Want “revival”? Then let it start with you

Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way. — Psalm 119:37 –

How many times have we as Christians ran to and fro, looking for revival, in hopes to touch the hem of His garment through mere man? A lot of us were taught this: ”We’re having a revival! Come to the revival! Let God revive you!” As if man could decide when and where God would show up and honor what is sometimes — if not most — a self-centered watered down program to bring in the masses to listen to a lukewarm gospel in the hopes of saving many.

This is not true revival.

Many times Christians desire to see their church do  a new thing, which actually is an old thing. They are living in the past of some movement of years ago, desiring to see the same thing. It must become very burdensome to the pastor to have someone who constantly is comparing the present with the past. The past is just that — the past. And a lot of times, what was done in the past was not a movement of God at all.

Then there is the Christian who say they desire revival so much, looking for it in others and yet there is absolutely nothing that is being revived in them, other than a type of self grandiosity. That is hypocrisy, my friends. I know. I used to be like that many years ago. I so much wanted revival that I thought just by carrying my Bible and Charles Finny books around about holiness, would surely start a revival. How stupid is that?! Oh, I could look good to the pastor, all right. After all, I had “passion and zeal” I was told. I also had a bunch of self-righteousness going on at the same time. Pointing my finger, thinking in my heart, if you people would just do this or that!

One Saturday, two other women and I went to church to pray. We had the sanctuary all to ourselves. We began praying for revival. I went off on some kind of tangent along the lines of this: ”Dear God, hear our cry, bring revival! Bring revival! There’s a stench in the camp! There’s a stench in the camp!” Oh, I knew I was sounding good, looking all spiritual and holy. Such pride. As I was praying, I began to smell something that stunk to high heaven. Still praying, I opened one eye and began to look around me. The stench was so close. Then I saw it. It was on the bottom of my shoe! I had tracked dog doo in the church. I became so embarrassed and stopped ranting. The women said, “What is that smell?” I sheepishly said, “It is me.” I could have died right there on the spot.

What I’m saying is, if you want revival, let it start with you. Sometimes, God does not begin a work in those around us, because we ourselves are walking in sin. It could be anything. Unforgiveness, hatred, self-righteousness, bitterness are a few things that come to my mind. Sometimes we can have our hands all over something and God will not touch it as long as we are the one trying to bring the change.

There has to be a time of brokeness before true revival comes.

I could be wrong, but I believe, true revival comes in the stillness of our soul after we have allowed God to show us our fault, our sin, our wrong doings –brokenness for how one has grieved God. Brokeness for how we have hurt others.

If true revival could be found in going to a church meeting, singing choruses, hooping and hollering and rolling around on the floor, don’t you think this nation would not be where it is today? What about in your own family? What about where you work? What about in your own neighborhood? What about in your own church/building? What about you?

True revival must begin with breaking up the fallow/hardened ground in one’s heart. We must have our hearts convicted by a Holy righteous God. There must be an awareness of sin that has seperated us from God, sin that grieves His heart, sin that hinders the true work of God that He has called for us in the first place.

O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come.

Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?
You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
Shall revive me again,
And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
You shall increase my greatness,
And comfort me on every side. — Psalm 71:17-21 –

Has God shown you great and severe troubles, yet? The kind of troubles that only God can touch? The kind of troubles, so great and severe that it causes you to know you are but dust? That in and of yourself, you are nothing? That you are helpless in some events going on in your own personal life? That if it were not for the mercy of God, you would feel as if you are nothing more than a little grease spot?

If so, then you are a prime candidate for revival. More than likely, you have stopped running to and fro looking for that one thing to fix whatever it is that has caused you to be so low. You are in a good place. You are about to see the salvation of the Lord come to you in way you’ve not yet known.

Oh, I know, that does not go along with what we have been taught and with what most people seek. After all, revival is suppose to feel good. Would you believe me if I told you, true revival comes from within and not from without? True revival is something that can not be manipulated by man. True revival is always about the kingdom of God being built within you. Apart from man, apart from prying eyes, apart from outside influences that would manipulate you for fleeting feelings of what is called joy now days.

Do not look for revival to others to revive you. That is the Holy Spirit’s job. You will not find it if you are looking for others to begin it in you. You will only find it when you begin to pick up the Cross and die. LET the kingdom of God arise in you by allowing the Holy Spirit to convict you of all ungodliness — breaking up the hardened ground of your own heart. I can promise you when you begin to get to the other side, God will begin showing you great and mighty things. THEN, others will be revived. Why? Because they will see the darkness that once had you bound has been exposed by His marvelous light. Others will begin to see Jesus in you as you begin to move into His truth and life in a way that will cause others to think, “Where did this come from? It must be God.” They will then come to you and desire to know this God who has set you free.

That is the fruit of revival, precious Bride of Christ: one of causing others to desire to know our God. It is never about us or our works. But about Him who desires to see the lost being found, the blind being able to see.

How will they know unless we be first in being broken before the Lord? Let Him begin that wonderful work of breaking the fallow ground. It hurts but for a season, but the joy that follows is unspeakable!

If you truly want true revival, just make sure you deal with your own stench first. 

Why does God whisper to us?

We are entering a time like never before where we must learn to hear God’s voice. Brother Ian has given us a great teaching and example of what that looks like. It is a long read, but I can promise you well worth your time.

http://ianvincent.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/why-does-god-whisper-to-us-3/

By Ian Vincent

Why does God whisper to us?

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

If a king had to shout at his servants to get them to do anything it would indicate he is not highly esteemed or honored. But if the king only has to whisper a word and his servants scramble into action it indicates the king is honored by his servants. The servant and friend of God who will obey even the slightest prompting or whisper of the Holy Spirit is truly a person who loves and honors and fears God.

The immature wrongly think that if God has to thunder or shout at them to get them to do something then it means they are important, but they are ignorant of the fact that when they ignored His gentle promptings they were dishonoring Him.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: It has to be this way as it’s a matter of His glory. His glory is in the fact that He conceals. …But the honor of kings is to search out a matter. When we put all our being into seeking God and what He is saying to us, it both honors Him and honors us.

(Even though God lives inside us He never directs us to look inwardly to find Him. The Holy Spirit never causes a person to pray to God in them, but rather to God the Father who is in heaven, hallowed be His name…)

A more pertinent example of the difference in honor between whispering and shouting would be simply the case of a father and a son working together, and the father quietly asks, Son, would you come over here and lend me a hand? But the son ignores. Maybe he thinks that because his dad spoke so gently that really he doesn’t need any help or it’s not urgent. Again the father asks and is ignored. Then he shouts and the son jumps up and rushes over to help. That’s a shame on the son, right? He dishonored his dad by misjudging him. When he ignored his dad he was judging his dad.

If we ignore the gentle quiet voice of the Holy Spirit, then have we judged God? We have judged Him as a person who is not so close to us. We have judged Him as distant and detached and not as indwelling and abiding in us. To hear and heed the whispers of God we need to have faith in His true nature that even though He is Almighty God, He dwells with the humble and lowly, and is so acquainted with them that He expects them to know the whisper they hear in their spirit is actually the voice of their Father. But a person who doesn’t really know the true nature of the Father will be expecting to hear the voice of God thru more spectacular means.

It seems like a paradox that God Almighty can be present in a Christian and yet they find it hard to hear His voice.

Many say that to hear the voice of God all one needs to do is open the Bible and read it. That’s true when we are talking about establishing the truth which is in Jesus; however it is not always true when it comes to living your life led by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is not a substitute for the Holy Spirit but they work together. Yet there are Christians today who do claim to be led by the Bible and yet their lives are not led by the Holy Spirit. We should remember that when we read the Bible, if the Holy Spirit were not our personal tutor then we would not understand a word.

It would be foolish to try and depersonalize the Holy Spirit and say that He does not speak to us today when in fact He communicates everything that God has to say to us when we are submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ rules our lives by the ministry of the Holy Spirit revealing His Truth and Words to us. When our life is yielded to Him, He shows us where to go, what to speak, what to do…. everything.

It’s not just you and the Bible. The Bible does not tell you all the details of what the LORD wants you to do. Obviously, He never intended that you would have to open the Bible every moment to find out when you should pray, who you should pray for, whom you should speak to, and every detail of our life. If you have truly bowed the knee to Jesus Christ then you can only live by His guidance which is by the leading of the Holy Spirit. If you have not truly bowed your knee then it won’t really matter to you whether the Holy Spirit guides you or not. It’s not just you and the Bible. It’s you, the Bible and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Many saved evangelicals today are not filled and not led by the Holy Spirit as per the New Testament examples, so it is not surprising that many don’t understand what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit. Which is a vicious circle, yet it is His grace alone that breaks thru that closed loop. All saved people have the Holy Spirit indwelling, but not all are filled with the Spirit. And such people do hear the voice of the Holy Spirit to a certain extent, understanding the Scriptures to a certain extent and having assurance of salvation, but they often don’t realize that it is He who is speaking to them. They just think it is their own thoughts speaking to them.

This is where our closed-loop kicks in. When a person thinks that it is their own intelligence or diligence in study which is the vehicle by which they have understood what they think they understand, then they have been deceived by their own ego. That’s what closes the loop and forms the vicious circle and cuts them off from hearing the Holy Spirit – their intellectual pride. They are more self-taught than taught by the Spirit.

He whispers so that He can only be heard if we are close to Him

Why does God whisper to us? Why doesn’t He shout? As that way His voice would be unmistakable, right? He whispers to us so that He can only be heard if we are close to Him, if we’re in the place where we should be: in the quiet place of rest, the rest of faith in Him, in heart communion with Him. But His still small voice is so quiet that we can easily shrug it off as being just from ourselves.

For the King to whisper it means He only wants you to hear Him if you’re close to Him, and you are close to Him if you believe Him and love Him, He is closer than your own heart. Then it’s clearly a question of love and of honor. If man will honor Him then man will hear Him. If anyone really wants to hear His voice, they will.

It means God will not communicate with those who refuse to honor Him. If a man says he wants to hear from God but he doesn’t want to live close to God then he is going to be deceived for God will not fellowship and talk with such a man who wants a distanced relationship with God.

Many times we hear His voice but we don’t take heed. What can we learn from this? Why do we sometimes miss Him? Because there was a mixture in our life, crowding Him out to a certain degree so that His voice was indistinct among other voices or things craving our attention. But these missed opportunities are really golden opportunities to learn the way He relates to us; how He wants us to relate to Him according to His wisdom.

We sometimes mistakenly think that as we mature in the Lord He will speak in a louder voice to us, but it isn’t so. Rather, as we mature we grow to honor Him more, and esteem His communion and fellowship more and more precious to us; therefore we can hear more clearly because hearing His voice is so precious to us. If hearing and obeying His voice is extremely precious to you; more precious than anything in this world, then you will hear.

