Without Complaining or Arguing

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - Philippians 2:14-16

Wow...I haven't written anything in a while but after reading this verse I felt the need to share.

So, Paul said to do ALL things without complaining or arguing. It seems impossible at times, doesn't it - to do EVERYTHING without complaining? It seems like it's impossible, anyway. Or at least it does to me! It's so easy to grumble and complain. It's easy to even justify your right to complain. If your boss tells you to do something how many times have you complained to a co-worker? Do you complain about your country? If someone asks you to wash the dishes, or clean up a mess how do you respond? Do you find yourself talking to a friend and complaining to them about someone you know? Not only are we to not complain but we are to do all things with a good attitude.
In doing so we have an opportunity to point people to Jesus and help them develop a saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior. If we are complaining then we are no different then those who don't follow Jesus. Can you imagine Jesus complaining? Can you imagine what it would have been like if Jesus had gone to dinner at someone's house and started complaining about the disciples lack of faith. What if he had showed up at John's house and started complaining that Peter betrayed him or complaining about how everyone ran off and deserted Him?
While it's true we'll never reach sinless perfection, we do have an obligation to be pure and holy in our motives and also our actions.
As others watch you from day to day, are they drawn closer to Jesus because of your speech and actions? Regardless of our age, we are to "set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

John Wesley once said, "Give me a hundred men who love nothing but God and hate nothing but sin, and I will shake the whole world for Christ."

What Real Love Looks Like ♥♥♥

LOVE SUFFERS LONG - meaning you are patient with the person. Patient when they make the same mistakes over and over. Patient when they seem to give up. Patient with their faults.

AND IS KIND - If we keep in mind that the purpose of real love is to seek the welfare of the one loved, then we see why real love must not only be patient but gracious. Kindness, not harshness, is more apt to encourage good in another person. Just as Proverbs says that "a soft answer turns away wrath" (15:1), so love that is practical and useful is skillful in bringing out the best rather than the worst in the one loved. Jesus reminds us that while love calls for truth, truth expressed without kindness is not loving. He reminds us that while love calls for patience, patience without kindness is not loving either.

LOVE DOES NOT ENVY - You don't get jealous of this person. What they have, who they are friends with, what kind of job they have, what kind of status they have, what kind of family they have. Jealousy wants what someone else has, but bragging tries to make others jealous of what we have. Remember comparrison is the seed and Jealousy is the fruit!
Real love says, "I can be happy for you, even if I never achieve the accomplishments, recognition, or comforts that you are enjoying. While I might wish myself more, I could not wish you less."

LOVE DOES NOT PARADE ITSELF
Love does not brag about its accomplishments. It is not given to self-display, not even to carefully worded statements of subtle self-promotion.
This concept finds ancient roots in the Bible. King Solomon said it well when he wrote, "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth" (Prov. 27:2). Simply put, real love doesn't push itself into the spotlight.
Real love not only applauds the successes of another, but it knows how to handle its own wins when they come. I've heard it said that "for every 100 people who can handle adversity, there are only 10 who can handle prosperity."

IS NOT PUFFED UP
By contrast, puffed-up people, full of themselves and having an exaggerated opinion of their own importance, are likely to assume that their happiness, well-being, opinions, and feelings are the only things that really count. Puffed-up people find it easy to dismiss the needs and feelings of others.
The first place we might look to see if we have a puffed-up sense of our own importance is in our prayers. Do we pray only for ourselves and our own interests, or do we also pray for the children, spouses, and concerns of others? The simple truth is that real love does not allow us to assume that our health, our prosperity, our home, or our family is any more important than our neighbor's.

DOES NOT BEHAVE RUDELY
It reminds us that the honorable nature of real love will never make inappropriate demands of others. Real love will never prompt an unmarried person to say, "If you love me, you'll prove it by giving yourself to me." Those who love will never ask others to prove their loyalty by lying, cheating, or stealing for them.
By not behaving rudely, real love does not use the "love" of a friendship to pressure anyone to do something that is contrary to the principles of conscience or faith, or to the moral principles of God.
Real love, according to Paul, never pressures another person to do something that is wrong. Real love seeks the best for the one loved--not the personal gain, pleasure, or control that manipulation is often designed to achieve.

DOES NOT SEEK IT'S OWN
It speaks of the person whose focus is outward, not inward. It describes the heart that is not so consumed with its own interests that it cannot show concern for the needs and interests of others.

In Philippians 2, Paul expressed the same principle of real love this way:

If there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love . . . . Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others

IS NOT PROKOVOKED
In other words, real love does not have a short fuse. It is not touchy or irritable. How easily we can forget this important quality of real love. After a few years of mutual disappointment, husbands and wives become easily provoked with each other. Exasperated parents shout unkindly at their children in frustration. Workers show a quick temper when an employer or fellow worker fails to give the consideration that not only is deserved but has been agreed to. Citizens become incensed when public servants use their office to violate the public trust. Why do we get provoked? Sometimes we simmer and boil inside because we want what we want, when we want it--and we won't take "later" for an answer. Sometimes our temper provides evidence of our own selfishness.

