Object Lesson Temptation

This is an excellent but very funny object lesson on what it is like to be tempted. If you want to see the full video you can go to the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszVTW...

Christian Women Online Cruise

This is my entry to the contest at Christian Women Online.
Check it out and enter yourself.

The Humorous Things Mom Said that were Loaded with Wisdom.

(I’ll bet most moms don’t realize how smart they really are!)

1. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside - I just finished cleaning!"

This statement didn’t really teach me to appreciate a job well done but it did teach me that I was able to handle my own problems and that I couldn’t always run to mom to intercede on my behalf. Those few words carried a warning. If I didn’t stop what I was doing, someone might get hurt.
It also taught me that I was to respect the hard work of others and to be careful so that I didn’t unwittingly undermine their hard labour.

2. " I don’t care if all the other mothers are letting their kids do it, I said no. Just because every other kid in the world jumps over a bridge doesn’t mean you have to jump too. Because I said so, that's why. I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

This taught me that my parents were a higher authority than myself and I should not question that authority. In accepting their rule in my life, I would be in a place of safety, expecting that authority to only want what was best for me.
It also showed me that I was an individual and therefore all my needs and expectations had to be handled on an individual basis. I was not just anyone else. I was their child and they cared about me.
When I became a Christian I realized that Jesus was now my authority. He loves me as His daughter and only wants what is best for me. I am to obey him and not question why. He knows the beginning from the end. He treats me as an individual and does not want me following the crowds but only following Him. I can rest safely in His leading.

3. "Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you are in an accident. You better bring a jacket/umbrella in case it rains."

Expect the unexpected. Life doesn’t always work out the way that you planned so always be prepared. Think about your future and prepare for it now. You never know when an opportunity may arise. Be ready to meet any challenge that comes your way.

4. "Don’t sit too close to the T.V. you are going to burn your eyes out. If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way. Eat your carrots, they will strengthen your eyes"

These words taught me that my eyes were important and I should take care to protect them. The eye is the lamp of the body, the window to the soul, so I should be careful what I allow to enter through those portals. What am I feeding my soul when I chose to watch certain things on T.V. that is not appropriate. Jesus said "If your eye offend you, pluck it out. Better to enter heaven with one eye than to suffer in hell with two."

5. "Stop crying or I will give you something to cry about."

Don’t fret the little stuff. Things could always be worse. These words prepared me to expect hardship in my life. If I worry and fret over the little things, what will happen to me when the big things in life roll in on me? Learn to put things in proper perspective and don’t let the little things get you down. Each day has enough worries of it’s own. We don’t need to add to them.
It also taught me that crying is not going to solve anything. I need to take steps to change my behaviour and not just wallow in self pity.

6. "It looks as if a tornado swept through this house. Your room looks like a pig sty. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

There is no beauty in chaos. I should take pride in my surroundings and the things I possess. I should take care of my belongings and those of others around me. I should be trying to attain a higher standard for my life. Living by my animalistic nature (ungodly instincts) is not acceptable behaviour.

7. "Don’t blame me if you fall out of that swing and break your neck. If you don't do your homework, you'll never get a good job. If you break your leg, don’t come running to me. Just wait until we get home, boy are you going to get it."

Daily we will face various choices and challenges in life. Every action has a reaction and our choices determine what consequences we will have to face. It is our free will that allows us to make these choices. We must face the consequences of our choices and actions alone. No one else can answer for us. We will all stand before the throne of God and each man will give an account for himself. I have to recognize and take responsibility for my own actions. I have choices throughout my life and I cannot try to blame others for my irresponsibility.

8. "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do! There are millions of starving children in Africa that wish they could have your dinner tonight."

Statements like these taught me that I should count my blessings, always be thankful, and appreciate all that I had, whether it was plenty or little. There is always someone less fortunate than I am. But for the grace of God, go I. It reminds me of an old saying that goes something like this
‘I once met a man that had no shoes and felt sorry for him. Yet this man was so great full because he had met a man that had no feet.’
It also taught me that I should think of those that are less fortunate and do all I could to help. Jesus said that if we clothe or feed those less fortunate than ourselves, it is like clothing and feeding Him.

9. "You will sit there till you finish your supper. I don’t care if you have to sit there all night.

This taught me determination, steadfastness, and endurance. Life is going to be hard and will hand us all kinds of problems. It is very important to stand firm and finish what you start. Some times it will take every bit of strength we have to endure but in the end it will be worth it. Everyone has a chance to be a winner. Keep your eye focused on the prize. It doesn’t matter how you start, it is how you finish. Many start right for Christ at the beginning and we move forward but take our eyes off the prize and fall behind in the race. Finish Strong. Run to win the prize.

10. "What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you. Don't talk back to me! If I've told you once, I've told you a million times... Would you just shut up and listen for once."