But to the self-willed, hearing God’s voice is irrelevant and they even contemptuously consider such a thing is a sign of weakness.

Another reason some believers struggle to hear God’s voice is that they haven’t yet fully and unconditionally surrendered their own agenda to take up His agenda – not denied themselves and taken up their cross to follow Jesus wherever he goes. They’ve already made up their mind what they’re going to do and made their own plans, so then God doesn’t disturb them with His plans.

When God speaks to a man or woman in their spirit it is the most wonderful thing in this life. But it’s reserved for those who will honor Him with their lives, with the obedience of their whole heart and soul and mind, it is the honor He gives His friends.

The promptings of the Holy Spirit

The still small voice of the Holy Spirit, His gentle promptings and impressions, though they are so quiet and we can easily ignore or miss them, yet they are the big thing. Interesting how God works, that the biggest thing comes to us as the smallest thing. (How God was manifest in human flesh and was born as a baby)

That quiet impression is the Creator God speaking to you! The natural mind expects the voice of God to be some momentous event, like thunder on the mountain and so obvious that no one could miss it. But the oh-so-gentle prompting to send an email of encouragement to someone; to make a call; to go visit some one – whatever: responding and obeying His promptings is the heart of walking with and following Jesus.
But notice how when we discuss this there is delineation between walking by the Spirit and walking by the intellect alone. Our intellect must be renewed by and submitted to the rule of Christ – His peace ruling and reigning in our hearts.

Subjective Guidance

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit permitted them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, beseeching him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them. Acts 16:6-10

…forbidden by the Holy Spirit

…but the Spirit permitted them not

…seen the vision

This is subjective guidance. In this particular case the Holy Spirit did not use any Scripture in order to communicate God’s specific will and guidance to Paul. The anti-charismatic people could criticize Paul that he was being led by subjective spiritual experiences and not by the Word of God. Or was it OK for Paul to be led by subjective experiences because he was an Apostle, but it’s not OK for us today? They are asking us to believe that the Holy Spirit has changed since then in the way He communicates the will of God to Jesus disciples, which is a false teaching. The Holy Spirit has never changed the way He communicates.

The Holy Spirit is the only way in which The Father thru the Son communicates with His people. Hearing the voice of God may throw some people off. They may think it implies hearing voices in your head, like a psychiatric patient hears voices. Then let’s use the word communication. Is there a spiritual (Spirit to spirit) communication between The Shepherd and His sheep? Does the Shepherd communicate with you in your spirit and not just your mind?

Unless you see a Scripture will you say that the Shepherd has not communicated with you?

If you answer, No, then just check that you are truly one of His sheep, who hears His voice and follows Him wherever He goes. The Truth of the Scriptures always influences everything we are hearing from the Holy Spirit. Any subjective guidance will always be strongly consistent with the nature of Christ as revealed in Scripture. If there is any inconsistency or contradiction with the nature of Christ as revealed in Scripture then it is not the Holy Spirit we are hearing. And in all I’m saying here I’m appealing to the Truth of the Scriptures as the last word.

Yes, you may be disgusted by the abuses and falsehood associated with people who claim to hear the voice of God as if they were talking on the telephone to Him. So am I. Yet don’t let such abuses and error make you rebound off into error by ricocheting off on in the opposite extreme and becoming just as unbiblical as they are.

Yes, some who claim to be bible fundamentalists are very unbiblical.

Interpretation of His guidance

…Concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them. Acts 16:10

Concluding that… Paul had to interpret the vision or dream as being a message or direction from God. He had to draw a conclusion from the vision to interpret its meaning. This is quite helpful. We need to know whether God is speaking to us thru various means and to know that He requires us in each instance to interpret what He is saying to us.

Hearing God’s voice requires interpretation. Paul concluded what God was telling him thru the vision. So hearing the voice of God can also mean coming to a conclusion about a turn of events.

Hearing the voice of God is deeper than an experience. I’ve only used the term subjective experience as a concession or a bridge for the sake of communication, but it’s not the best definition. It would be more accurate to say that God communicates to us or speaks to us by causing us to know something in our spirit.

A Witness

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.. Romans 8:16

This is another aspect of what it means to hear the voice of God – a witness from the Holy Spirit. Are we earnestly seeking to do God’s will, and consequently do our spirits witness with the Holy Spirit concerning the things the Holy Spirit wants us to do? A Spirit-filled Christian will wait on God and always seek God for His witness. Those not filled really do not have sensitivity to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and they trust more in their own judgment and intellect and feel confident to make decisions without any witness of the Spirit.

The fact that most of evangelicalism rigidly follows set programs shows there is little practical evidence of the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Some who go to such Churches may experience the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their personal lives, but the Church they attend has not yet figured out how the Church corporately can be led by the Spirit. God’s pattern for the Church (1 Cor. 14) was so that we would always have to seek and find the guidance of the Holy Spirit and hence grow in the practical ability to hear God’s voice and find His will and guidance.

He designed the Church with this as one of the ends or goals: Assembling together is supposed to train us to be led by the Spirit. As you fellowship in a 1 Cor. 14 type Church, slowly you will become far more sensitive to the witness and guidance of the Holy Spirit than if you remain seated in the audience of a traditional church: Obeying God’s direction for the Church results in spiritual growth in every member. When men rejected the counsel of God and set in concrete their traditions then people became far less sensitive to the Holy Spirit. If you follow traditions you no longer need the Holy Spirit to guide you moment by moment, and thus you never learn to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

If you read 1 Cor. 14 again I pray you will see that this requires a total dependency on hearing the voice of God. Read it again and then ask, why does God require it done this way? What did He have in mind?

~ Ian Vincent

Things My Dogs Teach Me: Run to the Master

Above picture: Our little Beagle/King Charles Cavaliers in their daddys’ lap when they were just a few months old.

One day my husband had taken our dogs for their walk. He called me to tell me to come right away. Two big dogs were after our little girlies, and terrified, had gotten out from under their collars. I jumped in the car, my heart pounding and managed to find them not far from home. My husband had Dolly in his arms, but Dixie was loose. Two huge mongrel dogs that looked something out of a horror movie were running loose. One dog, barking and snapping, was jumping up on my husband trying to get to Dolly. The other dog was threatening our Dixie. I called for her and she came to me right away with bad dog following her. I picked her up and the dog started jumping on me, trying to bite us. A few people were standing around watching all the commotion. I yelled out to them, “Don’t just stand there, Help us!” A woman came over and grabbed that dog while I put Dixie in the car. As I was trying to get her in the car, the huge dog got lose and then tried getting into the car before I could even get the door shut! It was terrifying. Then the dog was trying to get in through a window and I had to manage to get back in and roll the window up with this hound from hell snapping at me the whole time. My husband still holding Dolly, with the other hound from hell, jumping up trying to attack him and little Dolly. I don’t know what emotion was greater — my fear or my anger. I got out of the car after rolling up the windows and went around to the other side to open the door for him so he could get in with Dolly. Both demon dogs after us both. I got the door opened and he got in as I was going around the other side to get in to drive away. I get in and see he had not been able to close the door because both dogs were still trying to get in the car! My husband was trying to shove them out with his leg. Oh, I got so mad. I picked up a magazine laying next to me, leaned over and smacked one of the dogs a good one telling him to “GET!” It was just enough to stun him long enough for my husband to pull his leg in and shut the door.

People stood by and did nothing. EMS happened to drive by during part of this and they too did absolutely NOTHING to help. Might not have been very Christian of me, but I told them all a thing or two before I drove off.

As I begin to start the car up, to move on, the dogs outside still would not move! I was blowing the horn and inching along and they still would not move! It was like an attack from hell. I have never seen anything like it in all my life. I was so angry, I actually wanted to run over them. But I didn’t. For the record: both our dogs were spayed when they were much younger, so this was not a case of male dogs going after female dogs.

I finally get us home, we take the dogs in and my husband says the leashes are still back where he lost them, so he goes back to get them. Meanwhile, I collapse in the chair with what was probably an angina attack. I did nothing but sit and cry, trying to breath, thanking God that none of us got mauled or bitten. Also praying that those dogs would not attack my husband when he went back to get their collars and leash.

That day, our dogs ran away out of fear. Before I had gotten there, they both ran in different directions. Dixie had planted herself under the front wheel of someone’s van. The woman not seeing her, almost began to drive forward, until my husband started shouting, “NO! NO!” The driver, not speaking English, did not know what he was saying, yet could hear an alarm in his voice that caused her to be still long enough for my husband to go and drag Dixie out from under her front wheel. Dolly on the other hand had ran down towards the main street where if she had gotten close enough, no doubt would have been hit by a car.

By the time I had gotten there, my husband had managed to get Dolly, yet Dixie had gotten loose. I had set myself up to be the Alpha dog with our dogs when they were just little babies. That makes me their master. I do not know how they would have behaved if I had been there. I’m guessing their behavior would have been no different as it is in their basic instint to either fight or flee from danger. Our little girlies, being timid little dogs, chose to flee. I can’t blame them.

I’ve thought of that incident many times. I see myself in those dogs at times. Maybe some of you can too. Our behavior being no different than theirs. When there is danger, we sometimes get so spooked that the last thing we think of, is running to the Master. Tornado warnings have been something that has terrified me since childhood. I immediatedly panic. I am not quite as bad as I used to be. I think it has more to do with I just do not have the extra adreneline it takes to get all that upset. However, I do take it serious and can feel fear that almost borders along terror. I try to stay calm for the sake of those around me and even for my dogs. In that first stage of panic, the very first thing I think of is running for cover. I’m much too frightened to even ask God for help.

There have been times when someone has playfully come up behind me and smacked/poked/pinched me for whatever reason. My first instinct is to turn around and knock their head off. I do not like playful activities like that. Some people can play like that. I am not one of them. It seems I don’t have time to ask God to help me, it all happens so fast. Thankfully, I have yet to knock anyone’s head off, but have told them never to do that to me again or else.

Satan loves to use fear to keep us from running to the Master. He is very good at it. That old devil knows exactly how, when and where to strike.

But, if we consider ourselves a bond servant/slave to the Lord, should we not run to Him in any event, at all times? Many times, we automatically trust in our own resources we may have at the time. Once there was a time where I could head down the stairs in the event of a tornado warning and not think much of it. I was younger, able to go quickly, not concerned whether my feet would get me there or not. But now, it takes a little longer. I figure if I can get down without falling and breaking my neck, it is a good thing. I have to be more careful, more cautious as my legs do not have the strength or the speed as they once had. That is when I find myself calling out to God now. On my way down the steps. Whereas before, it was after I had gotten down the stairs and prepared myself. I believe the weaker we become or the more frail we see ourselves before an all mighty God, only then it is when we begin to fully trust in Him. We begin to see HE is the One keeping us and not ourselves.

