plan after you reach a certain age in your life.

He has a plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Jesus told us in Mark 9:23, "... If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth." And in Jeremiah 1:12, "...Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it."

You ought to jump up and shout when you read these scriptures. God loves us so much ! He confirms his promises to us over and over in the Word. What He said, He will do !.

Delay is not denial. I repeat nothing is impossible for God. No matter how many times you've messed up, or how many times you failed.

It's never too late !

 

*.-``*:-. .-``*:-. Your Secret Dreams !*.-``*:-. .-``*:-.

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart”(Psalm 37:4 ).

God knows the secrets in your heart. He knows every hidden dream because it was Him who placed them within you. He knows those things that you haven’t told anybody about. Maybe you thought they would never come to pass, or maybe you buried them because they didn’t happen on your timetable. Maybe, in the natural, you have every reason to give up on those dreams.

But I tell you ~ don’t give up ~ be encouraged today ! —God is still working behind the scenes! He still has a plan to bring those dreams to pass. ! Age is not an issue, because our time line is not the same as the Lords, remember He lives in Eternity. And in Eternity All things are done !....So, do what the verse says, and delight yourself in Him today.

That word delight, actually means to make yourself soft and pliable. It paints the picture of God as the Potter and you as the clay. Allow God to mold and shape your character today. Allow Him to direct your plans and ideas. Keep an attitude of faith and expectancy today, and as you submit your ways to the Lord and open your heart to His leading, He will fulfill those secret dreams of your heart on His time !

 

*.-``*:-Just Like The Deep Waters *.-``*:-

The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” (Proverbs 20:5 ).

Did you know that you are equipped with everything you need to fulfill your passion and purpose in this life ? Everything you need is on the inside of you ~ like deep waters. You draw those deep things out when you stay open and humble before the Lord. You draw those things out when you are submitted to His Word. That’s what makes you a person of understanding.

You are a person of understanding when you draw on the strength of God inside of you. Proverbs also tells us that a person of understanding delights in wisdom. A person of understanding is even-tempered. A person of understanding is not easily led astray and maintains peace and order.

Don’t just live on the surface of life today. Draw from the resources that God has placed on the inside of you. As you keep your heart open by obeying the Word of God, His purposes will become clearer, and you will live in the abundant beautiful life God has in store for you !


Word of God referenced:

Proverbs 10:23 ~ “It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.”

Proverbs 15:21 ~ “Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.”

Proverbs 17:27 ~ “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.”

Proverbs 28:2 ~ “For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.”

 















*.-``*:-He Prepares Your Path but You Set The Limits *.-``*:-

“I will go before you and make the crooked places straight…” (Isaiah 45:2)

Do you ever feel like every time you try to move forward in something, you hit a roadblock ? Something happens that throws you off course. I’m telling you to be encouraged today because right now in your life, God is going before you. He’s preparing a way. He’s making your crooked places straight. He’s making your rough places smooth.

You may be going through a difficult time right now, but it’s not the end. It’s only the beginning. God has equipped you for this journey. You may feel like you’re in a dry season, but don’t look at your circumstances. Look at the promise of God today !

If you’ll keep speaking words of faith, God promises that He’ll anoint your head with oil and your cup will run over. That means you’ll be refreshed and anointed to do what He’s called you to do. God is preparing your path and equipping you for the journey.

What do you need today to keep moving forward ? Start by checking your attitude. Don’t go around complaining and focused on the negative side of things. Put on an attitude of praise and thanksgiving. Thank Him for making your crooked places straight ! As you do, you’ll move forward in joy and gladness in the blessed future He has prepared for you !

You Set the Limits - “What if they don’t believe ? Will their lack of faith make the faith of God no effect ? ” (Romans 3:3)

We know that there will always be critics and naysayers in life. It’s not what’s said about you that affects your life, but what you say and believe about yourself. Has the opinions of other people caused you to water down your dreams ? One of the most important things you can learn is that other people don’t have to believe in you in order for your dreams to come to pass. Other people don’t set the limits for your life ~ you do.

