Tag: Religion and Spirituality

faith, God, power of words, Religion and Spirituality, Spiritual warfare, Spirituality

What is with the Inflammatory T-shirts?

I took my son to Physical Therapy last week. He recently broke both of the bones in his lower right leg. After the Dr. we stopped to pick up lunch for the ride back. We walked in the restaurant and I noticed there were 2 girls in front of us who were ordering. They had to be around 16 or so. One girl had purple hair, another had yellow dye and I though to myself, “Here are two budding artists or musicians!” I’m pretty open minded for kids to be able to express themselves.

But then my focus shifted to the one girl’s t-shirt. I couldn’t believe what it said, it stopped me in my tracks. Here is the shirt:

 

My first though was not the best idea – I’ll just go beat her with my Bible and tell her she has to repent or she’s going to Hell! Then Holy Spirit reminded me, maybe she is already living in Hell and has no hope. Maybe she wants to go to Hell because she has no faith in Jesus. Maybe she never met Jesus. I don’t know. I don’t know why or what led her to that mindset.

My second thought was I could go up to them while we wait for the food and I could ask her if I could pray with her. Then Holy Spirit reminded me that she doesn’t know God, she doesn’t know that Jesus can heal all things, so why would she want to pray to a God she doesn’t know or worship?

I couldn’t contain myself and I didn’t want to blow it by talking first and thinking later.  I took a break and walked to the restrooms. Yes, even there I am still arguing with God about how to reach this girl. Do I give her a card to church? No, that won’t work. Why would she want to go to a strange place when she probably has no hope or faith left. I mean, really, she’s talking to the ‘other guy. I can’t imagine why someone would wear a t-shirt like that. Something must have happened.

As I sat down waiting for the food Holy Spirit told me what I should do. “I want you to pray for her…” What? Just pray? I don’t get to confront her or tell her she has to ‘come to Jesus’ or she better ‘get right with God’? Yes, just pray. As you can see, I still have a bit of the ‘religious spirit’ that needs to be healed.

The girls got their food first and then us. As they left I said a prayer for both of them. “Lord please bless those girls and let them come to know you, in Jesus Name.” They went their way and we went ours.  Can I tell you that it’s been two weeks and I still pray for them. God said he hears our prayers and the effectual prayer of a righteous person avails  much.

 

 

God’s Word for You:

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” – James 5:16 AMP

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” – 1John 5:14 

“ I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but that You keep them and protect them from the evil one.” – John 17:15 AMP

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].  For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?  And if you greet only your brothers [wishing them God’s blessing and peace], what more [than others] are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles [who do not know the Lord] do that?  You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:43-48 AMP

My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

We pray for those who persecute us. We pray for the kids that You made and do not know You yet.  We pray that you would shine light in their darkness. Let them run into Your people wherever they go and lead them to You Jesus. You told us Lord, “And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all people to Myself [Gentiles, as well as Jews].” – John 12:32. We lift You up Jesus and we will see You draw all people to yourself, in Jesus Name.

 

 

 

God, Life, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

How to Tell Who is Real and Who is Fake

We live in a difficult world. In the Age of Information there are more and more people pretending to be someone else. All you need is a laptop and a half an hour and you can make yourself popular with today’s social media platforms. There are hundreds of apps out there where you can say whatever you want to say and be whoever you want to be. It’s frightening.There are hundreds of stories of people meeting from this app or that app and end up dead or abused or hurt. Acording to Naked Security by Sophos, with the finding of a survey released on Wednesday by Custard, a British digital marketing company.

  • In a survey of 2000 Brits, more than 75% admitted to lying about themselves on social profiles.
  • Only 18% said that their Twitter and Facebook profiles accurately represent them.
  • Some 31% said that their Facebook profiles are “pretty much my life but without the boring bits.” And 14% said that Facebook makes them look much more socially active than they are.
  • Men are more prone than women when it comes to dressing up the shop window. Nearly half – 43% – of men polled admitted to fabricating facts

The Bible teaches us to test the spirits. God already knew that we would run into liars, or people who like to stretch the truth. We run into fake people everywhere, even at Church. God wanted to warn us that not everyone who goes to Church is real. And the opposite is true, not everyone who doesn’t go to Church is fake. We are to test each person, ask God, and use wisdom.

My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world.