THINKS NO EVIL
Saying that love "thinks no evil" means that it won't keep records of unkindnesses with the intent of someday getting even. In other words, real love will not hold bitter grudges or allow longstanding resentments against others, even when the wrongs done against us are real.

DOES NOT REJOICE IN INIQUITY
Love does not hide evil by keeping secrets that need to be exposed. Love does not pass along a "juicy morsel" of someone else's failure just because it tastes good to do so. Love does not gossip to break the monotony, or to appear knowledgeable, or to feel better about itself by publishing the news of someone else's shame. Breaking the news of sin must be for the good of others rather than to promote a "feeding frenzy" around someone else's embarrassment and pain.

BUT REJOICES IN TRUTH
Paul's words to the Thessalonians give us a clue why he said "love rejoices with the truth." He wants us to think about the profound relationship between what we believe and what we do. On one hand, what we believe determines what we do. On the other hand, what we want to do determines what we are willing to believe. This is why the Bible puts such an emphasis on right beliefs. Good doctrine is right thinking about God, ourselves, and others. Right thinking, in turn, allows us to love one another in truth rather than in a setting of self-deception. All unrighteousness denies the truth. All wrong behavior is rooted in a misbelief about reality. All immorality is rooted in a process of self-deception that says, "I know better than God how to further my own interests and the interests of others."

BEARS ALL THINGS
The word bears comes from a Greek word that means "roof." The point is grand in its simplicity. Love covers and protects like a roof covers a house and protects it from storms. Love bears up and continues to work for the good of others regardless of what happens. Love bears the storms of disappointment, the rains of failure, and the winds of time and circumstance. Love provides a covering that shields from the extremes of cold winters and hot summer sun. Love provides a place of shelter that can withstand the worst circumstances imaginable.
Love cannot protect others from the harsh realities of living in a broken world. Neither can it protect others from the consequences of their own choices. But love does give broken, hurting people a place to find someone who cares for their good and well-being. Love gives even unrepentant people an advocate and intercessor who prays for their ultimate well-being. Love offers even the worst sinners a place to bring their repentant hearts.

BELIEVES ALL THINGS
The truth that "love believes all things" is central to our understanding of Christlike love. Real love is rooted and grounded in faith. Faith, in turn, is rooted and grounded in what God has said in His Word.
Without faith in God, love quits and dies. Unless we continue to "believe all things" God has said, our love will not survive the disappointments, rejections, and insults of life. Unless we build our love firmly on the Word of God, love will throw in the towel. Only by faith in God can love remain strong.

HOPES ALL THINGS
The psalmist said of God, "My hope is in You," (Ps. 39:7). Paul wrote, "Hope does not disappoint" (Rom. 5:5). And Peter added, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who . . . has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Pet. 1:3).
This is the power of love. It is fueled and sustained not by an ever-changing emotional or physical state, but by deep beliefs and hopes that are given by God to those who trust Him. Real love has a capacity to view life--and live it--with an optimism that is refreshing because of "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27)

ENDURES ALL THINGS
Here the emphasis is on how we respond to life in general. Love doesn't give up. It doesn't quit. It doesn't walk away. It perseveres to the point where it "endures all things."

LOVE NEVER FAILS
Real love is a survivor. Because it finds its source and life in God, real love can endure anything. Even when the nature of our relationships change due to unfortunate human choices, the love of God can cause us to pray and, where possible, to act in behalf of another person. It is the love that reflects the heart of Christ and reveals the wonderful change that only He can make in a life. It is real love

1 Corinthians 13 ♥

Pray for One Another

I think it's so easy as a Christian to say to our fellow brothers & sisters "I will pray for you". I think we need to really mean it if we say it. Too easily this can become just a coin of phrase. Are we really praying for one another? Are we praying that our fellow believers will be filled with knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that they may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him. That they are fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. That they are strenghtened with all His might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy? That is how Paul prayed for his brothers & sisters in Christ.
Are we truly praying for our friends to be blessed in their time with God, their relationships, their finances, blessing their families & children? Do we pray for healing, physically, mentally, emotionally? Have we fasted and prayed for our unsaved loved ones never giving up on them because God never will. Do we sincerly pray for our pastors and leaders who are always under attack or do we just complain about how they could do things better?

Come on church, we all NEED each others prayers! It's our only defense against the enemy and this world's temptations.
Do we see our bother or sister struggling and ignore their cries for help? Even if the cry is silent and they don't ask for help. We can still pray for them.
Let's spend less time pointing out each others faults and more time on our knees before a loving God who died for us all. We are all in need of grace.
Next time you say.."I'll pray for you", think about if you really mean it. Will you really?

Your prayers are the greatest gift you can ever give. Remember, it's not in vain!

True Friends

The Bible says:

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. - Proverbs 27:6
I have experienced this one first hand.

A true friend tells you what you NEED to hear, no matter how painful at times. Someone who is not your friend may flatter you and tell you what you WANT to hear but it is usually to get something from you.

Remember gossip is saying behind someone's back what you would never say to their face. Flattery is saying to their face what you would never say behind their back.