Think before I speak. Listen, listen. listen. This world is plagued with communication problems because people just don’t listen. We have two ears and only one mouth. That should tell us something. We should listen twice as much as we speak. Our parents tried and tried to drill these lessons into our innermost beings and yet most of us just didn’t ‘get it’.
Our Heavenly Father is constantly talking to us but we just aren’t listening. I am slowly learning these lessons my mother taught me. I am trying to open my ears to what Father God wants to tell me and learning to quit telling Him how to do things.

11. "One day you'll have kids ... and I hope they turn out just like you!"

What goes around comes around. We reap what we sow. There is nothing new under the sun.
Some call this the ‘mother’s curse’. If we had hearkened to the voice of our mothers we would be blessed with obedient children today. Our sinful nature rebelled and therefore we reap what we sow. It wasn’t our parents faults that we turned out the way we did. We made our own choices along the way.
I’ve learned that my mom is human too. She raised me the best way she knew how to and I can’t fault her for that. We all do the best we can as parents, and pray that love can overcome our humanity.

12. "Go ask your dad, if he says it is o.k. with him then it is ok with me."

Mom taught me through example that dad was the final authority. She submitted to his decisions. It didn’t make her any less of a person, in fact it caused me to respect her even more. She taught me my proper place in the great scheme of things.
Father God is the ultimate authority. Woman submits to her husband, her husband to Christ and Christ to Father God. Each in their own proper place. When everyone is in their place and doing what they should be doing, life goes on a lot smoother and everyone is happier.
She taught me that it was o.k. to approach dad. He wasn’t someone I should be afraid of. He would gladly answer my questions. I might not always get the answers I wanted but that didn’t mean I would never go and ask him for something again. It also taught me to trust his decision making. If mom could trust his authority on a subject, then I too could trust that he only had what was best for me in mind.
If I don’t know what to do about something, I know that I can go to Father God and He will always hear and answer. I need not be afraid of Him. I know He will only do what is best for me.

*********

I wanted to write this in appreciation of all moms but especially mine. She is the greatest. I have learned so many wonderful things from her and I will be eternally great full. Eternally I say, because without her leading, I may have never found the Lord in the first place.

Thanks Mom
I love you.

INVESTMENT and RETURN? or WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR TALENTS?

Grace is God’s meeting you where you are in order to bring you to where He is. God does not meet us where we are to leave us where we are or to pat us on the back for what WE are doing. God meets us where we are—in our sin, in our weakness, in our immaturity—to help and enable us to transform to His standards and His way of doing things.

One of the problems we face in the world today is that everywhere the Spirit shows up, manifesting Himself through signs and wonders, His presence is repeatedly misunderstood. We use His presence to justify our immature earthly values and even known sin. We think His presence is God’s confirmation that we are on the right track, that we are working according to God’s will.

When God sees that our level of sin and immaturity no longer holds any expectation for bringing us back into conformity to His plan, He will withdraw and cease imparting Himself to us. While He is patient, the Lord will not pour Himself out in us only to be misused to reinforce our earthly desires.

Jesus made a very costly investment of His blood in us. He expects a return on his investment. If that return is not met, there will be consequences.

Jesus’ parables about planting and harvest shows us clearly that God expects a return for his great investment in our lives. This can also be seen in the parable of the ‘talents’ and also in Christ’s ministry.

We see him withdrawing from various communities. He came bringing healing and deliverance and yet he could see that it wasn’t having an impact on the their souls, so He withdrew from them.

Firstly, we are to believe in Christ for what He has done for us on the cross to pay the penalty and to forgive us of our sins.

Jn. 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name.
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house
.
Secondly, we are to surrender our lives as dedicated followers of His Spirit to lead us into all truth and to do the will of God. This is not a one time event but should be a continual surrendering.

Rom 12:1 I 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.
Rom 12:2 And 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.

Thirdly, we must obey His will, through the teaching of the Holy Spirit - at all costs.

Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Heb. 5:9 And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him.

By obeying the leading of the Spirit, we are moved past the "knowledge of the truth" to the actual "Knowing of the Father" and His will for our lives.
This is the ultimate return God wants on his investment.

Our obedience must start with repentance. Repentance is the submitting of a receiving heart to the lordship of Christ. We demonstrate this by our actions of obedience to the commands of the Spirit. Those actions are the "fruit" and the "work" of the Spirit in our lives and demonstrate that our faith is active, evident and living. When we repent and submit, the Holy Spirit sets his seal of possession on our lives. This is separate from the gifts and powers he may impart to a believer.

