The Lord your God is with you, He is a mighty warrior, strong, there to save you. He takes great delight in you, He will quiet you, calm you, with His love, He rejoices over you with singing.
The Lord your God is totally & completely in love with you
Be still! Know me! Know that I am God! Be patient, I will renew your strength!
I do have a plan for you! I will give you hope and a future! I will prosper you, in my time.
You are never alone, I will never leave you! Just wait on me. Be hopeful! Hope in me, for
I am hope! Wait and see, I will give you wings like the eagle! You will soar in my strength.
When you seek me with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind you will find me.
In me you will find joy, full and complete! Bring me all your plans and I will align them with
my purpose. Give me the desires of your heart and I will fulfill them according to my great mercies!
Show me your dreams and I will compassionately give them life! Put your trust in me and you
will have enough hope for each day! For my love is unfailing! It never ceases, never dies!
Be still! Know me! Know that I am God! Be patient! Know that I love you! Know that I
have chosen you out of all the peoples on the earth to be my treasured possession! Be still!
I will fight for you! I know your enemies! I know your fears and doubts! None of these scare
me! They cannot stop me! I overcame death for you! I have promised you life! Live it abundantly!
Put your hand in mine! Trust in me! Hope is yours for I am hope! Success is yours, at times I
will carry you! I was broken for you, I bled for you. My blood covers your sins! You are forgiven!
In me, there is no condemnation against you! You will fall, but I will pick you up! You are made
in my image! I am mighty to save! Be strong and courageous! I sing love songs over you! I rejoice
over you! I adore you! How deep, how wide is my love for you!
Be still! Know me! Know that I am God! Be patient! Just wait! Your wings are coming!
Your strength renewed! My gracious, exciting plan for you revealed! Trust me! Be hopeful!
Live in the joy of your salvation! Laugh, be silly! Choose life! Rest peacefully in my grace and
mercy! I've blessed you with a unique gift. Seek it! Embrace it! Thank me for your gift!
It makes you who you are! You are mine! Crafted by my hand inside your mother's womb!
Fearfully and wonderfully made! A shining star you are! My sunshine! My child!
You my love, are a gift to me from my Father, who reigns in heaven; the creator of all things good!
Never forget, that nothing you do will ever make me stop loving you!
Stripes, lashes upon anyone's back is unthinkable and disgusting and wrong! What is the worth of a lash upon the back of a man, a woman, or child? Black or white? What is it's purpose? None! There is no good purpose except for a man to boast of his control or lack there of! To take advantage of a man's freedom, to be a master! The law gives such a right! To master over another human in any way he sees fit and that human is commanded to submit! Even God's word says to submit to your master. And I say with a loud voice, the voice as of a preacher behind the pulpit having great conviction and disparity, that I would make a terrible slave under the law! A slave that in times passed and of current I'm sure, was/is beaten! A woman slave who was and surely still today is used for a man's own pleasure! Sickening! I have a rebellious spirit and a stubborn countenance! I would rather die! Yes, all these things still happen today! It enrages me! It saddens me! All this stirs such tremendous, confusing, feelings within me!