In Romans 3:3, the Apostle Paul is saying, “It doesn’t matter if other people don’t believe. Their unbelief is not going to keep me from believing in my dreams.” When God puts a promise in your heart, it’s not up to other people to bring it to pass, it’s up to you !

You don’t need everyone to validate you. You have to follow the voice of God for yourself and allow Him to order your steps. God sees the hidden treasures that you’ve had buried on the inside of you. He wants to bring those treasures out and make your dreams reality ! We have to make an effort to renew our mind and get rid of old, defeated thoughts and replace them with what God says about you. Once you take this step you will remove the limits and live that which God has in store for you !

You set the limits on the path He has prepared for YOU !!!!

•¤**¤Get In The Spirit And Dream !•¤**¤

If you don’t already have an assigned place in your home where you can be alone with God, and no one can interrupt you, I urge to do so. Find a quiet place like your bedroom, your living room or the backyard, and if there is too much traffic around in your home, then lock your self inside a closet with a radio, put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, turn on the praise music and tune the outside world out ..........Because sometimes you have to get away to pray in the spirit, worship, truly focus on Him and listen. Then, through the Holy Spirit, we can see and hear God's desires more clearly. God's desires become our desires when we are walking closely with Him.

Sometimes, we expect a loud voice to speak directly to us from Heaven.... Or perhaps we really are waiting for a vision, a dream, or something. Believe it or not, God will give them to us ! When we are in intimacy with God and seeking Him, the desires we begin to feel, and the words we hear, are God given ! That is what our father does.

He will begin to whisper and birth desires in our spirit. Sometimes we think we came up with the idea, but it was from Him ! And, when He provides the idea, all we have to do is ask ! As you know the Bible says you have not because you ask not.

There are many spiritual principals listed all throughout the scriptures, from the Old Testament to New, regarding speaking out loud in faith. If God were to ask you today, "What do you want from me ?.... "what would you tell him ?

Remember that God makes the largest, most outrageous things come to pass. When you receive a revelation from Him, you need to write it down, believe through faith what God has told you, and go after it - no matter how outrageous it may seem. He has amazing plans for each and everyone one of us.

Habakkuk 2:2 says, "Then the LORD answered me and said, 'Record the vision and inscribe it on talents, that the one who read it may run."..... Do you see how powerful that instruction is ? To write it down then RUN. ....Part of running is to keep going, even when you face obstacles....and there will be obstacles believe me....But don't let one, ten, a hundred or anything keep you from running after your destiny.

Genesis 18:14 says, "there is nothing too hard for the Lord! When God told Abraham he would have a child with his wife, Sara, he laughed." Genesis 17:17 says, "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, shall a child be born to man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear a child?" Romans 4:3 says "God credited Abraham's unwavering faith as righteousness."

That is the type of God we serve - a God who wants to make the desires and dreams in our hearts come true. We need to dream big !.......Try to remember that when you become intimate with the Lord, you must : Listen for His voice ~~~Act upon His leading~~Don't let obstacles stop you.

God is faithful ~ dream and believe with faith !

TIMELESS ETERNAL LOVE

PART 1: NOT ~ An Earthly Time Plan

Lord, You are an infinite God without end or beginning. Not only are you aware of all I have ever been or experienced, you are aware of all there is to come. In fact, You have already been there and know me…know all I have experienced from moment to moment. You have experienced my life in an intimate way even to the numbering of the hairs on my head. Every detail of my life is important and valuable to You.

Though I am constrained in my thinking as it relates to time, You are not. The greatest hindrance to not living a life outside the constraints of time is to see it limited and unyielding…to see time as having no potential outside of the moment. To do so eliminates all consequences and blessings resulting out of time based actions on my part. Time is eternal and I must see it as such. What I do in time affects the times to come; therefore, it has eternal consequences both good and bad in my life.

