Category: Word of God

Blood Transfusion

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

It’s 3:05 a.m. I’ve been tossing around in my bed for the past 45 minutes trying to ignore the wakening in my spirit to no prevail, so here I am. Yesterday was my first day back writing and well I guess the Lord is making up for lost time. I feel a couple things he is speaking to me about right now. One was the words I woke up hearing, “Blood transfusion” and secondly, “Giving permission to speak into my life.” Before I went to bed I spent a couple hours reading on the Lordship of Jesus Christ and what that meant. First I’d like to say, I’ll be studying this out further so hang in there with me on this one. Reason I am sharing this with you right this moment is because the words blood transfusion could only mean that my blood count is running low and I am in need of a transfusion, a spiritual transfusion. I need the blood of Christ to fill me up with His life giving power. I am pleading the blood of Jesus over myself right now as I type, I am renewing my mind to the things of Christ so that I can discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Though I am a child of God, saved by Grace, I also still live in the present world and I am still under attack by the evil one, so I have to resist its pressure by allowing Christ Jesus to Lord over me. Surrender all things unto Him.

Skipping to “giving permission for someone to speak into my life,” two weeks ago I joined a ladies Bible study group at my church and the topic was on community. The class had been in session for two weeks already, but my first night the leader touched on giving someone permission to speak into your life. You know not everyone has permission to speak into you? Nor should you allow just anyone too. Which obviously I do not have that problem because I prefer to solve things on my own and well I am not that good at it so I thought maybe I could learn to do this. So I came home from class and immediately told my husband he had permission to speak into my life. Yeah well that lasted about a day, then I took it back. I’m a work in progress! Life was getting rougher as the week went on and I was losing more and more blood “spiritual blood” that is, I was pulling away from my life line, my source. Why do we do that? We humans can be so dumb at times it’s no wonder we are referred to as sheep in the Bible.

Fast forward, I scheduled an appointment with a therapist, one I could trust to speak into my life. I was giving this person permission, because I knew I needed help and I was not going to get it on my own. Sometimes we have to admit where we are in life and get rid of that stink’n think’n and ask for help. Of course my first help came from the Lord Himself. It was the gentle urging to go to this group and allow others to help, after all He was putting these people in my path for a reason, that I might discern His will for my life through the renewing of my mind and through the topic … “Community.” We need people to do life well. Just as Moses needed Aaron and Hur to hold up his arms when he began to tire, we need our people to hold us up, that we will be able to overcome and win our battles just as Moses did.

This thing about our mind, we have got to stop letting society mold our values and behaviors, we are called to resist them. In my reading last night I was so upset with myself for just letting myself go with the flow even when it contradicts my faith, the Word of God. Real life change doesn’t just come from trying harder; it requires an inward change. You “renew your mind” by replacing worldly perspectives with God’s truth, through prayer, scripture, teachings from leaders rooted in the Word, even Therapists, of course I suggest one that relies on the teachings of Christ. As our way of thinking begins to align with God’s, that’s when we will get that spiritual clarity and be able to embrace His plans, we can see then that God’s will is “good, and pleasing and perfect”.

So, if your feeling spiritually drained or disconnected check your vital signs you may need some spiritual healing through divine blood transfusion, the ultimate source of life, Jesus Christ. He will continually restore your peace, strength, and purpose.

Which Is Easier …Visible or Invisible

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? (Mark 2:9)

It’s easier to say the words, “Your sins are forgiven,” because that’s something invisible and impossible to disprove. But it’s harder to say, “Take up your bed and walk” because, if the man does not get up, then the one who said the words would look like he didn’t have any power or authority to heal. On a deeper level, it is harder to forgive sins, because only God can forgive sins-at the cost of Christ’s death on the cross. So the logic here is that, since Jesus can do the visible miracle (heal the paralytic), this is evidence that he also has the power to do the invisible miracle (forgive sins).

Mark 2:10-12 goes on to say, But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins-he said to the paralytic- “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose immediately picked up his bed and went before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Jesus’ healing of the paralytic verifies that he also has divine authority to forgive sins.

Which is what brings me to this part. The salvation message, the forgiveness of sins, eternal life in heaven, an eternity with Christ Jesus and our Father God. We can’t see Jesus with our natural eye, the Holy Spirit is (the invisible) active force that convicts us of our sin, reveals Jesus, and draws us into salvation. It begins with him convicting us, making us aware of our sin and our need for a Savior, opening our eyes to the reality of Jesus. He gives us understanding, allowing us to comprehend and believe the truth of the Gospel, our hearts become pliable, instead of being hard. Then He seals and secures us the moment we receive salvation. He takes up residence in our lives as a “seal” or guarantee of eternal relationship with God. The Holy Spirit descended from heaven “like a dove” and rested on Jesus when he was baptized by John the baptist. (Matt. 3:16) The Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out on the followers of Jesus as a rushing wind and tongues of fire. (Acts 2:1-4) Also read (Acts 16:5-15).

