WL4J Challenge – Week of November 1st 10/30/2009
Praise the Lord – WL4J is sending out a challenge to all the readers of the places that we post things. We are going to do weekly challenges that are meant to draw us closer to the Lord and to our families. This is our first week doing this and may you participate and then post your experience in doing so – why not invite others to participate too. The week of November 1st challenge is:
Praise the Lord! God is truly good. I made it to work despite all that awful traffic and slow drivers! I am praying that we can move closer to my job so that there is less time spent on the road and more time at home. I work technically only 25 minutes from home – well with the way I drive. LOL But my commute to work is at least 45 minutes to an hour and do not let there have been an accident on the parkway because that can turn to from an hour to two hour ride depending on how many accidents. Yet it amazes me in the winter time how long it takes because there are some snow flurries that have not even accumulated on the road falling. I have sat in traffic for two hours because of that! So it is time to start thinking about moving closer to the job – praying for the Lord’s will because it will not happen if He does not ordain it. Today is the day before Halloween – first off I HATE Halloween – I always have. Jonathan went trick or treating twice in his life when he was two and three – his father took him – his father bought the costume and his father took him. I could not stand the holiday – funny though all Jonathan did both times was go to three houses and want to come home and give out the candy. Of course this was all before I was saved. I thought the holiday was dumb to dress up for and even as a kid – I did not like to go really. I did once as a teenager and went as a prostitute – THANK GOD FOR SAVING ME! LOL Yet as I look back on it – that is where my mindset was – I wanted to be sexy. Funny how some Christians still want to be sexy – what is wrong with just being beautiful. There is a difference in the wording. Sexy – concerned predominantly or excessively with sex; risqué, sexual interesting or exciting, radiating sexuality, excitingly appealing, glamorous…. Beautiful – having beauty, having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, excellent of its kind, wonderful, very pleasing Diva – is a prima donna – which is a temperamental person, a person who takes adulation and privileged treatment as a right and reacts with petulance to criticism or inconvenience. Okay – this Christian woman wants to be beautiful – forget sexy and diva. I know some are going to say that it really does not mean that when you say you are sexy or that you are a diva – but the definition can not be changed to accommodate what we want it to accommodate it to be. So think about the words we use my sisters – words are powerful and we can and will take on those characteristics if we use them. So just think about that the next time you say you are sexy and want to be sexy – hummmm you want to be about sex – okay then. . . think about what Jesus wants you to be and I bet it is NOT sexy. Holiness my sisters – Holiness! The other thing on my mind today is still standards – the standards that we will stoop to and then say that it is good because our intentions are different. Okay if it looks like a worldly thing – smells like a worldly thing and appears to be like a worldly thing – then guess what – slapping on Christian before it does not make it of God. So many of us do that and then wonder why we are in a rut. If things are not the way the Lord is – then guess what it is not of Him. Remember – we are to radiate Jesus – the beauty of the Lord – hummm not the sexiness of the Lord and truly not the divaness of the Lord either. We can not mix the two things . . . we are NOT to be like the world – we should look different – we should act different and the world should see that we are not like them. If they do not see that – something is wrong. If we are not loving and acting like Jesus we are in trouble – it is a shame that we have allowed God to become a backseat in our lives – only allowing Him to ‘drive’ when we messed things up. I was thinking about this as I was responding to Sister Casandra’s reply to my blog from yesterday – we are allowing the Lord to be last. I am not going to say that I am not guilty of the same thing – we all are but then we sit around and wonder why our lives are a mess or why things are not going the right way. God has blessed us to be here and we will put everything and everybody before Him. I am once again reaching out to my sisters and challenging them to put stuff aside for the Lord for a week. Just one week – put things aside and focus on the Lord. However He directs you to do so. My husband ‘challenged’ me to get closer to the Lord so that I see more of Him and less of me. I am working on not allowing my flesh to take over and to be happy all the time regardless of my situation – which in turn is being content in whatsoever state I find myself in. So I am going to write another blog for the WL4J Challenge! Well let me go and do that… God is calling His people to live according to His word and His way – let us live this way and have life more abundantly! God bless! Praise the Lord! Let me