Here’s how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God. This is the spirit of antichrist that you heard was coming. Well, here it is, sooner than we thought! – 1 John 4:1-3MSG

realI have learned this the hard way. I am such a trusting, gullible person sometimes. I used to trust everyone with everything. Until I got burned. Maybe it happened to you too. If so, I am sorry. I learned to step back and watch and ask God for wisdom. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would teach us ALL things. I have discovered that I can just ask Him and He will let me know.The other cool thing I learned is that I am NOT the Holy Spirit. It is not my job to prove to the fake people they are fake. Have you ever heard the expression – just give them enough rope and they will hang themselves? My Mom taught me that one! It is true. Just because someone is a fool doesn’t mean I have to expose them or embarrass them. I can pray for God to touch that person and give them wisdom. That way God can deal with them and I don’t have to!real3I have also learned that when they teach Bank Tellers to spot fraudulant money, they don’t focus on the fake money – they teach them what REAL money looks like. If you know what REAL looks like, you don’t accept FAKE.Jesus says He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. I belive Him. Jesus also said He would give us a comforter, the Holy Spirit, who would TEACH us all things. Christ in us – the Hope of Glory. As a believer with the Holy Spirit, REAL knows REAL. The Holy Spirit in us will recognize the Holy Spirit in someone else.There are times I would be walking in a store and felt the presence of God on someone I passed by. Our eyes would meet and we knew we were both believers of Christ. Same thing happened to me at work. There was one aisle I loved to walk down because there were multiple people filled with the Holy Ghost and I could smell Jesus everytime I walked through. REAL knows REAL.The definition of a fool is:

  • a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person or
  • someone who tricks or deceives (someone); dupe.

real4God hates fools and liars, just like we do. He knows, He sees, and He will deal with it. I don’t have to listen to liars. I just tune them out.What about you? How do you deal with fake people?

God, Quotes, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

12 Resurrection Quotes for Easter

Happy Easter, or Happy Resurrection Day! I pray that all dead things come back to life for you this year – your relationships, your finances, your health, your life – all is made new because HE IS RISEN!

12 Resurrection Quotes for Easter

  1. “The resurrection of Jesus changes the face of death for all His people. Death is no longer a prison, but a passage into God’s presence.  Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there. -You can nail it to a cross, wrap it in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will rise!”- Clarence W. Hall
  2. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”” – John 11:25-26 NKJV
  3. “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…He’s risen!’– Charles R. Swindoll
  4. “No matter how devastating our struggles, disappointments, and troubles are, they are only temporary. No matter what happens to you, no matter the depth of tragedy or pain you face, no matter how death stalks you and your loved ones, the Resurrection promises you a future of immeasurable good.”
  5. “Few people seem to realize that the resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone to a worldview that provides the perspective to all of life.” – Josh McDowell
  6. ““For me the most radical demand of Christian faith lies in summoning the courage to say yes to the present risenness of Jesus Christ.” – Brennan Manning
  7. “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf of springtime.”– Martin Luther
  8. “There is more evidence that Jesus rose from the dead than there is that Julius Caesar ever lived or that Alexander the Great died at the age of thirty-three.” – Billy Graham
  9. “Salvation is the root–the resurrection is the fruit.” – T.D. Jakes
  10. “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.”
  11. “The difference between knowing Christ and knowing the power of his resurrection, is the difference between knowing a person and resembling a person . . . It is not about relationship but about supernatural character growth. When Paul says, “I want to know him,” it means, “I want to be with him,” but when he says, “I want to know the power of his resurrection,” it means, “I want to be just like him.” Look at the deadness in your life. Look at the anger. How is that going to be turned into forgiveness? Look at the insecurity. How is that going to be turned into confidence? Look at the self-centeredness. How is that going to be turned into compassion and generosity? How? The answer is that the dead stuff gets taken over by the Spirit of God . . . The minute you decide to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, the power of the Holy Spirit comes into your life. It’s the power of the resurrection—the same thing that raised Jesus from the dead.” – Tim Keller
  12. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” – 1 Peter 3: 3-5 NKJV

Jezebel, Religion and Spirituality

Identify and remove the Jezebel spirit

Have you ever run into a Jezebel spirit at work? You know – the one who refuses to listen to any suggestions and takes your words as a threat. The one who retaliates after you question her. Yeah, me too. It is so frustrating. You can shar what you did right and it still doesn’t matter. Read more on how to recognize this spirit in the workplace…

 

 