If reading this has caused a tugging in your heart knowing there is a need for change in your life, that is evidence of the Holy Spirit speaking directly to you and there is a prayer you can say to assure your eternal relationship with God.

Jesus, I am a sinner in need of a savior. I believe in my heart that you are the Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead that I may be forgiven of my sins and have eternal life with you. I turn from my sins and invite you into my life, I confess You as Lord and Savior. Thank you for convicting me, saving me and giving me eternal life, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Spiritual Maturity

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. (Colossians 2:6-7)

Milk and meat are referenced in the Bible as metaphors for spiritual maturity. Milk represents the foundational teachings of the faith, while meat represents deeper theological truths. The scriptures encourage new believers to consume milk but warn against remaining on a milk-only diet for to long. Here are a few scriptures referencing milk and solid food: 1 Peter 2:2, Heb. 5:12-14, 1 Cor. 3:1-3

As a mature believer how can we help the new believer in Christ Jesus?

Just as a newborn baby needs milk for nurturing their physical body and to grow so does a new baby Christian need spiritual milk to grow in their faith, the basic truths of the gospel. We would never expect a baby to be able to eat a steak weeks or months into their life, we should not expect a new Christian to be able to obtain more than the basics in the beginning of their walk with Jesus. We need to be gentle with them, protecting and nourishing by instructing them with love and compassion, helping them to know Jesus and to become who God has called them to be.

As they grow in their knowledge, we still show that same compassion by incorporating commitment. Letting them know we are still here, but now we are backing up and allowing God to grow them through conviction. Like a baby that is becoming a toddler they are learning to walk on their own without holding our hand, yet if they fall we are there to help them back up. Staying committed to helping them is so very important because without it, the baby would stay a baby and the new Christian would remain in their current state as well. Don’t leave them to have to fend for themselves when they haven’t even learned to come to the table by themselves. If we say we are there for them and willing to help be sure your actions back your words. Our goal is to get them to the place where they learn to put their trust in God not us. Teaching them to be obedient by living and acting on the Word of God that we have been feeding them, our compassion toward them, as well as our commitment to them. Moving them over to solid food, allowing them to come and sit at the table on their own.

Finally they grow to where they are now on meat, the solid food. This is where their trust has been confirmed and the convictions they are experiencing are moving them in the direction the Spirit of God is speaking to them. They have a real understanding and are surrendering and being obedient to God on their own. This does not mean the Christian will never fall again, nor be in need of being picked up. Life has its challenges for every believer young and old.

Our final goal is to get from just hoping in God to expecting. Expecting that what His Word says is truth. Hope says, “Maybe” being expectant says, “I know.” Expect God’s Word to work, that is what changes results.

We are ALL called to the same thing. Accept, Grow and GO.

Accept …the truth (Jesus Christ) through faith, Grow …in our faith, Go …help other to do the same.

Fill My Cup, Lord

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)

There is a song I really feel fits this topic by Jessy Dixon; Fill My Cup, Lord. The lyrics go like this: Like the woman at the well I was seeking for things that could not satisfy and then I heard my Savior speaking “Draw from My well that never shall run dry” Fill my cup, Lord I lift it up, Lord … Come and quench this thirsting of my soul. Bread of Heaven, feed me ’til I want no more …Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole. There are millions in this world who are craving the pleasures, earthly things of gold, but none can match the wondrous treasure that I find in Jesus Christ my Lord. Fill my cup, Lord I lift it up, Lord …come and quench this thirsting of my soul. Bread of Heaven, feed me ’til i want no more. Fill my cup, Lord fill it up and make me whole. Here’s my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

Sometimes we need to have our cup filled back up. We find ourselves going along day by day pouring out of our cup and then suddenly one day we realize that our cup it empty. Maybe your running on empty or life just hit you with some news that requires a big drink from that cup, but when you reach for it there is nothing left. Have you ever been dehydrated? Completely depleted? You know that feeling? I do. In the summer especially when outdoors working in the heat, if I am not replenishing what I am using I will become dehydrated I will soon have a headache and become weak in my body. When we are spiritually dehydrated we also become weak. Weak in our minds forgetting what the Word of God says, how we are mighty warriors, we are more than conquerors, we are overcomers. We don’t have the ability to continue being those things because we need His strength, we cannot do these things in our own strength, it only comes from being filled with the living water, Jesus Christ.