Don't despise those who bring correction or point out areas in your life that need guidance. They do it because they truly love you and care about you. Don't get defensive. Listen to what they have to say.

We all help each other to grow.

Be a Tree with Strong Roots!

God was showing me that a strong tree has very strong roots. The tree that is strong takes in nurishment through the living water. Strengthens it's roots. If it does not it withers up and dies.
Then I was reflecting on something my friend, Jaime Barkwell shared. That even when a tree appears dead (in winter) it is still producing internal fruit. External fruit is in season but internal fruit is ALWAYS being produced. What appears dead on the outside or what we see with our eyes is not really dead. That's why it is so important to walk by faith and not by sight. For what we "see" is temporary. What we don't see is eternal.

Cursed is the strong one who depends on mere humans,Who thinks he can make it on muscle alone  and sets God aside as dead weight. He's like a tumbleweed on the prairie, out of touch with the good earth. He lives rootless and aimless in a land where nothing grows. But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God. They're like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers - Never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf. Serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season. - Jeremiah 17:6-8 (MSG)

Permissible But Not Beneficial

 
Can something we do or think be permissible but not beneficial? That’s possible. In 1 Corinthians 10:23, we are told, “Everything is permissible – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible – but not everything is constructive.” Why should this be so?

Let’s see a few examples. For the Christian, watching T.V. is permissible. But if such watching goes on for 6 consecutive hours with you merely switching channels just to pass the time then it is not beneficial. Some of the time spent watching T.V. could have been used to read the Bible, call someone to encourage them, visit someone who is lonely, or help out a neighbor.

Listening to secular music and watching all kinds of entertainment is permissible but is it beneficial? Remember, everything that goes in will come out in our way of thinking, our speech, and our actions. Garbage in - garbage out.


Eating ice cream is permissible but eating 3-5 bowls of it is not beneficial to your body.

Smoking cigarettes is permissible but not beneficial to the health of your body.

Playing golf as a recreation is permissible. But if your golf games take you away from your wife and children, then it is not beneficial. However it will be constructive if your wife and the children also join you in the same game and you have a time of bonding together.

I could go on and on..

Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should. This body of ours is a masterpiece, an amazing creation of God. It is not to be thought of as an empty soda can to be tossed away. The Bible says one day this body will be resurrected and changed. We will not receive a new body but the body we have will be transformed. We need to treat this body with respect. Many of us take better care of our cars then our own bodies.

As parents and caretakers we are protectors over what is permissible and what is beneficial for young children. We tell them no when they want that 2nd or 3rd ice cream, we limit their T.V. time, we make sure they get enough rest. Then why oh why do we care more about their bodies then our own?

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We are accountable for what we do with our bodies, and how we spend our time. We are not our own. We were bought with a price.

You Are What You Eat

I've been thinking of this expression a lot lately. I have always heard it and thought it applied more to food. However, it never made sense to me in that aspect...if I eat an apple..I'm an apple? lol..
Recently I have been thinking about it in another way. We have all heard in Christian circles the expression..eat the Word of God. Give us this day our daily bread..reffering to God's Word for us today or His provision for us.

So, if you are always chosing to watch things in movies or on television that fill us up with worldy junk then that would be what comes out of us. Listen to swearing long enough and you will be swearing, too. Watch TV shows that mock God and your faith in Him will diminish. Watch enough violence and you become desensitized or complacent about it. Listen to lies long enough and they become truth to you.
But, if we fill ourselves up on God's Word, feast on that daily..then that will come out of us. Joy, faith, love, forgiveness, patience, goodness.

That children's song always pops into my heard at times like this..."Oh be careful little eyes what you see, oh be careful little ears what you hear, oh be careful little mouth what you say, oh be careful little feet where you go for the Father up above is looking down in love.."

Let us be mindful of what we consume each day because eventually it will spill out of us.

Comfort Through Grieving

I recently have witnessed many beautiful souls who's life ended too soon. One was a young mother of three children, one a newborn baby, another a young girl of twenty. At times like this we often wonder, "Why, God?" , "Why are some prayers answered and others not?"
In times such as these my heart and spirit mourn for those families but I remember that God is in control and He knows the outcome of everything.

We are tempted at times to think that death has come to the wrong person or has come at the wrong time, especially when a child is left without a mother, or when children die at a young age. Familiar as we are with death, the ways of God regarding it often seem strange to us. But, without a doubt, God never abandons His children. He leads us to look beyond our grief and to trust in His wisdom and in His tender love to comfort our broken spirit. At times we all need comfort. This is especially true during experiences of distress and grief when a loved one dies. Those of us who have lost loved ones know what a word of compassion can mean. I remember what a comfort it was for me when my dad died. As we see others suffering, let us also remember that our Heavenly Father has commanded to comfort His people.
The words of our Savior are most comforting, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3).

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. - Psalm: 116:15
The Lord pays special attention when his faithful people die. - Psalm 116:15 (NIRV)
Dear Lord,
Bless those who mourn with the comfort of your love that they may face each new day with hope and the certainty that nothing can destroy the good that has been given. May their memories become joyful, their days enriched with friendship,
and their lives encircled by your love. In Jesus' name, I pray.....Amen.