In the Bible, Jezebel was a powerful, wicked queen, and wife of a passive king called Ahab. She was a false prophetess who worshiped the false god, Baal. Baal was the god of prosperity, god of the …

Source: Identify and remove the Jezebel spirit

Healing, Spirituality

Get Out of the Bag and into the Bowl

Here is a picture of what I saw this morning in early morning prayer.  A bowl of flour. Ok Lord, what does that mean? I didn’t even know how flour was made so I looked it up.  Did you know you can make your own flour? I had no idea.  You can take the wheat berries (that’s what they call them), put them in a coffee grinder, and viola – presto, chango – you get your own flour.  Who knew? That’s alot of wheat berries ground up in that bowl. And then we mix it up with whatever stuff we want and together we make something. Bread, cake, cookies, whatever.

So, what if each of those wheat berries were a person?

And we are all in the bowl of God’s Creation?

What if God is making something with all of us together in that bowl?

But first we have to get out of the bag and into the bowl.

Then I started reading in Hebrews. I found out that God’s promises need some faith to make them come to pass.  God gives us all promises. But the invisible still needs to become visible. And we want to see it happen in our lives right?

God gave the Israelites promises in the Wilderness, but they forgot one ingredient in their bowl – FAITH. Most of them never made it to the Promised Land – because they  would not look beyond what they see in the natural – and see the invisible. God’s promises are greater than anything we see or know. And we get to choose to believe the promises and exercise our faith or not. And we get to choose to mix our faith with the faith of those who do believe or not. No lone ranger wheat berries. Our faith needs to be united with those who believe.

 For indeed we have had the glad tidings [Gospel of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it; neither were they united in faith with the ones [Joshua and Caleb] who heard (did believe). (Hebrews 4:2 AMP)

What if we could combine our faiths – like the wheat berries turned into flour – and see God’s promises activated in our lives and our sisters and brothers lives?  How about if we added some Moses Faith, and some Aaron Faith, and some Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob faith to the mix?  And how about we add the best one – some Jesus Faith to the mix?  Yeah, get me some of that Jesus Faith – He said He was the Author and Finisher of my faith. So whatever we have, we throw it in the bowl, and He finishes it.

 Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours. (Hebrews 11:39-40 MSG)

Yep, there is going to be some mixing and crunching going on first.  Nobody really likes that part. Refining, shaking, purifying – call it what you will – it still hurts.  But it is necessary. I get that. But we can’t be mixed together without it.  It’s not always pretty. Sometimes things splatter out of the bowl and all over the counter. And we have to scrape it back down, to keep mixing.

I guess what God showed me this morning is that it is not just my faith.  It’s the faith of all of his kids together that activates His Promises – for all His kids.  We really are better together!  And when my faith is weak, I know I have a brother or sister who will pray for me and reignite the fire  in my heart.  And guess what – even the Fathers of Faith are in the bowl right next to us! Now that is exciting!

Don’t give up yet my friends. God isn’t finished creating yet.  And come on in, the water is fine!

God, Hope, Mental Illness, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Worship

Your Worship Ushers People into the Presence of God

Your worship is sacred and pleasing to God. Whether you are singing in your car to the radio, praising and thanking God, or worshipping with others – your worship ushers people into the presence of God.  It’s like He just shows up and does stuff.

We are not saved for ourselves.

God wants His love to spill over onto others you meet everyday.  

There’s that mom who is trying to make it on her own after her husband left. There is the elderly woman who feels so alone at night. There is the man who just lost his job and doesn’t know how to tell his family. There is the couple who smile on the outside but are one step away from divorce court. And the young teenage girl who hurts herself to stop the pain.  These are people you meet everyday. They are hurting. They don’t know why or how to fix it.

We as Christians carry the Word of the Living God in us. Christ in us – the HOPE of Glory. Yet often we hole ourselves up in our buildings, go to our ‘church’ functions, and don’t reach out to the lost. I did this for years.  It’s really easy to hide from the world when you busy yourself with function upon function. I learned the lingo, wore what I ‘should’, and followed the rules – for a bit.

Then the hurt squeezed out.

Have you ever tried to stuff a pillow in a box? No matter how hard you try some of it spills over. You can get it almost all in and then the corner pops out. That’s what it’s like to just ‘go’ and play church. I am speaking to myself first. After a while I took a break. Just like I took a break from my biker days, and my preppie days, and my academic days.  I was looking for acceptance and love in all the wrong places. The sad part is, so were all the other people going to church. Only we were afraid to tell each other because we didn’t want other people to know how messed up we really are.