Honestly, I hate watching movies about slavery because it evokes such contradicting feelings like hatred, love, compassion, rebellion, and murderous emotions. I have just watched 12 Years A Slave! If I were to act upon what I feel, I might go on a murderous rampage, but the sufferings of Jesus bring my wild thoughts and emotions in check. There was and is only one set of stripes, one lashing that has meaning and purpose! If it were not for the stripes on Jesus' back, I would not have the freedom I so often abuse today! So take courage if you are in someway a slave to man's inadequacies be it physical lashings or not. For in this way, if we are humble and obedient as Jesus was, we are like him! Jesus received his stripes under the cursed law and because of this we now have a new law, which I live under today! The difference is He brought with him the law of grace, mercy and freedom which no other law can claim! God didn't give us grace because he had to or so we could continue in sin, but because he loves us and he knew we would need it. Slavery has been around for over 2000 years! God's word instructs us in Ephesians 6:5-9 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving The Lord, not men, because you know that The Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. Sounds simple right? Truth is, we live in a fallen world, a cursed land. Man will always be bound to some kind of slavery whether by another man or of his own stronghold. As loudly as I shout "no man will ever enslave me and I will never bow to him", I also have just as quietly and secretly bowed to my own enslavement! Huh? Makes no sense! I have been mastered by sin! It has beaten me down, nearly to death! I have been pressed down under loads forced upon me as well as loads I've chosen to carry! We all either still are or have been a slave in some way! I give a resounding BUT...WE HAVE BEEN OFFERED FREEDOM! THE DEBT HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID! Here's where I get so frustrated, with myself as well as others. Why do I get so feverishly mad about this physical slavery and want to commit acts of justice/revenge, but yet when enslaved by my own shortcomings after a while I just give in? I decide to just do whatever sin tells me to do! I decide it's not worth it to fight! Have any of you ever done this? Let me tell you, that's who I used to be, but thank God because of his everlasting patience and continuously unfailing love I have fought the fight! With Jesus I have overcome and I want nothing more than to help others grab hold of this confidence and strength I have found in Jesus and overcome too! I hate seeing another brother or sister drowning in life's sorrow! I hate to see an unbeliever without hope! Being used as tools of Satan! In case you aren't hearing me right now let me remind you that I am not saying any of this with a soft spoken voice! I am shouting, screaming at you! Pounding my fist upon a table and stomping my feet till I am weary! It's time to get angry at sin in our lives! It's time for justice! It's time to abolish slavery! Let the only chains that bind you be the chains of freedom because of your slavery to God alone and even that is not slavery as we know it nor are the chains really chains! You can only serve one master, sin or the Savior! If you are a wounded slave to sin the key to your freedom lies at the foot of the cross! If you are a slave only to God then remember that the ways of this world, the things you used to be are gone! You are not to pick them back up and become a slave again! This does not mean you won't sin or mess up, it means that you should not again return to that lifestyle and continue in it, turning your back on the gift God gave you!
2 Peter 2:19-22. Friends, do not let the suffering of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ be in vain! Do not waste another day in chains when you have been offered FREEDOM! DO NOT! Dear Christian, be entangled again in your sin and be mastered by it! Do not let your hearts be hardened! Satan would love nothing more than to welcome you back! The banner's already hung, he's just awaiting your arrival! For those who have not yet given your life over to the Master, God, Satan doesn't want to lose you, he still has plans to use you against God and His children! You decide! What will you fight for? Who or what will you be a slave to? Galatians 5:1 It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery! Now I say this in a soft voice, full of love for you and me, that Christ died for us, unselfishly, not because he wanted to bear our painful sins, but out of obedience to his Father and sheer love for us, in order that we might be set free! He has broken the chains of sin and death! He became the curse so that we would not have to live under the curse of the law, but instead, so we can live by faith in Jesus Christ under the law of Grace! Start a rebellion in your life! A rebellion against sin! Get others to join you! If you were being freed physically as a slave wouldn't you want to take the others with you? Be a #lawbreaker not a #slavemaker!
I hate slavery! Period! Been there, done that! Have no intention of doing it again! I am a free woman in Jesus Christ! Thank you God for your Grace, thank you Jesus for your blood that cleanses me!
Ok, church is over! You can resume your daily activities! LOL! #gottapreach
Have you ever been in a time or place in your life when things just didn't seem normal? When you're not on a high? When you feel low? But what is normal really? And according to whom?
Let's define normal according to the dictionary: Usual, regular, common, typical; constituting a standard. Conforming to the conventions of one's group. Normal is not a place most of are used to. Let's also go ahead and look and high and low. High: Above; having a relatively great elevation. Of great importance! Lofty or exalted in quality or character; Euphoria. Low: Rising only slightly above surrounding surfaces. Lacking strength or vigor; weak. Humble in status or character. A low level, position, or degree.