Please pray for families that are mourning today. My heart grieves for other countries as well. Many die everyday, thousands of children from disease and hunger, and sometimes we don't blink an eye. Pray for the broken hearted and those who mourn.

When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher then I (Psalm 61:2)

God is still in control

The Lord's Prayer

Jesus gave us a guideline for prayer. Yes, it's the Lord's prayer.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your nameIt starts with worship. God is holy and worthy to be praised. We need to worship Him ever day and give thanks for His creation, His glorious works, and the sacrifice Jesus paid for us on the cross.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Surrender and submit to Him. Not my dreams God but Yours! His plans for me, His thoughts. Ask God for direction in all things, for wisdom, and guidance. Change me, God…make me more like You. Less of me and more of You!
Give us today our daily bread.
This is our petitions. Intercession for others, the lost, hurting, our brothers & sisters in Christ and for God to fill us with what we need for that day.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Asking God for forgiveness for our sins, what we have done wrong and for what we should have done that we didn’t do. Also, forgiving others. Not complaining about them, back biting, or feeling bitter but truly forgiving. God forgave us a far greater debt so we in return must forgive others of theirs..even if they really hurt us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.Covering Prayers. Praying for yourself and others to not be tempted by sin, deceived, tricked, or trapped by the enemy’s plans. No to become a puppet of the world and For lies and hidden sins to be exposed.
AMEN!!!

Only One Enemy

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:12

How easy we forget who are enemy really is. We only have ONE enemy.
God has been speaking to my heart so strongly about loving my enemies, praying for them, forgiving, not talking bad about people who hurt me. When I tried to love them in my own strength I failed everytime. When I chose to go to my friends first and complain and vent all my feelings it always made things worse. Why? Because I was hurting those people back by my words and keeping contempt in my heart against them. Then the time I went to God first, cried my eyes out to Him and told Him everything it always ends with Him showing me how I can change. Change my heart and attitude towards the situation and then in His strength, encouraged by His word, and led by His spirit I was able to overcome and the situation always works out and peace is restored. AND the best thing is no one got hurt in the process because I didn't hurt anyone with my words. Instead I covered them in prayer and in God's grace, mercy, and love.
As I wrote before that doesn't mean you have to open the door to let them hurt you again. Trust must be earned and we must guard our hearts. The Bible tells us to guard them.
It doesn't mean we have to let people walk all over us and take advantage of us.
However, if we are to truly be like Christ and be a light to the world then we must remember who are enemy really is. The Bible says that satan comes to steal, kill, & destory. He is the one who brings false accusations, lies, threats, thinks up evil plans against us, leads people into jealousy, hatred, and hardens their hearts. He is the one who tempts us with the things of the world and keeps us distracted from God.
The good news is WE HAVE THE VICTORY! Jesus already took care of it on the cross for us and defeated him when he rose from the dead. The devil is under our feet and we have the power to stand against Him as Christians and tell him to get lost! We can choose not to believe the lies and we can choose not to focus on what we see with our eyes. We can choose to trust in God, even when everything around us looks bleak, looks bad, ...we can not trust our eyes! We must look to God and trust what we can not see, in the future He has promised us, in the hope of His calling and future for our lives. Like Job we must remember that no matter what, God is still good and still on the throne. He has not forgotten us.
He loves all His children, those who choose to believe on Him and even those who are running away and hiding as Jonah did when he hid on the boat. He never stops loving us, never stops believing us. He has great faith in us. Thank goodness He does! He believes in me when I do not believe in myself.
He never gave up on me and He will never give up on any of us.
So, who are we to judge? Only God knows the heart. Even when Jonah was in the belly if the fish crying out to God, the fish was already taking him to Ninevah. The plan was already in motion :)

I pray we will all have God's grace, mercy, and strength to love those who hurt us. To forgive them and pray blessings for them. To stop back biting, gossip, and trying to get justice.

God is in control and He is one God and Father of us all.

A prayer birthed from Isaiah 26

Thank you God that you have made me a strong city. That Your saving power surrounds me like walls and towers. You are my strong champion! Thank you for Your perfect peace that You have promised when I am faithful to You. You are my rock and You keep me safe forever. Thank you that You are mighty to pull down every stronghold and I trample it under my feet! That which seemed to overpower me I now walk all over it. Thank you for being honest and fair, for guiding me to do what is right. You lead me on a straight path and make it smooth. Lord, help me to live the way Your laws command. I am waiting for You to act. My heart longs for You to be true to Your name. My heart longs for you at night and my spirit longs for you in the morning.
Lord, so many are lost and show you no respect. They have no fear of You. Yet still, You show your grace and mercy. My heart cries out for them. Show them how much You love them and then they will be put to shame and cry out to You. Lord, thank you for Your peace. You are the One who has helped me accomplish everything good. Thank you for being the one true God. Others on the earth have tried to rule over me but You alone will I honor and serve! What the enemy tried to do You have punished & destroyed. Those lies will never live again!
Thank you Lord, you have made our nation grow. You have made it larger. You have gained glory for yourself. You have increased the size of our land. Lord, we can do nothing without you. Nothing in our own strength. What I tried to birth on my own produced nothing! It didn't bring your saving power to the earth. It didn't give life to the people of the world. Forgive me God for trying in my own strength. On my own I will fail but I can do all things through You because you strengthen me. Those dead things in my life which I let die will live again! You will raise them from the dead. Every dead situation I gave up on will rise. What I laid in the grave will wake up and shout!
Praise you God! I was pushed to the wall and I called to You. From the wide open spaces You answered. You are at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me? You are my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies. Thank you God that I can take refuge in You. I will praise You, for You have answered me! Bless the Lord oh my soul!

