Learn & Grow

Last week I was at a Bible study and there was a woman there that was so full of the Holy Spirit, I was amazed that I found someone who is strong in faith, no wavering. I have met people over the years that spoke strongly in the word of God, but when I walked away I just didn’t feel that “holiness” that is connected to a faithful follower, I’m talking about someone with no issues, they can follow God but somehow the vain slips in and you just know they aren’t fully engaged in God.

This woman taught me something about myself, she taught me, I still have a long way to go yet in studying, denying myself, understanding scripture and fully devoting myself to God in the way that I should. So if I could rate her on her walk, I would place her at in the top 5 people I know that are fully devoted to the word and walking in it.

I love Bible studies because you think you know more than you do when you walk in, when there are people in the group that just know more than you! They may pray in a mighty way and place the line all at Jesus feet, it’s pretty amazing how they love Jesus. So I guess what I am saying to you today is, get involved in a Bible study, if you are studying alone that’s great too but honestly, it’s so much better when you can see another perspective on scripture, maybe there was a hidden nugget you didn’t even know was there (I get thrilled when I find one!).

Lastly, we always need to surround ourselves with godly people, because they help us to engage in the word, discuss it and apply it. So I encourage you today to go find one that moves your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. To listen and be discerning in what you hear. Be alert and on your guard and mostly grow as a Christian.

Shalom

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Knowing Jesus Christ

Consider it all joy when you begin a relationship with Jesus Christ. We develop our time of knowing Him through prayer and where we begin our day seeking Him. If you give your day over to only your needs then it is always just asking and not knowing Him in the way He wants us to.

Let’s look at Him as a person in the time He was on earth, he was most likely brought up in such a way that God was pleased with His study of scripturesand in His divine love of his heavenly Father and looked to Him only in prayer and thankfulness.

Now thinking about his earthly family, they brought him up in such love and teaching that nothing could get in his way of devoting all his energies into obeying His Father as well as honoring his earthly parents, having joy in his work and siblings. But his focus was His Father and pleasing him was his intension.

There is so much we don’t know about Jesus because even though we were not alive at the time, we can bear knowledge that He loved everyone, even the ones that persecuted him right to the grave and beyond. We know that he was obedient and had mercy and compassion, that there was such a mystical way in his walk, a presense we can only have imagined but surely have when you are born again, but no one could understand fully the depth of Him except God, because He is was fully man and fully God. The most amazing thing that the scriptures tell us is that he frequently went off on his own to pray, even when he was deserted, he was praying, he had His Father, (we do too!) and he was always depending on Him.

We can only imagine how amazing he was, because when you know Him and have a relationship with him you are free, free from the binding burdens of a life of sin driven behavior that controls you. If you desire this relationship with Jesus, all you have to do is ask, but ask and mean it and expect your life to change my friend. You won’t be in love with the things of this world anymore, it’s going to change your heart, your conversations, your life. But remember there will be reminders around you that won’t agree with you, but you will weather this type of persecution.

Knowing Jesus as an intimate, friend, love, savior can only bring you salvation and an eternal life free in Him!

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Trials

The world at this time is out of control. People of all kinds are facing trials and tribulations with no foreseen hope ahead except to trust in God for everything. That’s where God wants us to trust Him now, the difficulty may be fierce but it won’t last forever and you will learn to have a stronger faith that ever when you get through the trial.

Some trials last a short time, a season maybe, they teach you some hard lessons, about yourself and how you are made. God can bring you to corners of your life that you once thought were gone but resurrected to grow you in the trail. Some trials are so hard, you don’t know how you are going to face the next one, but we are always reminded that God only gives us as much as we can handle, isn’t this true?

Some of us face money issues because of loss of work, health or just bills mounting. But God has a plan for it all, teachings us to rely on Him so much more than ever before. You might be asking what am I going to do, Jesus tells us to Trust God as He did, in the middle of His trouble of persecution, he kept silent, knowing it was His Father putting the plan in action He was just to wait on Him for all things to unfold. So I say to you today, how much do you trust God, what is your endurance level? Can you see His hand in the works of the flesh? This my friend is just a place that is temporary and will be passing through for the next test of endurance. Be blesses by this writing because someday, you will understand the depth of this, the amense Love that go has for you because you love Him.