One may be forgiven of sins, washed by the blood, and even receive limited access to the Holy Spirit’s powers. Yet without repentance, he may still fall away, reversing the effects of salvation, drawing back to perdition and to eternal damnation. Assurance of our eternal salvation is tied to the demonstration of our fruit of obedience. We can only get that assurance if we know we have fully and totally surrendered our all to the Spirit of Lord Jesus. Our minds, our spirits, our souls, our bodies, all that we posses. Any other assurance is false.

We tend to think that because God pours out his spirit on a man or their ministry, that they are ‘right’ with God or doing things right. We think it is his seal of approval.

So what happens when God’s spirit is poured on human flesh.

Man is made of the dust of the ground. As flesh, he is but dirt.
The Spirit is likened to rain and to fire. If the Spirit is received by the flesh without submitting one’s will to God’s will, in total surrender, you get the same result as when you pour water on dirt.

You get MUD.
You get something to get stuck in!

But if the Spirit is received, not only as water, but also as a cleansing fire to help us to be totally submitted and obedient, it will bring us to the truth and separate us for the Lord’s purpose.

Instead of becoming muddied, we become transformed into a vessel able to truly hold and display God's will, power and mind.

If we are not totally conformed to submit to the Spirit, then we (flesh) can corrupt the Spirit that is poured on us and can change the truth of God into a lie.

Rom 1:21 Because 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.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections:
Mat 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Luke 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

So there is a condition to receiving the Spirit that determines whether we get the mind of God. The fact that the Spirit is received is not a guarantee of the accuracy or completeness of His mind (His Will) in us.

For this reason, a judgment seat awaits all believers, not just unbelievers.

At the judgment seat, we will give account for how well we allowed the Lord to perfect His investment in our souls.

It is very important that we know this - the salvation of every believer's soul is to be proven by fire. There will be great loss on the part of many believers at that time, as their fleshly deeds will be burned away.
All who try to escape God’s divine process in order to preserve their own way of thinking and living now, will lose it then.

By not submitting to the leading of God’s spirit - towards His Higher Calling for your life, you will be affected in ways you can’t even imagine.

What are you doing with the investment God has placed in your life?

BLOOD SPEAKS???

Recently I stumbled across a little ‘gem’ that I wanted to share with you.

Maybe this isn’t new to you but I was so blessed by it.

Did you know that blood SPEAKS?

In Genesis 4:10 God says that the blood of Abel cried out to him from the soil. (We also know that ‘life is in the blood’).

In the original the word is plural, thy brother's bloods. Could this mean, not only Abel’s blood, but the blood of all those that might have descended from him had he lived?

As I pondered this verse and thought about blood, I began to realize that people are listening to what blood has to say every day. I had never really thought of it before.

When a young girl gets her first monthly flow of blood it tells her that she is finally becoming a woman. She is now capable of bearing children of her own.

When a woman gets her monthly flow, it is speaking to her. It is telling her that her body has gone through a cycle to prepare itself for conceiving a child. The flow tells her that no child was conceived during this cycle. It also tells her that each and every month she is being prepared for a wonderful act of procreation.

Even the lack of blood speaks to her, telling her that she has conceived. (or that something else is wrong with her body)

When we see blood on a child or on ourselves, it is speaking warning. It is telling us that something has happened to the body that needs attention. Maybe we just have a simple cut but it is still an indication that something is out of the ordinary, something has happened to our body that shouldn’t have.

Large amounts of blood indicate a bigger problem. The larger the amount, the greater the need to get medical attention.

Have you ever had a blood test?
Doctors and nurses listen to what blood is saying every day. By looking at our blood and listening to what it has to say, a doctor can diagnose what is going on in our bodies. So in a sense it is also a warning system.

Our blood flows through out the body day in and day out like a little soldier on guard. Checking and rechecking every little part of us. Then when needed, the blood brings news (speaks) about various things happening in your body.

Isn’t that amazing?

Blood is also a ‘tattle tale’. If you have taken alcohol, drugs or had sex with someone you shouldn’t have, the blood will tell about it. It can’t help but tell the truth about all it learns about the body.

Blood also seems to be able to tell various things about a person like who their parents were, and if they are prone to getting various diseases.

Abel’s blood "cried".

When innocent blood is taken from a person, human ears may not be able to hear it’s voice, but it has a voice that reaches God and cries out for vengeance. Murder is one of the sins that cry to heaven.

The blood applied to the door posts in Exodus 12:13 told the destroyer of the Lord God to pass over that house and not harm the inhabitants therein.

Have you applied the Blood of Jesus to your heart that the destroyer might pass over you in the final day of Judgement?

Jesus’ blood is the only thing that can deliver your soul and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

Please, listen to His blood. It calls out to you.

1 Corinthians 3:5-end (Con’t)

Who are the Pentecostals? Who are the Baptists? Who are the Catholics? Who are the Seventh Day Adventists? Who are any of the individual denominations?

