ARE YOU GOING THROUGH A STORM?

Romans 8:17 (MSG)  And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!  

Are you going through a stormy season in your life right now?  Does it feel like nothing good ever happens to you?  Do you become discouraged and desperate?  Are you searching for those clear blue skies with a rainbow?  Well if you are let me tell you to never give up searching.  No matter how grim your circumstances look, no matter how desperate you may feel, no matter how discouraged you become, remember this, you are going through.  You're not stuck.  The position you are in, the circumstances of you life right now are not permanent.  I know that it seems like nothing and no one can help you,  I know that the future looks grim.  I know that you see no light at the end of your tunnel right now, but don't give up!  Way too often we give up.  We become so overwhelmed that we stop believing, we stop hoping and we stop praying.  We struggle and we don't like to struggle.  We fight and we don't like to fight.  We feel like we are caught in quick sand and we are sinking fast.  Sound familiar?  Listen we all go through tough times.  We all struggle.   Whether you believe it or not, the truth is even the family that lives in that mansion in town even struggles.  That rich tycoon that owns all the property around you, feels overwhelmed at times.  We all are just going through stuff.  Yes some of us go through more serious stuff than others, but we are humans, we all make mistakes, we all sin, we all struggle.  The thing is we do not always have to put on our sack cloth and ashes to let others know we are going through a storm.  

The key here, at least for me, is to never give up.  Never surrender to the dark side.  Like Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, we must fight.  We must never give up!  We must never allow the dark side to overtake us and over whelm us.  But that is ultimately what the devil is trying to do.  He wants us to surrender to our despair and desperateness.  He would love it if we gave up all our hope and dreams for a brighter tomorrow.  It's actually in his best interest if we become so frustrated and confused at our current circumstances that give up.  In fact he will point out to us every little thing that is wrong in our life.  He will tell us that God has abandoned us and left us on the side of the road.  He wants us to think that God will leave us to our own demise.  His lies will fill our ears, our hearts, and our minds until we fall victim to these lies.  Listen life is hard and sometimes it down right stinks, but do not give up!  Do not listen to the lies of the devil.  I know it's not easy going through some of the things we go through in this life, but at least we are going through!  We're not stuck!  We're not hopeless!  We have never been abandoned!

Instead of looking at where we are right now, instead of dwelling on our current circumstances, focus on Jesus Christ.  He is our hope for a brighter tomorrow.  He is our beacon in the dark storms.  He is the light that pierces the darkness.  He is the love that lifts us up from the pits of our current circumstances.  He is the strength we need to get through.  He is the peace that surpasses all understanding.  He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.  Through Him we can get through anything.  Through Him we can accomplish the impossible.  Through Him we can learn many valuable lessons as we are going through the storms in life.  We will come out stronger, better, and more able than we ever imagined.  The Savior of the world wants to free you from the storms and lift you higher.  Listen, Jesus went through hard times, heck He died a criminals death on the cross.  An innocent man, Jesus shed His blood on the cross so you wouldn't have to.  He went through times that we will never go through, but He knew where He was going.  He knew that it was worth it in the end.  He knew that after going through the cruxifiction, there was a resurrection.  He wants to resurrect your life.  

Think of it this way, if we never went through any storms in life, how would ever see a rainbow?  How can you know hope if we we never go through any tough times?  We have to remember we are just going through this life.  This life is not permanent.  It is a dress rehearsal for heaven.  Instead of focusing on your problems, instead of dwelling on your current circumstances, instead of going through the storms in life with a pitiful attitude, lift up your head, lift up your voice and raise your hands to heaven and thank God that you are just going through,  Instead of talking about how big your circumstances are, tell your circumstances how big your God is.  Get up!  Never give up!  Never allow despair to overtake you as you are going through tough times.  The greatest message i heard one time from Robert Schuller was "Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!"  That is so true!  Diamonds don't become diamonds without going through a little sanding and shaping.  Infact they get grinded and rough housed more than we can imagine.  But look at the end result!  A brilliant diamond that is more valuable after going through.  You are more valuable than diamonds and if diamonds increase in value after going through, think of what your value will be in God's eyes.

Lord give us the strength and power we need as we go through the tough times in life.  Help us to never give on you and the promises you give us.  I know as we go through you will never abandon us or leave us orphaned.  I know that with you by our side we can get through anything for with you all things are possible for those of us who believe.  We know you are bigger than any of our current circumstances so give us the peace we need to get through, in Jesus name we pray, amen!

STANDING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD !

Psalm 68:8 (AMP)  The earth trembled, the heavens also poured down [rain] at the presence of God; yonder Sinai quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 

As I sit here trying to take in all I have experienced last week I still feel like I am at a loss of words.  I wish I could describe with total accuracy what took place those 3 days in St. Louis.  This is my 6th year in a row that I have gone and I already have my ticket for next year along with the hotel room booked.  Now I have been on a few retreats in my lifetime, but this conference in St, Louis is special.  Joyce Meyer pours her heart and soul into this conference and it shows.  There is something about this time spent here that draws me.  I wish I could take all of you with me literally, but since I can't I will do my best to fill you in.  You see what you will never understand, unless you go there, is that in the middle of the Rams Stadium, the presence of God was felt stronger than ever.  His Holy Spirit invaded that football stadium on Thursday night and did not leave.  I felt every bone in my body tremble at the very presence of my Savior and His Spirit.  Believe what you will, think that I am crazy, but over and over again, my life, my spirit, my words and my heart has been transformed.  I know for some of you out there you may find it hard to believe that the presence of God could be anywhere but a church, He was there.  Father, Son and Holy Spirit were there.  I felt them, I breathed them in, and I saw them in the eyes of the thousands of women there.  