There is a worldly and Godly level of high, normal and low. Unfortunately as humans we tend to define ourselves with a worldly view! It' s hard not to sometimes. Truth is, although we seek to be normal whether it be worldly or Godly or maybe both, most of are not used to normal. I'm not used to normal! In a world of performers we are told that if we aren't doing it big and always on that "high", then we aren't right! We aren't normal! In our desperateness to be "normal" our "highs" become "I's". Somehow though, we still don't measure up! Pitiful, we are! We then visit the "lows". They're very hospitable, but so depressing! The world says, "take some me time, it's all about you"! So our "lows" become about "me". Pitiful, pitiful me! "I just want to be normal", we cry! The world says, "well now that's a pitiful place to be!" There's not much glory there! So common, so usual. It's so confusing for it's views are so tangible!
A Godly view is just the opposite of the worldly view. I think we seek normalcy in God too! Is it normal to be "high" all the time? Should we ever be "low"? Is there a "normal" with God? Yes, yes and yes! I believe that being normal constitutes all three of these things. Being a christian is wonderful and hard all at the same time. I believe we can be "high" all the time! It is in our spirit that we find our "highs" and our "lows". Truly the state of our spirit dictates how we live and how we perceive. Here's the problem; when things seem "normal" we think something's wrong. Here's how God see's "high"...when we are on our knees. When we are praising HIM, thanking HIM, glorifying HIM. When our "I's" are not our "highs". Beautiful, are we! Oh, but our "lows" they seem so low, below the knee. That's because our "lows" are about the wrong "me". God says, "When you are lowly in spirit become even lower and humble yourselves before "ME" and "I" will lift you up! Let your "high" be only from your face so that it is "ME" you seek! Your Savior, your Friend, your King! Don't look at "me", see only "ME"!" God see's normal as extraordinary, for it is in those times when things seem the toughest. Not because He makes them tough, but because we have the wrong perception. If being normal feels wrong, it's then that we need to do as it says in Psalms 139:23-24 & Psalm 51:10 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. In fact, what a great way to start each day! Start each day with an "extraordinary, normal, lowly high"! Don't make your "normal" times longer or harder than they need to be. Trust in His daily convictions and affirmations! Don't miss out on a blessing because you have confused a worldly and a Godly view and spun yourself into a web of turmoil during a "normal" time. A time when God wants you to be still while he prepares you for what's ahead or is maybe even protecting from what's ahead! God has a purpose for each life and your resistance or your insistence on pushing ahead of him will not thwart his plan! It may; however, cause you to do something outside of his will or ahead of his will. And now, we find ourselves asking Him to clean up our mess while we go through "if only", "I'm so stupid", "such and idiot", "I've ruined it", "He'll never use me again", and so on and so on! This my friend is condemnation straight from your worldly adversary, the devil! In Christ there is no more condemnation, but a sorrowful, repentant heart is of great worth!
There is a message here! Do you hear it? Be still, be still, be still! And know that He is God! Be still and let Him be your "high", your "low", and your "normal"! Let God grow you, mature you, and perfect you until the time in which He is ready to use you! The world is full of temptations of exalted "I's" and overly glorified "me's" and conforming "normals". Be no longer conformed to the world and let God create your "normal" with the right balance of knee bending and face lifting! So come down from that cloud of "I", get up out of that grave of "me" and finally, rest in the arms of Jesus, be still in "normalcy"!