Aren’t they all just ministers that God has given to help us believe in Jesus?

One may plant and another may help us to grow but it is only God that increases his family and our knowledge.

So then one denomination is no better than the other. They are really nothing in God’s eyes. They are all foolish.

God is ultimately all that is truly important.

We will be rewarded for our own labour.

In the end, the individual efforts of each person will be found to be useless - unless it has helped to build the WHOLE body of Christ.

We are workers TOGETHER for God’s end, for God’s purpose.
The work we do together HAS to be directed by God’s Spirit because we are working together with him.
We are his building and his builders. We should be building so that the WHOLE structure is sound and secure. It is only in togetherness and unity of Spirit, that anything of value can be accomplished.

Various denominations may lay the foundations, but as individuals, we form the parts of that building.

As fellow builders ourselves, we have to be very careful. We have to be sure that the original foundation being laid is Spirit led before we ever try to do any building on your own.

We have to know that Jesus Christ is the firm foundation and all else is rubbish, foolishness, and of no eternal value. Get rid of anything else. It does nothing. It doesn’t help the foundation one bit.

The foundation of Jesus Christ stands alone.

Set your heart, mind, soul and strength on that firm foundation. All the rest is foolish trappings.

Now if any man has built anything on this foundation - whether it was good works, doctrine, traditions, programs, etc. it will all be revealed in the end.

Every MAN’S work will be manifested and tried by God’s fire. The fire will determine if it was Spirit led or if it originated in the heart and will of man.

Did it profit the whole body or just the individual? It will all be revealed.

After this cleansing fire, some of the building will be left standing. This will be the work that was done according to the Holy Spirit’s directing our lives to do God’s will.

Being obedient to God’s spirit will bring rewards.
But any work done in man’s own power, without the Spirit’s direction will be burned.

We WILL suffer loss.

We will know where we failed and will see our inner motives and desires.

We will still be saved - but Oh... the pain we will suffer when we realize how selfish and foolish we were all along.

It is going to hurt and hurt a lot - like being burned with fire.

Ouch!

Do you want to suffer the loss and pain your own thinking will cause you when your prideful living is finally revealed by his cleansing fire. You will regret that you didn’t do it his way all along.

Shouldn’t we strive to do it God’s way to begin with to avoid this pain and loss?

Jointly and individually we are God’s temple.

Does God need earthly buildings to dwell in?

No.

He has us, his body, built on the foundation of Jesus.

God’s Spirit dwells in THAT temple.

God’s temple is Holy. (Morally blameless, ceremoniously consecrated)

This isn’t speaking of the natural or physical man but is speaking of the spiritual man.

We tend to think that by doing certain things to and with our bodies we are defiling God’s temple.

It is not the outward appearance that is important.
It is not even what goes into the natural man that matters.

It is all about the Spirit in us, in our spiritual body.

Defiling God’s temple is not allowing the Holy Spirit to have full and complete control.

That includes full control of our mind, spirit, soul and body. That includes individuals as well as the rest of the body of Christ.

Doing things are own way - without the Holy Spirit’s direction is defiling God’s temple.

The temple is Holy - it is consecrated and set aside, because God’s Spirit lives there.

If you do not allow God’s spirit to have full control, holiness is gone, The temple becomes defiled.

If ANY one, defiles (spoils, ruins, corrupts) the temple of God, God will destroy him.

What?

Isn’t that a little harsh?
Those are strong words.

Anyone who is not a part of God’s temple, or defiles that temple in any way, will be destroyed.

God’s spirit will not live in a prison. He wants to live in a temple.

Don’t deceive yourself into thinking that this isn’t true. Instead go back to being a fool so at least then God can feed you the milk so you will get some nourishment and continue to grow.

If you are stubborn, or just can’t be bothered with any of this stuff, because you think you know it all and have all the answers - then go ahead. God wouldn’t stop you.

He’s taken many in their own craftiness.
He will let you continue to think you are wise beyond your years and have all the answers.
He knows all our thoughts.
To him they are all foolish and vain. They are totally useless to him or anyone else.

Please, don’t look to men or to your own ways of thinking for answers.

Go directly to God.

Seek His fullness, power and direction.

Give Him first place in your life every moment of every day.

Ask God to continually fill you more and more with His Spirit.

If you really want it, he will give it to you.

Everything you could possibly want or need is made available to you through this union with God’s spirit.

You are God’s child if you keep his commandments.
Jesus’ death and resurrection made it all possible.
Build on this foundation.

Don’t take my word for it.

ASK GOD.

UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST - HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE IT?

I’d like to talk a little about the Apostle Paul first and then give my understand of 1 Corinthians 1-3.