just get right to it…where is the standard of the Lord in our lives, in those around us and things that are going on in this world are getting so out of hand in the Christian community that it grieves my spirit to know that what we call holy is not what God calls holy. I have been to several blogs and fan pages and all kinds of places and I see so much that is so NOT of God. I want to talk about two of them. . . Facebook – first off it amazes me that some sisters and brothers in Christ spend more time on Facebook than they do in learning more about God or that they do on true Christian communities on the internet. There are plenty of them out there – now I am not saying that you can not spend time on Facebook but there are other great places too. Check them out . . . yet that is not the point I am trying to make so forgive me but I had to put that in there. I am a member of Facebook (yes sometimes I spend way too much time on there BUT I also spend way too much time on Christian sites too! LOL) I am a “fan” of Tye Tribett and depending on his response on his fan page by him – will determine if I remain a fan. On his page he sent a shout out to Mary-Mary for their nomination for an American something awards (I believe that is it and at work so I can not double check). Okay – they are his ‘girls’ and he is showing them love for their nomination. I put aside my thoughts on awards for Christians aside – as I know we are not all going to agree on that point, but we should agree on the next point but it amazes me that we do not. First a brother made a comment about their dress, and then TWO sisters made comments about their dresses and what was showing. What were to follow were comments against the two sisters who were speaking holiness – they were told that they were wrong. As I have been watching the comment trend – it appears no one has mentioned what the brother said which was what the sisters were saying – the other sisters went against the sisters – NO ONE TOUCHED THE BROTHERS COMMENT!! So right there that made me wants to smack someone – yet I did not. I am learning to be quiet and less smacking! Yet the kicker was – the Lord said – they are upset (the other sisters) because they dress like this and do not want to hold up the standard of the Lord. IF we are living holy – we are called to a holy standard and I do not care who you are – you are to live as God has called us to live. Yes, you can look beautiful without your chest showing and all your legs showing. Why do we do that – we do it because our flesh wants to show off – our flesh want people to react to what we have on and tell us how beautiful we are. Now in defense of Mary Mary – they have plenty of pictures of them dressing modest and looking beautiful yet and still it is kind of disturbing to see them put on what the world calls sexy – when they have been beautiful prior to this in clothes that did not show their chest to the world. It is a tactic that we as Christians should not have to stoop to. When the Lord said that we are not of this world, He also meant we do not have to stoop to the tactics of the world to live. He is our provider – so whatever you do – if you do it to the glory of the Lord and forget what the world says – He will bless it and it will be as He says – we should NEVER compromise our standards for ANYTHING – family, money, jobs or even ourselves. We must live as the word of the Lord says we should. Now the second thing I wanted to mention is this mess with homosexuals. I am really getting tired of the mess that is going on. I am tired of people saying God says this and God says that – I really question if they really know God in the first place. WL4J stands for holiness and we pray for all to live up to it. We do not permit transsexuals in our group (if we are aware of it) because this group is for women only – those born AS a woman – period – plain and simple. If when you came out of your mother’s womb and were born a woman – that is the only requirement for WL4J. So my sisters who are lesbians or whatever the politically correct term is we love them and accept them just as a sister who is married to a male that was born a male. Yet just as I speak about sleeping around with people who are not your spouses, just as I speak about lying, not being submissive to our husbands – I will speak on homosexuality – as it is a sin just like the other things I mentioned. Plain and simple – the word says it is a sin and anyone who says it is not, knows not the true word of the Lord. Now should we treat those who choose to be with members of the same sex any differently – nope but because you say that their lifestyle is against God – they take it as a personal attack – yet think about it – what about the other sins – when I speak to a sister about how she is living with a man and not his wife – she gets mad still at me. She gets mad because she knows she is in sin – she knows it is wrong and she does not want me or anyone else pointing it out . . . so should I stop pointing it out? NO!!! There is a standard that we are called to in the Lord and we can not let that go. If we let the standard go – then we will eventually let go of the Lord. Now do we beat the sister up over her head because of living with someone or being a lesbian . . . no – we love and we encourage and