If you are feeling weak, depleted, thirty and cannot go any further you need to ask, fill my cup, Lord. Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He promises that anyone who believes in Him will have “rivers of living water” flowing from within.

Only Jesus can quench your spiritual thirst. If you have been thirsting after something, yet find yourself never satisfied can I suggest to you right now to ask Jesus to give you the life-giving water (Jn.4:10) this is not water for your physical body, this water will cause you to never thirst again, it is life-giving water that will give you eternal life. (Jn. 4:13-14). If you will pray this prayer, you can have this living water.

Romans 10:9-10 tells us if we acknowledge our sins, believing in the resurrection, and surrendering to Jesus by confession of our mouths we will be saved from spiritual death.

Jesus, I am a sinner in need of a savior. I believe in my heart that you are the son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead that I may be forgiven of my sins and have eternal life with you. I turn from my sins and invite You into my life, I confess You as Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me and giving me eternal life, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Dilemma of Quitting

If I say, “I will not mention him or speak anymore in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. (Jer. 20:9)

God does not allow Jeremiah to stop preaching. He has put this burning fire and desire within him that if he were to try to stop it would be to painful, the words are in him and they have to come out. He has enemies and Jeremiah’s ministry was a fight. People whispering behind his back, turning his words against him, planning terror for him on every side. They were watching for his fall, hoping for an incorrect prediction. God did give Jeremiah a heads up in the beginning that these things would happen by saying, “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:19).

I’ve been in a battle for quite some time it seems, because my perception of life is very different than that of many. I hear things from God that cause me to say or not say things, act or not act regarding certain situations and because of that people have turn their back on me, or talked behind my back, left our relationship, tried to attack me in ways that completely blow my mind. But then, I am reminded of Jeremiah and all he went through all because God had put the fire inside of him. As much as he wanted to quit, as much as I want to quit at times, because the battle is raging all around me, I cannot and neither did he. There is this unquenchable, unshakeable truth inside of me, a pressure like feeling that no matter how bad I want to quit, I cannot. Just recently it was so bad, that I to like Jeremiah had wished I had never been born. People can be so hateful at times and you wonder why am I doing this? That is why. Be the difference, be the light in a dark world. Jeremiah’s pain and confusion required both careful thought and a caring heart. Through all the suffering I read about in Jeremiah’s story I realize that I have been given a God-given passion to spread the good news. I know I vent and speak of giving up. I also know there is a fire not easily extinguished. And I know that the God who started this in me will sustain me until he is finished with me, just as the Word in Jer. 1:19. God listens to my prayers, hears the cry of my heart, comforts my soul and toughens me up. He even at times stuns me in how he will subtly change my situation in a different direction just to provide me with a hope to keep going. Jeremiah was not a quitter and neither am I.

No pain …No gain

Peace On Earth

If my people who are called by name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

The word that stands out to me more than anything at the moment is: “IF”. If my people will humble themselves, seek, pray, and turn. This requires some heartfelt repentance here. This means there is going to be some deliverance, healing, restoration and going home. Most importantly a right relationship with the Lord.

We have got to be a people that acknowledges our weaknesses and submits to God’s authority. Take time to talk to God asking for his intervention. Desiring His presence and will, not just asking for His blessings. We need to stay in an active place of repentance, we have to consciously make a decision to stop sinning and start being obedient. We as parents don’t just keep blessing our children when they are doing the wrong thing, we make them earn it through respecting our authority over them, God does the same thing. We are trying raise obedient children and so is God.

God’s Promise, (“Then”) That’s when we receive the promise of His grace over judgment “when” His people return to Him. I know this promise was made to the ancient nation of Israel, but the principles apply to believers today to. God’s ultimate desire is restoration and forgiveness rather than permanent punishment. If we can do that we can have peace on earth.

Remember “IF” & “When” two very important words. If and when we will do it His way.