I choose today to see outside this earthly time. I ask that you teach me to see beyond the moment into a realm where there is no time so I can put more value on what I do at any given time. Teach me to see everything I do with eternal eyes. As I do this, what I participate in or don’t participate in will change in order to bring about the most effective change in my life. Therefore, by changing my way of thinking and relying only on you Lord, and not being constraint by time the conclusion is, that You have the perfect plan for my life no matter my years in this present time.

PART 2: Words in Time

Lord, the experiences, struggles and circumstances of life have no bearing on Your goodness. Bad things in life do not determine Your goodness. Plain and simple, You are good and truthful at all times regardless. I cannot look at things around me as a barometer of who You are. To do so would limit You to a level of being subject to the actions of men accomplished in finite time.

There is no deception in Your heart for You are Truth. All the Words You have ever spoken have been in Your heart before all time and now are being revealed through the present age and the ages to come. Not one will fall to the ground nor will they come back to you without accomplishing the purpose for which they were sent, specially in my life.

Lord, I declare myself to be a keeper of every Word You have given to me. I promise that none will fall into uninhabited wilderness places, with faith I hold on to the promises. Every Word falls into the good soil of my heart to bring forth eternal purposes in supernatural ways. Father, I thank you for speaking those Words to my life for this time.

 

PART 3: The Promises in the Word for My Life

Today, I declare the desires of the Lord for my life shall unfold step by step as His light fills my path and gives me direction. The thoughts of the Lord’s heart for me are available and accessible at all times and I am one who puts my ear to His heart that I might know them. Every Word proceeding from Him to me has the power to transform my life and heart if I choose to embrace each one with faith. The ravages of time in my own life, the lives of those I love and those sent to me can and will be changed by the release of an eternal redemptive Word from the Lord. As a result my generations can and will be transformed.

The Lord has consecrated me and set me apart for His good pleasure, not according to my works but according to the redemptive work of the Cross. Therefore, no matter how much time has sifted through my hands, the grace, mercy and call of God on my life will have its way as I surrender my heart. One by one the dominos will fall and I will obtain the prize of my high calling in Christ Jesus. As a result, blessings will flow down through the ages in many profitable and redeeming ways.

Today and every day after the Lord has called me to speak no evil, hear no evil and see no evil. He has called me to speak the Word, hear the Word and see the Word come to pass. I am chosen and I will walk with eternal perspective displaying the glory of the Lord for ages to come. I will walk in faith renewing my mind to accept and believe that which He has establish before the beginning of time for my life. In Jesus mighty name I declare it is written!

 

PART 4: Eternal ~Timeless Revelation

Lord, Your great love which loved me even while I was at my very worst…while I was a sinner without any desire for me amazes me…cradles me and calls me to higher ground. Your love calls me to a place of complete acceptance in the Beloved where no condemnation, guilt or shame can live. .....Knowing how much you were aware of all my faults, failings and outright rebellion yet loved me, sets my heart ablaze with gratitude and thanksgiving. To know Your great unconditional love, sets my heart on a course to live outside the limits and confines of time with realization of eternal results.

Therefore, I declare myself as one who lives in the goodness, mercy, grace, love and hope of God at all times. I live and move within the beating of the Lord’s heart to accomplish His will on a day by day, moment by moment basis. The plans and desires of the Lord’s heart for me are too numerous to be counted and it will take all of eternity to fulfill them in any measure........... His thoughts toward me are more than every grain of sand and the sands of time cannot displace one thought or one plan, for I am seated in heavenly places with Him far above all things natural. The temporal things of my life are giving way and will give way to the eternal things of His Word and His heart.

I declare a renewing of my mind and I align my mind with the mind of Christ so I may understand the things of eternity. I know that my natural life on this earth is but for a moment and will give way in the blink of an eye when I step into the realm of His eternal timeless glory. All that is of Him in me will continue on to experience and do more eternal things.