we talk. God will provide the opportunities to minister to the person, yet know the opportunity for what it is and act accordingly. We can not be quick to jump on someone about what they are doing in their lives for the simple fact is we do not do everything but what we can do is speak of the fruit we see before us. Matthew Chapter 7, Matthew Chapter 12, Luke Chapter 6 all speak on this – in the words of Jesus. (Yet is another thing too – why do people go over what Jesus said verses what Paul says – because Paul says things - does that mean things are not to be taken as serious as if Jesus said it – well if the word of the Lord is the word of the Lord – what difference does it make who says it if the Lord said to write it down! We think too much!!) Here is a key scripture on the fruit. . . (I will list more at the end of this writing) Matthew 7:19-21 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. We need to be very careful indeed – for there is a standard and if there was not a standard – all you would need to do is say I believe in Jesus – end of story and off to heaven you go – but read the words of the bible – read the bible period and see what God is speaking to His people. You need the word so that you can live to the standard – you need the word so you can live for Him – do I need to say it again – You need the word of the Lord – which is the Holy Bible to live for Christ in this time as we call life! There is a standard in the Lord and if you do not know His word – you are going to fall short. It takes more than going to church on Sundays, going to choir rehearsal, attending prayer services, attending extra services, witnessing to others, encouraging others, reading the word of the Lord, studying the word of the Lord, praying to the Lord, exercising your gifts given from God, using your talents that He gives, helping others, being a good steward over the things that He has given us. It takes more than that! It takes LIVING THE WORD IN YOUR LIVES – not just being a hearer, a person of habit and repetition – but a person of standard – a person who feels all those things I listed above and does it with love and joy in their hearts for the Lord – this will bring you live your life as God has called us to live – a life of holiness. I challenge ALL those that read this to take more time focused on doing the word of the Lord with love and joy in their hearts – doing the word of the Lord with faith and truth – doing the word of the Lord – just do the word of the Lord and see what He does for you. Why not spend LESS time watching television, on the internet, and on the phone and more time reading the word of the Lord, studying His word and talking to Him. It will do you a world of wonders. I spoke on this last night in the Encouragement Hour – I have cut out television to listen to more God speaking shows on BBNradio.org and Oneplace.com. I have made a commitment to the Lord to make sure I spend one hour STUDYING His word daily – not reading it – but in addition to reading my normal scriptural reading of the word – not just doing a study weekly but daily studying His word. It makes a difference. My husband has challenged me to let Jesus open up more of my understanding and I am going to meet that challenge and I shall extend the same to all those that read – let Jesus open up more of your understanding in Him. Let the Lord truly minister to you. I am so excited because a sister in Christ has been off the internet and things of that sort for a week during a fast and I can not wait to speak to her tonight to hear how it is going – I am expecting such wonderful words from her and I know that God is going to make this time special for her! Yet this is something we can all do – no not everyone can do what she is doing – but we all can make a commitment to open the doors of our hearts to allow the Lord to reign more in our lives! I pray that today’s Honesty Today encourages someone to know that we are called to a higher calling in the Lord and you can meet that calling – the flesh has to die but if you surround yourself with things of the Lord – it will get easier the more you do it! The scriptures that I wanted to put out there today are: Matthew 7:19-21 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. THE ENTIRE CHAPTER SEVEN OF MATTHEW Matthew 12:32-34 32And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. 33Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Luke 6:43-45 43For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Colossians 1:9-11 9For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; I Peter 1:14-16 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. Romans 12:1-3 1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Isaiah 59:18-20 18According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. 