On February 23 I was still trying to keep my head up and my eyes open while on this journey to wellness. On that extraordinarily beautiful, sunny day I was sitting on my deck soaking up some vitamin D and allowing the sun to infiltrate and penetrate my feverish skin when I realized something. It's just an analogy, but it makes sense to me. I found it hard to turn my face fully into the sun even though it felt so great. The sun hurt my eyes because they were so sensitive at that time from the fever. I wonder though, in our Christian walk, if we aren't like that as well sometimes. Maybe it's sin that keeps us from being able to look the Son full into his face and open our eyes. Maybe its feelings of no self-worth or shame or guilt. Maybe it's a lack of faith or trust. Maybe! When life is blaring down on us, blinding us with its powerful rays, we start to squint and squirm, lower our heads to avoid the pain and close our eyes so as to not see the truth. We will even run for the shade when it feels to hot, afraid of sweating or maybe afraid of exhaustion. Have you ever noticed though that when we look up into the sun we do one of three things, put on shades and then look up or even away, we cover our eyes with our hands and turn away or on a good day we close our eyes and look up gradually as our eyes adjust until our heads our flung back while we bask in the light! Right?! When we put our shades on it blocks some of those rays of glory. We are hesitant to fully trust, but we want it to seem as though we have our eyes fully on the sun/Son because after all, we do look the part with our cool shades on. Truth is we are blocking the full blessings of facing the Son! Why do we do that? Maybe it would mean that we would actually have to give up something we like or maybe it's too much pride-after all we do look rather stylish and the other guys/gals dig it! Not to mention the fact that our bare faces might scare someone! Geez, we for sure cannot let them see the real us! I know when I don't want to be seen or want to cover up my "ugly" as I call it or my greasy hair because I'm to lazy to wash it, I just put on a hat or bandana or something for goodness sake! I mean what if people saw the real me? No make up and greasy hair! Yikes! What if I lifted my veil and left my shades in the car? I mean what if I let folks see the REAL me and let the Son/sun shine completely in my face? What if we allowed our bare faces, and greasy heads to lift a step at a time towards the Son? Just let the ugly, greasy, pimply parts hang out! Would the Son disappear or cover his eyes in disgust? Would the sun refuse to shine and cause a black out? NO! NO! NO! The sun/Son will shine forever, even on a cloudy day! You just may not be able to see it/Him, but they're there! They have to be! Without them there is no day nor night! No light just darkness! If we were to lift our faces always up to the Son, what would we see? What would others see? We would first of all see a love that is indescribable and uncontainable! We would see acceptance, patience, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, grace and hope! We would see a face that smiles at our beauty, eyes that brighten with adoration and a mouth that sings over you! Others would see the Son in you and the sun on you! Others would notice the changes-your sun-kissed skin and your highlighted hair, but they would bask in your Son-ny glow and experience your acceptance, your love, your kindness! Everything you see in the Son will be seen in you! Won't you go with me to the Son and let's take off our shades, lift our veils and raise our eyes until we are relaxing fully into the face of the Son/sun! Let the Son of God be your sun today! Go unveiled! 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 My paraphrase: Since we have this hope, let us be bold, nothing holding us back. We have nothing to hide! Don't be like Moses who wore a veil over his face so no one would see the glory fading away. Don't let the glory fade away! When anyone turns their face to The Lord, the veil is taken away and they are face to face with HIS Glory! 17. Now The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of The Lord is, there is FREEDOM. 18.And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from The Lord, who is the Spirit. My paraphrase based on The Message- When we recognize that God is a living, personal presence and when God is personally present, a living spirit, the old legislation is obsolete. We are free! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. We are transfigured into his likeness, our lives becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become more like him. So let the Sonshine in and face it with a grin, open up your heart and let the Son-shine in! Letting the Son shine in! Stephanie Goode
Have you ever been in a place in your life, a season, where you find yourself feeling out of place, lost, irritable, insecure, full of doubt, wanting to believe but somehow you just can't seem to move? If you're like me, you've been there! Maybe you are there...like me!
Look! Listen! Be alert! You have now found your place on a soft, shaky foundation! A place where walls of hurt and distrust are being resurrected around you and pictures of your past are being so cleverly hung for your reminiscing! This is a place where anger and sadness dwell within! It's so dark and dense in there! And oh, there's a stench! The stench of bitterness seeps in through the cracks in the mortar and the ferocious winds of worry and doubt rattle the windows and cause the frame to tremble. Insecurity beats at the door demanding that you answer. Don't answer it! Please! For the one who knocks is selling poison. A poison that will knock you down, obscure your defenses and will allow him to defeat you! There is an antidote, but this, he will not sell you! It's enough that you heard him knock and drew near. Now his poison is beginning to permeate your already weakened defenses! The room, your mind, is foggy now with the poison called SIN! It is slowly becoming a layer of dust upon your heart! Something within you tells you you need to knock the dust off and open the windows, but fear, guilt and shame have put a seal around the window frames and the sash from the curtain of free will has been fixed over your eyes, blinding you, and the ropes of discord have bound your wrists with lies. You cannot clear the fog! You've been compelled!