Paul was a man who was very zealous of what he believed. He was so ardent about his faith in God that he was willing to go out kill and persecute these new believers that he believed were making a mockery of his God and his beliefs. He was a very learned man, taught by some of the best preachers of his day. He knew God’s word backwards and forwards. He loved God with all that was in him. He was a totally faithful man and yet -
He was totally wrong!
Jesus had to stop him in his tracks and blind him, just to get his attention.
Paul’s life tells us that it doesn’t matter:
How much zeal we have for God,
How much education we have,
Which church we attend,
How much of the bible we have memorized or learned,
Who we learn from, or what we learn from pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.
It is all wrong.

It is foolishness and vanity.

You see Paul had tried doing things in his own flesh for years. He thought he was doing God’s will but he was lacking the main ingredient to serving God - The Holy Spirit.
After meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus, he obviously believed that Jesus was Lord and God but he still needed the infilling, full power, full release, of the Holy Spirit working in and through him in his life.
Jesus sent him to Ananias. His blindness was healed and he received the Holy Ghost.

I hope the Lord Jesus is stopping you in your tracks right now and removing the scales from your eyes.

Chapters 1:21-3:4

How can we prevent division in the church?
How can we all speak and teach the same things?
How can we be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgements?

As I read Chapter 2:2, I understand Paul to be saying that he emptied himself of everything he had ever known - except Jesus and him crucified. Paul was willing to put aside every idea of his own, every preconceived notion he had and all previous learning he had received to 'know only Jesus and him crucified'.

Are we willing to do that?

God tells us that preaching is foolishness.

What?....... Preaching is foolishness??
Yep! God says so.

You know what?

God chose that way to reach the saved anyway. It pleased him to save people through foolish preaching.
Isn’t it incredible how God works?
God is pleased to use foolish things of this world to confound those who think they are so smart.

Aren’t we silly?

We thought all those pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. were so special. We thought God picked them because of their learning and because they seemed to know so much. We even thought they were picked because of their holy living or their devotion to studying God’s word.

Uh, uh, no way!...

They are picked not only because they are foolish, but because they are weak as well. God tells us this in his word and yet when some seemingly great man of God falls, we are amazed. Why are we so surprised?
After all, they aren't only foolish and weak, they are also human.

So why does God choose to do things this way?

Because he doesn’t want any man (flesh) to get the Glory or Praise. He doesn't want any man to think he is something special when it is God himself that uses that person. He wants all the glory for Himself.

It is only by continually being in Christ Jesus that we can really know and understand God’s wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

It has to be a continuing moment by moment walk. We have to be in constant communication with him.

How can we do this?

God so lovingly sent his Holy Spirit to indwell and lead us. It is only by God’s Spirit that we can even live and move and have our being.

Pastors, teachers, Evangelists, all of us, should strive to know nothing, nothing, nothing - but Christ and him crucified. When I say know, I mean really really know him.

We should preach and teach and walk and talk and live our daily lives ONLY in the demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit. Our faith should not be based in any teaching that has come from any man, book, television/radio show etc. Our faith should originate from only listening to the moment by moment directions of the Holy Spirit.

We should be speaking wisdom to our brothers and sisters in the Lord as the Spirit directs us. Not worldly wisdom, but the spirit directed wisdom that only comes from being so in-tune to His voice and His voice alone.

This spirit directed wisdom will reveal mysteries and deep secrets of God.

We can’t begin to comprehend all the things that God wants to show us through our close walk with Him and through the controlling power of the Holy Spirit in us. There are so many things he wants us to see, hear and know. He is longing to share the deep things with His children.

In our own strength we can search, preach, teach, or memorize the Bible and all it has to say but in the end - it is all foolishness. We might as well give it all up as it is useless anyway.

He tells us in His Word that NO MAN knows the things of God. Only the Spirit of God knows everything.

The only way we can ever know anything is if we are living in constant communication with God’s Spirit. We can go to him with anything and everything and the Holy Spirit will reveal things to us.

God has arranged it so that together, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we can compare the spiritual mysteries and revelations he gives us, with other brothers and sisters who are also joined to God's spirit and getting their own spiritual mysteries and revelations.

He doesn't do this to cause division. He does it to build us up and help us to learn more and more as we share and encourage one another.

The problem is that most of us don’t live in that constant communion with God’s spirit.

No matter how grown up we think we are, or how many years we’ve been a Christian, we are just little babies and can only handle the milk of the word.

Very few men and women have ever passed the baby stage.
Some have progressed to the pablum stage and some even to the strained food stage.

When someone gets a deep revelation from God they try to share it through human ideas or human experiences. They try to share it with believers who are not ready to be fed the meat that God has given them.

No wonder there is so much division and confusion.

They should be preparing the people to be able to totally rely on the Holy spirit’s leading and guidance, before they ever even try to share the deep things of God.