The funny thing is though, God already knows.

He brings all of his kiddos to a place to be healed and loved and sheltered from the world.

Worship is a place where God can show us what real love looks like.

 

Yes it happens at church, but it also happens every time a believer ushers in His presence. God is with us – Emmanuel. He shows up whenever we praise and worship him. He is with you in the car. He is with you at the job. He is with you in your home. He shows up when we pray. He is there when you go outside for a walk. He shows up when we pray with others – they feel His love and presence. God isn’t confined to a building. He is not confined to a Denomination. Anytime or anyplace we worship Him, His love spills out onto others -just like that pillow!

worship art
Source: valeriesjodin.com

Thank Goodness God squeezes out of the box we try to put Him in!

I wish I was more transparent in real life. I can here in blog land, I just type what’s on my heart. I am still learning to share in real life.  Feelings are so messy. Some days I am just a blubbering idiot I think. I have a few friends I reach out to, and for that I am grateful. I gave up ‘playing church’. I gave myself permission these days to be me, flaws and all. I gave myself permission to be free from other people’s opinions of who they think I am. Today God gets to tell me that. Our identity is hidden in Christ – I think it’s way safer there than anywhere else.

no limitsI  have struggles everyday. I beat myself up for all the things ‘good little christian girls’ shouldn’t do. But then, as I learned today, God welcomes me in His house anyway. He meets me where I am and loves me through it all. As I confess my faults to God and to others I trust, He forgives me and grants me grace to get up and keep living.

His Word gives me hope – I have to read it – or die. I have been hospitalized for depression. I have tried multiple times to hurt myself. I have given up more times than I can count. I have given up on people, I have given up on myself, and I have given up on love. But the thing I learned today –

God never gave up on me. And He has not given up on you either.

called.jpg

 

God is for us and with us. He forgives us and loves us. He doesn’t want us to be ‘perfect’ – let it go. Just be you. He made you and He loves you anyway!

Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;  for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ – Deut 20:14 NKJV

 

 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.  All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. – John 6:35-37 NKJV

 

 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 NKJV

 

(All images from Pinterest, sources on image)

 

 

 

faith, God, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

Overcoming the Evil in the World

Read a great post this morning. Sometimes just watching the news is overwhelming. There is so much hate. It feels like a “hate snowball” going downhill.

How do you react?

Tiffany shares with us :

“I begin my day with prayer, not knowing how to pray. My heart churns with the overwhelming tide of global unrest, seeking a stabilizing point on which I can plant my feet.”

Here is her post :

Overcoming Evil – http://wp.me/p47uuH-pG

 

Are we supposed to just sit by and watch? Or are we called to do something more?

But what can I do? The overwhelming nature of the problems tempts me to a victim’s mentality of helplessness. But the all-powerful nature of God calls me to an overcomer’s mentality of proactive love.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

 

 

Thanks Tiffany. I needed a plan of how to deal with all this stuff. You have called us out of our comfort zone, and into the ProActive stance of standing up to the evil. Let us love one another as Christ has loved us. Let us stand and kneel in prayer together. There is good and there is evil. God calls us to stand with the Good . Wrong is wrong. God knows and God sees. Let us shine as lights in the darkness in this wicked time, in Jesus Name.

 

light of the world

 

(all images from Pinterest, credit given to original Authors)

faith, God, Healing, Hope, Kingdom Authority, Music, Psalms, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Videos

You’re Part of the Family

There are benefits that just come with being part of the Family of God. When we are adopted by Abba Father there are things that He has promised us:

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

– Psalm 103:1-6 KJV

 

titus

God has promised to forgive us, to heal us.

He crowns us with His Love and Mercy.

He satisfies us with GOOD things.

He renews our Youth!

He is the One who executes righteousness to make all the bad things turn into good.

All things work together for GOOD when God is our Father.