19So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. Last one (LOL) Long one but right on point as the word of the Lord always is… Romans 1:16-32 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. I Peter 1:7-97That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Praise the Lord for He is awesome and so good and kind unto us. He is faithful to His word and we need to have faith in Him. Okay, at this point I was trying to understand being happy all the time. How do I do this, okay I have to trust the Lord – but even more so – I have to have faith! Faith to be happy – yes faith to be happy. There are times that I literally have to say aloud “I am going to be happy today – this is NOT going to take my joy!” It is a fight for me daily to stay happy – I mean a fight. Some things financially came up and we were talking about it – it was my fault so of course I am on the defense as he was saying things. You know how ‘we’ do – I know he is saying we but it is not ‘we’ that made the mistake – I made the mistake. He knows it and I know it. Yet I have to keep telling myself ALOUD that I am NOT GOING TO STOP BEING HAPPY! I do not know about you but being unhappy is so second nature to me that I have to really give it over to the Lord every single second of the day. I am not talking a few minutes here and there – I mean every single second of the day. I surround myself with the word of the Lord, I surround myself with music that is glorifying His name, I surround myself with Jesus all day long so that I can have that joy and I pray! I have no problem praying now at all. I will pray for anyone and relish in praying – why because when I pray I feel even closer to the Lord. I will start praying for someone and the Lord comes down and man I feel so much better. I love praying anywhere – I just love praying because it changes my mood and my mindset – it has to – because in the presence of the Lord is where I am and it is where I desire to be all the time. I am thankful that I know what it is like to walk in the spirit and I strive so hard to do so…for in my flesh I am a mess. I am going to have unspeakable joy and walk in faith knowing that God is going to work it out for me! I trust Him and know He is! Praise the Lord – I am happy today!! God Bless Romans 8:12-14 12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Praise the Lord – wow I read Sister Angela’s blog (FreeSpiritHaven) and let me tell you this – she hit it on the money with that blog. SO many feel that way but many will remain silent because they are seeking approval from people and do not want to even begin to admit to being human. I believe that we all seek it in one way or another but the trick or secret is to get past that and seek the approval of Jesus in all that we do….which means… DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH MY FLESH!!!!! I am such an emotional person and have been striving to live in the life of peace, joy and happiness. Of course the minute you do that here comes all the little things that just make you want to smack someone and walk in your flesh. I think the one that catches it the most is my husband – poor man – but sometimes there are things that come out of his mouth that I wonder what the heck… I have to smile now but sometimes that man says things that make me wonder does he know that he is sending me over the edge today? LOL Of course he does not know this because he would not send his wife on a raving hissy fit if he could help it. I am not one to cuss – been delivered from that a long time ago, yet I have yet to be delivered from the fussing – LOL I am trying to kill the flesh and walk in the spirit. I am telling you this is a daily – hour – minute – second by second fight to walk in the Spirit and not in my flesh. I think it even makes me appreciate Jesus even more because He did it – THANK YOU JESUS and only God Himself can walk amongst His people and not kill us all! LOL I am telling you – think about it for a second – look at how you are – look at the things we think and do to each other – if we were given the ‘powers’ of the Lord as He has them – we would KILL EVERYONE! Okay let me say this – hummmm the earth would have been redone a million trillion times if I was God. Which amazes me even more when those ‘5 per centers’ talk about being gods, as that is just dumb plain dumb – does anyone understand that concept for I sure do not. Okay if I was God – there were be less compassion in this world because everyone would do what I say – period. Hummmm mess up and I am punishing you and fussing at you. Now this is if I was god – but THANK YOU JESUS none of us are God for we would have the world worse than it is. Well it is as bad as it is now because we did it – imagine if we did not have God’s grace and mercy – imagine if we did not have His spirit in some of us. Imagine if we did not acknowledge Him at all – the entire world. This world would be so worse off. As I think of that – then I know I have to do what He lays before me and I must have my flesh die a horrible death for all eternity so that His will and ways go forth as I seek to plant a seed today! Here are some verses for you today that were laid on me about my walk in the Lord – a reminder of sort of why my flesh must die a horrible death! LOL Romans 8:1-5 1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Galatians 5:15-17 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Psalms 37:3-5 3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Praise the Lord! What an awesome life we have in Jesus. We are truly blessed! I am thankful to the Lord for all things in Him – He is blessing us! Stand in Him and remain strong. During my week last week, as I stated yesterday the Lord kept bringing different scriptures repeatedly to my mind and heart – in either just reading