Hezekiah

While I was praying with a friend and as we drew to a close and waited on the Lord I felt His spirit saying to me "Hezekiah". Well, my mind raced through the Bible...there is no book of Hezekiah. However, the name seemed familiar. My friend pointed out to me Hezekiah was a king. So, I have been researching him and reading his story in Chronicles & Kings, asking God to show me what He wants to tell me.
What I found and am stirred up with is overwhelming and I think even I haven't absorbed it all.

Well, first of all Hezekiah was a king of Judah

In the crisis, Hezekiah proved to be a man of opportunity. No sooner had he ascended the throne than he began to plan and to execute. He first turned his attention to the restoration of the temple services, so long neglected; and in this work he earnestly solicited the co-operation of a band of priests and Levites who had remained true to their sacred calling. Confident of their loyal support, he spoke with them freely concerning his desire to institute immediate and far-reaching reforms. "Our fathers have trespassed," he confessed, "and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have forsaken Him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord." "Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us."
2 Chronicles 29:6, 10.

The people had turned their backs on God, they were not worshiping Him anymore. They were just doing their own thing. They had fallen into worshiping idols.

I feel in my spirit that God is telling us how urgent it is to restore our land! He is calling us back to Him. Many of us have felt the spirit of god speaking to us about the importance of being seperate from the world. There are difficult times ahead! We must be staying in the Word of God and praying. Staying close to God's heart! We must NOT be like the world. We MUST keep our eyes on Jesus and not on our situations or circumstances. We must truly walk by faith and not by sight. We must be praying for one another. We must be fully surrendered to God..every part..nothing held back.

2 Timothy 3 (The Message)
Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people.
But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

"If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
As we spend time, immersed in God's presence, we know His will. . .we know His Word. . .we know His heart. When we fail to spend time with Him by reading His Word and praying with Him, His presence becomes faint. . .we don't follow His ways, instead we follow our own plans. I don't know about you, but I want to stay close to Him. I want to experience His presence on a moment by moment basis.

How's your relationship with God? Are you experiencing His love, His grace, and His presence? Or are you more in tune with listening to others and moving toward your own destination? Why not re-connect today? Ask God to give you the desire to seek Him.


Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (Message)
But even there, if you seek God, your God, you'll be able to find him if you're serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul. When troubles come and all these awful things happen to you, in future days you will come back to God, your God, and listen obediently to what he says. God, your God, is above all a compassionate God. In the end he will not abandon you, he won't bring you to ruin, he won't forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them.

What I learned from Jonah

One thing I still struggle with is being able to love someone who has hurt me. Truly to forgive them and love them and see them the way Christ does.
I had reached a point in my relationship with God where I fully surrendered to Him and have sought to die daily but then God reveiled something to me that shook me to my core.
I had recently been asking God to forgive me for complaining about others..especially those who are like sandpaper (and rub me the wrong way) or take jabs at me, mock me, that sort of thing. I found myself not only complaining but also finding fault. Everytime it happened I immediately repented and asked God to help me not do that. Well, today He showed me the root!
While I was meditating on this the Lord brought to my mind the story of Jonah.
Jonah was a man of God, used by God and yet when God asked him to go to Ninevah he flat out refused and ran away. Why? I asked myself that and then I realized, Jonah didn't like those people in Ninevah. They had done things to hurt his people, horrible things, offended them, mockers of God, etc.
Jonah didn't want God to save them. He wanted them to be punished. In a sense he wanted to see justice done.
I instantly thought of many situations where I have been like that. Wanting to see justice, wanting God to punish those who had hurt me. Then I thought of how Jonah was bitter and angry at God for saving the people of Ninevah. I think we are all like that at times.
BUT...then I put myself in those people's shoes. I remembered how I was before I came to Christ, when I was ignorant, of the world, lost.
Oh how much love and compassion God had on me! Chose to save me!
This is why it's so important to love each other, not find fault, pray for one another, and not let ourselves get so easily offended. We MUST stop complaining, pointing the finger, grumbling, and having this sense of wanting justice done. We must be quick to forgive and love one another. When we see something not line up with the word of God then we need to take it to our prayer closets...not to our social circles to gossip and complain.
People will not change until they see the true love of God pouring out of us. Accepting them where they are at, loving them unconditionally.

Jesus said;
Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)

ouch...that's hard right? It is if we try to do it in our own strength. We must surrender our hearts totally to God. Only He can change our hearts so that we can love like Christ.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)
We must decrease so He may increase. Less of me God...more of YOU!