James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds

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Gossip & Slander

Proverbs 17:4

 Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;
liars pay close attention to slander.

In our lifetime there are many of us that just love to lean in to gossip[, they love the thought of saying bad things about other people and find joy in doing just that. But when I think back about the things I may have said or listened to I get sick to my stomach.

There is no joy in talking bad about others, if people think that just because someone did something they didn’t agree with is cause to hurt or slander others then shame on them, because you know as much as you would slander someone else or get caught up in a conversation saying unkind words about a good person or even if they aren’t good, it’s going to effect you in the long run.

Yes, you can stumble, people can talk about you too. Do you live in such a perfect world that you are untouchable by words of slander? NO, everyone has an opportunity to turn the other way and here is how you can prevent this from happening:

~When the whispering begins, walk away. People will think you are a snob but you are preventing a landslide when you do this.

~Choose not to be part of ganging up on someone, instead just say, I don’t want to talk about this, either change the subject or exit.

You will always be faced with this opportunity to talk bad or gossip about anyone else, but stop, think of how your words can travel right back to that person in an indirect way. Sometimes what we say gets misinterpreted and we are then the victim of a hurt, upset, situation.

Think first of how the person would receive these words and stop yourself from being a part of a very unkind situation.Blessings on your day and hoping you will be refreshed in knowing we can always go to Christ with this sin.

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Seeds Of Hate

Proverbs 9:8

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;

rebuke the wise and they will love you.

 

Have you ever encountered someone that is so hateful? So instead of analyzing this, let’s see what happens when someone is harboring hate and how it infiltrates into families, friendships, encounters in the workplace and even doing daily activities.

A person may have been wronged and then starts a negative spiral. Anything that is done to them agitates them. They aren’t concerned with how you feel, just getting even with you. Now many people will say “not everyone wants to be angry” but truly it comes from a broken heart and spirit.

This is how you can deal with the hurting that is in that person.

Listen– be supportive

When they get agitated, ask them how the circumstance is affecting them?

Don’t be judgmental, like saying “there’s something wrong with you”

Teach them what it is to be kind and that kindness can be overtaken by hatred.

If you are in the midst of many who hate, always stand your ground, be Christ like in nature and ready to be persecuted even in the middle of a war of people.

Try not to provoke anyone to anger, but be gentle and wise when you speak, choose your words carefully.

Ask others what you can do for them, if they are receptive to prayer.

Hate can only spread like weeds, but kindness can bring a peace that stands out in front of God, let your peace shine.

Luke 6:22

Blessed are you when people hate you,

when they exclude you and insult you

and reject your name as evil,

because of the Son of Man.

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America, what happened?

Isaiah 16:10

 Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards;
no one sings or shouts in the vineyards;
no one treads out wine at the presses,
for I have put an end to the shouting.

For many years America grew and prospered, for many of us, we lived a good quiet life and God was the head of our lives. We went to church (some out of guilt, others for the love of Christ) and tried to obey God’s commandments and if we strayed, we would always have a conscience about our actions. This great country America, has now closed it’s doors on God, taking His commandments out of the schools, buildings and even some churches as people go their own way ignoring the Creator. God is patient and kind, He shows mercy, but for how long?

If everything you had today, all your wealth, house, family was gone, what would sustain your spirit? So it is when God takes everything from this earth, don’t act surprised when you read this, but God will destroy the earth, we do not know when but many are saying we are getting closer as signs and wonders fill the skies and the earth.

So then, if today, you were to meet God, what would you say?                                   Were you ashamed of Him?                                                                                           Did you stop someone from sharing the gospel with you?                                             How are you really preparing for the end of your life?

All these are important questions, as well as what did you do in God’s name for others? How did you serve Christ and partake in the lives of others?

My hope for you, brother and sister that you heed to the words of God through scripture and go to Jesus in prayer and thanksgiving as you repent of the sins you have done through your life. Listen, we all have fallen short of the grace of God, but it is God’s grace that saves you.

Shalom!