something, speaking to someone else about something and the scripture is given/mentioned, in my prayers, and in a few other ways – God really wanted me to understand it so I started seeking His words on it. I was not allowing myself to be happy. . . I know His word says I can be happy but since I was used to not being happy for so long – being happy all the time was a fight for me. I have to fight the ugliness off and focus on the word – I was not understanding what I really had to do until I was talking with a couple of sisters and the Lord had me speak to them and in turn speaking to myself. Psalms 37:3-5 3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. I had no problem with doing good but trusting the Lord – I was shaky on that as I trust Him in some things but not all things – I thought – I did but man coming to see I do not trust Him completely in all things – okay let us see – trust in the Lord in ALL aspects means to turn my entire being over to the Lord – yet what about that. . . Hummmmm….Delight thyself ALSO in the Lord – delight myself in the Lord – hummm it goes hand in hand with trust in the Lord for to trust Him – I have to delight myself in Him so I can turn it over to Him. Yet there is one more point – skip the desires first. . . Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him. . . okay trust again – trust in Him, delight in Him, commit to Him and trust Him again. Okay Lord – I am getting it. If I do all that – I get the desires of my heart – LOL Okay that sounds like some kind of bribe but no bribe that I know of is so costly Lord. If I do all that you said, people are going to look at me like I am on drugs, my son is still going to get picked on, all kinds of things are going to attempt to happen in my life that I am going to think I can not handle. I am going to lose friends, I am going to lose family, I am going to have moments of wonder, I am going to have maybe even some moments of doubt – but Lord – how – how can I do all this in you? My favorite verses jump out at me. . . Matthew 6:33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Proverbs 3:5-7 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. Okay Lord – I get it – yes again you are telling me to trust you – stop thinking in my mind because your ways are not my ways – so you do not think as I think and that is an awesome thing. I can stay happy and content in my life because I trust in Jesus – it is not a sin to be happy – it is not a pain to be in Him – it is a blessing in Jesus. I am thankful to know that in the Lord I am blessed! I can be happy in Jesus – it is not a sin to be happy in Him – He wants us to be happy in Him and to be a blessing in this life! Awwww…the realization of the third verse that keeps me happy in Jesus, that is tomorrow! Praise the Lord for this day and every single day that I am alive! God is so good to me and I know that God is just reigning in my life. He is awesome and I am thankful to Him for all that He has done in my life. I was reading FreeSpiritHaven (Sister Angela)’s blog and it started me to thinking of how far He has brought me and how much more I still have to go. So I had to do yet another self evaluation against the word of the Lord! Always painful but always strengthening and uplifting in Jesus! We are all works in progress and will not be finished until the return of Christ, but yet I am still trying to make sure I am moving forward and not being still in my walk with Him. I know that we can come as we are to Jesus but I do not plan on staying where I was either – I want to be better in Him. Yet what was stopping me – I started looking at the words of the Lord that started flooding my mind. . . Psalms 37:3-5 3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. I Peter 1:7-97That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Philippians 4:6-86Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Yet today I am going to speak on the last one first – how often do we read this and not take this in our heart. My Pastor spoke on this on Sunday and let me tell you what – it was nothing but confirmation. I was starting to see that I would get all happy in Jesus and then something would happen and I would stop being happy, it would be the little thing that would change my thoughts and how my day went. Just one thing would knock me out of my joy and happiness for days. I kept reading the word and wondering why I can’t have that joy all the time, why does it come and go – never to stay for long. As I was speaking to the Lord last week, it was ME!! I was the one that kept stopping the joy and happiness – I kept being not content with the way things were going. I kept realizing that I am slowing things down in my life. I was affecting the household with the nasty poison of the enemy. I was doing it all by myself – no one else. The enemy placed the thoughts – but my mind and words put it in action. I started looking at myself and seeing all that I needed to change at this time to get happy all the time. Oh man the anger issue was the biggest one – the hot temper – the hurt feelings still not dealt with . . . wow Lord – here we go again! It is in my walk that I see the molding and now here comes the test! Praise the Lord – the first set of test – I passed! God is good and I am seeking His direction in all