It is easy to trust Him when all is well. Not so easy when things are not all that well.

What is the thing that may stop you from running to the Master? Has the enemy of your soul so blinded you with such horrible things to come (I speak as one who personally knows what that feels/thinks like) that somehow you find yourself running for cover, yet not calling out to His Name? Are you trusting in your own resources? What if those resources were taken away? Then what? Are you so angry (again I speak as one who knows what that feels/thinks like) with things you see or have had happened to you, that you have failed to run to the Master? What if those things get worse?

I believe that God is calling His people to a place of knowing Him in ways some of us have yet to know. If we don’t learn to run to the Master now, then how in the world will we be able to run to Him when things get worse? No doubt, there will be those who will never seek God, never run to him. At the same time, there will be those who will wait until things get worse — then, they will seek God, then they will run to Him. Do not wait. Run to him now.

Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon. — Isaiah 55:6,7 –

Roaches in the Dark

 

I wrote this for an old friend who has family members who bombard her with questions about the Bible, only to mock and ridicule her. It is for anyone else who has to deal with the same things she finds herself trying to defend. The truth is on our side, no matter what the children of darkness want to think or believe.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. — 1 John 1-5 –

Do you have those in your life who ask Biblical questions, just to mock with words such as, “You really don’t believe that, do you?”  ”You can’t possibly believe that.” “Well, I don’t believe it.” Sometimes, this may happen from time to time. It reminds me of that old devil – the serpent — when he said to Eve, “Has God indeed said, ….”

The defintion of indeed: without any question : truly, undeniably —often used interjectionally to express irony or disbelief or surprise

When people do this, it is of the very same nature that approached Eve in the garden –bringing doubt and unbelief, changing God’s Word.  Satan was accusing God of the very thing he  — Satan — was doing, that of being a liar. It is an anti-christ spirit.

There is a simple reason why people do this. John tells us: And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. — John 3:19,20 –

People who mock the truth, are children of the dark. In my opinion, they have the same nature as a cock roach.

Look at the roach. They scurry to and fro, in the dark, dragging their filth everywhere their little feet touch. But go in and turn on the light and they scatter. Running off to find a place to hide.

Evil is like that. Evil/wicked people love to practice their dark deeds. They can not handle the light of truth exposing their deeds. They want us Christians to bow down before them and accept their wickedness and lies as a good thing. Demanding that we somehow sancitfy it by putting our seal of approval on it. We can not do it. In fact, we are to let them be. If I am understanding scripture correctly, this passage in the book of Daniel pretty much sums it up. God was telling Daniel what the last days would look like:

And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. — Daniel 12:9,10 –

God was letting Daniel know that there would be those who would allow God to convict and restore. Others would continue in their wickedness. Nothing has changed since then. There is great wickedness. Sometimes, we as believers become overwhelmed by what we see. The wicked — the mockers — will not understand why we believe the way we do. It is not their desire to understand. Or else they would be willing to come to the light and have their deeds exposed to the light of the truth of God.

So, if you have people in your lives who mock you, who ridicule you as they live like devils in the dark, do not be surprise: Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned … — 2 Timothy 12-14 –

Carry on. Do not let the roaches of the dark persuade you.

Gold Plummets, but God says…

Men and the powers that be in the world think that silver and gold belong to them. But God says, ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. — Haggai 2:8 –

If we are trusting in anything other than God and God alone, we will not be able to stand in the days to come. If you hear nothing else I say, hear this: Everything, and I mean everything we have put our trust in is going to be tested. Only those things which are of God will stand. Man’s kingdoms are crumbling, but God’s Kingdom abides forever.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. — Psalm 118:8 –

… Jesus said…“How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:23 –

What riches is it that you cling to?  What are the idols that you are putting your trust in?  

Gartman on Gold: We’ve Never Ever Seen Anything Like It: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100640665

What are you Feasting on?

Yesterday was my husband’s and my anniversary. Married for 25 years – I wanted to do something somewhat special for my husband. So I chose a particular restaurant. After we began eating, I remembered the last time we ate there and I had said, “Never again will I come back here,” as the food was just not all that good the first time and neither was it last night. Huge disappointment. I told him I was sorry for choosing this place while biting my tongue as not to ruin our anniversary by complaining about the food. As usual, dear husband was very gracious towards me.

I left feeling grateful that at least I had food to eat. Plus, I didn’t have to cook, but still would have rathered stayed home and eaten a simple sandwich or frozen pizza. It would have given me the same results — one of having eaten something.

As a diabetic, I have learned I have to eat whether I want to or not. If not, I become weak, shakey, confused, disoriented and even crabby. There have been times when I have just grabbed whatever was around me, shoved it in my mouth and swallow just so I could begin feeling somewhat normal/better. But that isn’t enough. I had to learn what it is I am to eat. Grabbing a cookie here or there just to make the hunger  go away so I could continue on with what I was doing, is not the same thing as a healthy diet. I have had to literally learn to stop what I was doing and go fix something somewhat nutritional.

Sometimes, we all feast on things that fill us up, so to speak. But they aren’t always nutritional. The food last night was bland, the salad fixins, being especially bland, probably due to being hybrid veggies. Yech. The meat had a taste of not being freshly cooked. The shrimp? I don’t even know what that was suppose to be or where it came from. The Brownie surely would taste good, I thought. Uh, but no. If I had known it was not going to taste like one of my own, I would not have wasted my time. The only thing that tasted good was the one strawberry dipped in chocolate, but I very well could not make a meal out of that, now, could I?

This has not been an easy lesson for me to learn — to eat correctly. It takes self-control and an ability to focus. Two things that have never been what I would call any virtues on my part. Still not anything great on my part, but God will continue that good work of not only teaching me, but helping me in learning to take care of this temple in which He dwells.

The things we feast on, are the things we become.  If I feast on things that have hurt me, I will become unforgiving and bitter. If I feast on those things that I find confusing, I will become paranoid and suspicious. If I feast on those things which bring fear, then I become paralyzed. If I feast on the things which I hate, then I will become hate.  If I feast on that which makes me angry, I will become rage.

Ah, but, if we feast on… “… whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. – Philippians 4:8 –

…if we feast on these things, then the Kingdom of God is being built within us. The world around us is going to hell in a hand basket, but we as sons and daughters of the living God, are not of this world. His Spirit lives in us to do His work — however He sees fit, whenever He sees fit. It is His doing, not ours.

The feast we are to feast on, is not the things of this world. But His Word. We are to be so full of His Word that His anointing to do good, to speak truth would be so like getting up from a table feeling completely full that we could not but help shout the things of God! Doesn’t that excite you, Church!? It does me!

We do not have to partake of the garbage of this world. We don’t have to go scrounging around in garbage dumps to find that which God wants to feed us. He has given us His Word. The Bible — a living entity. The only thing on this earth that can change a heart from darkness to true light. The only thing that can impart grace to the hearers. The only thing that can renew our minds in the way God desires. The only thing on this earth that is … living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. — Hebrews 4:12 –

Why? Because Jesus is the Word! …and His name is called The Word of God. — Revelation 19:13 –

That WORD is alive, He lives!

Christian, you do not have to settle for less. You have the living God in you and He desires to feed you from His table. One of a complete feast. Do not eat just anything. Do not let yourself go hungry! Feast on that which is alive!

Is there ever a time of too much seed?

The Parable of the Sower

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” — Matthew 13:3-9 –

The Parable of the Sower Explained

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”                                     — Matthew 13:18-23 –

I purchased a grow light, and loving turnips, some turnip seeds. When I received the seeds, I could not believe how tiny they are. I thought to myself surely nothing is going to grow from that. I was disappointed. But, I went on and set them up under the grow light. After just one day, they began to change!  After three days, they were sprouting! So I have me some cute little baby turnip seeds growing in my basement.

I made a mistake in putting them in the little pods. Thinking that nothing could grow from even one tiny seed, I put more than one seed in some of the pods, hoping at least one would grow. Well, most of them are growing and guess what? The pods I filled with extra seed are growing all clumped up together. As of now it would take tweezers to seperate them. But if I should try, I suppose I would kill them. So I will leave them alone and see what happens.

It made me wonder if we Christians can ever sow too much seed (The Word of God) in one place. I had my niece over a couple weeks ago helping me clean house and she began asking me many questions about the things of God and the Bible. I got excited because I could see God was setting eternity in her heart. I love talking about the things of God to anyone who is interested and here she was, full of questions, truly wanting to know. I began sharing with her, and to the best of my abilities answered her questions. I thought to myself dear God, am I giving her too much at one time? Help her to contain all of this. To remember Your Word.

Paul said: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.   — 1 Corinthains 3:6-8 —

Paul was speaking about how he and Apollos had given out the (seed) Word of God. He gave God the glory by saying that those who plant and water are not anything. One plants and another comes along and waters that which has been planted. Just like my turnip seeds — I planted and watered, but it is God who is making them grow.

So in answer to my own question, is there ever a time when we can plant too much seed in one place? I don’t think so. If my little plants grow into a jumbled little mess, God is perfectly capable of sorting it out. I may mess it up, but God is still the One who gives the increase.

However, the ground has to be broken up, tilled before we plant seed in an actual garden. Pray that God break the fallow ground of the heart, so that the seeds you plant will take root. No matter where the seed falls, remember , it is still eternal seed. Even if you ever feel like you have messed up in not planting correctly, remember it is God who is giving the increase.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. — Isaiah 55:10,11 –

To Soar like an Eagle

Have you ever tried to make yourself fly? As a child, did you ever jump off a high place, open your arms and flap about, hoping the wind would take you away? I did. I never gave it much thought until one morning I had a dream I could fly. I went out before day break, stood on top of the picnic table and jumped. I thought for sure I was going to take off. But, I didn’t. It really surprised me when I hit the ground.

I love the following passage:

Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. — Isaiah 40:30,31 –

I’ve heard a few sermons over my life from the above. My favorite one was by Leonard Ravenhill, but I’ve lost it over the years. If any of you know where I can find it, I sure would appreciate it.

I want to share what little — and trust me, it is very little, what I know about the Eagle. Maybe some of you can add your knowledge.

First off, did you know the Eagle is much different than other birds?

An Eagle has great eye sight. He can see his prey a few miles from the earth. It is said he does not eat the dead things. He goes after that which is alive.

An Eagle will not let their offspring hang around forever. They actully push their young out of the nest to teach them to fly. They will push them out and the little eagle can become beaten and cut up from the thorny nest.