One other thought for today. Let us be careful not to let materialism water down our faith! We must be totally dependant on God and not on the things of this world.

No Matter What

I love to praise my God. I will sing of His great love.
He showers me with kindness and His grace from up above.
I'd praise Him if He healed me or blessed me in some way.
But even if He didn't. I'd praise Him all the day.
No matter what the situation my voice and hands will raise
Even in the darkest storm I won't forget to praise
I simply need no reason to worship and to sing
I praise because He's God. I praise because He's king.


We need no special reason to praise God. Yes, it's wonderful when He blesses us and heals us. It's awesome when He answers prayer.
But even if He never did those things He deserves our praise and worship.

Why?

Because He's GOD
(Isn't creation and salvation enough to sing about?)

And yet God continues to shower blessings on us. Grace, mercy, and love on us. Our God is an AWESOME God!!!

The Benefit Package

PSALM 103“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”
When our eyes move from our own state of affairs we can look at all God offers us. Listen to the refreshing, life-giving things God asks us not to forget:

Who FORGIVES all your sinsThank you, Lord, that I am forgiven. Fill me with the wonder of a clean heart. Help me to declare my forgiveness when I am tempted to wallow in the pit of despair over my past, my failures and my weaknesses. I am forgiven!

And HEALS all your diseasesLord, I bring my aching body to You and ask You to touch me with Your hand of healing. Give me wisdom and understanding of what to do physically. I also bring the diseases of my heart to you. Lord, remove all bitterness and pride and show me the things that erode my spirit.

Who REDEEMS your life from the pitLord, I am amazed at the fact that You reach into the pit that I even sometimes dig myself… and You lift me up. You bring beauty out of ashes as I trust in You. You buy back all the broken pieces and give me new life! Thank you!

And CROWNS you with love and compassionLord, Your care and tenderness to me is a constant surprise even though I know You love me. Thank you for the attention You give to the details of my life as I offer it to You.

Who SATISFIES your desires with good thingsThank you that Your plans for me are to find my fulfillment in You as I offer myself to You. You made me and You know how to grow me into all I ever wanted to be.

So that your youth is RENEWED like the eagle’sLord, when I see how You forgive me, heal me, redeem my life, crown me with Your love and satisfy me, I am truly renewed in my Spirit.

Lord thank you for this wonderful view of Your desires for me. I WILL praise you with everything that is within me. “Praise the Lord O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name.” Amen

Stand in the Gap

The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.

This is an account of what God said to Moses. Found in Numbers 14:11 after Israel rebelled against God.

BUT Moses stood in the gap and prayed. He reminded God that He is long suffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving their sins. And because of Moses and his prayers God spared all of Israel.

In verse 20 He said , "I have pardoned, according to your word."

I can't help but compare this to our nation. Our country has rebelled against God, complaining against Him. We have forgotten His miracles and great power. America was once united in faith, governed by the Word, and it was birthed through prayer and trust in God.
Now we live in a nation that curses His name, that believes that evil is good and good is evil. We've become a nation that worships the god of money and self.
God's hand of judgement is upon us.

BUT Christians....PRAY!! We can stand in the gap! We can remind God of His love and mercy.

Don't you see? We need to be crying out to God for our country! Praying for our leaders, praying for God to have mercy on us for our sins. We need to take it seriously. We need to cry out to God. We need to have a heart for the lost. We need to be dilligent about it. Time is short.

It's a simple message and one that has been said before many times I am sure. But I feel such an urgency in my spirit.

PRAY!

Shield of Dreams

His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

In the times when Rome was ruling the world, the soldiers had an amazingly huge shield to use going into battle. This piece of equipment was large enough to cover the entire man. If the army was advancing on the enemy, often the soldiers would cover themselves with these shields, walking close enough to each other that the shields overlapped. The next row of soldiers would hold the shields up in the air thus making it impossible for the foe to throw spears or shoot arrows at them. All the efforts of the enemy were of no effect because the shields would stop all weapons of that type. The equipment was so large that, if the soldier was wounded or died, the companions put him on the shield and carried him off the battle field.

What I LOVE about this is it is a wonderful illustration of the power of being united in prayer. When we gather together and pray in agreement we are literally taking our shields and overlapping them. The enemy can in no way penetrate through that. There is power in numbers!!! When we are united in prayer and applying the truth of God's Word we bring the enemy to a halt and all strong holds come tumbling down. We overcome by His blood and the Word of our testimony. Especially when we share our stories with each other because that builds our faith. That it why it is crucial that we gather together and unite in prayer declaring the truth of God's Word. I like especially the illustration of being carried off the battle field. Sometimes it seems like we are dying or a relationship has died. Sometimes it sems our finances have died or there are situations in our life or dreams that seem dead. We uphold each other, we carry each other off the battlefield at times where we can recieve restoration and healing. We need each other! The enemy's biggest plan is to seperate us, to have us get offended and leave the church, to leave the body of Christ. Once He gets us out in the open with out any covering we are weakened. The enemy knows this! That is why we must set aside petty arguements, offenses, and resentment. We must forgive and love each other more then we love ourselves because we are stronger when we are united! A three fold chord can not be broken.
Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have been given. But just as the mamma bird can not respond to their baby unless they cry out so it is with us. We must cry out! We must pray for each other! We must declare truth. I love that I have a friend who always tells me when something is a lie from the pit of hell - it is so easy to believe the lies and the negative but God wants us to live in His truth. It is time to advance on the enemy and take back everything he has stolen from us. Take back your joy, your health, your peace, your children, your finances, your freedom, your blessings. ENOUGH! I am tired of letting satan have what God has given to me! I am going to continue to PUSH - pray until something hapens and I thank all of you who are standing with me. Our shields are overlapped and God will have the victory!!!