My friend, I tell you as I tell myself, in this cold, wintery season, just use your breath to push the fog from in front of you as you whisper the name, "Jesus! Worthy is the lamb who was slain for me! Son of God and Son of man! Jesus!" The darkness begins to lift! Something stirs within you! Do it again! Over and over again! Call upon his name until he answers with a mighty thunder! A thunder of Hope! A hope that begins to unsettle the dust that has been clogging up your chambers. Cry out! Rebuke the wind until it changes from a blustery storm of worry and doubt to a cleansing, summer rain of trust and belief! The darkness has lightened with just this one act. Your senses are changing too, there's a whiff of something sweet like the Lily of the Valley! The stench of bitterness dissipates as the cracked mortar is being chiseled away and is being filled instead with a sweet, Holy, Spirit!
There is another knock at the door only this time it is soft and inviting and the voice is gentle as it beckons, "Come to me! Open wide the door so that I may come in and abide with you!" The vibration from the comforting voice loosens the sash from about your eyes and unties the rope from around your wrists! You squint and blink in the brightness as your wrists fall loose beside you. It's your choice now, shake off your chains! Breathe in a deep breath and savor the fresh air of forgiveness! Let the breath of forgiveness dislodge and dispel the dust, the sin, that had enslaved you to darkness. Let your heart beat again!
Stability! Your feet are finding solid ground! The foundation is shifting! The soles of your feet are adjusting to the plush softness of grace and mercy and the joints of your soul are creaking as they burst with relief from the cold, stillness of despair! You're not completely free yet, there's still some work to do! Ah, no need to call a handy man. You have all you need. You have the carpenter of life already within you and he will help you to rebuild your beautiful, shattered temple! It's time now to come out of the corner where you've been hiding. You've made it this far! I know it's been painful and frightening and you're tired of the struggle, but your day of establishment is near!
A moment of indecision, your strength is wavering! Don't give up! Eat from the cookbook of love and drink from the fountain of life till you are full!
It is time now! Throw open the curtains! Let the sun come in so it can warm your heart and lift your spirits! Aahhh! Peace! Let peace release the tightness of the walls that are squeezing your chest like vice grips. Relax! Love is on the way! It's so soothing, like a river running through it! Oh spring, how I've missed you!
Don't be afraid of what's next! It's time to move ahead! The windows have been sealed shut for so long now because of fear, shame and guilt, but that's all gone now! The hinges have been anointed with the oil of joy and the seal of death removed. Rejoice and give thanks! Go ahead, lift them! Lift them high! The warm wind stirs the cool embers of your heart, awakening the gift of life! Your desires and dreams remembered and renewed! There's that enchanting, drawing scent again! The fragrance of Jesus undying love! The Lily of the Valley! It totally encompasses you! It seems you are floating now; you are floating...on the wings of compassion!
What's that sound? Is it the door again? Didn't I answer that already? No, no, not yet. You only heard the voice behind the door. A gentle rapping that again beckons me to answer. I don't tip toe, I don't walk slowly, I run without haste and I throw open the heavy door of insecurity! There he stands, so beautiful, with his arms stretch out before him! "Come to me!" Jesus! It's you! I leap into his embrace! You came for me! I was so scared and alone! "My child, do not be afraid! You were never alone! I have always been here, I will never leave you nor forsake you! You just couldn't hear me because you allowed the other voices to crowd your mind with their lies and empty promises! You were confused by the one who crouches around like a lion seeking to devour you. He came to steal, kill and destroy you, but I have fought for you! You are safe with me, for I have come that you may have joy and fullness of life! I am here now, rest your weary head! You have opened your eyes and unclogged your ears! You have been made new! Shiny like the stars and your scent once again is of the fragrance of Christ. You are a fragrant, beautiful offering to God! In you am well pleased! Go now and tell others what you've been through and what I have done for you! Share the good news! Give of the compassions that have been shown towards you!