In our humanness alone, we just cannot comprehend the deep things of God, no matter how hard we try. It is only through the revelation of the Holy Spirit in us that we can understand.

Why is there so much division and confusion in the churches today?

Because flesh is trying to assert itself above God. Flesh is trying to beat out the other guy. Flesh is trying to understand the things of God and rationalize them. Flesh wants to be in control.

I don’t care how spiritual you think you are. I don’t care if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit or not. I don’t care if you speak with tongues, interpret, prophecy or any of the other giftings from the Holy Spirit. If you are not living in constant communication with God’s Holy Spirit you are missing the mark and you are still a baby in Christ.

We must allow God’s spirit inside of us to reign and rule. It is only through the Christ like mind that God has given us that we receive spiritual truth and discernment. We must allow God’s spirit to teach us and judge all things.

Paul was telling the Corinthians that he had to speak to them like he was speaking to babies because they were still carnal and not able to receive the deep mysteries yet.

He says that envying, strife and division was a sign of being carnal, being babies.

Uh... HELLO CHURCH!! Wake up. Ga ga goo goo.

You can get together in your non denominational buildings, you can start programs like promise keepers, you can try to unite all believers together through one program or another, you can get like minded believers to march for Jesus and proclaim their love for him, you can walk like Jesus walked and talk like Jesus talked and even dress like Jesus dressed, you can praise and sing hallejah at the top of your lungs,
BUT
if you are not TOTALLY submitted to God’s spirit, it is all foolishness.
You are still a baby, you are still carnal, because you are still trying to do it in your own flesh.

It just can’t be done any other way, PERIOD.

Unity will never be achieved until each and every individual believer unites with God’s spirit first.
It is only then that God’s spirit can unite the body of Christ.
It is what he intended in the first place.

Are you part of the Problem?
Are you willing to make the changes to become part of the Solution?
It is your choice.

Who loves you baby?

GOD IS CALLING YOU

I have been a strong believer for 30 some years now. I believed what I believed and was always ready to give an answer. I love the Lord with all I know how. I was baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit. I even speak in tongues. God has used me to bring words of knowledge and prophecies and interpretation of tongues in various church services. The gifts of the spirit are not new to me.

Yet the following verses always bothered me.

Mat 7:21 Not 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.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I have also questioned for many years, why aren’t we seeing miracles in the church today like they did in the book of Acts? Where is the power?
I worried that I may be a Laodician - neither hot nor cold - so I prayed for many years asking God to give me back not only my first love - but a better love.

Some would say I back slid badly. I believe it was all part of God’s plan to bring me back to the beginning.

Something unbelievable and drastic has happened in my inner life.
God has been speaking to me so forcefully and telling me to seek HIM first and His righteousness and listen to NO man. Listen only to Father God. Seek his wisdom, his knowledge his guidance etc. and to try to tell others to do the same.

The time is too short and we must get right with God. Our outer man has been doing all the right things and going through all the motions, but our inner man is full of rotteness, dead man’s bones, and ideas we have gleaned from others, NOT from Father God himself. He is tired of it and wants his body to be cleansed from ALL the worldly influences it has subjected itself to.

His body today has a "form of Godliness" but where is the power? Where is the Victory? Where is the abundant life?

Please, somebody, tell me; WHY WHY WHY would any non believer even WANT to be a Christian today? What is so special about being a Christian? (Besides escaping Hell)

We have just as many if not more divorce in the church, we have Christians going to psychiatrists and counselors because they just can’t handle the stress of everyday life. We claim that God is love but act nothing like loving people. We care only about ourselves and our wants and needs. We beg for money to send to missions and build big beautiful building so we can sit comfortably and get our ears tickled. We have hundreds of so called "Christian" denominations because we can’t agree on the simplest things. And we judge. Boy do we judge! We think we know everything and our beliefs are the only RIGHT beliefs - AND WE CAN PROVE IT through Scripture.

God is sick and tired of us playing church and playing Christianity without really knowing what it is all about. He is calling out a people who are willing - truly willing - to lay down their lives for HIM - NO MATTER WHAT THE COSTS. That is His TRUE BODY.

I had (and continue) to go before God and repent of everything I have ever learned under any man's teaching. I had to give up all my preconceived ideas and it is a very hard thing to do. I had to let go and let God. I had to be willing to get to the place where I was willing to let go of EVERY SINGLE THING I have or have believed in, except for Jesus and the basics of salvation.

I had to be willing to let go of my family, friends, house, money - EVERYTHING and seek only Him and him alone. Did God give me a sound mind - yes, but I had to be willing to give that to him as well and all my ideas of what I should or shouldn’t do. Did God give me His word in the scriptures - yes, but I had to be willing to give that to him as well.