A Father to the Fatherless Child

Tonight I cried a river of tears
They flowed through the desert of my heart
That pain was locked up for many years
and was starting to rip me apart
I cried out to God and He heard that cry
and showed me the root of my pain
An altar call for the fatherless child
He healed as our tears fell like rain
Wrapped in God's arms He held me tight
and replaced every void I have known
He showered me with His love tonight
And told me that I was His own
There is no condition to His love
There's nothing I have to do
Unconditional love from above
He loves me. I know that it's true
Thank you that you see beauty in me
Thank you that you've set me apart
You have faith in all I can be
You have healed my broken heart

Love Your Child,
Charity

Jeremiah 26

I have such a heavy burden on my heart for our generation right now. As I was praying and crying out to God to forgive our land He brought me to Jeremiah 26.

Jeremiah had been sent by The Lord to warn the people of Judah to repent from their self-destructive path. But what did they do? They wanted to kill him.

Jeremiah spoke, "This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth."

Shiloh remained the Israelite religious and political capital with The Tabernacle there for over 300 years, from the time of Joshua about 1400 B.C. to the time of Samuel about 1100 B.C. It was there that Hannah dedicated her infant son Samuel to The Lord (1 Samuel 1:24), and where he was raised by Eli the priest (1 Samuel 2:11).
The end came when the Israelites were battling the Philistines at Aphek. During the first battle, the Israelites were badly beaten, with a loss of about 4,000 men. They returned to Shiloh and removed The Ark, containing the two tablets of stone on which were written The Ten Commandments, from The Tabernacle and carried it back into battle with them. They were again defeated, this time losing 30,000 men, including Eli's two corrupt sons Hophni and Phinehas who would have succeeded him, and The Ark itself. Upon hearing the news of the capture of The Ark by the Philistines, and the loss of his own two sons in battle, Eli himself died. It was a disastrous defeat that God not only permitted to happen, but actually caused to happen. The entire account is found in 1 Samuel chapter 4.

The Ark was recovered from the Philistines 7 months later (1 Samuel 6:1-2). God certainly would not have allowed its permanent loss then, or now, or in the future (Revelation 11:19), but it was taken to Kiriath Jearim instead of back to Shiloh (1 Samuel 7:1).

The Bible does not record exactly when Shiloh met its final destruction, but what is known for certain is that it was completely devastated, and remains so to this day. You can go and stand there at the very place of its ruins, although after so much time there is not much left even of them to see.

The story of Shiloh thereafter served as an object lesson to the Israelites of later times, physically or spiritually that God only remains faithful to those who truly remain faithful to Him

They became complacent, taking far too much for granted. They assumed that The Lord would protect and put up with them no matter what they did. A big mistake in their time - or ours.

I think the biggest thing we fight against is complacency.
My dictionary defines complacency this way, “self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual danger or deficiencies”.
satan wants us to be complacent.
We must take a stand for God! ... We have become complacent. ... Our nation does not do the Law of God.

"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” Ezekiel 22:30

Right now, God is searching for people who will be an extension of Himself. He is looking for a people who are willing to stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the Nation.

We need people who are willing to give up their lives to intercede and pray. We must build up the wall of righteousness around this Nation and restore the things of God. God is calling out for His Church to become a house of prayer. We, as the people of God, must respond and devote our lives to intercession and prayer. We can no longer live for ourselves, and allow the house of God to lay in ruins as a result of our unfaithfulness and disinterest in the things of God.

Christianity has lost its power. We have become solely a people of morality. As great and necessary as morality is, it will not change the Nation. We need to become a people known for more than our morality; we need to become a people identified by the presence and power of God. We so desperately need to have God’s presence and power in our midst and in us. We must give the world what they do not have.

How do we get more of the presence and power of God? It is by prayer and intercession that God’s presence and power increases. It is vital that we, as believers, learn to pray and intercede for the Church, the Nation, and the overall increase of the power and presence of God.

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

God is still calling out for His people to pray and seek His face, and He remains faithful to His promise even now, if we choose to respond. Will you respond to the call to stand in the gap and bring healing to the Nation?

A Deeper Look into Psalm 91

PSALM 91 verses 1-6.

1 - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Now the word abide means to endure without yielding, to bear patiently, to accept without objection.
To me that means we have a choice. We can choose to abide. We can choose to dwell in the secret place.

2 - I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
The word refuge means; Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship. A place providing protection or shelter. A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble
And Fortress means; A protected place of refuge.
Literally, the psalmist is declaring that he lives inside God. God is his strength, refuge, and military fortress.