To stand in the presence of the Holy Trinity for me was amazing.  I have felt that presence a few times before, but never as strongly as I did last week.  I was bathed in the light of Jesus Christ and washed in His blood.  I was immersed in love of God, my Heavenly Father, and I was overtaken by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It was life changing for me.  Something happened to me over those 3 days that has transformed me.  It's really hard for me to explain without crying, but I feel different.  I feel like I am a new creature.  While I was there standing and worshipping God in His presence, something in me died, my old self.  Now I have experienced this before but this was something deeper, something more profound that I ever felt before.  I didn't need to sit on a mountain top, I didn't stare into the countless stars in the sky and I definitely wasn't in a church building.  In the middle of a football stadium, surrounded by thousands of women, I was infused with power, with love and with hope.  There was a sense of power that refreshed and renewed the Spirit of Jesus inside of me.  I almost felt like a bolt of lightening had struck me.  

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)  Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!  

Standing beside my daughter Beky, I did all I could to continue standing (there was a concrete floor underneath me).  I didn't say anything to her or any of the women I was with, because it actually was a little frightening at the time.  "Did I actually just feel that or is it my imagination?"  It wasn't my imagination.  I stood there with tears in my eyes, in a stadium filled with women I felt like it was just God and I.  It's hard for me to put into words but that time in St. Louis spent with my daughter and God was priceless.  My life will never be the same and as I continue doing what God has called me to do I will take some time these next few weeks and fill you in with what I have learned.  I know there are some people who think I may be a little crazy, and you know what?  I am!  I am crazy about Jesus Christ.  I am crazy about God!  I am crazy about the Spirit of the living God which dwells in me.  I am crazy about the power that has invaded me.  I am crazy about the love that has overtaken me.  I am crazy about the forgiveness I have received.  I am crazy with anticipation for what God has planned for me.  I am crazy about my eternity in heaven and I want to take all of you with me.  

I love this life I have, this life that Jesus Christ died to give me.  I love this life God has blessed me with.  I love life!  With all it's ups and downs, this roller coaster called my life is amazing.  I will not think about the downs, I will pray scary prayers (not scared prayers) and let God handle the downs.  I will embrace this life and the purpose God has for me, whatever that may be.  I am equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish whatever I need to accomplish for the Glory of God!  No devil in hell or on earth will lead me astray.  I know that the devil will use people in my path to try to lead me astray and get me upset, he already has.  Moment after the conference was over I was tempted to be hurt and angry by a few women I brought with me to the conference.  But with the help of my daughter and God I quickly remembered that I have the power of God inside of me and through the blood of Jesus Christ, The devil has already been defeated.  "Use who ever you will devil, I am a child of the Most High God.  I know that I have the power of God inside of me and no matter what or who you use, in the end I win!"

Jesus Christ, you knocked at my door may times and I have answered it, but today I not only answer that door, I will remove that door forever,  You have filled me with your presence so deeply that I am brought to tears at the mere thought of it.  Use me in whatever way you need to in order to fulfill your purpose for my life.  In Jesus name I pray, amen!  

IT'S CONSTRUCTION ZONE SEASON

Romans 12:2  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

As I sit here trying to prepare for a change in my heart and my mind and my soul, I realize that I am a living in a construction zone.  I don't know why, well wait a moment I do know why, God is preparing me for something.   I'm not 100% sure what He had coming my way, but I know that in order to do what he has for me to do I will be a construction zone for as long as He sees fit.  I have always been a work in progress but I strongly feel that this is different, it's deeper and more intense.  Which can be a little frightening.  The thing I have to remember is that God knows what He is doing. I have to trust in Him and stop doing what is comfortable for me.  I need to stop doubting and fearing what is to come.  I need to step up and step out of my comfort zone.  I need to start challenging myself, I need to drop my defenses and reach deep down in my soul and and take an honest look at myself and my heart.  I need to listen to God and what He wants me to do with my life.  I realize that nothing I do, nothing I say should be about me it must be about Jesus!  It's not about me and what I want to do, it's about Jesus! 

When I read this verse I am reminded of the fact that God created the universe, He created every living thing and yes, He created me!  If He did this then only He can create in me a pure heart.  Only an inventor or a product can tell us how to use it.  Only my creator can instruct me as to who I am and what my true purpose is in life and how I will complete that purpose.  It will take painful chipping away of all that keeps me from doing what He wants me to do.  It will take heart breaking honesty about all I have been through in my life and how I can use those circumstances to help others.  It's about being willing to look in His mirror, not mine.  It's about reliving the pain, reliving the stress, reliving the humiliation and letting it go.  From this moment on Jesus is not only my Savior, He is my architect, my carpenter my artist and my sculptor.  He will shape me, chisel me, sculpt me and mold me.  He will take a hammer in one hand, a chisel in the other and by His side will be glue, nails, saw, and any other tool He finds necessary to change me.  He will remove rooms in my heart, divide some and build new rooms.  He will use my experiences in life to make me and mold me into an image that more closely resembles Him.

You know if I had said this even a year ago I would have been scared silly, but you know this is a great feeling for me.  To think that my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ actually wants to take time for work on me, in me and through me sounds intriguing and uplifting.  I don't know about you, but I am tired of conforming to this world in order to please everyone else, but God.  I don't need to talk like anyone else besides the me God created me to be.  I do not need to do the things others do to be accepted because God accepts me just as I am.  I do not have to change, I want to change.  I want to relive the dark moments in my journey in order to become more like Him.  I don't have to be like Joyce Meyer, or Joel Osteen, or Beth Moore or Pastor John.  I don't now what path my journey will take during this time of construction and destruction, but I am trusting in Him and Him alone.  I don't know (nor do I really care) how many people will approve of what He has asked me to do,  I don't care if anyone believes me or not.  I have a mission, a purpose and in order to fulfill it I have to go through this season with Jesus as my guide. 

As I go through this journey I will do my best to take you all with me.  It may not be very pretty at times or it may be the most fantastic thing ever, I have no idea.  I do know this, I have the love and acceptance of mighty Savior.  He wants to help me be the best me I can be.  Jesus Christ knows that what I have been through in life can be used to help others and through the guidance of His Holy Spirit that lives in me, He will teach me how to use this and where to go.  I don't know about you, but I want to go above and beyond my normal way of life.  If God can send His Son to die a criminals death for me, I can surely submit myself to His will.  It's not complicated.  Total surrender during this construction zone season is necessary.  I know it will not be easy,   but I'm looking forward to it.  Pray for me as I begin this journey.  I will not be writing a blog next week.  My daughter and I along with a few friends are heading to St. Louis to attend Joyce Meyer's Women's conference.  I will be spending next week reading, taking notes and listening to the Holy Spirit. 