Other birds hide when there is a storm brewing. But not the Eagle. Why, he comes out of his nest and flies right into the eye of the storm and lets the wind take him for one heck of a ride!

I have tried to make myself fly over the years. I would wake up and tell myself, “I’m not going to let anything get me down. I’m gonna soar like an eagle today.” After all, those who write books have made it sound so easy. But, I could not. I tried the “positive confession” thingy many years ago. That didn’t work either. All it did was make me feel worse when I could not live up to the latest teaching.

Man’s ways are works of the flesh and are not to be confused with the things of God.

If you notice it says, those who wait upon the Lord, are the ones who will mount up with wings like eagles. Sometimes what we call waiting, is nothing more than being in a passive state. God never calls us to be passive. Nor can we say we are waiting on the Lord while we are still doing our own thing. Sometimes God has to remove us from a situation, change our surroundings, put us in a place dreadfully alone where we can do nothing but fearfully watch all that surrounds us. The last thing we want is to be pushed out of the nest and be thrown in that mess!

We may even become used to the place God has set us. When that happens, all we can do is peek our little Eagle head up every now and then, look over the nest to below, and squawk about the conditions we see. Then we go back to sleep taking a little eagle nap, waiting for something to come along and drop a morsel in our mouth.

But one day without you realizing it…

You learn you are flying! It is not something you did. It is not something you can boast about. You may not even be able to pin point when you got thrown out of the nest. You are able to see the scratches and wounds you received when parent eagle had thrown you out, but the scratches and wounds do not matter. They will heal. You are content to be flying.  You come to realize you have been set free to go after that which is alive!

You see things differently. Those things you once had your eyes on? You still see them, but they no longer cause you to want to take little eagle naps. No longer are you squawking, instead you are having the time of your life, looking at it all in astonishment, knowing that the One who pushed you out of the nest, is right there flying along with you! Your eyesight is much greater now. Your desire is to be free. You desire to fly above the storm. You find it is only things of the Spirit that matter now. Why eat dead things when God is life!

You find you are not trying to hide from the storms. But you are somehow flying right into it! Oh what does it mean!? It means you are seeing the whole picture, not just the things that had you hiding in the nest. You are able to see the majesty of all creation, made by the hands of a Creator who told us some things must come to past. You are no longer surprised, bitter, angry, afraid or anxious of what is to come. You have spread your wings and the Lord is showing you His hand on everything.

Bride of Christ, believe it or not, our strength is being built up for the real battles to come. God desires us to soar. To fly high above all the dead things, seeing that which is alive. HE will bring it to pass.

The things of this world will pass away, but His Word endures forver and ever.

WAIT UPON THE LORD

faiwsu:

Is our forgiveness of others sometimes a selfish act?

But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. — 1 John 2:11 –

Without going into detail, I can tell you I know what it feels like to hate. To hate in such a manner where if that loved one (note: I said loved one) died and went to hell, would have left me apathetic and uncaring. I can say honestly, and God knows, I had never in my life hated so much and so deeply. I did not think it was even possible until certain circumstances began to develop in my private life a few years back. To even think on where I once was, brings not only a chill to my soul, but deep remourse.

I had been wronged, misunderstood. Barely had I time to deal with one attack, when another would come. I became angry, wanting to defend myself, wanting to show my accusers where they were wrong, desiring to fight back. I became more hardened than I ever have in my whole life. It is to my shame that I confess, I reached a point where I just shut down.  Shutting down everything in me that would have allowed me to care for my loved ones. Shutting down any concerns I may have had previously for them. Everything good was shut out and everything bad, was shut in. I had no mercy, I had nothing but disdain and a desire to see them get what they deserved.

The following words, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. — Matthew 6:14,15 –  put a terrible dread in me. I knew I had trespassed against God’s Word in allowing myself, in choosing to defy His Word. But I did not know how to forgive. Worse than that, I did not want to.

I took a sense of pride over the years that I was the eldest. As if that position alone made me any more special than my siblings. I had not seen this pride as sin until all hell began to break lose in my soul. I had tried to the best of my abilities to walk in peace but that peace began to become unglued when our mother died. I made it worse by not responding appropriately towards certain events. Being the Christian who is suppose to know how to act during such times and did not, I take full blame and responsibility for things getting out of control. I should have known better. I should have been the one who should have been able to see Satan at work in our midst trying to destroy our family. But I did not. I came to the conclusion, most of the damage and the breach was being caused by me! By not forgiving, by not caring, by shutting down, by holding grudges in ways in hopes that would bring them to repentence. Not able to see that I needed to repent.

How foolish was I! Many times the words of Peter came to me over and over, “But Lord what about this one?” Jesus more or less told him to mind his own buisness when He said to him, “…what is it to you? You follow Me.”

I really did not know what that looked like. Did it mean that I just passively submit to everything being done? Did it mean I shut my mouth for the sake of a fake peace? The kind of peace that would have led others to believe all is well, when it is not? A peace to me that would have been compromise.

I had been taught over the years that our forgiveness of others was to “make us feel better.” I never bought that. If God is completely UNselfish, then if we Christians who have HIS Spirit in us, should we not too be just as UNselfish? Somehow me forgiving others just to make myself feel better, did not make sense to me. Isn’t it selfish to do anything in hopes of getting something in return? I think so. It is just as selfish to forgive in hopes that it will make us feel better.

A few times over the course of the past couple years when I realized my soul was in prison and I wanted out, I cried out selfishly, “God help me forgive!” But, it never happened. When that didn’t work, I wanted to know WHY I should forgive in the first place. Was it just because God laid some kind of passive condition upon His people? Something that was suppose to make us look good, somehow better than others? If that was the case, I didn’t want it. I didn’t find forgiveness worth my while if it meant it was just to make me feel better. I saw it as selfish and a type of passivity. Not only that, what about when the feel-good feelings for myself ran out, then what? I would have to go around the same old mountain trying to forgive just so I could feel good again! I may as well be a little hamster in one of those little running wheels hoping to reach my destination!

vlanico:

When I began to get my eyes off those who hurt me, it was then that I saw, that I too had wronged others. I was not without blame. For the longest time, I tried to justify it within myself: I had reasons not to forgive, I told myself. God You are suppose to be my defender, where were You? You didn’t defend me, so I had to do it myself. What more can You expect? You expect me to roll over and play dead? Uh uh, ain’t happening, Lord.

One thing I know about God is, you can be real with Him. He knows anyway, so you may as well just be open and honest with Him about everything.

After a few years of me hanging on to my trying to justify myself, God in His mercy began to get through to me. I’m almost certain it would not normally have taken Him years, IF I had been willing. Before I could begin to forgive, He showed me I needed forgiveness from Him for the way I had handled things. I had brought reproach to His truth, to His love, to His kindness, to His mercy. There was no way to get around it. The words of my Lord came to me and said, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” All I knew, is compared to Jesus, I looked and acted nothing like Him. There is no way He would have acted the way I did.

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. — 1 John 2:12 –

Forgiveness is NOT about us forgiving so we can feel better. Just as we have been forgiven for His name’s sake, we are to forgive others for the very same reason.

My question is, do we love Jesus enough, that we do what we do for nothing more than for His sake? Is He alone not worthy? Does He not deserve to have that which He suffered for? If He could die a horrible gruesome death and rise from the dead for the likes of one such as I, how much more is He worthy to have the very lives of those who He has put into my life? Who am I not to to extend forgiveness to others when He has forgiven me of so much? Forgiveness is an act of reconciliation between God and man. He desires the souls of man to know that forgiveness through His Son. Let us not be a stumbling block to that by not allowing His forgiveness to flow through us freely.

Things my dogs teach me: Let the Master Touch You

And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
— Matthew 8:2,3 –

When our blue-tic Beagle, Jethro, began to get eye infections, I had to put ointment in his eyes. I dreaded it because this dog did not let you touch him if he thought you were checking something out on his body that needed care. He never bit me, but he would try if I somehow didn’t trick him into letting me. When it came time to put ointment in his eyes, I had to think of a way to make it “fun” for him in order to get him to submit to my care. I began by muzzling him. Or at least try. He was not going to have it. But when I grabbed a little can of sausages and let him see me go through the little ritual of opening the can — making sure he got a good wiff — laying the little sausages out, cutting them into pieces, he watched and waited as his slobber drooled on my kitchen floor.

I began to train him with the bits of sausages. Making it a game. He got muzzled, let me put ointment in his eyes and after we were done, he knew he was going to be rewarded. It did not take long for him to not even need the muzzle. He was perfectly content to come to me and let me do what needed to be done. Knowing he had little sausages waiting for him.

I guess in a way you could say, he had his eyes set on the prize before him.

Dolly, my smallest dog sometimes wakes up with an infection in her eyes. The first time it happened, it alarmed me. I didn’t want to have to muzzle this sweet little timid dog. It would confuse her, making her more timid. I never want my little girlies afraid of me.

I decided I would not muzzle her and just see what would happen. As I got the ointment, the dogs being curious little creatures, were under foot, hoping it was to be a treat for them. I got my reading glasses to use as I can’t see up close without them. The whole time speaking in a low soothing voice telling them what good girls they were.

They went to their bed where they followed me, and laid down. Instantly rolling over. Perfect sign of submission. Dolly let me put the ointment in her eye without trying to bite or wiggling out from under me! Dixie on the other hand, seeing what I was doing to/for her little sister, hid the upper part of her body under the bed. As if the master couldn’t see her rear end sticking out!

Aren’t we like this sometimes? We either allow the Master to touch us or we don’t.

We all hurt at some time or another. Either through sicknesses, circumstances or things that have been said or done to us. We have done things to hurt others (intentionally or not) that may may end up being the very thing to come back and bite us. Our human nature — our flesh, tends to go off somewhere and nurse our wounds. We may try to find ways to bring healing to ourselves through things that lead to types of death — physical or/and spirtual. We may go here or there looking for that one thing – one person that can “fix” it. Yet, on the other hand, we may reach the point of not wanting anything or anybody touching us. Eventually we come to a place where we realize there is nothing that can. We even stop running to others, even to other Christians. It is then, we more or less throw in the towel, giving up, perhaps feeling a sense of hopelessness. We find we are not running anymore in seeking that perfect “fix.”

You wonder if you will ever see the light of day, if there is anything good under the sun at all. We realize all our running to – and -fro has done nothing but wear us out. Friend, would you believe me if I told you that is a great place to be!? His desire for you is to bring you into the place He wanted you from the beginning of the moment He began to create you in HIS image. His desire is to make you whole, to heal, to bring restoration, to REDEEM. The Master desires to touch you!

Perhaps you have said “no” in your heart, thinking, “I’m too rotten. I’m unclean, vile before the eyes of a holy God.” I would have to agree with you. Yes, you are. You are rotten and unclean. God already knows. Just as He knows it about me and every other human being on the earth.

