Tag: god

Discontentment

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ( Philippians 4:11)

Paul’s been through some stuff and he knows what it’s like from every angle of life, yet he knew and talked about being content more than anyone else.

Okay this is straight talk from myself for a minute. Discontentment is a sneaky enemy. I can get angry about something, it’s just there right now, in the moment and that’s that. Or fear, something happens or doesn’t happen and anxiety starts taking over right away, but discontentment hits when I least expect it, everything is just rocking along. My day will be going great, heck I may even be at church praising God and giving Him all the glory for all the good things He is doing in my life, done in my life and gonna do in my life and then like a thief in the night the enemy has come and stole my joy, got me thinking all kinds of things. Likely because I heard someone else talking about something and suddenly I felt I didn’t have what I thought I should have. Like,”Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have so much to take care of around our home, we could be out doing what so-n-so is doing, wouldn’t that be nice?” Or “We sure didn’t think this whole retirement thing through like we should have had we, we would be doing a lot more than we are.” “Dang we are getting old, if we were young like them we could __________fill in the blank.” See how the enemy snuck that one right in there? I just went from being content and I really am for the most part, until the enemy comes along and gets in my head and I decide to entertain those thoughts and that’s all that is, is thoughts. God blessed us with a nice home, we have lived good healthy lives this far, if we would stop allowing busyness to steal our time we would take vacations, even just more day trips. We aren’t in lack, God has been good to us, so how did I suddenly just become discontent?

The Israelites’ journey in the dessert; despite being freed from slavery, they grew dissatisfied with God’s provision and complained against Him. Discontentment will cause us to start grumbling and complaining just like they did. We start acting like God is withholding good things or he doesn’t know what’s best for us. Paul tells us that contentment is learned. Paul struggled with imprisonment and hardship but wrote in (Philippians 4:11-13) that he learned the secret of being content in (any) situation, relying on the strength Christ provides. There is some true gain from having a relationship with God rather than all this worldly stuff that brings about being discontent, (1 Timothy 6:6) “godliness with contentment is great gain”. We need to set our minds on the things above, not on earthly things”(Colossians 3:2). We also need to protect our minds. I once read a book, “Where the mind goes, the man follows” and that is true. Don’t be a follower of the enemy, be a Christ Follower.

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.

Moving Forward

I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:14)

If I am being held back from accomplishing anything, it is because of the battle between fear and faith. I know I have in the past and sometimes still find myself shrinking back in the present just not nearly as much as I use to, limiting my own self by doubting instead of trusting His calling. Because I have always had the people pleasing syndrome, spirit of perfectionism, I have allowed fear and insecurity to hold me back. Fear, failure, judgment, or even the unknown have been reasons for holding me back from stepping into my true identity. I spent a lot of time with the Lord trying to figure out how to move past this. Through much prayer and surrender God blessed me with a new boldness, one that makes me say now “YES I CAN” and “YES I WILL,” I’m not scared. If God called me to it, well he will obviously equip me to achieve the task. I’m moving forward, not backward. I am focused on my future, what’s ahead of me. God has been doing a new thing in me and I am not hiding who the new me is He is creating.

If God is calling you into something new, a new purpose, or bolder version of yourself, He promises He will be your strength. You just need to replace your internal doubts by renewing your mind with what Scripture says about your value and your purpose. Remember we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2:10) Let your light shine, people need to see it, this is how we encourage others to move out of their fears and doubts, and move into their call, their purpose in life.

Moving Forward With Purpose and Taking People With me

Just Trust Me

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:21)

This verse explains that giving up what you treasure is the ultimate way to align your heart and your trust with God. I know it can be hard to surrender or give up things that we deeply cherish. But when we do we are showing God that he is our priority over any earthly treasure we have.

Jesus taught that trusting him requires surrendering fear, relying on God rather than our self, and believing in his promises. He tells us that faith brings us peace during difficult times and assures us the believers of his constant presence and provision.

This here is the #1 foundational scripture calling for complete reliance on God rather than our own human logic, “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 path” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Trust is the antidote to fear, “when I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Ps. 56:3). “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat? or “What shall we drink?’ …your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” ( Matt. 6:31-32) Again, TRUST! Trust is a huge thing for me. I have trusted so many people in my life and I’ve lived a long life and in all honesty, everyone of them have let me down in some way or another. I don’t say that to be mean or as to point fingers or wrong doings, I say that because we are imperfect. They couldn’t keep their word or in some cases simply made the choice not to. Though we fail in this area can I tell you, God doesn’t. God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Numbers 23:19) If he said it, it is. You can trust him completely. God is entirely distinct from human beings because He is completely truthful, faithful, and unchanging. We humans often lie, break promises, or change our minds, God’s character guarantees that every word He speaks will absolutely come to pass. So, don’t be afraid to give things over to Jesus when he asks for them.