But what if people thought I was going off the deep end and was really going crazy? So what? I had to give those thoughts to God as well. Even if they put me in a mental institute, that is o.k. with me God as long as I have Jesus in my life. He is my master, my Lord, my redeemer, my Father, my lover, my friend, my all. He controls each and every aspect of my life. He knows what is best for me better than I do. He can take care of all my loved ones. He can supply any and all needs that may come my way. I had to let God out of the box I had put him in. I had to be willing to kneel at his feet and cry out to him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. Then I had to be willing to wait for His reply. If that meant not moving from that place for days on end - so be it. Was I willing to do it for Him? How badly did I really want Him?

We give our lives to Christ and ask Him to become Lord and Saviour of our lives and we are born again. Old things pass away and all becomes new. Our lives change for a much better life. We are born into God’s family. Then somewhere along the line, we hit an age where we seem to know what is best and we take over the reigns of our life. We go to church for fellowship and begin to load our minds with the teachings of men. We may even check out the things they teach and find them in the Bible and what they teach may even be truth.

Did we ask God which church we should go to or if we should go to any ‘church’ at all.

How did the people in the book of Acts do it?
Are we doing it like they did?
Where are we told to build churches and get together and have men teach us?

You may tell me that God is sitting on the throne of your life and he is in complete control of everything.
Oh, is that so?
Let me ask you a few questions.

When was the last time someone was healed when your shadow passed over them?
How many people have you raised from the dead?
How many people have you laid hands on and they were healed?
Do you own a car or live in a house? How big is your house and how many bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.?
Do you have money in the bank?

I could go on but I am hoping that you get the idea.

Look at Christ’s life or the life of the Apostles. Does your life look anything like theirs? If not - you are missing the mark.

I am not saying that God cannot bless us and supply nice things for us. I am saying that our lives and everything we own is a reflection of Christ. If we have anything above and beyond our basic needs, we should be sharing it with other brothers and sisters in Christ. We should be going to God continually and asking Him what we should be doing with anything we have.

You might give to the church and to missions and that may be good - if God directed you to do it personally.

What about your neighbour, the homeless person on the street, the prostitute, etc.? (they are all our neighbours)
Did God tell us that they can supply their own needs or did he tell us to love our neighbour AS OURSELVES?

We may ask, "But God, what if they use the money I give them to drink or take drugs? " God will most likely tell you that it is His business and not yours.

The important thing is that you ask GOD. He will direct you, and yes, sometimes he may tell you to give that old bum on the corner $100.00. Only God knows where that person will spend eternity. So what, if God wants him to enjoy a beer or two before he spends eternity in hell. That is up to God. But what if that money really showed him that there is a loving God. We will not know this side of heaven.

A wise steward does what his master instructs, no matter how foolish it may seem to him.

We are to love the Lord our God with ALL our hearts, ALL our minds, ALL our souls, and ALL our strength and we are to love our neighbours AS ourselves. All means ALL.

Don’t take my word for it - Go directly to God. Do not leave his feet till you have the answers.

Are you willing to pray the HARD PRAYERS? Are you willing to be obedient? If not, I suggest you get rid of your Bible as it wouldn’t do you a bit of good - if God isn’t directing your reading.

I have changed some of the words in the following passages.

Phi 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the KNOWLEDGE of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have will willingly suffer the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Phi 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is according to men’s teachings, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Phi 3:10 That I may KNOW him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Phi 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Phi 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Phi 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Phi 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of THE HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus.
Phi 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Phi 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

For examples of the kind of life we should be living you might want to read books about Smith Wigglesworth.

If this all seems like foolishness, try rereading 1 Cor. Chapter 1-3

Sorry all, but I really felt the need to preach.

God is still working on me and the prayers were very hard to do but so far it is more than worth it. I believe I was taken to the very presence of God in my spirit and thought I was going to die. But you know what? I didn't care. Just to be in His presence was....words cannot express. I am hearing his voice nearly every moment and carrying on conversations with him. I break into worship and crying steady. My heart is yearning for you dear family and friends. You helped me through many troubled times and I want so much to share this joy with you.

Please Go to Father God. He is waiting for you.

I AM HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU

To anyone reading this - (you know you are probably the only one) - I am here to encourage you.

Life sucks and then you die - right? Wrong. Life doesn't have to suck. Life can be full of promise if you let it.

Jesus came that you might have LIFE and that you might have it more ABUNDANTLY. So why aren't you living the Abundant life?

What is it we do wrong?

Well, first of all, we don't acknowledge God in everything we do. We should be living our life with Jesus as our closest friend. Everything we do each day should include Jesus. He is closer than a brother or sister. He is the best friend you could ever have.