You are mine! I have chosen you, my Wildflower, the most beautiful in all the fields! My most delightful piece of pottery! What a beautiful mosaic you are!
When it seems that all hope is gone reach out to the one hope, Jesus, who will always help you to press on!
Sozzled-drunk;inebriated This is a topic that has been on my heart for some time and I've yet to have the courage to speak up. I feel that is the time especially with the New Year's celebrations commencing tonight. I say these things to myself and my children as well. This is a sensitive and argumentative subject so I pray for God to guide me with my words as I share with you some of my own personal experiences and the truth according to God's word. A truth that never changes! Alcohol and drunkenness is an evil that has affected my life since I was a little girl. See, I have seen and felt the evil that can be done when one becomes drunken or sozzled. Word of the day and I think its my favorite word now! I have been guilty of drunkenness and the sins that so easily entangle us. Drinking in moderation is not the problem it is the overindulgence of alcohol the causes the problem. Our minds become weak, our inhibitions become relaxed and our discernment impaired or lacking. I've personally seen and heard stories of men who become abusive physically, sexually, emotionally and verbally! Some become what we call a mean drunk, confrontational, always looking for a fight. For some reason some find this funny! We are much more bold in our speech and actions. The scary thing is that when we sober up we may or may not remember the things we've done, but now we are suffering the consequences and so are those around us. I know that being drunk can cause men and women to engage in activities that they might not ordinarily do such as premarital sex or sex outside of marriage. All in one night we've crushed our own values and morals. We may find ourselves flirting more than we should or dancing and putting our bodies up against each other. Sounds exciting, right? It is! Sin and the lust of the flesh always is for the moment. Rape is another evil that can happen when we allow ourselves to over-consume and indulge in worldly ways. The list could go on! So, what am I saying? I'm saying it is not only dangerous, but it's WRONG! According to God's word those who continue in this way of living, drunkenness, will not inherit the Kingdom of God! God had been really dealing with my heart about drinking and I kept pushing his nudges away saying "no, this isn't a problem. I only do it every once in while now. No, it doesn't make my depression worse, etc." God didn't give up. He continued to nudge. I had a feeling why God wanted me to give up drinking even if it was for just a little while or forever, but I wasn't ready to obey or give up the battle in my mind. I questioned "well, for how long? Forever? I don't know if I can do that. Just for awhile? How about if I just back it down to social drinks?" He chose not to answer those questions at that time. Does that seem cruel? It wasn't. He just wanted more for me and that was not going to happen unless I could sacrifice my selfish desires and obey completely without question. God knows what is best and I trust in that! July 31st while on vacation I was doing my Bible study and once again he presented his request. This time I relinquished control and submitted to Him! I can tell you now why he was asking me to submit and let go of my crutch. HEALING! God wanted to give me what I'd been asking for, but first he needed me to be willing to move away from the biggest negative influence and memory in my life! I would like to share some of the negative influences and memories with you with respect for those involved. The evil began, as I said earlier, as a little girl where I saw and felt the devastation of the evil hands of abuse. I watched alcoholism tear my family apart, yet my family still remains today! I was taken advantage of when I was away at college because of the effects of alcohol. Thank God for friends who noticed the absence of a certain person and came to find me. I have used alcohol as a crutch for my pain, for acceptance and just plain experiencing life. I must say there is nothing great about feeling sick and dizzy and "praying to the porcelain god"! Yuck! Believe me I have done some pretty embarrassing things! Later in my life at a time when my mind was already weak and I was moving away from God, I allowed alcohol to influence my actions in a sinful way. My actions started an avalanche of pain and chaos in my own marriage and family. I went from a "blue moon drinker" to a "gotta have all the time" drinker! My