BLESS THE LORD

by Matt Redman

 

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

You’re rich in love
And You’re slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Bless You Lord

And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Forevermore

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

I’ll worship Your Holy name
Jesus I will worship Your Holy name

Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship your holy name

Songwriters
Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman

Published by
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

 Read more: Matt Redman – 10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) Lyrics | MetroLyrics
 Adopted by God
 RELATED POSTS

 

 

(Featured Image Source – thefellowshipsite.org, image source – jenniferRothschild.org)

faith, Healing, Hope, Music, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Videos

I See You As God Sees You

One of the hardest things to do is look beyond our faults and the faults of others. Our human nature is to judge our behavior and others behaviors. This is not our job. God gave us the Holy Spirit to renew our minds. Let us see ourselves and each other as God does – forgiven, loved, chosen, and free! I see you as God sees you today – NEW!

We are all created new after being born again. Not because of anything we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. His righteousness covers us and renews our hearts and minds.

Let go of the judgement my friends – and see each other as Christ sees us! Now that is freedom!

 

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 KJV

 

 

ALL THINGS NEW by Elevation Worship

 

Hear the sound of our chains
They come crashing down
There’s freedom in your name
The cross erased our guilt and shame
The past can’t condemn the ones
Who bear your name

We found our hope in you
We found our hope in you

You make all things new, new life found in you
You restore the years that we have wasted
You make all things new, your love breaking through
There’s healing in your wake and we are changed

Hear the shout of your church
The rescued and redeemed Lord we are yours
Saved by grace by grace we live
Nothing separates the love you give

We found our hope in you
We found our hope in you

You make all things new, new life found in you
You restore the years that we have wasted
You make all things new, your love breaking through
There’s healing in your wake and we are changed

We found our hope in you
We found our hope in you

We found our hope in you
We found our hope in you

We found our hope in you
We found our hope in you

You make all things new, new life found in you
You restore the years that we have wasted
You make all things new, your love breaking through
There’s healing in your wake and we are changed
You leave healing in your wake and we are changed
There is healing in your name for us to change

Anxiety, behavior, Boundaries, Deliverance, Depression, faith, God, Healing, Hope, Mental Illness, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Videos

Enter the Rest of the Lord

Busy, busy, busy. That describes most of us. School,work, sports, music, family, church, etc. We are overburdened with obligations. Whether you are an adult or a child committing to multiple things at the same time takes its toll on our peace of mind. We as a people are overworked, over committed, and over stressed.

Yet why do we do this?

What good does it do?

This past year I found myself getting sick again. I was overcommitted. I was trying to do too much with too little time. It affected my family as well. My kids started having issues with depression and anxiety. They picked up on mine. I had to make a choice to change. I had to trust God to lead me with what I could hold on to and what I had to let go of. I had to choose to trust Him with the rest. Let go and let God right?

I cut back on a number of things I was doing this year. I stopped recording every song I wrote. I gave myself permission to rest. I stopped going to every function I was invited to. I chose which times I could say “yes” and which times I could say “no.” I let myself say NO. That is huge for me. I was such a people pleaser for so many years. Thank you Lord for delivering me from that!

I am more grateful now. I am more thankful now. It was worth it. My family and I have more time together. We may not go out every night, but we have simple times together. A trip to Dunkin Donuts for coffee for my daughter or a trip to McDonalds for hash browns for my son. A grill and Netflix night with my husband is our date night. A visit with my older girls every two weeks and my granddaughter has brought me such joy.  My life is much simpler now. Thank you Lord for REST!

 

God’s Word for You:

Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. – Exodus 23:12 KJV

 

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” – Mark 6:31 NIV

 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. – Matthew 11: 28-29 NIV

 

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God ,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

 

 

effects of stress

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My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

Show us which things to hang on to and which things to let go of. We want to enter the rest of the Lord. Let us lay down our people pleasing selves and accept the newness of life you died to give us. Let us rejoice in peace that surpasses all understanding, in Jesus name.

 

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Jesus the Wonderful Counselor

There are some things that only God can heal. He knows. He saw what happened. Only He can heal the brokenness in our spirits, soul, and body.  We had a wonderful Bible Study today on Jesus the Wonderful Counselor. The whole body of Christ looked up verses and shared how Jesus is our Counselor. It was beautiful.

I admit, I have been abused physically, mentally, financially, and emotionally. There are some stories only God and I know. Yet He is the One who can come into those rooms of my heart. His presence takes out the hurt and replaces it with healing. I don’t want to stay broken. I want to be well and receive all that God has for me. God loves us all enough to heal us. He is able. Today let us welcome Him in.