The ages past and the ages to come are all permeated with Him and are pregnant with purpose at all times. I am right now this very moment receiving revelation, truth, wisdom and understanding for the moment and for the ages to come from Him. I am an eternal timeless one created in the image of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I am in heavenly places far above the tediousness of life and I embrace my position with a fully surrendered heart.

I am timeless in Him!

♥▬▬▬▬▬▬▬◊Word of God◊▬▬▬▬▬▬▬♥

Mathew 13:11 ~ Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted."

Jeremiah 29:11 ~For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Washing Instructions

The Way of the Master Minute - Titanic Survivor

from Gospel for Chico by The Molters

 

Titanic Survivor
If you are a Christian, see yourself as a survivor of the Titanic. All around you, people are sinking into the freezing waters of death. There's room in the lifeboat. What are you going to do? You must make every effort to save them. Nothing is more important. Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, said, "The salvation of one soul is of infinitely greater importance than preserving the lives of multitudes. Let us in our several stations keep these things in mind, sparing no pains in God's service, and the event will prove that our labor is not in vain in the Lord. For six thousand years, He has been multiplying pardons, and yet His free grace is not tired nor grown weary. Certainly Divine mercy is an ocean that is ever full and ever flowing." There goes another minute. Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time.

Amazing Coincidence
In 1898, 14 years before the Titanic made her maiden voyage, Morgan Robertson published his book, Futility or the Wreck of the Titan. This was the story of an "unsinkable" massive ocean liner, which like the Titanic, was on its maiden voyage from Britain to New York in the month of April, with 2,000 people on board. While it was also attempting to cross the Atlantic in record time, it too struck an iceberg and sank. Not only were the ships' names very similar, but most on board also perished simply because there was of a lack of lifeboats.

But most remarkable of all, the story of the Titanic has incredibly close parallels to the biblical plan of salvation. Just as the great pleasure ship struck an iceberg and sank, this great world—with all its inhabitants, is slowly sinking into the cold grip of death. As with the passengers of the Titanic, only those who believed that they were in impending danger looked to the lifeboats, so only those who believe that they are in mortal danger will look to the Lifeboat of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The great "iceberg," which will take the world to an icy grave is the Moral Law—the Ten Commandments.

 

Here is the evidence that we are sinking: Jesus said that if we look with lust, we commit adultery in our heart. No one who has had sex out of marriage, or any liar, or any thief will enter Heaven. The Bible says that if we hate someone, we are guilty of murder. We fail to put God first. We make a god in our image. We break all the Commandments. If we stay with the "ship," we will perish on the Day of Judgment, when all of our sins come out as evidence of our guilt. God, however, is rich in mercy and doesn't want anyone to go the Hell. He made a way for us to be saved. Jesus Christ, the One whom the Bible calls the "Captain of our salvation" gave His life so that we could have a place in the life boat. He took our punishment upon Himself—suffering on the cross for us. We broke God's Law, but He paid our fine. Then He rose from the dead, defeating death. The moment we repent and trust in Him alone for our eternal salvation, God will forgive us and grant us the gift of eternal life.

 

Don't hesitate. You may leave it too late! It was reported that some of the lifeboats that left the ship early were only half full. This was because many on board refused to believe that the —unsinkable— Titanic was sinking. They perished because their faith was misguided. Don't be like them. Believe the gospel. Repent and trust Jesus Christ today, read the Bible daily, obey what you read, and God will never let you down.

http://www.livingwaters.com

Romans 8

Good morning everyone! It's a wonderful morning here in Irvine! We didn't make it to church this morning cause my friend's husband is sick, so I thought I would just have my own little worship time, since I'm up anyway (and roommate back home woke me up at 7am). :-) The reading was powerful: Romans 8.  And of course verses 38 & 39 got me singing: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Prayer for today: "Dear Lord, give me the strength to be weak so I can release anything that prevents me from seeing how deeply You love me. Open the eyes of my heart so You can reach me wherever I may be, to take me wherever I need to go. Remind me that it's only when I rest in Your promises that I can wage war to defeat the enemy. Thank You, Lord, for never giving up on me. In Jesus' Name, Amen."  

"Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see You, I want to see You." :-)

Bare branches

from (in)courage by AnnieBlogs

Three and a half years ago my life fell apart.
In one emotionally draining [understatement] week, I lost it all.
My best friend.
My ministry.
My church home.
My peace of mind.
My understanding of where life was going and what the next day/month/year would even look like.
Something died that week.
Do you know that feeling? I think we all do at some level, right?

The realization that, in a moment, so many things housed in the TRUTH category can be ripped out and put in the THAT'S WHAT YOU THOUGHT category.

Painful. To date, the most painful experience I have ever known.

And though details would make this a juicy story and a real tear-jerker, I've never written about it and I won't. But. What I will tell you about is how God used that experience to change my entire life.

As Bible teacher and author Beth Moore says, "God allows wounding in your life so that He can bring healing."

And that statement, my friends, can have permanent residence in the TRUTH part of your heart.

In the few months after the total destruction of the life I knew, God began to speak to me of His love. At first, my reply was, "Uh. Yeah. Are You serious right now? Cause hello! You just allowed my life to FALL-A-PART. I'm supposed to label that as LOVE?!?"

[Cause sometimes a sarcastic tone is all I can muster. Forgive me.]

I went to a new Bible study during this LOVE season. My heart was broken and in all honesty, I felt a bit lost in my own skin. So anytime someone invited me to something involving God, I went.

The leader passed out a drawing, a tree with a girl standing in front of the trunk, to each of us. The goal, she said, was to add leaves to the tree with words representing all the ways God is using you in the world, yadda yadda blah blah blah. I stopped listening.

I stared down at my tree. And it looked just like me. Bare. Empty. Dead.
My eyes began to focus and see something coming out of the limbs. I grabbed my Raspberry Crayola marker and began to color.
There, in the empty, in the death, in the absolute absence of life, was L-O-V-E.
Can you see it?

When everything was pruned away, there I was, standing under the tree of His love.

Today, if life seems to have thrown you more curve balls than you can even fathom, if all that was true yesterday is suddenly false, if you are broken in the deepest of places, I'm asking God to draw near to you.

Because somewhere in your bare branches, He is writing His love to you.

Choose Joy

from (in)courage by Jessica Turner

About two months ago, my pastor Pete Wilson talked about joy. Since then, I haven't been able to get his words out of my head.

Choose joy.
Choose joy.
Choose joy.

When I am frustrated about something, I hear the whisper of the Lord, choose joy, my child. Don't let this silly thing steal your joy. The root of my frustration usually stems from me doing too much. I am the type of personality that likes to be busy. I do a lot. I write a lot of lists. I oftentimes over-commit, and excitement about a new project can turn to overwhelming dread when I evaluate all that is on my plate.
Can you relate? Surely I'm not the only woman who juggles way too much.
In the same sermon about joy, Pete said, "everybody has treasures. Your treasures shape you. You'll become like what you idol."
What are my treasures? What do I idol?

Busyness. Achievement.
Juggling too much - and appearing to do it "well"


Am I choosing joy? Not when these are my treasures. The joy they bring is temporary.

These are not what I want my treasures to be, but if I look honestly at my life, I can't deny their presence. And they are stealing the joy of the Lord that is inside of me.

What Pete said next really hit close to home.

"If you are worshiping something other than God you will be chronically disappointed. When you are living in a healthy rhythm, you will treasure more."

We are in month three of a new decade, and I am striving to choose joy and live in a healthy rhythm of loving God and growing closer to Him.

Am I still busy?

Yes.

But I am trying to not let that busyness interrupt the healthy rhythm I want to live.