There is only One who makes clean. Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice.

Or perhaps you have thought, “But you don’t know the things done against me.” You would be right. I do not. But God knows. Isn’t it enough that He knows?

He sees us trying to hide. I think we probably look ridiculous to Him when we do that. Just as goofy as Dixie with her butt stuck out from under the bed. I, as Dixie’s master, did not come up behind her and kick her. Nor did I reprimand her harshly, trying to force her out from under the bed. For one thing, she was not the one who needed the ointment. If she had, I would have found a tender way to deal with her. I don’t want my girlies hiding from me when I aim to do them good.

God does not want you trying to hide from Him, either. You can’t. So you may as well come out in the open with Him anyway and admit you need HIS touch. Not those whom you may have been running to. Not that one special prayer that Christians sometimes look for in their time of need. Not that one person who we have run to on occassion. Not that one new book which you hope has all the answers. Not that one revival meeting. Not that one conference some may say you need to attend.

God is jealous over you. Not in a bad way that some people like to portray, but in a good way. He wants you to know HE is the one who heals, HE is the repairer of the breach, HE is the one who redeems. Not because He is some selfish God who needs us to know these things for His sake. But because of who He is. A loving God, a merciful God, a kind God. He knows the only way you can be safe in your soul, is if you submit every hurt, pain and suffering to Him. To trust in anything else is idolatry. That is sin.

Whatever you are facing, whatever your circumstance, take it to the Cross. Be willing to die. You are not alone. He will show you how as He is right there with you. He is willing to touch you in spite of any foul and festering wounds. Let the Master touch you.

Counting it all Rubbish

Sometimes I believe the American church think we are somehow more special than those around the world. We trust more in our politics to change the world than we do the Gospel. While our politics do affect the whole world, what about our brand of gospel? That too has affected the whole world. I think just about every false teaching, every abomination, every lie, every deception was birthed out of America. Which if even remotely true –and I think so — would make us nothing but garbage.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. — Mark 13:31 –

I’ve come to see that everything I have put my focus on over the past few years, is garbage – dung, if you will. The things of this world will pass away and as much as I would like, there is not one thing I can do to hold back the abomnible filth and lies I see invading every aspect of our culture, politics, government and even within what is called The Church. I have come to an end of myself and have no other recourse but to focus on that which is eternal. I’m certain this will bore some people and will cause them to move on, and yet, with others it is something of great relief.

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. — Phillipians 3:7-11 – 

Those within the world who speak great swelling words who appeal to man’s pride, his abilities, his accomplishments are nothing more than noise to me anymore. Man’s opinions and agendas, grow less and less important to me each passing day. Men are building their kingdoms here on this earth. Both within and outside of the church.

If you are familiar with this blog, it is no big secret how I have had such hatred and rage in me about the things that has had my attention. If Jesus Himself would have told me 10 years ago it would come upon me, I would have thought it impossible. But, He did tell me and I did not take heed:

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.                 — Matthew 24:12,13 –

That word “love” is not some touchy feely watered down sugary definition of love. It is Agape love. It is God love. I have not had it. Even now, I can only say:

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. — Phillipians 7-14 –

When I found the video below, not able to understand the language, I was reminded of how America is NOT somehow God’s chosen or special nation. America is NOT somehow His favorite nation. The church of America is certainly not his favorite! God has His children spread throughout the world. Most of them whom I am not worthy to loosen their boot straps!

Do you sense a tugging somewhere deep within you? Is there a sense you need to do let go of some things? Oh, Bride of Christ, can you hear the Kingdom of God calling you to come out of the kingdoms of man?

That is the same Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, – Romans 8:14 – 16 –

“My kingdom is not of this world.” — Jesus

faiwsu:

Things my dogs teach me: how to receive the blessings of God

Note: This is not about us doing this or that to receive the blessings of God. There are plenty of people who will tell you they have the perfect little wrapped up package of merchandise that will tell you how — you just have to buy it. No, this has nothing to do with that. So if that is what you are looking for, you will be disappointed.

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We got Dixie and Dolly when they were barely 8 weeks old. Dixie weighed 2 and a half pounds and Dolly — the runt of the litter – weighed 1 and a half pounds.

After having Jethro, our blue-tick beagle, who was rambunctious and a mind of his own, I decided early that I would try to train the new pups in ways I had not with Jethro.

Jethro would never come when called. Instead, he would look at you and then run off barking that obnoxious hound dog bark. Even though he was a house dog — twice, we received letters from some secret disgruntled neighbor complaining about his barking.

Not wanting to go through that again, I began teaching the pups at a very early age to come to me when called.

Another thing I wanted to teach them, was not allowing them to run ahead of me. Especially when it came to stairs. I had already had my fill of that with Jethro. It was clear he was alpha in the household and one of the ways he showed it, would be just about knocking me down a flight of stairs as we both were using them.

I wanted to train the new puppies to either walk beside me or behind me. Especially on steps.

They have learned well. They even watch my foot steps, turning their little heads, looking to see when their master moves, and will wait for me to take a step before they do. They rarely overstep their bounds.

However…

When I walk up the steps with treats in my hand, Dixie, the biggest one will walk right beside me. Never in front, never behind, but right beside me, like the little lady she is. Dolly, the little one however, runs excitedly ahead of me waiting for me at the top of the stairs. It is the only time she runs ahead of me. I don’t discipline her for it. She is excited and I can not take that away from her. She knows I have something good to give her. She can not wait for me to get to the top of the stairs. But, she still has to wait for me to get there before she gets the cookie.

One night I saw something – this is sometimes how we have received the blessings of God. There are times when we have walked right along beside Him. Step – by – step, patiently, keeping the very same pace as our Master.

Other times, we may try and and run on ahead at our pace. I don’t know if it is disobediant or not. I guess it depends upon what one does when they get to the place where they think God is going. In Dolly’s case, there is nothing more for her to do, but wait for me, tail wagging, full of expectation.

It’s too bad sometimes, that I am not a dog when it comes to receiving the Master’s blessings. Because unlike Dolly, who will run on ahead and wait, I sometimes decide to run on ahead and bless myself any way I see fit. Some examples of that over the years has been grabbing an alcoholic drink after working hours in the yard. After all, I deserve it.

No longer able to physically work hours in the yard like ten, twenty years ago — I do good to go at it for 15 – 20 minutes at a time — I come in and collapse in a chair. My reward now is simply being able to tell the Lord, “Thank you, God, for helping me get that done and not letting me drop dead out there.”

Other examples of blessing myself have been getting a chore done and then mindlessly veg out in front of the TV. All the while telling myself, After all, I deserve it. Why anyone feels they deserve hours of some TV marathon while there are things to be done, is beyond me.

One particular way I blessed myself, was get all my work done and then sit down and work a jigsaw puzzle.  After all, I deserve it. I would not do anything else until that puzzle was done. No cleaning, no ironing, no doing laundry, no dish washing, nothing. You have any idea how long it takes to put together a puzzle of 500, 1000 pieces? Long enough where everything around you starts piling up and the place starts to look like you have pigs living with you.

One of the worst ways I blessed myself some years back, was playing a computer game. I finally came to realize it had actually began a process of re-wiring my brain! I dared not even say it outloud back then because at the time it was much too embarrassing. Who would even believe such a thing, but I tell you it is true.

Having our brains re-wired for anything but the Word of God, just will not do, my friends.

The Word of God says to be transformed — changed — by the renewing of our minds.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. — Romans 12:2 –

I was not blessing myself, instead I was allowing myself to come under the influence of something that ended up cursing me.

I know we are to be like Jesus in all things and God knows my heart when I say this: If I could be more like my dogs in receiving the blessings of God, that would still be an improvement over where my impulsives have led me over the years.

Impulsives, for the most part are sin. If something is not under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, then it is sin. I didn’t have that right to bless myself. Not only is it self-centered and selfish, it made me a robber, a thief. I stole that from My Father who wanted to be THE ONE to bless me, however, whenever He saw best.

Are you using ways to bless yourself in ways that God has not desired? Please know, they ultimately lead to bondage. You become addicted to the very thing you run to to bless yourself. Some people end up being alcoholics and drug addicts for rewarding themselves. Others go in debt because they spend, spend, spend, trying to bless themselves. Some, like I, end up having our brains re-wired. It is a curse we bring on ourselves. It is sin.

If you too have stolen from God, you must know, you are a thief. It is God who desires to bless you. It is not your place. Your way will lead to bondage and death. His blessings lead to freedom and life.

Help me not to forget, Oh God!

A couple or so weeks ago, my husband called me as he was leaving work to tell me he was on his way to Immediate Care center. “Now, don’t be alarmed, I’m ok.” I don’t know what it is about those particular words, but they never work. I thought my heart was going to stop. I tried to stay calm. I invisioned him on the side of the road, car turned over, bloody and all broken up, waiting for the ambulance.

He went on to say he had felt some discomfort in his chest and he was going to have it checked out. After hanging up, I prayed and continued to wait by the phone. I could not think, focus or move from room to room without a terrible dread. After seeing him clutch his chest a few nights before, I wondered if we were about to go through one big trial.

Had it not been for that previous incident, I may not have felt such awful dread. He ended up in the hospital, stayed one night, had some tests ran and tests came back good. However, they did attribute his discomfort as possible angina and sent him home with nitroglycerian. We both are very grateful that it was nothing worse.

While my husband was gone, I experienced such lonliness. My sadness was so great that no human being could touch it. Lonliness I have gotten used to, but not the kind I had that night. My very best earthly friend was not with me. The one who I have shared almost every single thought, desire, hope, heart break and disappointment for almost 25 years. A man who is able to listen, who understands me better than anyone on the earth, who can somehow find it within himself to put up with me, who has never abused me in any way, always kind, patient, never once raised his voice to me, a man who is such a complete opposite of me that it balances us both in a way that is both beautiful and practical for the two of us.

I love this man who God led me to. We are growing old together. He still compliments my looks, even when I am at my worse — He grins when I tell him he needs to get new glasses. He will eat some of the most awful slop I manage to create in the kitchen, when I will not touch it. He tells me it is good and I tell him he only says so because he’s too cheap to throw the stuff out. He is honest with me and will tell me I’m a little kooky at times, helping me to see I really am kooky. He likes to tell people his “wife is an artist.” Though I would differ on that. He’s not easily intimidated by me, like most men I’ve known. He knows my bark is much worse than my bite. Though he will take great pleasure in telling his friends I am his little bull dog. He unashamedly will tell other men, “she’s the mechanic in the family.”