Transform me Lord.  Chip away everything that keeps me from going deeper with you.  Guide me through this journey and be with me, in Jesus name I pray, amen.



















  

TAKE A JOURNEY WITH ME INTO THE DARKNESS, IF YOU DARE !

John 12:35-36  So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."

Our journey today takes us down a path that leads us into a dark forest.  The trees and brush are so thick and overgrown that sunlight cannot penetrate through the leaves or branches at all.  It's almost as if the sun had set.  No moonlight, no stars, nothing!  No glimmer of sunshine.  When we started on this journey at least we had some sunlight, but now there is none.  Nothing but total darkness.  But if we are to reach the other side of the forest we have to take this path, the dark one.  We have to go through it.  Fear sets in and we are literally shaking in our boots.  As we walk down this path, we stumble across tree branches and twigs in our way.  The sounds of the forest deepen our sense of fear.  The further in we travel, the darker it becomes.  The sound of a owl shakes us to our very core.  We suddenly feel something slithering beneath our boots.  Although we cannot see it we instantly know what it is, a snake, a serpent. This journey honestly sucks, but we have no choice.  We have to endure this darkness for a season.  The ups and downs of the hill would be easy to handle in the light of day, but in this darkness the ups and downs become way more treacherous and dangerous.  There is no way of predicting when this journey will take us up hill and no way of foretelling when it will plummet down.  "Oh no!!!"  We just started going downhill.  It's getting steeper and steeper until suddenly we lose our footing and end up tumbling down hill into a pool of mud, at least we think it's mud.  In this darkness we cannot tell what this goo is we're feeling under our feet.  Suddenly there is a rustling in the leaves.  We hear foot steps.  Then we see them\, 2 beady little eyes staring at us.  Could it be a mountain lion?  Maybe a cougar?  I know a bear?  Steadily it gets closer and closer.  We struggle in the darkness to find a branch, a stick that is large enough to defend ourselves.  Ah, a rock that will work, we pick up the rock and throw it at whatever it is that is coming at us.  A relief, it ran away.  

As we struggle to regain our composure, and our wits, we realize that this journey is far more scary that we had anticipated.  If only we had known we could have prepared better.  But alas we never know in advance when we will be traveling a dark path.  Finally after what seems like years, we start to see a small flicker of light filtering through the dense forest.   We run faster and faster and faster.  To escape this darkness would be a miracle.  After all we endured, after all the struggle, this journey could be over soon.  A ray of hope, a light at the end of a long dark journey through the forest of hell itself, at least that's what it feels like.  We reach the end of the forest, the end of the darkness.  The light has overtaken the dark forest and for the first time we see the toll that this journey of darkness has taken on us.  Cuts and scratches, bruises and callouses, rips and tears.  We are battered and bruised, confused and bewildered.  We rub our eyes because the light is so bright and so overpowering that it is difficult to see.  Our body aches from all the pain we endured and physically we may never be the same, but there is something different we notice about ourselves.  Our attitude has changed.  As we glance back at the forest, we realize, we won!  We survived the darkness and came out stronger and better than we ever imagined.  Then we see someone in the distance.  His eyes are bright as the sunlight and as we glance down at his hands we notice the scars.  It's Jesus Christ!  We run into His arms and cry a pool of tears.  Then the question we all ask at one time or another arises.  "Why?"

"My child, how could you ever appreciate the light if you did not experience the darkness?  Some people live in a constant state of darkness.  Pity them and pray for them and reach out to them.  For my child you have endured the darkness for only a season, but you walked into the light, my light and my love.  Sometimes you have to go through the darkness to learn and grow.  For I do not cause the darkness, but it is only through the dark times that you can realize how powerful my light and love is.  Now you need to let my light shine through you as you walk amongst people who are still walking in the darkness.  Shine your light so all can see my glory.  Shine your love so all can feel my love.  You may be the only example of me people see, so let your light shine.  Don't hide it anymore.  Be a ray of hope in a lost and dark world.  Remember this, I am with you always and in all ways."

This simple little story is so true and so relevant in this world.  We all go through times when we are walking down a dark path.  Yes, even us Christians endure medical problems, financial struggles, relationship issues and other problems that can easily lead us down a path into darkness.  We can become overwhelmed and distraught at the possibilities that lie ahead.  We worry, we fret, we say things we shouldn't, we do things we shouldn't, we doubt and then fear sets in and cripples us.  We need to prepare for these dark times by reading the Bible, praying and memorizing scriptures so that while we are walking down the dark path, the light of Jesus Christ and His word can light our way through the darkness.  It is never easy going through these trying times but it much more comforting to me to know that Jesus is with me shining His light to dispel the darkness.  I want to be a ray of hope to this lost and broken world that is filled with darkness.  I pray you want to join me in this mission.  

May the light of Jesus Christ invade our hearts and minds and souls and spirit.  May His light, His love shine through us to be a beacon of hope in a lost and dark world, in Jesus name I pray, amen.  

WHATCHA DOIN WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR?

John 8:54  Jesus replied, "If I bring glory to myself, my glory means nothing. You claim that my Father is your God. He is the one who brings glory to me. 

I'm sorry did that question sound confusing?  Did it not make sense?  Life sometimes doesn't make sense.  Ever notice that?  Am I the only one who sits and scratches her head wondering what in the heck some people were thinking when they do the things that they do?   That happens to me quite often.  I love to try to figure out why people do the things they do.  What happened to them to make them think it was okay to do what they did?  Were they dropped on their heads as infants?  I'm sorry that didn't sound right, but it's so true.  "You Tube" is full of pranks and stupid stuff people do.  There are some that think it is funny to do some very dumb things and then video tape it and put it out there on the internet for everyone to see.  Really?   Are people that bored that they entertain themselves by doing these things?  I sit and try to figure out what reason people have in their brain that causes them to think that what they are doing is okay.  I love to try to figure out why people react to things a certain way.  I love to try to discover the truth that is hidden behind all these silly and sometimes scary things people do.  