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God’s Word for You:

Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder.And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

John 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Proverbs 20:5 – Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel, plans go awry,But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

1 Timothy 2:5-7 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth

Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord?Or who has become His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?” For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

John 15:7, 26-27 John 14:16-18, 23
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”

Psalm 73:23-26 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

You know. You saw what happened. I choose to trust you today – for healing those parts of my heart that only You can. I let go of the abuse. I let go of the hurt and I cling to You Lord. Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can’t heal. You are my Wonderful Counselor and your Holy Spirit will heal me from the inside out, in Jesus Name.

 

 

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4 Things That Happen When a Christian Doesn’t Read the Bible

Have you ever carried a toolbox? And then forgot one of the most important tools at home? Let’s say you are going to fix a computer. And in order to change the hard drive you need a screwdriver to open up the computer box. You go to your toolbag and it’s not there. You have no way to open up the computer and fix the broken hard drive. You have no access to repair what is broken. You have the new hard drive with the new operating system but you have no power to use it.  That’s exactly what happens when a Christian doesn’t read their Bible. They have no tools. They have no access. They have no power. And the computer stays broken.

 

The same thing happens when a Christian does not read their Bible. If we do not read it, we do not have the promises of God in our heart to pull out when we need them. We are missing our most precious tool – the promises of God. If faith is being sure of what we do not see yet – how can we use it if we don’t know what God promises us?

  • Let’s say a brother or sister gets sick. How do we pray the Word over them if we do not know it?
  • Let’s say you lose your job. How can we pray in faith if we do not know what God says about restoration and provision?
  • Let’s say a friend dies. How can you offer the comfort of the Holy Spirit if you have not received it yourself?

Spiritual Immaturity

 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is,those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. -Hebrews 5: 12-14

4 Things That Happen When a Christian Doesn’t Read the Bible:

1.They get lead astray. sad girl 2

Without the Word as our Anchor vain philosophies and worldly ways take over. Christians get lazy and led astray. Worship Teams don’t know the Word to release it. Pastors give up on writing their own sermons and just copy them  from the internet.

Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;  and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. -Colossians 2:4-10

2.They get proud and lifted up.   

pride-bible-verses
From: bibleyp.com

Pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Without the Word in our hearts, God is not magnified. Our flesh is living on the throne – not Jesus. God wants us to read the Word DAILY so we can come to know Him and learn to respect Him. It’s hard to respect someone you won’t talk to. Our hearts will not be lifted up in pride if we read the Word.

Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel. -Deut 17:18-20

 

 3. They have no power.

There is nothing like a weak, wimpy Christian. They are all talk and no results. There is no weight in their words. There is no power in their prayers. It makes you feel icky because you know it’s just talk. We as a people long forthe_power_of_god_ the truth and the genuine. We want to see God magnified in our midst. We want to see the miracles and signs and wonder follow us wherever we go. But without the sword of the spirit – the Word of God, some Christians cannot even hold up their own sword. They insist on having others do the work. It’s sad. It’s criminal. It’s wrong. And I’m sure it is grieving the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not die on the Cross for us to be lazy. Get up!

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. -2 Corinthians 4: 16-18

 

 4.  Church becomes an Entertaining Performance.worship 2

Our churches are supposed to be hospitals. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. But when they get there what tools are missing from our toolbox? If we do not have the Word out of the Bible and into our hearts how can we release it? Vain words will not work. Empty, hollow promises will not heal. Only the Living Word of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can heal. If we don’t know it, we can’t use it. God is not glorified. And nobody gets what they came for.

Sermons may become platforms for people seeking to be admired. There are many Preachers who live for applause and fame. There are many Preachers who live to be the money changers and take steal from the sheep. They walk into the anointing from the prayers of the faithful and do amazing things. But they are simply using the power of God for their own purposes. God asks us to test the Spirits. You can tell them by their fruit. They have empty words, empty promises, no change, and no power. There is no weight to their words. Perhaps even Praise and Worship becomes a performance with tons of instruments, guitar licks, and light shows just like the famous pop bands of our culture. All while the Spirit of God is locked out of the building.

We eat everyday. We drink water everyday. Let us read the Living Word everyday. It is our daily bread, our manna from Heaven. Let’s eat with the Lord, sit at His table, and listen to Him speak His Word over our hearts and lives. Fill us Lord with your Living Water – the Word – so we can help our brothers and sisters come to know you more. Help us all Lord, to read your Word DAILY, in Jesus Name.

 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  -John 4:21-24

 

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