I'm choosing joy.

What are your treasures? What interrupts your rhythm?

Encouragement Thoughts

"For I've discovered on the other side of achievements if you were lonely before you win, you'll be lonely after you win. No amount of outward success can give you inward acceptance." ~ Lysa TerKeurst

"Love prescribes an answer in a given situation as no mere rule can do. ~ Elisabeth Elliot {If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. Love…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. ~ I Cor. 13}" ~ P31 Ministries

Abide in Christ

"It is the faith that continually closes its eyes to the weakness of the creature, and finds its joy in the sufficiency of an Almighty Savior, that makes the soul strong and glad." ~ Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ

Are you digging a hole or building a cathedral?

Last month I attended a professional development and networking luncheon. It was more interesting than it sounds.
Something from that lunch has stuck with me – and I don’t mean the dozens of announcements or painfully basic tips on getting involved in social media.
During a conversation about the characteristics that make up a leader, the woman facilitating our discussion told a story.

A woman was walking down the street and saw three men, each one digging a hole in the ground. The woman stopped and asked the first man, “What are you doing?”
That man didn’t hesitate at all. He answered, “I’m digging a hole.”
The woman moved on to the next man and asked him, “What are you doing?”
This man looked at his toolbox, then back at the woman. Then he said, “I’m building something.”
The woman walked a bit further and reached the third man. She asked, “What are you doing?”
That man leaned back on his shovel and stared into space for just a moment before replying, “I’m creating a cathedral.”

Each of those men performed the same task, but they had different perspectives on why they were doing it. The point of that story, as I’m sure you can figure out, is that a leader is someone who not only completes the task at hand, but also understands how it fits into the larger goal and shares the vision of that bigger picture.
I left that luncheon a little disappointed, as I’d hoped to take away some more tangible tips for positioning myself as a leader. But later, as I sifted through the stack of business cards I’d collected that day, I kept coming back to that phrase: creating a cathedral.
I thought about creating a cathedral and what that means to me. I thought about it as I listened to Matchbox 20 sing about being the head honcho. I thought about it as I read blog posts by stay-at-home moms who consider themselves family managers. I thought about it as I looked at my to-do list and wished I could delegate the less fun tasks to someone else.

And I realized I’d learned more than I realized about leadership.
Leadership is more than being in charge, being the boss of somebody. It’s more than a fancy office or an impressive title. It’s more than having underlings follow your directions; it’s more than having underlings.
Leadership is about stewardship. It’s about understanding that each item on our to-do list is part of a goal, a vision. Even when it’s not fun. Or seemingly important. Or glamorous, rewarding, gratifying. And it’s about doing those things well, because the bigger picture is more important than the tedium, the boredom, the sweat, the tears.
It’s remembering that writing 300 press releases in one month, while repetitive, is my contribution to the success of 650 small businesses across this country. It’s remembering that balancing my checkbook, though boring and full of math, is the accountability that keeps my family within the budget that will free us from debt. It’s remembering that changing diapers, while at times disgusting, is a gesture of love to my daughter.
I become a leader – even when I’m just leading myself – when I treat my tasks as part of the bigger picture that I believe in. And – no big surprise here – it’s what God tells us to do anyway.
While the image of a cathedral is new to me, the idea of working with honor no matter how large or small the task, is one the Lord has taught me over and over. After yet another reminder a few months ago, I finally wrote it out on a giant post-it and stuck it above my computer at work:

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
(Colossians 3:17)
“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.”
(Ephesians 6:7)

Your to-do list may look different than mine, but we can all create a cathedral with even our most mundane tasks. What is your cathedral today?
by Mary, Giving Up on Perfect

Just some thoughts....

Throughout life, we are all faced with fears of the unknown and personal problems that seem hopeless or scary, and it is so easy to get caught up in our emotions, forgetting to look for God. In some situations, we may even find ourselves wondering if God is really aware of our problems, and doubt if He really cares, but 1 Peter 5:7 ("cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.") is a sweet reminder that He is aware, He does care, and He is with us.