Why?  Do people really have such a deep seeded desire to be noticed that they do whatever they can to acquire the notoriety they long for?  I mean I totally understand the need for attention.  I think that there are a lot of people who crave attention.  They may not realize it, they may not want to admit it, but the reality of what they are doing, screams 
"LOOK AT ME!" "SOMEONE SEE ME!"  "PLEASE NOTICE ME!"  
 In this busy world parents are both working to make a living.  Children are sometimes left alone or with a baby sitter so that mom and dad can work.  Family time is rare and if families do gather it's usually around a TV screen.  Our faces are often hidden behind our cell phones.  Instead of talking face to face, we text.  Our filters of what is acceptable behavior has changed.  Manners and being polite are a thing of the past.  Instead of doing something just because, there has to be a reason or a cause.  Growing up I would never dare do some of the things they now video tape.  I'm mean really is it really so funny to do something that ends up hurting someone else?  Do we really need that much attention?  I mean yes, some of the stuff is very entertaining and funny, but some of the things we do that end up causing harm to someone else whether physically or emotionally is just odd.  I just don't get it, do you?

I scratch my head and wonder whatcha doing what you're doing for?  I am an attention hoard.  I admit it!  I love attention, I love to be noticed for what I am doing and who I am.  That is why this fascinates me so much.  I was the baby of the family. I should have had everyones attention, but when i needed it most, my older brother and sister were causing too much trouble for me to be noticed.  At least that's what I thought because I was always sent to my room when my parents had to talk with them.  I was never in on the conversations and my mom was always worried about them.  She prayed so many prayers and so many rosaries when they were growing up (and I'm sure she did for me to, I was just out so I didn't notice).  I can get sucked into reality shows and even the news sometimes as I sit and try to figure out why so and so did such and such.  What is the reason behind a person's actions and words?  What caused them to want the attention they are seeking?  I crave the need for attention and I struggle with fighting this need, because it is something I don't want anymore, yet it is still there like a thorn in my flesh.  I want so badly to do things for the right reason now.  Not to be noticed, not to get attention, but for the Glory of God!

I totally get it now, I just wish this thorn would disappear, but I have this thorn for a reason,  Maybe that is part of my purpose in life, to try to convince others and myself to only do things that bring Glory to God.  I have to work very hard at doing things for the right reasons.  I have to sit and think about why I want to do what I want to do.  Who will get the glory for what I do?  I don't want to do things for me any longer.  When I stop and think about what God has done for me, I am totally amazed.  In my selfish need for attention, He still loves me.  He knows my heart and I am a work in progress.  No matter how proud of myself I am, He could instantly humble me, yet He doesn't.  I want to do things and say things that bring Him glory.  I don't need awards or trophies, I need more of God.  It is His attention I must seek, His love and His guidance as I struggle with this need for attention.    He is the only one who can help me with this and so I sit and scratch my head as God once again reminds of this with this verse.   Why we do the things we do?  Only God knows the deep, dark reasons.  Only He can use our struggles for His Glory and if we allow Him.  He can use this thorn in my flesh to help others, so if you struggle like me, let me know and I will pray for you.

May the things we do and the things we say bring Glory to God.  May the attention we seek be the attention we need from God.  May God never remove this thorn in my flesh, may He use it for His glory, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !

Philippines 4:12  I know what it's like not to have what I need. I also know what it's like to have more than I need. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. I am content whether I am well fed or hungry. I am content whether I have more than enough or not enough. 

As I am sitting here this morning I am reminded once again by God that enough is enough.  When will we get that through our thick skulls?  What is enough?  When do we have enough?  Apple just came out with their newest I-Phones.  I wonder how many people will be in line all over the world to get these phones.  We have to have the latest technology.  We have to have the best and the newest.  We have to have the biggest and brightest.  We have to be first in line.  We have to have the most likes on Facebook, we have to be retweeted the most, our posts have to be the most shared, and on and on and on and on and on.  For most of us, this vicious circle will continue until the day we die.  Enough is never enough.  We do not know what it is like to be content.  We want more and more and more.  We want the best looking husband or wife.  We want the best job with the best salary.  We want our life to be simple and  easy.  We want to be thinner, healthier and stronger.  We want to be noticed and we want to be loved by all.  We want and we want and we want but when is enough, enough?  Do we know what it is like to be content?  

I am truthfully sickened by the "wants" of this world.  Trust me I fit into this category so I am not telling you something that I am not telling myself.  It is disgusting when I think of all the money we spend on stupid stuff, like that stuff will really make us happy.  "I know if I have the newest I-Phone, then I will be content."  "I will be content when I get married."  "I will be content when that man gets out of my life."  "I will be content when I have children."  "I will be content when those children are grown and out of this house."  "I will be content when I get that promotion."  "I will be content when I retire."  Do you get what I am trying to say here?  Are we ever content?  This society we live in bombards us with the latest products to make our life simpler.  Infomercials fill our TV screens with the items that will make our everyday, mundane work more efficient and easier.  Cripes we don't even need to go out of our home to get these products.  We can sit in our comfy old couch and order through QVC or the internet, that way we can get it before anyone else.  That makes us content, or does it?  