Through him, I have been able to see that yes, gentleness is true strength. He is the one good with numbers and paying the bills, when my attention span is that of a gnat. He has been dedicated to the Lord since day one of our marraige, always faithful to rise early and spend time with Him in the Word. He’s calm, practical, logical, reserved, quiet, when for the most part I am none of those. He is as stable as a rock. People who know us both, know my husband is a wonderful man and they see how well matched we are in spite of being so different from one another.

I was lost the night my husband was gone. I went to bed that night without him by my side. Wondering if he would be with me soon or if the coming days would bring us stays in the hospital. Or if he would even come home at all. Our marriage from day one had been spent dealing with sick and aged loved ones. Starting with my father who had surgery after surgery, sometimes year after year. Then there were other family members. Some with Altzimers. Then his mother, then my mother. It had been an ongoing thing. Barely a reprieve until the next crisis would develop. My mother was the last. It has been about four years now that we have not had to deal with any such major events.

Laying in bed that night, I began to question my strength, my abilities, my stamina, my resources should we have to begin dealing with another what has always been to me, a life-stopping event. Already weak in many areas, I felt I was about to be pounded in the ground. Not able to rise above what might be needed if my husband were not well. I began to remember things that I would fuss about with him. ”Don’t set that there, put it in the sink.” ” “What do you think this is, a barn? Shut the door.” “Hey, you got the ketchup out. How about putting it up?” “Whatta ya think I am, your maid? Pick up after yourself.” “You want to live in a pig sty? Fine!”

The one thing that I was remembering though was the constant kicking, jerking he does in his sleep. I looked over at his pillow and thought, “Oh dear God. Please bring him home to me. I won’t ever again kick him back.” I meant it — for the time, anyway.

Something within me cried out, “Help me not to forget, oh God, what this feels like!” As painful as it was, as lonely as it was … I did not want to forget. In the past, I would run to and fro doing my best to forget the pain and suffering that was in my midst. Yet, as hard as I would try, I could never escape it. It was always there reminding me of how miserable life was at the time. My trying to forget even made things worse. And there I was, asking, begging God to let me not forget this lonliness, this pain? Somehow it did not make sense to me.

Dear husband is home with me now and life has continued peacefully without any incidences. I’ve given it a lot of thought as to exactly what I was asking of God. I’ve not forgotten that particlar affliction of lonliness and pain. I’ve not tried to run from it. I guess in some strange unexplainable way, I have embraced it.

It is not a bad thing.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes. — Psalm 119:66-68 –

You see, I had gone astray in my heart towards my husband. No, it wasn’t like I was committing adultery going out being with other men.  Nothing like that at all. It was the cares of the world, the darkness that has taken over the whole world had taken over me. I could not enjoy one minute with my dear husband because I was much too busy focusing on all the bad things. Yet, it was a type of adultery. So I will call it what it is — sin.

If a sinful woman can feel this kind of thing pertaining to just one night of being alone without her husband, should not the Bride of Christ feel so much more towards her Groom?

Are you apart from the Bridegroom doing your own thing? Have you let other things come between you and your Husband? If so, He wants you to know He still desires to have you back. His love for His Bride is forever.

The Stench of Man verses the Fragrance of God

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. — 2 Corinthians 2:15,16 –

The things of man are like a rotting corpse. Ever been to a funeral and watched as people pass by the dead body and say things like, “She/He looks good”? I suppose it is the polite thing to do. I am certainly not judging anyone during a time of grief. I just find it odd that we pay so much attention to something that is dead, something that had to be prepared for viewing, usually new clothes had to be bought. People stand, grieving, looking down at their loved one in hopes they look similar to what they remember. Almost like hoping, the dead body will give some kind of comfort. But it never will. It lays there — dead. It can not rise up and give you one last kiss or embrace. There is nothing comforting about a dead body no matter how much outward work is put into it.

Too many times what man calls pleasing, what man esteems, what man lifts up — much like a rotting corpse – is nothing more than a stench to the nostrils of a holy God. Today, there are many dead things trying to exalt themselves over that which is alive. I’ve heard them on TV. I hear them on radio, I have seen it in the pulpits. I’ve even seen it and smelled it in Christian bookstores over the years.

I’ve come to the point where it is grating to my ears and it sounds like noise. Irritating, grinding, useless, vain empty chatter. It means very little, if anything to me.

Too many times I have touched and clung to, that which is unclean, rotting, dead. All the while still, hoping in that passage of He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. But, if we allow ourselves to take on a dead thing, then that dead thing will take us on. We have to let go of the dead things and embrace that which brings life, if we want to be alive in Jesus. There is no other way.

The stench of man, no matter how great the fire that kindles it, no matter how long it has been rotting, will never win over the fragrance of God. No, not ever.

The stench of man always points back to self. Self is the one to be adored, worshipped, trusted and esteemed. Stench camps all over the place. Don’t believe me? Look at government, look at those in politics, look at some of the ministries you may support, look in your own church! Look and see what kingdoms they try to build here on earth. Look and see how they wish to enslave you, making you subserviant not to the One True God, but to them, causing you to cling to the dead things!

Are the things you cling to releasing the fragrance of God in your life, or is there a stench? I know. I know what that stench smells like because I have had it all over me! It is even within this blog! I know from where it came! It came from clinging to dead things. Hoping somehow they could rise up and embrace me and make me feel better, lead me to a sense of safety. That in and of itself is idolatry! But I did not know, I did not know. Still, it made me guilty! Guilty of trusting in worthless idols!

God over and over has told me to stop doing this or that, but no, I, in my rebellion –  in sin, have done the other! We know we should do what God tell us, but we say in our hearts: ”I will not. I am justified for feeling the way I feel.” Ok. But be ready to accept the consequences of such an act. It brings death. You can try and dress it up, you can try and get around it, you can even try to make up for it (as if we can) by thinking we can somehow fake God off by doing some good work. The fact remains — you are dead. Completely dead and your works, your trying is nothing but a stench before the nostrils of God.

So how is the fragrance of God realeased? I think it begins when you find yourself getting sick of the stench around you. When you finally notice that you have picked up the stench and it resides on you, that too is probably a good indication, that it is about time to have the fragrance of God released in your life.

If you are one who has become sick of the stench of the world, run to Him! Do not wait, lest the dead things continue to defile you. If you already have the stench of the dead upon you, do not be embarrased or afraid to run to the Father. He already knows you stink and He is probably more than likely the only One who has been able to put up with your foul smell.

Let the sweet smelling aroma of a perfect holy living sacrifice arise in you!

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. — Ephesians 5:1,2 –

Giving away the blessings prematurely

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. — 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 –

We had a peach tree and an apple tree in our backyard when I was little. Dad tried his best to get fruit from those trees, but they barely put out. But, one year they did. We had peaches galore. Some neighbors lived behind us who were friends with my parents. One day, after the fruit had begun falling from the tree, I picked some up and went to the back fence and began giving them the peaches. They stood at the fence while I kept running back and forth with handfull of peaches. When I ran out of those on the ground, I began picking them from the tree and ran back to the fence to give them another hand load.  Oh, I was so excited. I was making them smile! It felt good to give.

Then I heard my mother call me from the back door. I ran to her and she asked me, “What on earth are you doing?”

“Giving them peaches!” I happily exclaimed.

“Well, save some for us. I was going to make a peach cobbler. Don’t be giving them anymore.”

I didn’t much care for peach cobbler, but I obeyed anyway. That was not my reason for giving them away. To this day, I can still see the smiles of my neighbor. As a child, I thought that was a good thing. But, looking back, I think they were taking advantage of a small girl. Not once did they ask, “Is it ok with your mother? You better go ask her.”

Deep down, I thought my mother was being selfish. But, she wasn’t. Being a child, I had not known all the care and work my father had put in that tree to get the crop he got that year. And there I was, giving it all away!

The peaches were not mine to give away. But, because they were in my backyard, at the moment I was giving them over, I thought they were mine. But they were not.

I’m sure if I had gone to my parents first and asked if I could have given some away, they would not have only said yes, but they would have told me how many, as we were not raised to be selfish children.

For some reason, I’ve been thinking about that incident lately. It reminds me of other times in my life when I have given here or there. Not tooting a horn here — but, one of the gifts God has given me is the gift of giving. I love to give. Oh how I love to give.

But I have come to the conclusion that I have to grow up in that area. The gifts of God, if not used correctly, if not used under His timing and service, are indeed vain. I’ve come to realize that everytime I wanted to bless, God was not always in it.

I’ve had to take a good look at why I have given over the years. Was it so I would be accepted? Was it to be loved? Or was it to because I truly wanted God to bless others? The way to test it? If the later, then you have set no conditions upon your giving and you are free to not give it another thought. But, if the first reasons, then you will find yourself thinking about it time to time wondering why you still don’t feel accepted or loved.

If we believe: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights… James 1:17 –

then shouldn’t we believe if we have what we think is a good gift to begin with, then it did not come from us? Just like those peaches I gave away did not belong to me. They belonged to my father. He was the one who cared for the tree, not I. The same is with God.

Everything we have that can and does bless others, is not from our own hand. It is from God. Who are we to haphazardly give away what God has entrusted us with? Or better yet, who are we to give away what is not ours? Those peaches were not mine.

I am learning not to be led by emotions or being manipulated into giving where God either says, “wait,” or “no.” His reasons, I do not question. Sometimes we are too willing to let our giving be a source of salvation to someone else when God wants them to know HE is their source of salvation in a circumstance. They can not know that if we, who are led by emotion too many times, are too quick to jump to their aid. Do not get me wrong: I am not saying we are never to help another. I simply say we are to be led by God. His leading is pure. It will never point back to self. Nor will it enable others to be lazy, not doing for themselves. It will always point to the goodness of God and the recepient will know.

I’ve learned to not only turn to God when I see a need arise, but to also trust my husband’s judgement. My husband and I are different as man and woman, as are most couples. Yet, we balance one another. I know this is going to sound like a sexist statement, and perhaps it is, but we women tend to be led by emotion more so than a man. A woman is very blessed indeed if she has a husband who not only can hear her heart, but able to help her discern the full picture. I have such a husband. For that I am very grateful.

Yes, God loves a cheerful giver. This is not to be confused with being led by emotion or led by the manipulation of others. That little girl running back and forth from the peach tree to the fence was being led by both.But it does not have to be that way. If you see yourself giving only for reasons of emotion and manipulation, it is sin. You are looking to man for something that should only come from God. What an awful yoke you have put on yourself. You will never the know the true freedom of giving as God intends.