Little Holy Ghost Jr.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

I’m gonna start this right off with … GUILTY! I am SOoo guilty of trying to play Holy Ghost Jr with God, as if He needs my help …EVER! I know I am suppose to rely on God totally, trusting in his ways and his timing, let him carry my burden when I am overwhelmed, but I just think he might need my help once in awhile. Sadly mistaken, because he doesn’t. He absolutely knows what he is doing and it is perfect, if I will just stay out of the way. When he talks about Him being the vine and me being the branch, that means I am to stay connected to Christ not the other way around. It’s also not trying to carry the load that only the vine can carry. Being connected and being a Jr. are not the same. Matter of fact there is no such thing. All we do is complicate things for ourselves by getting in his way. I like to think of it as when I am working in the house, say cooking, and my husband says he will do the dishes afterwards. Now I am probably gonna hear it over this one, but just being a little honest here. I have my way of cleaning up the kitchen and it is not even close to the way my husband does it. In his defense he doesn’t ever say, “Hey let me clean the kitchen for you,” instead he says, “I’ll do the dishes.” You see in my thinking, if I am going to do dishes I am going to clean the entire kitchen, stove, countertops, maybe wipe down the fridge, a couple appliances, clean the sink afterwards you see where I’m going with this. When he does the dishes that is exactly what he is going to do, dishes. Here is another scripture for you, or me; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:8-9. How about this one; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” Proverbs 3:5-6.

The positive part of this is, I don’t have to rely on my own strength, ways or power to do the things. He tells me I can do all things (through Him) who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). See He is not asking for my help, instead He is asking me to rely on Him, it is through Him that I will be able to do all things, not with Him. In Isaiah 40:29: “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” And lastly, 1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I am guilty of getting in God’s way at times, but I also know I cannot do anything on my own without seeking Him first if I want it to turn out good or right. I’m not talking about the dishes, or cooking or doing the laundry, mowing the grass, those things. I am talking about the issues of life, the ones that require a BIG God and a little me. Less of me and MORE of Him. Another bad habit I once had, I say once because this one I am actually getting much better at. I am now releasing things over to God and letting him keep them. I am being more intentional and focused on staying out of his way. I have lived the role of playing Holy Ghost Jr and that’s all that was, playing. My life is no game, I am taking it seriously these days and I am taking God and His Word seriously. So if you are one that thinks God needs your help, I can assure you, He doesn’t. All he needs from you and I is to trust Him.

Let God be God

Half-Minded Living

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? (Matthew 6:27)

Max Lucado is one of my all time favorite authors. I love to read his books and listen to him teach, he just seems to speak my language. I don’t get rid of books I have read very often, mainly because I write in them, I take notes on things that really stick out to me and later I go back and re-read them. Well, this is one of those books, I’m about to share something he said about worry. He used two words; “whaddifs” and” howells.” Here are a couple examples of what those two words look like in a sentence. “Whaddif it rains at my wedding?” Whaddif after all my dieting, they learn that lettuce is fattening and chocolate isn’t?” “Howell I know when to discipline my kids?” “Howell we pay for our baby’s tuition?” Like I said he uses my language. Worry really does empty us of tomorrow’s strength. Worry divides the mind. The biblical word for worry (merimnao) is a compound of two Greek words, merizo (“to divide”) and nous (“the mind”). Anxiety splits our energy between today’s priorities and tomorrow’s problems. Part of our mind is on the now and the rest of it is on the not yet. That’s half-minded living.

Let’s look at it from another aspect, what else does worry cause? Worry of itself is not a disease, but it causes diseases. High blood pressure, heart trouble, migraine headaches, thyroid malfunctions and a whole slew of stomach disorders. Worry has NEVER brightened a day, solved a problem, or cured a disease, yet here’s your transparency moment with Deb …GUILTY on all accounts of worry. I know one of my biggest health issues comes from just that worrying and your probably thinking, “If you know that why are you doing it?” Good question, I’m still asking myself that to. This is just another area of life I am trying to hand over to Jesus, laying it at His feet and letting Him carry the burden. It takes practice, like anything we are trying to learn in life, practice is required. I can’t think of anything I have done in life that was a true accomplishment the very first time I tried. Thank God, that He is patient. He wants us free of anything that is keeping us from living our best life. Worry doesn’t have to be one of those things hindering my best life or yours, keep surrendering it until one day victory is yours/mine. By the way the photo in the blog hangs on my bedroom wall, I see it everyday, multiple times. I love how God is constantly ministering to me while writing these blogs. Time with Him is so rewarding, I am learning and receiving so much while sharing with y’all. To God be all the glory.

All Have Sinned

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

Understand, there are NO perfect people, EVERYONE has sin or has sinned and we are all in need of a Savior!

God looks at sin differently than we do. We have a tendency to see sin as; big sin, small sin, Not that bad, really bad. I just told a little white lie at least I’m not like So & So, God will forgive me. God sees sin as a serious transgression that separates us from Him, disobedience and not holding up to the standard He set before us, sin is sin and that’s that. Sin separates us from God, because God is holy, He cannot tolerate sin because it destroys the lives of His creation/us, this is a spiritual death. He loves us so much even in our worst of worst kind of sin He still gives us a way to be redeemed from the destruction of our sins. He says, “If we will confess our sins, turn away from them, and accept Christ, He promises that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.