When I read this verse above I am totally amazed that Paul can write this because at the time he was in prison.  In those days the sewers ran through the prisons,(at least that is what I have heard) think about that.  He was sitting or standing in waste all day yet wrote about his being content.  Are you kidding me?  That is totally insane or at least that is what we would think.  This man who used to kill Christians is honestly trying to tell us that he was content in prison?  Yup!!  We just don't get it.  We just don't understand how someone could say this while they were in prison.  It doesn't make sense.  How could he say he was content?  What does he know that we don't know?  Want to know how he could have been content?  Do you want to learn to be content? Paul learned a very valuable lesson.  Before he met Jesus, Paul had everything.  He was well liked by the Pharisees, he was well paid for killing those who believed in Jesus and I am sure he had a nice home with fancy things but nothing seemed to make him happy.  He was filled with anger and rage.  He hated those Christ followers who appeared to have nothing and yet were so content and happy.  Those Christ followers actually had the nerve to share what they had with others and they were still content and happy.  Then one day Paul met Jesus Christ face to face.  It was after that that Paul learned what true contentment is.  Now are you ready to hear why Paul could say he was content while he was in prison?

Philippines 4:13  I can do everything by the power of Christ. He gives me strength. 

It's not enough to have it all!  It's not enough to have the best or the biggest of anything.   Jesus Christ is enough!  That's it!  That is all I should need to be content.  You see I have learned that when I am content in my relationship with Jesus Christ, when I stop asking and start thanking, He sometimes gives me the desires of my heart, not my head.  Listen  we all would like to have more or at least something better, but until we are grateful for what we have, until we learn to be content with what we have, until we learn to stop asking God for more and become thankful for the blessing we already have, we will continue to struggle with our happiness and contentment.   We have to stop fighting the truth and reality that nothing or no one will ever be able to satisfy us as much as Jesus Christ.  Without Him we will never be content.  He satisfies all my needs and desires.  He fills my soul with love, joy, happiness, health and peace.  People we cannot put a price tag on these things.  Instead of reaching for more or bigger, reach for Jesus!

May we learn to be content and satisfied with what we have and be grateful for the blessings we already have.  May our contentment grow as we dive deeper into a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  And may we learn to be content no matter what our circumstances are in life.  Lord, don't change our circumstances, change us.  In Jesus name I pray, amen!  

DARKNESS HAS NO POWER OVER ME !!

  

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

I can say with total confidence that darkness has no power over me, that is unless I let it have power over me.  I walk in the light of Jesus Christ.  In fact the light of Jesus Christ lives in me through the Holy Spirit.  I know I usually start out these blogs talking about some general topic and slowly work my way into the main crux of the point I'm trying to make, so this is a little different for me.  Yea I know another challenge from God, but this time I will obey!  You see for a while here I have struggled with the darkness that still has a tendency to seep into my soul.   This darkness fills me with doubts and fears about my life and who I am.  This darkness tries to tell me so many lies and unfortunately, being me, I fall victim to the lies and I let the darkness deceive me.  At times like these, every word or action or lack there of, leads me to dumb emotions that overtake the truth.  I am sure I am not the only one this happens to but for me it can be quite disturbing.  My normal cheerful self becomes sort of numb and quiet.  Slowly but surely the darkness tries to invade my very heart and every word spoken by a loved one can bring me to tears.  You see the darkness wants to silence me and make me serious and somber.  But yesterday, at church I was once again reminded that I have the light of Jesus Christ inside me and no darkness can ever have power over me.

These candles were lit by our entire church yesterday.  There were hundreds of them and as I lit my candle yesterday my heart was reignited and the light of Jesus Christ dispelled the darkness I have felt. It's hard for me to explain what has been happening to my Spirit but for a while happiness has seemed to elude me.  Meaningless and harmless words cut through my heart like a knife and my soul ached for something more.  I became lost in the darkness as I searched for the light I thought I had lost.  I let me emotions get the best of me and I was more concerned about my feelings than the truth.  But yesterday as I sat in the presence of my Savior, I was reminded of this verse.  As I sat there  watching the flickering candle lights, my heart began to overflow with light and love.  I felt like myself, well at least I am back on the right path to being myself again.  It simply amazes me that my Savior always bring me the right verse and the right message at the right time.  He has once again brought me to my knees and filled me with love and laughter and joy.  I know there will be more days ahead where the darkness tries to overtake me, it always does this time of year.  The thing is I have the power, I have the light of Jesus Christ living in me and I can always dispel the darkness by letting my light shine.

I am a messed up human being, a cracked pot, a worthless sinner who is being used by Jesus Christ.  If I was perfect and flawless, His light could not shine through me, but because I am cracked, His light shines forth from me.  You see with His light inside of me, I can accomplish great things.  With His light inside of me I can write what I am writing.  He uses my flaws and my cracks to show the world how amazing He is.  I am nothing without His light filling my heart and soul with His love.  I can do nothing of worth without His light piercing the darkness of my soul.  I am totally humbled by His love and forgiveness.  To think that He would fill me with the light of His presence still boggles my mind.  I am not worthy of this light nor am I worthy of His love or forgiveness yet He covers me with His presence anyway.  He has mended all my cracks, yet it is from those cracks that His light shines brightest.  When I am weak, He is strong.  It is not my power that overcomes the darkness, it is His power that dwells in me through His Holy Spirit.  It's not my own light that pierces the darkness of my soul, it is His light.  I deserve nothing of this, He gives it freely!

The darkness that tried to invade me has been eliminated.  Thanks to Pastor John's message the past few weeks and lighting that candle, the Holy Spirit has been reignited and refueled.  If you have never felt this light or the presence of Jesus Christ in your heart and soul I challenge you today to do it!  The light of Jesus Christ, the presence of the Savior is life changing and mood altering.  You don't need a drug to make you high on life, you don't need alcohol to have a good time, you need the light of Jesus Christ!  Yes there will still be times when the darkness will try to invade your heart, but once you have the light of Jesus Christ in your heart, the power of the darkness fades.  I can hear you saying, but it invaded you for a while.  You are right it did, and I allowed it.  The thing is, it only took me a few weeks to dispel the darkness when it used to last for months (just ask Jerry).  Okay listen it's totally up to you, you can continue living the way you do right now, or you can rise to a new level and let the light of Jesus Christ invade your heart.  The choice is yours to make.  I myself will never go back to how I used to be.  Even though I was in church every Sunday, I truly did not ever experience the true light until I verbally accepted Jesus Christ.  Do it today!!  
don't waste another moment!  