things . . . in dealing with my son and nephew this weekend – when I raised my voice it was needed to be raised but not yelling. When my husband pushed that with me – I did not succeed as well as I would have liked it to be, I yelled loudly but calmed down enough to talk reasonably and it only took 15 minutes to get there! Thank you Jesus for the growth! Yet the phone call came from the school. . . Jonathan took $40.00 from Merv’s wallet to give to another kid – to impress him so he will be his friend. Okay – breathe mom – there are deep lining issues here that need prayed on and turned over. WOW – I am talking to my son and not yelling at him! Praise the Lord for it!! I am excited now – what a blessing this is – in Jesus I can keep my calmness. WAIT – GUESS WHAT!! I am still happy – I AM STILL SMILING AND I HAVE JOY IN THE LORD! Praise Jesus for this – okay – fight against the negative with the positive. I had to smile – I know that in Jesus I can do all things. I can kick my flesh to the curb – it is hard to do but I did it. One day, one step, one praise, one scripture, and one thought at a time. Jesus is good to us and I am staying with him – I love the Lord and He is good to me! I love how He works on us and changes us. As much as I could resist and no matter how much it hurts, I am going to be molded and be happy about it too! Well God bless – shall continue tomorrow on the other aspects of the scriptures He gave me. Honesty Today 10/23/09 – Enjoy the Day! 10/23/2009
Praise the Lord! He is so worthy to be praise – He is so worthy oh so worthy! Enjoy the day in Him – Enjoy your day! God has been just sending many wonderful blessings to my family and I am thankful for it. I was blessed last night to be on the WHW (Women Helping Women) Fellowship call and it was just so calming and relaxing. We talked about things and when I got off the phone – I felt so calm. I just thank God for that – for it was nothing but Jesus. We have a hedge of protection around us and it is keeping us and I am thankful for that hedge of protection is really close this week and I am just blessing the Lord for it. I am so appreciative of the rest from the stuff – all that stuff. I am thankful to be able to just rest in His arms full of joy and love. Yes I smile through my trials and tribulations and getting better at it but a lot of times we get so comfortable in our over abundance times that we do not take the time to thank Him. I want to make sure during the outpouring that I tell Him THANK YOU – OH SO THANK YOU JESUS FOR JUST GIVING ME THIS AWESOME TIME IN YOU! I will cherish this time and relish in it – striving hard to not let it go. I am thankful for the extra blessings from the Lord and I am just so grateful for my life. I love my life – I am blessed – and I am loved! Thank you Jesus for loving me and for blessing me with all that you have! My son came home yesterday with yet another good behavior. Of course the teacher decided to also tell me how he is still not focusing . . . well she got an email back reminder her that we are taking ONE DAY at a time and ONE SITUATION at a time. I am not going to go to my son with that negativity – I am encouraging him to behave in class – and to bring all his papers from school home. If he brings it home – then we can work on what is wrong. I told him that we are not going to care about the grades but that we get all the information and be able to go over it all with him and learn TOGETHER! Awwww the Lord is good and so greatly to be praise – He is taking my son – one step at a time! God is so good! Okay – I have wanted Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection since Sister Anna told me about it and what it does. I have been searching and looking for it and seeing if I can find it for the right price. My church wants a website done, WL4J needs updated and the new venture Victorious Living Radio needs a website to reflect so. I want to learn how to do graphics and just really take advantage of all this technology too. Well even in the wonderful world of EBay – there is no telling if you can get what you want to get for the price you can afford. Some things just are too expensive. So I started researching and I could not see this program going for less than $300.00 USED!! I did not even have to have the latest version – I was good with version 3 not version 4. Yet I prayed….let it go and from time to time look it up to see. I knew that I could afford 200.00 and placed a bid a few times for things – but lost out on them. Well last week, I saw one and it was going for 75.00 with only 20 minutes left – but I did not have 75.00 so I just said okay Lord – I will just have to grin and bear it – you will work it out. So I went about my week, and happened across yet another EBay auction that was about to end on the collection…why not try it…I put in 145.00 for my bid – awwww….lost it. Hey there is another one – place a bid for that one – just jump out there Alissa – it is ending a few hours before your check comes into the account – okay $200.00 bid…hey I beat that last bid. Cool…now sit and wait. So the countdown comes . . . I did not expect to win it. . . but guess what I did – what I got it for $142.50 – THANK YOU JESUS! I placed the bid and no one else placed after me – no one! God is good. I had to smile