This week I handed over a 6 year ministry that I loved, trusting God to do a new thing, not just a new thing, but His will. When we trust like that we are giving Him something to work with. We are surrendering to His perfect will for us.

Loving Him …is Trusting Him

Friends

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

Do you have a friend that will stick by you even in your worst times? That’s the kind of friend this scripture is talking about. Proverbs 18:23-19:4, talks about friends & companions. How some, the majority rather only stay close by as long as your fortune is good; in bad times, they disappear. I’ve experienced both as I am sure you have to. I believe that is just life. Take the good with the bad. Though I am very pleased to say, I do have a few select friends that resemble this verse above, I am blessed.

The Bible describes true friendship as a steadfast, loving covenant. Loyalty, speaking truth in love, and offering mutual support in times of hardship. True friendship is NOT a one-way street. Friends should encourage one another, be uplifting when your down, helping us keep our character in tact, when we are losing our whole mind and about to make a huge mistake. Boy, the times I can thank a friend for that one. A loyal friend will love you at all times, no facade needed, they know you and they love you, that simple. They stand by you and have your back when others are attacking you from behind. They are there no matter what the season is that you are in. Of course I personally have not experienced this one, but I hear it on the news a lot, the friend that will lay down his life for you. Give it up to our men and women in blue that every day go out and put their lives on the line for each of us. That is the ultimate example of friendship, laying down one’s life for others, as modeled by Jesus Himself. John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” We have a friend in Jesus, unlike any other friend out there. The Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20 talks about his personal relationship with Christ Jesus, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. You can have that same relationship that Paul speaks of by saying this simple prayer.

I believe that you Jesus died on the cross for me and rose from the dead. I ask you right now to come into my life and to forgive me of my sins. Help me Lord to live a life pleasing to you. Thank you Jesus, for laying down your life for mine. Amen

I have a friend in Jesus! Now you do to.

Know Your Enemy

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

According to the Bible, an enemy is defined as anyone or anything that is hostile, opposes God, or seeks harm, There are three groups: Spiritual Adversaries: Satan (the devil) and his demons they are the ultimate spiritual enemies of God and humanity, acting as the accuser and tempter. Those Who Oppose God: Anyone who actively rejects God’s ways, disobeys His commands, or aligns themselves with the corruption of “the world.” Persecutors and Oppressors: this is on a personal level, anyone who hates, curses, persecutes, or seeks to harm you. It also includes those that act with malice, deceit, or unprovoked hostility.

This particular blog is very personal because I have been under attack. God has revealed to me who my enemy is and why he’s trying to take me out. I feel very compelled to share on this topic because including myself, many people have no idea who they’re battling when attacks come on them. I’m just going to let you know right off the back who my enemy is and then I’ll elaborate on the why. The devil and his demons. I did not understand in the beginning what was happening, because the attacks were coming from family members and those closest to me. My heart was breaking into thousands of little pieces and mind was about to explode trying to figure out what on earth was happening to me and why. It was when I was at my lowest, darkest, can’t go on another moment like this, that God spoke to me revealing who it was that was behind the attacks and why. First I want to say, from the moment God knit me in my mother’s womb there has been a call on my life, one that has taken me all my life to try to understand and God is still revealing things to me currently. I’ve done several things in my life that I know God has called me to, each of them has brought about some type of persecution, whether in personal relationships, health, finances to points of wanting to end my very own life. You would think that it should come as a no-brainer at this point that I would know without a shadow of a doubt who and why the attack this time. The devil is clever. He is the father of lies, he is a deceiver, his only purpose is to kill, steal and destroy and he was definitely working over-time in my life here of late. Now the why. Three months ago I started this blog, I didn’t put a lot of thought into the ministry end of it. I knew what the subject matter was going to be focused on, but I also saw it as a way of channeling my thoughts and life experiences more than anything. God had other plans for my blog. About 30 days into it I started feeling drawn to sharing the saving grace of Jesus BOLDLY. I was already speaking Jesus for a very long time to people, but God had been adding to my call and currently boldness was one of those things. I began praying with many different strangers in very different kinds of places. I was testifying and praying outwardly unlike any other way I had done before. For example taking a microphone from a band member at a community function to get peoples attention to pray over a particular person, completely under the direction of the Holy Spirit. I would never have done something like this on my own, I absolutely do not like to talk into a microphone. Also, just for the record I did not like just jump up on the stage and take the mic from him, I waited until the opportunity came where I could ask to speak. There are many more examples, but back to the blog. I began ending several blogs with a prayer to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. These blogs go all around the world. I see people from so many countries reading these that I can’t even pronounce some of these places and unless someone shares with me I don’t know who all is receiving this gift of salvation, but God does. God showed me that I have entered into the devil’s territory and he is using anything and everyone he can to cause me to stop. I almost fell for it, until God revealed that to me. See Satan doesn’t know me like God knows me, because God created me, He created me for such a time as this. Through Him I can do what God has called me to and no devil in hell can stop me. To God be ALL the glory!