Does that mean you wouldn't have problems in your life? No, absolutely not. Jesus said we will have trouble and persecutions - BUT - He also promises that he will never leave us or forsake us.

No matter what we are going through, Jesus is there with us. He will give us the strength to face whatever comes our way.

So why doesn't he just remove our problems?
That is a good question.
If we never experienced sadness, we could never enjoy happiness. If we never experienced sickness, we would never appreciate being well. So many of our experiences help us to realize the good things in life that we take for granted.

God will use times of testing or problems to help to mold us and make us into the people he wants us to be. We experience loneliness so we can reach out to others who are lonely. We experience need so we can reach out and help others in need.

That's not good enough - you might say.

Well, how about if I told you that the God of Creation wants a personal relationship with you. It is true.

God, The Big Man, The Man upstairs, Whatever you want to call him - wants, longs and desires to have a personal relationship with his creation. He came as a man in the form of Jesus to show us that it is possible to know him.

When Jesus left the earth he sent "The Comforter" The Holy Spirit to live in our lives and be a constant companion. The Holy Spirit is there to lead us into all truth and to lead our lives every day.

So again I ask, Why aren't we living the abundant life?

Do you talk to God on a moment by moment basis? Do you ask his opinion on things you do each day? Do you acknowledge his presence in your life moment by moment? Do you KNOW him or do you just know things about him?

I'm not talking about going to God in prayer. That is something we all should do for sure. I am talking about a walking talking living personal relationship. He is the invisible friend that is with you every moment of every day. He longs to have you talk to him and be with him. He longs to talk to you and tell you how much he loves you.

The problem is that most of us NEVER REALLY LISTEN. That is right. We just don't listen. We figure we have his words written in the Bible and that is all there is. But there is so much more.

Jesus will actually talk to you. Really. He talks to me when I am willing to listen and he can talk to you. God is always, always always talking but very few of us are ever listening. He talks through circumstances, people, sickness, joy, nature, etc. but he also talks to us in that wee small voice.

Sit quietly for a few minutes. No t.v. no radio, nothing but pure silence. Listen. Ask him to speak to you and he will. Open your mind to what God wants to say to you. If you find yourself arguing with the thoughts that are going through your mind, it might be because God is that other voice talking to you. Would you argue with yourself?

Are you afraid it might be the enemy talking to you? Then ask Jesus to cover you mind and your thoughts with the Blood of Jesus. Ask God to only allow you to hear the thoughts that He wants you to hear. He is a great daddy and will hear and answer.

Give it a shot. What have you got to lose? Are you afraid of what God might say to you? If so, then there are probably things in your life that you know you shouldn't be doing. Confess them and ask forgiveness and he is faithful and just to forgive you. He wants to communicate with his creation. You were made in His image and he knows every little things about you. There is nothing you can hide from God.

You will be amazed at the things he says to you. It is not what you expect at all. Even when he corrects you about something it is done with such love and caring that you don't mind being corrected. It is not a hard thing to talk to the God of creation. He longs to impart his wisdom to us. He longs to tell you of his great love for you. He longs to have you go to him like a child and just hold you and love you.

Just acknowledge him throughout your day and see how your life becomes more abundant. See how your problems don't seem half as bad when you share them with Jesus. You can even ask him to remind you to think of him or talk to him and he will do it.

Well that is about all I have to say for today.
Let me know how it goes and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

I Surrender all

Hello Hello Hello

Hello to anyone reading this. It has been quite a while since I wrote on here. I have been busy with facebook but now I am feeling it is time to write again.

I have been going through alot of changes since my husband died. It seems I am reinventing myself or refinding myself. Before I was a wife and mother and suddenly I am a single person again. It is like my old life died and now there lies a whole new world ahead of me. So what do I do?

Do I keep going on like I have been - doing nothing and being depressed? Or do I push forward and creater the life I want or the Life that God wants for me?

Well I decided to start living the life that God wants me to live. In doing that I am finding the enemy is not too happy. Since my decision, it is like he is attacking me at every turn. But he will not win as God is on my side.

I've had to make a few decisions about my life but my problem is that I am too impatient. I want things done and I want them done NOW. God is trying to teach me patience but I seem to fight him every step of the way.

I have decided to sell my house and move back to the city. There I am planning to have a total makeover. I need everything in my life changed from the way I dress, makeup (which I never wear now), to how I live each day. I want to lose weight, quit smoking, get into an exercise program, etc. and stay open to what God wants me to do.

Anyone with advice or help, please let me know.

I have given my notice at work and applied for a few apartments. Please pray for me that I will get the exact apartment that God wants me to get and that somehow I will be able to help others there.

So for now, that brings you up to date on what I have been doing. Hopefully I will continue to blog more often again.

Love to all who read me. Take care and God Bless.