as sometimes EBay can be a ‘cut throat’ bidding process! It amazes me what some people will pay for things. So I was smiling – just smiling! I was sitting talking with Sister Casandra and Sister Gene in chat – and the Lord kept telling me how blessed I am. I mean I was just so thankful for the things He has been answering in prayer for me that I am so humbled by it. He hears even our ‘smallest’ prayers and answers them for His glory – there is no other way to live. So no matter what you are going through today – sit back and enjoy your day – look around you and see the mighty hands of the Lord in your life – sit back and see how awesome He truly is in your life – relish in that – look over the blessings and see His awesome love that flows and let the rest fall to the way side! Praise the Lord – Enjoy Your Day! Praise the Lord – God is so good! I am just thankful to Him for all things! I praise Him for all things – not some but all things. I praise Him for the things seen and unseen – I just praise the Lord! God is so good! I am determined to hold out for His answers and His way! Praise His name! Let me give you my testimony. . . If you read any of my blogs – you know that I have situations with my son that are just so hard to deal with and with his behavior in school. School started on September 3 and on September 4 – the trouble started. He has a tutor for math and reading, he has a social worker and a therapist at school (two separate women) and of course there is his teacher. I am on the phone with the school all the time; I still wince when I see the school phone number on my phone. We were getting told by all these wonderful people that our son needs to be on medication and I was beginning to believe them. We have tried everything and after talking to his math tutor who has been with him since kindergarten – she was just so negative ….sorry but she was. As if my son is NOT capable of being able to behave. I take all this to heart – our children are their environment so as his mother who do I blame more than him – ME!! I hear about other people and their children – never hearing anything negative about their kids – and thinking something is wrong with me – I am learning that most of them are just liars! LOL Well yesterday, I gave into it. I called the doctor’s office and made an appointment for Jonathan. Funny thing – when the appointment taker asked the reason for the appointment, she scheduled him for a yearly physical instead of a consultation because he was due for one – so that is good and should have told me there. After I got off the phone - I started talking to the Lord about my son and just showing me what to do because everyone was saying how he needs to be on meds. I started reading and hearing some positive stories about the meds and just wanting to feel better but my spirit just did not feel good about it. My sister went on in an email about not putting him on meds – making me feel bad about all that I was thinking about doing. I started replaying Tuesday night in my head - we (Merv and I) were talking to Jonathan about his behavior – once again. I was prompted to ask him – what did he want more than anything in the world…I was expecting a different answer than I got. He said he wanted a PSP – hummmm…..really? I was actually expecting to hear – see my dad or go on vacation or something like that…but I guess 8 year old boys will be 8 year old boys. Well as he was sitting there – I pulled up the PSP (Play Station Portable game system – just in case u do not know what it was) and there was one that just came out that day – a newer version – I started talking about how ‘sweet’ it was and asked him what he thought – he was loving it. I asked him have I ever lied to him – and he said no – I told him if he would bring me good days – he could have it for his birthday. Now we have tried this before and it did not work – with other things – as he would say okay and then come home the next day with a bad behavior report – so in my mind I think this is just going to be the same old ways. I am driving home and just been speaking to the Lord about my son – just seeking God for direction – not once thinking things were going to change – thinking the answer was in the meds even though my spirit is just not confirming it – just ignoring that and trying to tell myself this is better. I even went as far as to say that he is adopted and I just do not know about his birth family. Telling me there is a lot of adoption families who find themselves in these shoes . . . BUT GOD!! I pick up my son – he is smiling but he is always smiling as he was just hanging out with his best friend. He gets in the car and does not immediately telling me how his day is. So I breathed deep and ask the dreaded question – “How was your day?” I was expecting to hear – Good as that is the answer I ALWAYS get even on the worse day. So when I hear good – I say oh really – you got a paper saying so – I hear YES – which I did not expect to hear – normally I hear – she did not write one for me. Well the next thing – I get a paper that says He had a good day except something happened at recess! This is what she wrote. Before I even ask about recess – I start telling him how proud I am – I make the biggest fuss over him and just start being so happy – praising God and him