Know your enemy.

A Generous God

“He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” (Matt. 5:45)

I have four Doodles and they must have been reading the same book as this dog in the picture. I absolutely love my little fur-family, heck I bred Mama and helped her deliver 15 babies. I now have Mom, Dad, one of the daughters and one of the sons and let me tell you, Mom and her daughter Miss Pearl Jean can be mischievous. When I take one of the boys out for the day and the girls get left at home or if I am gone a little longer on a day trip then what they think I should have been, it is surprize time for me when I return. They have eaten my socks, a shoe, found goodies that I left for us up on the bar, heck they have even been known to eat a whole pecan pie and make it look like the dish was never touched. They are good at being bad. Nevertheless they know when it gets treat time, they will be getting one to.

God is universally generous. He does provide earthly, physical blessings like success or good weather, but true blessings come only through repentance. God will ultimately separate those who are doing evil from those seeking righteousness. Psalm 37:1-2: “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”

Though God does love sinners and does bless them, His ultimate blessing is restored relationship with Him. Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Being blessed isn’t always about money or material wealth, it’s about spiritual well-being, inner peace, and eternal reward. If you want a true blessing get right in your relationship with God, not worldly success. Proverbs 13:21: “Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.”

Summary: People doing bad things may receive material blessings an enjoy them for a while in this life, but that doesn’t mean God approves of their behavior. Just because I give the girls treats when the boys get one, doesn’t mean I approved of them eating my sock or pie, I’m just being generous and reaffirming my love for them. For us, the ultimate fate of the wicked/wrongdoings is separation from God. He created us and He loves us, that is why He made a way for us to leave our old ways, our sinful ways and be reunited with Him through His Son Jesus Christ, God is full of blessings of all kinds, and we can be His family FOREVER all it takes is repentance and confession. Here is a prayer you can pray that you may be reunited with the Father.

God, I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that you raised Him from the dead. Through my confession I am saved. I ask that you to forgive me of my sins and wash me clean, make me new. Thank you Lord for loving me, receiving me and giving me life everlasting, I now belong to you, Amen.

Faith Born Out of Fear

“Lord if it is you ….tell me to come to you on the water” (Matt. 14:28)

Peter feared what he saw on the water he thought it was a ghost, but when Jesus called out to Peter to come to Him, Peter answered Him, “Lord if it is really you, command me to come to you on the water.” So he got out of the boat, walked on the water and came to Jesus. Immediately after that he saw the wind and out of fear, (no longer in faith) he began to sink, calling out, “Jesus save me.” When Peter heard the voice of Jesus calling him, then in faith he got out of the boat; through faith he believed he could walk on water, it wasn’t until fear came back that he lost his faith. How many times in life do we fear things? I know for myself I have feared failure, loneliness, making mistakes. What if this person ends up not liking me? How will I ever recover from a bad decision I have made? What if; this, that or the other thing? But you know what? There were some pretty bold disciples in the Bible that had some honest terror in their lives, feared death and persecution, but when Jesus calls us, He also equips us to be able to do whatever it is we are called to. I have heard God’s voice speaking directly to me, not audibly, but in my spirit and out of fear I have not responded to Him. I have also heard His voice and took that leap of faith and said, YES here I am, I’m on my way, Okay, whatever you say, I trust You. Staying in faith seems to be my biggest problem, just like Peter, once he took his eyes of Jesus his faith became weak and he began to sink. God doesn’t ever reveal things to me that He hasn’t already equipped me to be successful at. The problem is I put my faith in me instead of Him, seeing what I can do, not what He can do through me. Noah had never even seen rain before, referencing (Gen.2:5-6), yet he did what God told him to do, that is some kind of faith y’all. How can we receive Jesus as our Savior who we have never seen only heard about, yet not believe God when He calls us to something that He says He has prepared for us, or already done for us, etc. What kind of faith are we standing on? There are so many promises in the Bible yet we have a tendency to only believe some of the truth. When I think about my salvation, I think that has got to be the MOST faith a person could have. Especially living in my day and age, reading a Book that is 2000 years old and more. I never lived any of the stories in the Bible, yet I believe them. As a child I received salvation partially out of fear, fear of the unknown, what “if”? Today, I know my salvation is real, I’ve come to know my Creator and I have witnessed Him personally, His promises in my life have become reality. Faith that was once born out of fear, is now Faith unshakable.