sin then caused my husband to drink excessively! This was not pretty for any of us! My kids included! I even used alcohol for my depression and attempt of suicide! Can you see the chain reaction that my sin and disobedience had? This is why God asked me to step away! Every time I put my lips to a drink I fell backwards in my mind! My struggles increased! God wanted to heal all those broken places in my life and in my health, but until I was willing to give up my crutch and my excuses, he couldn't move me any further. When I finally gave in the change in my life was immediate! I lost my craving and desire for alcohol completely and my desire became more of God! He's seen me through ever since! That one act of obedience change my life! Jesus' one act of obedience has changed my life forever and can/will change yours too! Jesus was obedient when he went to the cross for our sins. He was obedient to the will of the Father and he now sits on his throne! Have I had a drink since that day? Yes, but not before seeking God in prayer to make sure that this drink will not be harmful to me or against his will! It was about 2 months before I ventured into a drink. I was able to enjoy A DRINK with my husband without the weakness of my mind! I will confess that on December 7 I gave in and knew I shouldn't have and had a drink and then another. I allowed the stress of my husband leaving till Christmas cause me to lose my discernment. Not intentionally, but it happened! I felt guilty, my mind was weakened and I began to listen and believe all the old lies that satan began to throw at me! This lasted for about a week even though I had already repented and had been forgiven. Maybe God has been asking you to submit in some way and you are resisting, I encourage you to trust him! For information on how to live as a christian please read Ephesians 5! Proverbs 23:20-21, and the controversial verse that started all the fuss with Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11- As Christians I'm speaking to you! This verse is about more than homosexuality-let it sink in, drunkards are listed here as well among other things. This is what you once were, now you've been washed, sanctified. Vs 12 says everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial! Go ahead for your sake and read all of chapter 6. God loves you and knows what's best for you! Obviously drunkenness or being sozzled is not what's best! Just look at the tidbits of my life! Luke 21:34, 35-Don't let drunkenness and anxieties of life weigh you down so that your expectations are dulled and you are caught as in a trap doing the things he's warned us not to do! Romans 13 (vs 13) go read it all! Instead of dressing ourselves in immorality clothe ourselves with Christ! Galatians 5:16-26- It's a long list of things that he says will keep us from inheriting the Kingdom of God! Don't be deceived my dear friends and children! The old sinful self is put away so that we can be holy and righteous before God! We who belong to Christ have crucified the sinful nature! 1 Peter 4 is another great chapter on living for God! Please take the time to read it! Please do not deceive yourselves and think that just because you've been saved and promised forgiveness that it is a certificate to continue in your old ways! Please do not take me at my word but instead go and read it for yourselves! Yes, we are going to mess up because in this world we are not going to be perfect but God forbids that we continue in sin so that His grace may abound or be more! We crucify his grace again & again! We must repent and change our ways every time we stumble! Strive towards the day we meet Jesus and are perfected! It is only by His grace and through our faith that we are saved, not of our works so that we cannot boast, but it is our responsibility and pleasure to see to it that we live in obedience to God's word and His will! If you are in need of a change for any reason, now is the time as the day of Christ's return draws near! Please don't let today pass you by before you humbly and confidently go before Jesus and ask for forgiveness and then get up and press on to the goal! What a great way to start 2014 in the name of Jesus! Have a blessed New Year, Stephanie Goode
Today in church I was listening as the choir sang and was watching their expressions and body movements. I found myself wanting to ask some of them, "are you singing because your in the choir or are you singing to Jesus?" Are you celebrating what he's done for you? Are you excited about where you're going? Are you worshiping with your whole heart? Are you giving Jesus all that you have? I could ask myself the same questions.