My mother did not punish me that day. She could have, I suppose, but she did not and she never said another word about the situation. How much greater is God? Man always wants you to prove something to him. Sometimes by how much you give to his ministry, his programs, his service. In fact, in a lot of churches if you aren’t giving the way the preacher or the man wants you, then they have no use for it. You can work yourself ragged trying to gain their approval. But with God, you do not. He already knows what is in your heart. If you are one who loves to give, He sees that. Just make sure it is what He wants, and not you. You might find yourself running back and forth between the peace tree and the fence until all the resources have been used up on something other than what God intended.

Crumbs from the Master’s Table

But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table… — Luke 16:20,21 –

I’ve been out of Church = building now for a few years. My reasons are many and for the most part, those reasons can be seen elsewhere all through this blog. So, I will not go in full detail right now. I am addressing the accusation that many of us hear when we are told:  ”You are forsaking the assembly” by not going to church = building.

I suppose my greatest issue of “church” has been when a Christian finds something amiss and begins to sound a warning, they are dismissed. We walk away only to be accused we are forsaking the assembly, when in truth it has been the leaders who have forsaken us with their apathetic attitude of what one was trying to bring to the table.

That being said, we move on. We learn to feed ourselves, trusting not in man, but in the God who is meeting us in our time of aloneness . God is faithful and He still supplies our needs.

We find a crumb here, a crumb there and to our amazement we find it not only delicious, but it full fills something very deep within us for the time! Sometimes a crumb can even be better than a whole feast. Think about it. A feast will leave you feeling stuffed, bloated and sleepy. But a small portion at the right time will energize just enough to get you up and going.

I’ve partaken of many “crumbs” over the past few years, and have to admit, I would much rather feast on a crumb here or there than to have a whole feast set before me.

Below are some of my favorite sites for some choice crumbs = morsels that have fed me over the years. May you be fed also.

http://mkayla.wordpress.com/

http://ianvincent.wordpress.com/

http://thenface2face.wordpress.com/

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/

http://seekinggod1st.blogspot.com/

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/

http://www.ravenhill.org/

http://www.suspiciousberean.blogspot.com/

http://www.goodnewsarticles.com/default.htm

http://www.wickedshepherds.com/

Got Pus in Your Life?

I have had the tremendous pleasure (said sarcastically) of dealing with a nasty boil. It started off as a little thing and then grew into about an inch in diameter.

I made the awful mistake of ignoring it. I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have been on it the moment I finally came to realize what it was.  It was not going away on it’s own.

Over the years, I have prided myself in not being squeamish. As a young girl, I wanted to be a nurse. The sight of blood and other icky stuff did not bother me. Quick to roll up my sleeves, I met any real emergencies with maturity and a sense of know how doing what needed to be done. But that was then, not now. The older I get, the more squeamish I become. At this stage in my life, I believe I would have never made a good nurse.

Being a diabetic, there are things, one should know. Like skin eruptions. They are not to be taken lightly. Denial is not a river in Egypt, but a lot of us live day to day in states of denial. We pretend to ourselves things do not exist, we tell our selves if we ignore something, it will just go away. But they do not.

For instance, that awful boil. My husband told me to get to the doctor in a day or so if it had not gotten better. I didn’t even want to hear that much and my insides were screaming, “Just go away!” to both him and the boil.

I made the mistake of going to youtube to see if I could find a natural cure for it. Instead, the first things I saw were these hideous disgusting boils being lanced. Uh uh, not going there, I told myself. I shut down youtube real fast. And la la la, went about my merry way.

By the next day it had gotten bigger. So I went back online to see if I could find an ointment or something to bring the putrid little fellow to a head. I read Vick’s sav was good, so hubby went out and got me some. I put it on and bandaged it and la la la once again went about my merry way, thinking to myself it would all be over soon.

Got up the next morning and the thing had gotten bigger and redder! At this point I started to panic a little bit, invisioning the horrible procedure of having to have it lanced. Finally, after realizing my denial was not going to make it magically disappear, I began to pray. I prayed I would not see a red streak running across to my heart. That would mean blood poisoning. I went back online again to see if there was different ointment and there was. For anyone who suffers with boils, it is called Ichthammol Ointment and it works. Stinks to high heaven, but it works.

I once again cleansed the area, used the ointment and bandaged. Twice a day. The next morning I got up and it had burst. I was glad to see it had, but now came the sickening job of dealing with it. The sight of it made me wretch, making me weak in my knees and had to go eat a little something just to have the strength to deal with it while trying to pretend the thing did not exist !

Later as I was dressing it, the thoughts came to me, how many other kinds of pus do we have lying dormant in us that is waiting for the chance to come to the surface and burst all over the place.  We ignore these infectious putrid little things in hopes they will just go away. Things like resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. can grow into one heck of a boil if not immediatedly given attention. If we do not deal with the little things when they start to invade our thoughts, we can expect the following to follow:

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. — Galatians 5:19 -21 –

All of the above start with an unclean thought. Sometimes someone wrongs us or misunderstand us, we dwell on it and it grows from a hurt to something greater. What we should have done was go to the Lord the very instant we had an injustice done to us. But no, we nurse it the best we know how, by running from it, putting our own filthy bandages on it and letting it go from unforgiveness to one of anger, to hate. That is just one example. There are many others.

While we are busy trying to ignore the issues of the heart, the Great Physician is waiting patiently for us to run to Him for First Aid.

… He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” — Mark 2:17 –

The sight of that boil made me sick. So sick, that I did not want anyone to see it or seek help. If this type of infection/thing can look so awful and sicken us, then why are we not as sickened by the things that dwell hidden in the heart? Shouldn’t they make us every bit as grossed out as a common boil? I think so. I believe the difference is the issues of the heart can sometimes be so well hidden, that we can become complacent in dealing with them, and like I with that boil, we just hope they go away. So we continue to run from the very things that have us suffering and in pain, hoping all along no one notices.

But God sees.

…For He knows the secrets of the heart. — Psalm 41:21 –

The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile. — Psalm 94:11 –

What are we to do? I know you know. Just as I know. But, I did not deal with that boil until I was forced to. This is not the way. We deal with it, not by hiding and letting the things fester and grow. We run to the Friend of our Soul. Though others may not understand, He always understands. Though others may forsake us, He will never leave us. With Jesus, there is never anything to be embarrassed about. He not only sees us at our very worst, but He understand the whys and hows we got to a certain place. He just wants us to come to Him and let Him cleanse and bind the wounds.

So without wanting to gross you out, I ask, got pus in your life? Then run, run right now to the very One who sees and knows. He is the One who brings true healing. His desire for you is complete freedom in all things.

God Makes No Mistakes

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you;…” Jeremiah 1:5 –

Life sometimes deals us a hand that takes us off guard. We think things are going to go one way, when they actually go another. Such is life. We make plans for this and that, and then such and such happens. John Lennon said it best, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

It usually takes us by surprise and we either spend time trying to get out of it by throwing in the cards, or we grasp hold of the cards dealt to us seeing it as a challenge and play our hand.

The following video I found while doing a search on a rare disorder that has touched a very precious little one dear to our family. As I present the video to you, hoping to bring awareness to this syndrome/disorder, I also want to encourage all who have been affected by circumstances beyond your control: Nothing has and never will be able to touch your life until it first has been filtered through the loving hands of a good and merciful God.

The first thing we usually ask ourselves when presented with challenges is “Why?” Well, we can’t possible know the reasons as to why certain things happen. My own personal experience is one of first somehow blaming myself. Not able to have children, that is what I did for years. God is punishing me for something, therefore He does not want me to be a mother. 

Some would say God didn’t create imperfection, that Satan does. Therefore, these people would have us to believe that any and all who are born with a syndrome or a disorder was somehow made by the hand of Satan? Uh, I — don’t — think — so.

Who are we to decide what is perfect or not? If God is the Creator — and He is — then isn’t He perfect in everything? Each of us are made in God’s image. He decides what we look like: dimples, the color of our eyes and hair, the size of our nose, our stature, etc. He decides how and what we will be blessed in. Some are blessed with a sense of humor, some prone to music, art, mechanical ability, creative ability, some with great scientific minds, some are blessed with a reserved nature, others with a stronger more passionate one, etc. Hopefully you get the picture.

I do not believe God has some kind of assembly line of babies and just tosses them down to earth to be born. I believe that when a man and woman come together in love desiring to make their family, He sees every little detail, every single trait in everyone, and His perfection puts the perfect baby together with the perfect parents — for that parent and for that baby.

That little life will grow one day. God has already ordained what lives he or she will touch, what lives he or she will bless. Just by being themself. God has already decided who that little babies playmates will be, who will understand him and love him. Some are already in his life.

We have a tendency to look upon our own ability, our own strength … but God wants us to look upon His. As in Moses’s case.

God wanted Moses to speak to Israel. Moses had this to say:

Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” — Exodus 4:10-12 –

You see, Moses was looking at his personal weakness. Ok, so he couldn’t talk all that well. So what? No big deal to God. God wanted Moses to know that it was HE who created him. I don’t know what Moses thought at that moment, but if it had been me, I probably would have said something like, “Well, gee, God thanks a lot.” But God had other plans for Moses.

I believe our weaknesses or/and challenges are meant for one thing and one thing only: I believe they are for us to see the glory of God come alive in our circumstances. The same goes for little babies born a little differently than the next baby. So, if you are dealing with something that is going to be a challenge down the road, know this: God does not make mistakes. He sees, He knows every little detail. He put you and that baby together for a wonderful reason. Parent and child are meant to compliment one another, and you will. You see, it does not take God by surprise. He loves you and your baby. He has so many things for you to learn that otherwise you would have never known. There is a special kind of joy awaiting for you both and it is God who is going to lead you into that joy. You just wait and see.

kyliebewley: This is a video that i made (with a little help from my sister in law) about my brave little boy…
I would like to raise awareness of TRISOMY 8 MOSAIC syndrome as I believe that there is not enough knowledge and too many children go under the radar….

Lying to God in Song

Wow! Great read. How many of us have done this? I know I have. As the author states, there were times during worship when tears would be streaming down my face and yet, I knew, I knew, that something was amiss in my soul. The greater sin — if there is such a thing — is pretending it has never happened. God knows. May God help our allegiance to be fully to Him.

http://annawood.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/lying-to-god-in-song/

By Anna Wood

God created music just as He created everything else. It is, at its best, a means of reflecting on His glory and even of bringing Him glory as we sing to Him. But what if we lie in the songs we sing to Him and about Him? A. W. Tozer was known for saying that Christians don’t tell lies, they just go to church and sing them. I think he was more honest than most of us.

Have you ever sung a song in church about surrendering everything to Christ? Or laying down your life to Him? Did you mean it? I don’t mean just at that moment when you might have been swept away by emotion (which is not a good thing, by the way) but, rather, overall? Every moment of every day? If you don’t, you aren’t alone. So many fail to comprehend what it is we are saying to the Lord when we sing words like “I surrender all” or “love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all“? The songs, while beautiful, are often just a part of the service to us. In fact, the time of singing is often referred to as the time of worship because we well know the affect those songs have on our emotions. We don’t really expect them to reflect reality.