At times, life can make us feel like we are in a fog - a fog so dense and heavy that it seems nearly impossible to feel or see God at all. But even if we can't "see" Him, He has promised to be with us, if we surrender our hearts and sincerely seek out His face.

Then, as we walk with Him, and sincerely believe He is walking with us, we enter into a place to receive His provisions, His blessings, His comfort and His peace. When we prepare our hearts to experience Him, He will prepare our eyes to see Him.

Dear Lord, I seek Your face with my whole heart. Help me to see You in a special way. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Life

Life can be full of ups and downs, twists and turns. We've all had to face challenges and difficulties. But did you know that everything you've been through up until now is getting you prepared for what God is going to do in your future? Nothing in your life has been wasted. Every disappointment, every setback, every person that did you wrong, every lonely night, God is going to turn around and use for your good!

During the difficult times, we grow and mature. That's when our faith is stretched and our character is developed. God didn't send that hardship, but He'll use it to get you prepared for your next step. Those adversities will help make you and mold you into the person you are called to be.

You may be experiencing tough times today, but remember, nothing is ever wasted. Have the attitude that says, "This is a new day. Things are shifting in my favor. This difficulty is not going to stop me. It's going to promote me. It was meant to bring me down, but I know the truth; God is going to use it to lift me up and lead me into victory all the days of my life."

What Love means to a 4-8 year old . . .

Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it.  Touching words from the mouth of babes.

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds,  'What does love mean?'  The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.  See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.  You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' 

Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that.  They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6

(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.'
Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody.  You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8

And the final one

When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need. Take 60 seconds and give this a shot!

The son, the son, who’ll take the son?

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his live. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.’ The young man held out this package. ‘I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.’

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. ‘Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.’

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction oh his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. ‘We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?’

There was silence…

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, ‘We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.’

But the auctioneer persisted. ‘Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?’

Another voice angrily, ‘We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the REAL bids!’

But still the auctioneer continued. ‘The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?’

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. ‘I’ll give $10 for the painting…’ Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

‘We have $10, who will bid $20?’

‘Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.’

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. ‘Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!’ A man sitting on the second row shouted, ‘Now let’s get on with the collection!’

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ‘I’m sorry, the auction is over.’

‘What about the paintings?’

‘I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!’

God gave HIS son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: ‘The son, the son, who’ll take the son?’

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVE, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…THAT’S LOVE.

Poisoned Pride

By: Luann Prater

"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12 (NIV)

I love Stacie Orrico's song "Don't Look at Me." She sings, Don't look at me if you're looking for perfection. Don't look at me, I will only let you down. I'll do my best to point you in the right direction. Don't look at me, look at Him.

These lyrics remind me of a resounding theme I noticed recently in Mark 15:9-10, Matthew 23:1-39 and Luke 18:9-14: leaders who shined the spotlight on themselves. They had no interest in making Jesus the main attraction. God pulled a few lessons out of each passage for me to do the mirror test on my heart.

The problem that tripped up the leaders in Jesus' day might look familiar to you and me:

Lesson #1 – Envy

The chief priests were burning with envy over the popularity of Jesus. He had only been on the scene for three years, yet the marketplace was always buzzing with the latest Jesus story! Perhaps the chief priests wondered, Why is HE the center of attention? What makes HIM the authority figure?

Envy is a poison we may not even recognize. We give it a nicer title like "keeping up with the Jones" or "climbing the corporate ladder," but being upset with someone else's success is a bone-rotting toxin. Proverbs 14:30 confirms it saying, "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones" (NIV).

Lesson #2 - Practice What You Preach

The leaders were busy barking legalistic orders to others, but didn't apply the rigid rules to their own lives. Legalism is a strict adherence to the law and rules, and usually packs a punch of guilt if the regulations aren't followed to the letter.