It’s time we quit letting sin dominate our lives, it is possible to live a holy life. Will we ever be perfect? No, but why not do what you can to be the best you can? If God is willing to provide us a way out through faith in Jesus, why not take it? It’s a free gift, who doesn’t like gifts? Underserved gifts at that. I know I don’t deserve what Jesus did for me on that cross, but He did it and that is my gift from Him. Have you ever tried to give a gift to someone and they refused it? Maybe they were hesitant about receiving it because they didn’t feel they deserved it. Do you remember how that made you feel, the giver of the gift? Maybe you didn’t have the extra cash to get the gift so you sacrificed something else so you could afford it. Maybe you made this person something, it came straight from your heart. When I think about all that Jesus went through, so that I could receive His gift, it literally tore me up inside when I realized one day that I wasn’t receiving it because I didn’t think I was worthy of it and how that had to make him feel. Like He didn’t do enough, maybe He should have suffered a little more, then I would have felt worthy of the gift. Seriously y’all? Get rid of the pride. Again, I didn’t deserve it, you don’t deserve it, but guess what? He wants you and I to have it, and though it doesn’t cost us a thing, it cost Him everything He had. I get that we have a sin nature, but we also have saving grace. I feel like I know that better than anyone. My sins have been more than I could bear so I am grateful for the gift and you should be to. I honestly don’t know what this new thing is God is doing in me, there seems to be new boldness rising up in me that I never had before. Maybe it’s because we are getting closer to Jesus returning or maybe it’s just me getting closer to going to be with Him. Whatever the reason, there seems to be an urgency within me to get the message across to everyone I can, that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Y’all whatever your sin is, it’s not worth it, let it go, let Jesus redeem you from it, take the gift.

Time Out

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. (Mark 6:31)

Jesus knows first hand the need for getting away to a quiet place to pray and re-energize. It is Saturday night right now and I have had an eventful week to say the least. I actually just changed into my night clothes and decided to unwind here and this is the scripture I was drawn to. The picture is my little kitty from days gone by, after she helped herself to some treats. I thought it was rather fitting for how I am feeling tonight. Just spent the afternoon with some really awesome people, fellowshipping with LOT’s of much needed laughter, bbq’n, playing cornhole, etc. this is how I ended this more than overwhelming/eventful week. Thank God tomorrow is Sunday; a day of rest. I have a tendency to do more things than most people would, I’m just not real good with the word “NO” especially if it’s something I am passionate about and I am passionate about a LOT of things. I am not complaining about the things I do, I just think I should probably be a little better at discerning what and how much I am doing. More than that I need to take a timeout sometimes, more than just Sundays because even Sundays can be hectic and not very quiet. In Exodus 20:8-10 the commandment to observe the Sabbath says, setting aside one day a week for rest and refocusing on God. I was taught that Sundays was that day, but that doesn’t always work out for me, sometimes it may be a Tuesday or another day of the week. It’s not against the law to make another day of the week your Sabbath. The real importance here is making the effort to set a day aside and rest, God did. Jesus tells us to come to him, all who labor and are heavy laden, and he will give us rest. That is contentment, that is where we find rest for our souls. He takes the load off of us and carries it Himself, if we will give it to him. Summer is here and things are already really going strong. Yard work that is never ending, just more than usual and more often, like daily, you might be going through that one yourself. More outdoor ministries are going on. Festivities that we enjoy and want to partake in, 4-wheeling and hiking is something I like year-round, but I seem to do more of that in the warmer months these days and then along with trying to help people with different things, yet still find time to just chill, rest, take a time-out. The gathering I was at this afternoon was at a friends home in the country and they have cows, I live in the country but I don’t have cows, just dogs these days and a few cats. I was watching the cows just laying in the pasture resting as we were all doing our thing nothing bothering them just resting. Nature has a way of revealing things to us. The cows had no worries, the birds they’re not worried about what their going to eat, the trees they don’t seem to be concerned with the hard winter they just went through, they still bloom fresh new leaves every spring. I believe it’s because they all rest, they take a time-out. I don’t know that for certain but it sure seems possible in my thinking. It’s as if nature just knows God is their creator and He’s got them, so just rest. Now that I have settled that in my spirit, I can stop for the night and slip off to bed and get a head start on tomorrows time-out. My prayer for everyone reading this; if you are on the verge of burnout or feeling like giving up, I hope you would take a little timeout to find peace and rest for your soul. Jesus is closer than you realize, rest in Him.