A fortress is a place of protection from enemies, so living in God is the place of safety from all the attacks of the devil. We can pray, "God, You are my fortress, the fortress of my family, of my children. You are my covering and my shelter. You are my protector." The psalmist goes on to say that God will deliver him from a number of things.

Interesting to note that In chess, the fortress is an endgame drawing technique in which the side behind in material sets up a zone of protection around their king that cannot be penetrated by the opponent
I like that. It CAN NOT be penetrated by the opponent. In our case by satan or his demons.

3 - Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, And from the perilous pestilence.
What is the snare of the fowler? A snare is an unseen trap of temptation or destruction that is set by the fowler, who is the devil and his demons. This is a trap that you cannot see unless God makes you aware of it, because He sees everything.
As we go out into the world, the devil will set traps for us. We can pray for God to deliver us from these unseen snares, and then the Holy Spirit will either show us the trap and how to avoid it or give us a plan to walk through it without being hurt. He can also change our direction so that we never go near the trap that was set for us or have any knowledge that it ever existed!
This is a key reason Jesus said we should pray - Deliver us from evil.

Perilous pestilence is an infection, disease, or sickness. Thank God that He can deliver us and keep us from physical illness. Along with this verse in Psalm 91, we can also pray these verses for our family & friend's health and well being.
He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (2 Peter 2:24)
He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. (Ps. 107:20)

4 - He shall cover you with His feathers,And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
Isn't our Father like that? The verse states "He shall cover you with His feathers, and under his wings you shall take refuge". Doesn't the idea of our Father covering us with Himself and making sure we are under His wing sound incredible? Just as a Mama bird cares for her young, our Father cares for us, His young. We are fed, cleaned up, kept warm and safe. The times we have fallen from the nest are the times when it seems that there is no way out. Yet, our Father has given us a way of escape (I Corinthians 10:13). If we will simply run to Him when things are out of hand, when we have done something wrong, He is there to lift us up to the high place and gather us under His wing. We can nestle in the feathers of our Lord in complete safety, warm and comfortable. Incredible picture, isn't it? Because we are children of the King, we have that inheritance if we only ask.

The last part of that verse is: "his truth shall be your shield and buckler." I had no idea what a buckler was or what type of shield this verse is refering to. So, I researched it. It is really important that you see this picture. In the times when Rome was ruling the world, the soldiers had an amazingly huge shield to use going into battle. This piece of equipment was large enough to cover the entire man. If the army was advancing on the enemy, often the soldiers would cover themselves with these shields, walking close enough to each other that the shields overlapped. The next row of soldiers would hold the shields up in the air thus making it impossible for the foe to throw spears or shoot arrows at them. All the efforts of the enemy were of no effect because the shields would stop all weapons of that type. The equipment was so large that, if the soldier was wounded or died, the companions put him on the shield and carried him off the battle field.

The next piece of gear is the buckler. This one was a mystery to me. I had never heard of it before. The soldier would strap a much smaller, often round, shield onto his left arm with a leather strap. This type of equipment was used to fend off close combat strikes by the enemy swords. Soldiers could then cover themselves while using their own swords.

What God wants us to know is that His Truth, the Word of God, is enough armor for us (Ephesians 6:10-18). Not only have we been invited to sit in the secret place under our Father's wing but we are also given armor to protect ourselves when the enemy comes at us with everything he has to offer. Imagine being able to hold up that enormous shield to cover yourself totally. In close combat, that buckler sure comes in handy to fend off the fiery darts or swords that the opponent has sent your way.

In all of this, the picture is one of safety, security, and peace. No matter what is going on in your life, God is there to protect you, shield you, care for you, comfort you and will be just like parents of the baby birds when you fall from the nest. But there is one thing you need to remember. The parents of the babies only came when they heard the cries of the child.

5-6 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
Terror by Night
God will see to it that we will not be afraid of the terror by night. The terror by night encompasses all the fears that can attack us when it is dark. This includes terrible dreams and nightmares.
A burglar is another terror by night. A storm, a tornado, or a hurricane can be a terror by night. Anything that brings fear through darkness is a terror by night. You can stop those fears from coming by praying God's Word.
Likewise God will also protect us from every sort of danger during the day.

Amen! Amen! God's protection is 24/7 - He is ALWAYS watching, and protecting us.

My prayer

Father, I thank You that You have given me a safe place to dwell. That You are my refuge, my strong tower, my fortress, my protector. I thank You that You are stronger then anything that would come my way and that nothing can penetrate You. Deliver me from evil today and Holy Spirit help me to see the traps that the enemy has laid before me. Thank you for keeping me safe from illness, disease, and destruction. I am standing in total faith today that You are my healer. Give me wisdom in all areas of my health and give me strength to obey Your commands so that I can stay healthy and whole.
I thank You that you love me so much that You hide me under Your wings and provide for my every need. And thank you that when I have fallen away from the nest You welcome me back with open arms and love me unconditionally. Thank you for defeating the enemy for me and for Your love and protection today.
AMEN