all in one breathe. He is in the back seat GRINNING from ear to ear. All evening, I was so excited – I jumped up and down – high fiving him – making a big fuss – asked him where he wanted to go to dinner and just all the time telling him how proud I was – because I am. I am just so excited as the school’s therapist and social worker almost had me believing he needs medication…that he really can not help not being focused in class….BUT GOD!! I just said to the Lord – I need to see some sign that we are on the right path – something to direct me in what to do with him as I was getting frustrated and to be honest did not believe he would come home with an excellent day yesterday. Just really acting like this was a defeat but all along praying to God to bless this entire situation because I was just so ‘lost’ in what to do. I know I was not alone as Merv kept saying – I do not understand this. Well God answered – not only did Jonathan behave – but when his ‘cut-up’ buddy saw he was not going to cut up and tried to get him to cut up by threatening him with bodily damage – Jonathan stood his ground and behaved – walking away from the boy – which caused the boy to try and hit Jonathan – but because the teacher’s aide saw what happened – Jonathan did not get in trouble but the young boy did. (Keep Romeo in prayer - this little boy has a lot of things going on inside as he acts just as Jonathan does in school) I am so proud of Jonathan and so thankful to the Lord for blessing me with such an awesome witness to His answering of prayer. Of course we are all on go in our house and just so excited…God is answering prayers and He is showing us to keep holding onto His words and not our own thoughts. One more thing before I go….LOL Merv went to the doctor’s!!! PRAISE THE LORD! I have been trying to get Merv to go to the doctor’s for his legs, snoring and breathing since I have met him – all along he refused to go…so I stopped asking and started praying….yet again God answered prayer – I made the appointment and just prayed he went – HE DID!!! Of course it was not news he wanted to hear BUT it was a motivation to him and for that I am thankful to the Lord! Please keep him in prayer as he is moving forward to a healthier living lifestyle - We have the victory!! I am just so thankful to the Lord for blessing my family and for giving me such a wonderful week in Him….I thank God for it and I am so grateful that I can not even begin to explain the joy in my heart except that it is what I would call – unspeakable joy – Hallelujah just does not even come close to what I feel and this is the highest praise! God is so good and so mindful of us and I am so thankful that He just does what He does by being God – and so eternally grateful for the scales falling away from my eyes so that I can see Him and His beauty in my life! God bless and please keep my family in prayer as I will do the same for you! God is so good to us!! Honesty Today 10/21/09 10/21/2009
Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow! Praise the Lord for His mighty works in our lives! Praise the Lord for the love He gives unto us daily! 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Today – I just wanted to take the time to speak about being thankful. There is a lot going on in my life that is sometimes trying and sometimes joyous but I have decided to give thanks to God for all of it. I have been striving to keep a positive outlook on things (as Sister Shelia mentioned in her blog the other week) and really striving on being positive. I have decided to remain strong in the Lord and keep my will on Him and I am thankful to the Lord for it. God has kept His word every present before me and I plan on feeding on it daily as much as I can. I thank the Lord for the love that He gives me. I thank the Lord that despite what others say and do to me – He has kept me. I thank the Lord that during my entire life, I have been blessed. I thank the Lord that despite what others do – I keep going in Him. I thank the Lord for the Holy Spirit who directs me in my actions and my talk. I thank the Lord for all that He is doing in my life. I thank the Lord for when a door is closed – He opens another door for me. I thank the Lord for the love that He has given me – oh I just thank the Lord today for He is mighty – oh so mighty! I am working on a few new things for the community at WL4J . . .we are working on a new web site concept along with looking into more online opportunities to expand and get more sisters talking. It is not easy but God is moving – this I see. I love it and truly appreciate all that God is doing. I have to smile because I keep wondering how things are going to get done – but then He does what He does best and sends what is needed. I am so thankful to the Lord for keep my family working together in His kingdom and I know that I am truly blessed. He has given the vision and the steps to take and it is something how things become so much clearer when things are moved out of the way. I am blessed – I am truly blessed! May the love of the Lord continue to shine down on you this day and may you accept it with open arms and embrace His love today for you – enjoy it – relish in it – live for it and live by it! God Bless! | Past Truths
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