God Has Me On His Mind

I have written your name on the palm of my hand; (Is. 49:16)

I have two tattoos. I have always been fearful of needles so I never saw this one coming. From the time of my children’s birth I had these little things I would say to each of them. To my son, “I love you so much I can’t even believe it.” To my daughter, “I love you more than the moon loves the stars.” Way later in life, once they were both adults, married and in the military serving our country. My daughter would occasionally say to me, “Hey mom we should get a tattoo.” I would always respond with,”yes we should, but never really wanting to go through with it, I thought it might be a sin and God would not be happy with me and I wasn’t really into self inflicted pain. Through much prayer and finally finding peace that it was not a heaven or hell issue, and surely how bad could this really hurt? I said okay, let’s do this. While she was stationed in England about to have her first child I went for a 5 week stay with her. By the way her husband was actually in the military she was just fortunate enough to be able to get stationed there with him. After her daughter was born, there was an airman there on base that did tattoos. I told her the only way I would get one was if we did one about us. So we each had moon and stars tattooed on our foot to represent, “I love you more than the moon loves the star.” I just want to say that was more painful than giving birth,” but I loved her that much. A couple months down the road my son was over, he had been in the Navy and I was showing him my tattoo, when he asked where was his? I thought oh my, I am going to have to endure another painful encounter with that needle. What the heck let’s’ go BIG. I got a tattoo on my back of a woman representing me, holding a staff that said Believe it, with the sun representing my son to the right just above her. That was a lot of ink, I couldn’t get the whole I love you so much I can’t even believe it on there, but we knew what it meant. I did this because I loved my children and I wanted them to see I was willing to go through anything to show them of my love for them. The photos in the picture are not that good partially due to the length of time I have had them and they are a bit worn and the other reason the camera didn’t capture the one on my back very well. I believe that scripture above is a tattooed reminder from God to us. “I have written your name on the palm my hand.” Just as my tattoos represent my love for my children, I believe this scripture above symbolizes God’s permanent, unbreakable love and constant reminder of His people. He will never forget his children and our lives are always at the forefront of his mind, just as my children are always at the forefront of my mind daily.

Open Wounds

“The Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves the contrite in spirit.” (Ps.34:18)

Up close and personal today. There are some ares in my life that I am still not able to share about because the wounds have not healed and they are susceptible to infection. I believe there are many that can relate to this. Issues of the heart are no joking matter, they are real like the breath in my lungs. Some days it feels as if healing is impossible, when every little thing that touches it causes the wound to begin bleeding again. Yet I know I am not broken I am simply in a place of deep transition, transitioning into the person God wants me to be. I know that if I turn to Him with this unbearable pain He will be there to heal my wounds but sometimes it is still a hard thing to do. I cannot rush the process though because there is work being done, I have to trust the process. Believe it or not, crying and feeling the pain is not a sign of crumbling but rather releasing and letting the healing begin. Sometimes while the wound is in this state you have to stay away from the thing that caused the injury in the first place, creating space for emotional detachment. I write because this is an outlet for me to release and process my emotions. I find that listening to worship music is a great help, because the lyrics are those that bring truth and good thoughts to my mind. I begin focusing on the things that are lovely, pure and of good report versus the thing that has me broken at the time. Nature is my go to place, it has a way of putting me in a completely different mood, relieves the stress of it all. Sometimes I fall into isolation, never a good thing, being with others is crucial to healing. God will use the right people to speak the right things to you that you cannot hear at that very moment. Whatever we are going through that is keeping this wound from healing completely does not define who we are, our future or our worth. Instead we need to see this is a chance to grow stronger and wiser. Don’t worry about the situation, just focus on your own recovery. Let God do what you cannot do. Obviously I am talking to myself here as well as you. Again I am processing, what I need to do in order to receive my healing. The scripture in Psalms tells us that God is not distant, but active in comforting those in pain. He offers us comfort, He is present and He will heal those with shattered emotions or crushed spirits. Psalms 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”. He is our refuge when overwhelmed, our strength when hope seems lost and He promises that heartbreak will not have the final word.

Okay, I feel better … how about you?