Jesus Christ I accept you as my Lord and Savior.  Come into my cracked and messed up life today and fill me with the light of your presence.  Help me to let your light shine so that the darkness will have no power over me in Jesus name I pray, amen!

BELIEVE? IT CAN'T BE THAT SIMPLE, OR CAN IT?

John 6:29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

John 6:47-48 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. 

Believe, all you have to do is believe.  How many of us have heard this yet never really pay attention? We are so wrapped up in fulfilling a list of requirements that mere belief seems way too simple.  When we join an organization or become a member of a club, there is a list of things we need to do, agree to and fulfill before we are accepted.  When we want to apply for a job, we have to fill out an application, there is process.  Interviews, referrals, background checks, then more interviews and sometimes there is test we have to take.  Think about it!  It seems like everything we do has some list of requirements that must be met before we are even considered.  There has to be more.  There has to be a catch, maybe it's in the fine print?  It really saddens me how much we complicate things, even this. We doubt that all we have to do is believe.  We speculate that it can't be so simple, there just has to be more.  We investigate the facts, we search for the answers looking for the hidden factor no one else has discovered.  We doubt these statements after all nothing in life is free.  No one just hands us anything, we have to work for what we have.  Not many of us were born with a silver spoon in our mouth, so to say it is simple as just believing just seems illogical.  There has to be more.

 "Religions", different denominations, have rules and requirements.  Jesus didn't.   He stated it plain and clear.  Believe!  No matter what other "religions" or denominations say, there is no class we have to take, no list of prayers to memorize, no required dress code, no sacraments that have to be completed, no fasting required, no W2 forms to be turned in, no bank account information necessary.  There is nothing that Jesus requires except belief.  We are so prone to complicating things that we analyze and scrutinize every detail of this statement.   I have heard a variety of reasons for some of these man made rules and rituals that some churches have, but for me it is simple; if it's not in the Bible, than it's not God's Word.  It is true that we do have to have rules and laws in this world to survive.  For me as a true believer, a true Christian, the only "religious" law I will follow are those stated by Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The Bible is plain and simple and so is Jesus, believe.  We could spend our entire life searching for the correct way to have eternity, we can investigate all the facts and we can go from church to church, religion to religion, denomination to denomination.  That my friends would be a waste of time because the Bible is the word of God (at least to me it is).  In my eyes we either believe what it says 100% or we don't.  We cannot pick and chose what to believe in the Bible.  For me it is 100% true!  So when Jesus says that, "Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life."   Trust me, I believe!  It is simple!  

     I did not always believe in the way Jesus told us to believe. (Now I am not bashing any certain religion, I am going by how I was raised in my church, my personal experiences.) In my church there was a list of rituals and man made rules I had to follow.  In order to be accepted by God I had to be baptized as a baby (I couldn't go to heaven unless I was baptized), make my First Communion in 2nd grade, confess my sins to a priest in 4th grade (and then on a regular basis in order to be forgiven and accepted by God), then confirmed with the Holy Spirit in 8th grade.  To be honest there are so many children in my school that did it because it was expected.  If one of us ever said "Well I don't think I'm ready for this sacrament", we were chastised and made fun of.   Most of us just went through the motions just to please our teachers, our parents and God.  We felt He would be angry with us if we didn't.  We were truly way to young to fully understand what was happening and why we doing it. Growing up I always had a longing for something more.   There had to be more to this Jesus thing than just a list of sacraments and rules.  Belief was something stated in our prayers, but the true belief that comes from the heart was never talked about.  Stating out loud in front of the whole church, being born again and saved by the blood of Jesus Christ was not discussed.  That was for those weird "Christians"  I sat in church for many years reciting the most phenomenal prayers about Jesus Christ, yet no one else seemed to be as touched by them as me.  I would glance around the church and notice everyone just reciting them, a routine they said for years without fully comprehending what was being said.  I listened to bits and pieces of stories from the Bible without getting the whole story.  

 My entire life I thought I knew who Jesus was.  I believed in Him, but I never changed anything about who I was and what I was doing.  I knew all I had to do was go to confession and the priest would forgive me and then so would God. 7 years ago I said the Salvation prayer and really accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  When I did, everything about me began to change.  What I watched on TV, what I read, the music I listened to, how I talked to others and how I interacted with others, all began to change.  I began to notice the homeless man on the street corner and give him a few dollars.  I began reading the Bible, in fact I read the whole Bible in a year.  I began writing about Jesus Christ and then this blog came into my life.   The peace and joy I have felt in the past 7 years has been amazing.  Jesus Christ changed me and changed my heart and my life for the better.  He cannot do that unless you truly belief.  
Stop complicating this!  Stop over analyzing everything!  Simple take a leap of faith and just belief!

Lord help me to learn to truly believe in you.  Help me to stop over complicating things and just believe. In Jesus name I pray, amen. 

HELP US TO NEVER FORGET !!

Isaiah 49:15  "Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I'd never forget you--never." 

13 years ago today is a day I will never forget.  It is one of those days that instantly brings back the memories of where you were, what you were doing and who you were with.  For me, I was at work sitting next to LaDonna.  We were listening to a country music station when the news came on about the first trade tower.  We instantly ran to the lobby and watched as the news flashed across the TV screen.  Then within a moment our lives took a turn we never expected as we watched the second plane head right for the second tower.  Shocked, bewildered, confused and dazed were just a few of the emotions that I experienced.  I couldn't believe it,  It's not possible. Yet with my own eyes and ears we knew it was real.  This was not a hoax.  As most of us sat with our eyes glued to the news for days, we tried to comprehend what had just happened.  The unspeakable and unthinkable happened in New York City.  My heart broke into pieces that day as I watched countless numbers of loved ones searching for their family members who worked in the towers.  My eyes ached from crying.  When my children got off the bus that day,  I remember how tight I held them.  I just wanted to hold them for hours and keep them in my sight for days.  I think everyone was at a loss for words that day.  What could we do to help?  People stood in line to give blood, people sat and dried the tears of those who lost loved ones, and for the first time in many, many years churches around this country and around the world were full.  Searching for peace, searching for comfort and searching for answers.  Why God why?