I see TWO singers! TWO women, one on the end of my front right corner and the other on the end of my back left corner, who really appear to want to walk on the golden streets of Jerusalem that they were singing about! To walk where angels have trod! I can see the excitement and anticipation on their faces! In the raising of their hands, and the sway and bounce of their bodies! Oh Jesus, how they love you! How they want to be there with you! I'm sure there are others who want that too, but on some of their faces I see sorrow, bitterness perhaps, numbness maybe, just tired, or maybe even some who want to be there but just have lost their zeal! Still there are others who are just dying to let it all hang out! Their hearts are near bursting to let their joy shine forth! I'll admit sometimes those are descriptions of me! Do you know what we need? Some good ole fashioned "old time religion"! A revival! Praise Jesus! You know what else? We need some ethnic mix within our services! Yes. We. Do! We are all serving the same Jesus! Now please don't take offense here but we need what some call "black folk praise & worship!" Amen! Oh what we stand to gain to learn from our brothers and sisters of different ethnicities! To be free to let our joy and spirit loose! We as "white folk" are lacking here! What would people think if some of our "white" folk churches just got up and turned loose? Dancing and praising with the lifting and clapping of hands! Foot stomping! Holy moly, all kinds of names and labels might get thrown around. I personally was raised worshiping in both black & white churches as well as mixed. I've seen the differences and to be honest (now I'm gonna share some secrets here), I've always admired and wished for the faith & freedom to express my joy that the black race has. I'm sure there are great things we could stand to learn from other ethnic groups that I just haven't experienced yet. Now some believe that they are somehow owed because of what their ancestors went through and some don't. Let me encourage you to see this in a different way. I want to share with you what has always stood out to me! Even though they, ours and our brothers and sisters ancestors, some white but mostly black, were enslaved and tortured by men, mostly white men, their faith in Jesus was never enslaved! All they had was Jesus and each other! Though they suffered much at the hands of cruel men, God, I believe, blessed them with a strength and faith and authenticity so many people lack today. At least that's the way I see it! Oh what I would give to be so free in my spirit! The lack of freedom physically was replaced with a freedom spiritually! For what man intended as evil whether from ignorance or meanness, God has used and blessed for good! It is your reward even today!
I have always said that when I'm older (well at my age, now is older) I want to be like an older black woman! Why? Because she is so free! I want the faithfulness that I see, the quite, gentle spirit that I've witnessed. The sweet smile and kind eyes that say "I love you, there is no judgement here! Come and sit with me!" Holiness! Strength! Humility! Do I have to be of another race to posses that? NO! There are women of all races who have these beautiful qualities. This is just what I've seen and what I've admired! I want to say thank you for the example I've seen in many of you! Old, young, black, white or brown! These fine qualities have been passed down from generation to generation! Be thankful for what your ancestors have gone through no matter your race, because, it was their suffering and their faithfulness that has brought many blessings upon yours and my life! We need to let loose and cut up for Jesus!
This morning while the choir was still singing that same song about Jerusalem, I began to watch those around me & I saw one woman to my right in the balcony stand in celebration and anticipation of Jerusalem and then another to my left. So, I then began watching to see how many more would follow that brave ladies lead and stand. There were others, but not as many as I thought would stand. Sometimes we stand alone but most of the time if we just take that stand others will follow. Some will stand in unison with you while others will stand just because they are following your lead. Good, I say! No matter the reason they stood, what matters is that they did! We encourage one another when we stand. And when we stand, praise will follow! No matter your race, STAND! TOGETHER! Be courageous! Be that lil ole black lady sitting in her rocker on the front porch welcoming all who enter in! It's not about WHERE you're supposed to be-you will get there, but instead, WHO you're supposed to be! In a rocker, on a bus, in an office, in a foreign country, be who God has called you to be!
I know this is a blog post full of different thoughts, but take from it what applies to you and leave the rest! This is just how my church service went for me.
For me, I don't want to be great, don't need to be famous or rich, I just want to "ROCK" for Jesus! (pun intended)
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may SPUR one another on TOWARD love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting TOGETHER as some are in the habit of doing, but let us ENCOURAGE one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