But should they?

It hit me one day that, here I was singing my heart out Sunday after Sunday about fully belonging to and fully surrendering to Jesus and I didn’t completely mean it. I mean, of course, at the time, swept away by the emotion of it all, with tears streaming down my face, I meant it at that moment. But, the question was, did I really buy into the message of the song or was I just lying? And, if I was lying, who was it that I was lying to? Me? No, I knew the truth of the situation. Others? If so then they were lying back to me and we were all a bunch of hypocrites. No, that wasn’t it, either. God? Yes, that was it. I was lying to God. It was Him I was singing to about cherishing Him above, beyond and instead of anything else and, yet, I didn’t truly mean it. I was a liar who was lying to the true and living God Who said that liars have their place in hell.

Something had to change. I couldn’t go on like that, not after understanding what I was doing. So I started really listening to the songs, breaking them down, comparing them to Scripture, trying to figure out what they meant. They became some of my best teachers. I learned to embrace their truths rather than shrink away from them. By God’s grace, the words of the songs began to reflect reality for me rather than just being the part of church where I got teary-eyed.

I’ve grown a lot in the ensuing years. After several years and much study and prayer, I embraced a deeper, more difficult “brand” of Christianity than that of my childhood. I can truly say with complete honesty that God is everything to me and that I cherish Him above all and instead of all. My faith has been tried and tested and no doubt will be again and again. Each time I come through the fire, I learn to love God more. My Christian growth is, of course, tied in with my times of prayer, Bible study, church attendance and the study of good books by good men and women who love(d) the Lord. It is, however, also linked to that day when I came to understand the necessity of not lying to God at all…not even in the songs that I sing to Him. God doesn’t take the breaking of our vows lightly. If we are singing about His being our everything, He had actually better be our everything. Otherwise, we have just lied to Him and liars have their part in the lake of fire. I don’t want to be one of them.

It’s time we all quit lying to the Lord in song. Each of us should take time to ponder what it is we are saying when we sing to the Lord and if we don’t mean the words, let not sing them. If He isn’t our all, we ought not to lie and tell Him He is. He knows the difference. It’s time we did.

To the Un-Churched Christian

If you happen to be in a Church building and you are being blessed and being allowed to be a blessing in the way you know God intends, and if you are being taught correct doctrine, I do not begrudge you. I truly am happy for you. I hope you continue to be blessed. However, this article is not for you.

This is for those who once were involved in a Church = building. You gave your time, your love, your service and your money out of committment to God. But, you began to see some things that alarmed you: false teachings, idolatry, theatrics, manipulation, the occult, witchcraft — all being done in the Name of the Lord. When you began to see those things, your heart was first surprised, then saddened, and then you dared trying to warn others what you were seeing. Not out of sowing discord and/or gossip as some of you were accused. Not out of rebellion as some of you were told. But out of a deep concern and love for the truth. Surely, they want to know, you told yourself. But, you found out, they did not. You were more or less poo pooed, shunned, ignored, and as you walked out the door for the last time, no one cared. After all, that Church building no doubt many times had prayed words like this: God, bring in those who You desire and send out from among us who you do not.

Like me, you too, probably said it at one time or another. Because isn’t that what we were taught? That only those who could follow the program were welcomed. Those who wanted to help the pastor with his vision, were esteemed. That you were not to question.

You find out you were just another casuality as you remember the ones who left before you. When you watched them leave, you did not go after them. Instead you looked upon them as if they were the ones with the problem. And now, sadly, you know what it feels like to be one of them.

Leadership taught they were not to be challenged, or else you were unteachable, rebellious, etc.  You probably felt confused. Why is it wrong to point out error?  You may have thought. So you caught yourself sitting at home as you tried to understand why it made one guilty for just having a desire for the truth.

You may have began to feel sorry for yourself, as you may have began to believe you didn’t matter in God’s kingdom. That thought alone made you wonder if you were guilty of the sin of pride. Before you knew it, that condemnation began to bring you down, perhaps even making you depressed. After all, God’s Word does warn us of the sin of pride. Is it pride to have the desire to share what you believe God laid on your heart, only to be ignored and at times admonished by leaders? I don’t think so. I can only suggest this: If God opened your eyes in the first place, there is a reason for it. It was and is His will for you to share what has been laid on your heart concerning the things you have seen. You were right in wanting to warn the sheep of the leaven. They were wrong in wanting to shut you out.

You were made to feel you didn’t count, you weren’t important. Some even took your desire to be a blessing and perverted it with words like, “You are thinking too much of yourself” — “why, he (the preacher) is a man of God, you just need to follow him and God will lead the way” – you had to show yourself worthy of using any gifts in that church, — worthy being if you were faithful enough to clean toilet, bake the brownies, give your money, sit in the nursery watching unruly kids, go everytime the church doors were opened. Never mind if you had a number of things outside the church that needed your attention: sick parents, illnesses of your own or others, etc., just being plain worn out from having to participate in programs that meant little to nothing or having to listen week after week to what you believed was dead preaching. Not to say the total heresy in some cases.

Some even accused you of just being rebellious towards authority. Uhhh, what does that mean exactly? That we must find a church and must submit? Submit to what and who? Someone else who decides how you will be used? Submitting to never questioning and just going along to get along? NEVER.

You were led to believe that you must go to church or else you were in total defiance to this scripture:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. — Hebrews 10:25 –

And to that I will ask those who want to use this scripture to lord it over the rest of us, what exactly does that mean to you? That those of us who have seen what is sometimes heretical teachings come straight from the pulpit, that somehow we are just to suck it up, and get with the program anyway? IF you have found a place where you are able to get true fellowship, a place where people actually care about your needs as much as you do theirs, a place where you are welcomed and are used in the way God intends, then thank God for it, instead of trying to bring others under some kind of condemnation for not finding it. It is a gift — pure and simple.  God does not love you any greater than the Christian who has not been able to find what you have found.

So what does the unchurched Christian do with that scripture? Friend, I wish I knew. What can I offer you when I too am in the same place? I can only say this and only hope it is something that brings life. For I have been alone so long, now, sometimes I can not see straight. Yet, I keep telling myself, doesn’t it go back to Jesus? Isn’t He always suppose to be more than enough? I am constantly reminded of the thousands of believers all over the world who are in prison. Alone. Forsaken by man. Unchurched Christian, you too, may be in a type of prison.

Like me, there may be times where your soul cries out, “I need… I need… I need.” There may be obstacles that you can not control which get in the way of you getting what you know you need. Fellowship being one of the greatest needs for the unchurched Christian. If you find yourself totally alone and your soul is begging for something that just does not seem to be happening — or even meant for you at the time — then what are you to do?

I believe  that God sometimes purposely allows us to be in a place where we begin to see everything we ever trusted in, become as dung before us. Did you once care what man thought of you? He will put you in a place where it will not matter what man thinks of you. Did you seek man’s approval? You will find only God’s approval is enough. Did you like being noticed because of some gift or talent? God not only wants you to see He is the giver of gifts and talents, but desires you to be free from the yoke of performance. Has there been anything in you at all (get real with yourself now) that liked being seen as spiritual? Some of you know what I am talking about. Like me, you carried around certain books to make sure everyone knew what you were reading. That is spiritual pride and God hates it. He desires to strip you from any pre-conceived notions of what spirituality looks like.

See, if you have done any of these things and have found it hard to break free, God loves you so much that he desires you to be more free than you can imagine. I know it hurts right now, to be without a church and true fellowship. God knows I know. But the time spent now in getting to know Him in the stillness of your life, surpasses anything the church building can ever give you.

Many times this scripture comes to me: And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31-32 –

We know this had to do with Jesus telling Peter that he would deny Him. So what might it have in common for us — the unchurched?

You will feel yourself being sifted many times over during your time of aloneness. You may even begin to question God, causing doubts like never before. BUT…. He is still with you. He has NOT forsaken you. He truly wants you to know HIM. NOT fleeting emotional feel-goods that church services bring. NOT the little pat on the backs affirmations the pastor may give to you. NOT that euphoric feeling one gets when they perform in church knowing their gift is being adored and appreciated.

Though you were led to believe you were the problem, the problem is not with you, precious Remnant of God.

The problem lies with those who desired to put a yoke of performance/bondage on you through deceit and manipulation.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.– Galatians 5:1 –

I’m going to guess, since you have been alone, a part of you has died. Perhaps that part that used to care what others thought. Remember how you bowed to it in order to be accepted?

Some of you truly are house bound. Perhaps illness or other events not under your control make it impossible for you to get out and even try looking for a place if you even wanted. To you, I would say, do not let anyone put a yoke on you. I heard one preacher say if you can’t get to church, then crawel. Really? Church is that important? Well, to some, I suppose. In which case, it could be a type of idolatry. Yes, idolatry. There are those who are addicted to the the idea of going to church = building. I will not expound on that one right now. Perhaps at a later date.

I must say that preacher’s words really irked me. Did he even mention that maybe just maybe, someone could try and offer you a ride to church? No.

You are being changed

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
— 2 Corinthians 2:17,18 –

The things you are going through are not meant to bring you depression or any other negative thing. Though you may battle with those things. They are meant to change you from an image of what you may have thought you should look like, to one of what God thinks you should look like.

… He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; — Philippians 1:6 –

Notice something here: it does not say, He who has begun a good work in you will complete it as long as you go to church every time the doors are opened. Or as long as you follow the pastor on every thing that comes out of his mouth. Or if you tithe, bake brownies for fellowship dinners, teach Sunday school, etc.

No, it does not say those things. Now granted, Jesus can and does use these things to help bring about that good work. But they are not what finishes it. It is in Jesus, and in Him alone.

God tells you He has not forgotten you. He has not forsaken you. That He still will use you wherever you are. If you are alone as a alone can be, He still can and will use you. Your life is not in vain. It is not meaningless.

There will be those who will judge you because you are off on your own. Have they made a real attempt to know you, to understand what you are going through, the things you may be dealing with? Have they even heard your voice? Do they know if you have health problems or if you have been dealing with a family issue? If not, then pay no mind to these people. They have no right to speak into your life if they have not taken the time to know you, really know you.

They will load you down with more bondge as you begin adding them to your I need you to accept me list. No, friend. The only thing you need right now if you find yourself unchurched for the reason I listed above, is God. Use this time to try and draw near to Him. Then when it is time for you to go out and try to find that church = building, you will have died to so many things, that the approval of man will mean very little to you. All that will matter to you, is what God thinks of you.