 I wish I fully understood the why.  We will never know the why until we get to heaven some day. In the Bible it says that God will work everything out for the good.   What good could come out of this?  Thousands of lives lost forever.  Families torn apart, a nation ripped at it's seams.  Tears shed by everyone, and then it happened.  Stores were sold out of flags.  Every home I saw had a flag flying that day.  The flags were all at half mast in honor of those who died.  This nation that usually fights so much amongst itself joined together to support those families.  There were no republicans, no democrats, no tea party, no independent party, no liberals.  There were no religious differences, no petty arguing about meaningless junk.  For the first time in a long time all of were of one mind, one heart and one nation, America.   We were all Americans!  United we stand!  We were knocked down by a fatal blow, but this nation, which was founded on Biblical principles, brushed the dust off our streets, buried our dead, and lifted our heads high and praised God during one of the worst trials this nation had ever endured since Pearl Harbor.  

As I sit here trying to think up what else to say,  I feel a strong sense to say this;  God was there that day.  In the stairwells, in the elevators, in the offices and corridors, He was the arms, hands and feet of the many firefighters and police men that rescued countless people .  Amidst the dust and debris, He was praying and drying the tears of those in pain.  In the middle of it all God was there.  He heard the crying and the screams for help.  He saw the blood and felt the pain.  God stood in the midst of the rubble and cried.  He held the hands of many that day and welcomed them into heaven.  Although there is still the pain of remembering what happened 13 years ago and remembering the lost lives still brings tears to our eyes, God is still amidst the ruins.  He has never forgotten us.  He never will!

May we always remember what happened 13 years ago today.  May comfort and peace overtake all of those who lost loved ones that day.  May we never take for granted this great country you have blessed us with, in Jesus name I pray, amen! 

A STORM IS COMING! ARE YOU PREPARED?

Matthew 16:2-3  He told them, "You have a saying that goes, 'Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning.' You find it easy enough to forecast the weather--why can't you read the signs of the times? 

Today may be one of those stormy days.  The weather forecasters have been talking about a storm coming this way.  It has been so nice for so many days now.  I have enjoyed the beautiful sunrises and enjoyed the peace and serenity of the lake,  But now to prepare for this storm.  It has ravaged it's way across the USA and wreaked havoc in many states.  Tornados and floods have been the result of this storm.  I talked to my mom last night in Arizona and she said the other day, her back yard looked like a lake.  She got 5 inches of rain in a short amount of time.  Luckily the ground was so dry form the drought, it quickly absorbed the rain water.  Day after day we sit and listen to the forecast of the weather so we are prepared for what's coming our way.  In fact with the technology we have it is quite easy to prepare.  We are notified and warned that a storm is heading our way.  We can batten down the hatches and close the windows and make sure we have gas for the generator if the power goes out.  Some people run to the grocery stores to stock up on food and water and some people drop to their knees and pray.  When we know a storm is coming, whether it is winter or summer, spring or fall, we prepare.  We've been through storms before, we know what can happen, we've seen the signs ans listened to the warning.  We are prepared.  But are we really prepared the impending storm that is heading our way?

This storm is not one that can really predict.  We can't really go out and buy water and food, gas for the generator won't help.  We can batten down the hatches all we want but it won't help.  This is a storm the likes of which we have never seen before.  That's right I'm talking about the end of times  For many years people have worried about when this will happen.  Some people even go so far as to predict when this will happen.  Listen I may not have a lot of biblical knowledge but I read my Bible and I fully understand that no one knows when this storm will hit.  Not even Jesus Himself knows.  We can speculate, we can dive into the book of Revelation and try to decipher every clue, but the honest truth is we will not know until it hits.  Actually I think God probably gets a good laugh at those of us who sit and try to predict when this storm is coming.  There are probably computer programs that can analyze all the data we have, it can compute all the possibilities and we can drive ourselves crazy trying to figure out the when, the where and the how.  We can scare people silly and we can argue and fight over the statistics, but in the end the reality is that only God knows when this will happen.

The point I seem to be missing is we are preparing in the wrong way. Instead of worrying and fretting, instead of speculating and calculating, we need to be a light in the darkness of the impending storm.  Instead of focusing on the possibilities we need to focus on the lost.  I don't know about you but I am sick and tired of Christians arguing.  We argue over the end times, we argue over doctrine, we argue over who's right and who's wrong.  we bicker over petty nonsense.  I was on Facebook the other day and there was a battle going on between Christians and Catholics. Was the argument necessary?  No.  There are people that we need to show the love of Jesus Christ to and how can we if we are so wrapped up in our differences?  Really the core of the issue in our beliefs should be Jesus.  We cannot show others the love of Jesus Christ if we are trying to cram our religion down their throat.  People we sometimes get like the Pharisees, lost in our "religion".  I for one am sick of it.  Jesus did not die for us to have a certain religion.  Jesus did not create a religion, He created a community of believers who went around being an example of true love and friendship.   It's about relationship!

Do any of us remember what a relationship looks like?  It is a friendship, a love and a respect.  Instead of pounding people over the head with our doctrine and our beliefs, we need to love them and respect their beliefs, whether they are biblically correct or not. I may be wrong here but I truly feel that it is more important to show people love.  Jesus got in the faces of the Pharisees, not the lost.  He did not yell at the lost or tell them they would go to hell.  He shown them love.  He could have stoned Mary Magdalene for being a prostitute, but He didn't.  The men who nailed Him to a cross,  He asked God to forgive them.  Why aren't we more like Jesus?  Do we really have t prove our point that we're right and their wrong?  What kind of love and acceptance does that show?  We really need to get over this stupid "religious" attitude and get real here.  There is a storm coming.  We don't know when but it is our job as believers to reach as many people as possible and share the love that Jesus Christ died to give them.  How can we do that when we are so busy fighting amongst ourselves?  Stop this bull now and let's join together to reach the lost.  There are so many people who have never heard and never experienced the love of Jesus Christ.  We have way too much work to do to be wasting so much time bickering over doctrine.  in fact to be honest, when I read some of the posts on this page my first thought was, if I was a non believer, I would have said, "Well if that's the way believers treat each other, I want no part of it."   I honestly think that God cried when He saw the 'religious" bickering and back biting going on.  That's not what it's about!  No religion, no doctrine, no rituals!  IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS!  Let's share the love of Jesus with everyone.  We may be the only light they ever see.  