James 1:22 say s, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (NIV). The leaders of Jesus' day had great amounts of scripture memorized, but did not live it out. They focused on the rules and making others follow them, rather than on pleasing God. If we are focusing on keeping rules and rituals, instead of building a relationship with Jesus, we too are missing the point. Maybe shifting our angle is in order. Look up. Let Bible study move us past just reciting scripture to allowing its life-giving Spirit to penetrate our actions.

Lesson #3 - All For Show

Dressing up and looking good made the Pharisees believe their own press. They seemingly had it all together. Do we act that way too? When asked, "How are you?" do we put on a happy face and respond, "Fine," when in fact, all is not fine? Do we fear what people will think or how they will react if they know we messed up again? It's easy to think, "My issues are nobody's business." Truth is, they are G od's business because you belong to Him.

Lesson #4 - Clean The Inside

"Woe to you," Jesus repeated over and over to the Pharisees throughout Matthew 23. The junk that was brewing inside their hearts didn't resemble the righteous life they claimed to live.

Everyone sees our pretty outside attire, but God knows what's going on beneath the surface. When He cleans house, He starts on the inside.

What's lurking in your dark corners? If self indulgence, self-reliance, or self-centeredness has camped out in your heart, let the housecleaning begin! Soon your outer beauty will radiate your new inner beauty.

This mirror test revealed some junk in my life. What did you see in your reflection? A prideful heart, or a passion for Christ? Are you wanting others to look at you, rather than God? Psalm 10:4 says, "In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God." Pride is a venom. Making room for God takes deliberate action.

As the song says, "Don't look at me, look at Him."

Dear Lord, pride can camp out so easily in our hearts. Will you clean us from the inside out and let us reflect You? In Jesus' Name, Amen.

When Your Mess Becomes Your Message

"Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)

God happens to be in the restoration business. He is willing to restore and heal all who come to Him. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, or what has been done to you. God is willing and able to turn any tragedy into triumph.

The truth is, we don't have the strength, will power, or ability to free ourselves from bondage no matter what the bondage is—drugs, lust, gluttony, pride, anger, or fear. Until we renounce our
sickness and surrender to Christ, we will never experience freedom. On the other hand, when we are willing to give King Jesus our mess, He turns it into our message.

Oh, friends, when you and I allow God to turn our mess into our message, He not only changes our lives, but He changes the lives of others too.

Dear Lord, Your mercy astounds me. Your goodness overwhelms me as I cry out "heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I will be saved." God, give me opportunities to speak of Your hope so that others may know Your goodness and salvation. In Jesus Name, Amen

Where will you spend eternity?

http://www.2believe.net/need/004.shtml

Important Recall

Regardless of make or year, all units known as "human beings" are being recalled by the Manufacturer. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named "Adam" and "Eve" resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.

This defect is technically termed, "Serious Internal Non-morality," but more commonly known as "SIN."

Some of the symptoms of the SIN defect:
Loss of direction
Lack of peace and joy
Depression
Foul vocal emissions
Selfishness
Ingratitude
Fearfulness
Rebellion
Jealousy

The Manufacturer is providing factory authorized repair service free of charge to correct the SIN defect. The Repair Technician, Jesus Christ, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. To repeat, there is no fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected please upload the burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Christ, into the heart component of the human unit. No matter how big or small
the SIN defect is, Christ will replace it with:
Love,
Joy
Peace
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Patience
Self-control

Please see the operating manual, HOLY BIBLE, for further details on the use of these fixes. As an added upgrade, the Manufacturer has made available to all repaired units a facility enabling direct monitoring and assistance from the resident Maintenance Technician, the Holy Ghost. Repaired units need only make Him welcome and He will take up residence on the premises.

WARNING: Continuing to operate a human being unit without corrections voids the Manufacturer's warranty, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list, and will ultimately result in the human unit being incinerated.

Thank you for your attention. Please assist by notifying others of this important recall notice.