God forgive us for getting so tangled up in our petty differences and doctrines and religion.  Help us to share the love, the peace and the joy that lives inside of us.  Help us to reach the lost by being true examples of your love, in Jesus name I pray, amen!   

FEAR OF REJECTION? NOT ME!

Isaiah 53:3  He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

What is it like to feel rejected?  Well first to understand this, I must first look up the definition.  Rejected means; refuse to recognize, refuse to accept, to cast out, eject or vomit, to discard as useless or unsatisfactory.  Wow.  Tell me those words don't cut right the heart of most of my issues in life.  n fact I feel that are quite a few of us who feel this way or at least have felt this way for many years.  For me the feeling of rejection was very strong.  Growing up I never really felt accepted.  I was different.  The last one to be picked for a sports team in gym class, the last one to be asked to dance.  For a very long time I thought I had abandonment issues, (it's a long story) but now for the very first time I realize that I have a fear of rejection.  Being different now is okay for me because I know who I am, but back when I was a kid, that was not alright.  All kids want to be accepted and loved for who they are.  At home I was loved and accepted, but not at school, not among my peers.  The teasing, others thought as funny just proved to me that I was not acceptable.  The jokes that were all meant in fun, cut right through my heart and made me doubt myself for many, many years.  So instead of being me, I put on many different masks just to fit in.  I did things that I am not proud of, said things I am not proud of and hurt people I really liked in order to fit in and not be rejected.  

I think for the most part, many of us live like this.  We pretend in order to be accepted.  That fear of rejection is powerful.  It makes us different than we really are.  It makes us super sensitive to every little word, every little action, every little sound another person makes.  We jump to conclusions about what those words, those actions or those sounds mean.  We take it personally, even if those words, actions or sounds are not directed at us.  We don't want to offend anyone for fear of rejection, so we keep our mouth shut.  When someone hurts us, we just internalize it and keep those feelings hidden like some deep dark secret we're hiding.  As we grow up we look for opportunities to prove ourselves, we over work, we kiss up to the boss, we go above and beyond and we drive ourselves (and everyone around us) crazy trying to prove we are acceptable.  We sign up for every committee and volunteer to head up every function because we have that fear of rejection lingering just beneath the surface.  We can't say no, they may reject us for that.  We over commit ourselves and we want everyone we know to help us.  If they don't we become offended which ends up bringing up those old rejection fears again.  Sound familiar?  If there is a day when we finally feel accepted, someone finally notices what we have done and who we are, then we become proud and boastful.  We keep every newspaper article, we keep every trophy and put it on display for all to see.  Every award, every pat on the back is checked marked and saved in our memory, as if that is what makes us accepted.  Then when those moments go away, we're left again with the feelings of rejection.  

Have you lived this way?  The thing I realized a few years ago is that if people reject me for who I really am, than I am in good company because Jesus was rejected as well.  He never pretended to be someone else to fit in.  He was God in human form and He had confidence in who He was.  He was a man who knew who He was and was not ashamed of it.  He cried, He laughed, He loved.  He never hid His emotions, He never changed His words, He never did anything just to be accepted.  Truthfully He never cared what anyone else thought, He came here for a purpose and whether others rejected Him or not, that was their problem.  He came to save everyone, but they were so busy looking for a king to defeat Roman, they missed their Savior.  Instead of Jesus being this mighty warrior who trampled everyone in His path, He was a gentle, loving soul who went around doing good and sharing His love wherever He went.  Even those who did reject Him, He loved them also.  Jesus was not the Messiah they were expecting so He was rejected.  He was God's Son, pure and simple.  Accept Him or reject Him, that is our choice.  For me, I accept Him, but does He accept me?

Yes, that fear of Jesus rejecting me, gnawed at me many years.  Do I read the Bible enough?  Am I doing enough good works, oh maybe I should do more and volunteer for something else?  Am I watching the right TV programs, should I even be watching TV?  Am I reading the right books, would they be approved by Him?  Am I doing things right, or should I do more?  Does Jesus see my hands in the air as I praise Him?  Oh maybe I shouldn't raise my hands, no one else is?  We could and we usually do, literally drive ourselves trying to be accepted.  People, if you believe in Jesus Christ, if you have accepted Him as your Savior, than you are accepted and approved of.  Jesus Christ died on the cross for you!  He loves you!  He will never reject you!  God created you the way you are.  Stop trying to be someone different just to be accepted because you are loved by the King of Kings, Lord of Lords.  He made you on purpose and God does not make mistakes.  Dive into the confidence we should all have that we are loved.

May the love of God invade your heart and mind today.  May His love transform you to become all He wants you to be. May the fear of rejection leave you forever, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE

John 6:35  Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 

This morning I woke up to the the light of the sun shining through my window.  The air was crisp, yet the water in the lake was warm.  The combination made for this awesome picture.  To me this is God speaking to me "Good Morning Sunshine" and after the night I had last night, (I'll explain later) this wake up call by God was amazing. As I watched the sunrise again this morning I was awestruck by the simple yet majestic beauty of this world God created for you and I.  I am so grateful for this world I get to see every day.  This place is like a little slice of heaven.  Peaceful, relaxing, calming, and beautiful most of the time.  Friday night however brought a storm on the lake like I had never seen.  The waves had to be a foot high and for a big lake that may not sound like that big of a deal, but for this small lake it was bad.  As the clouds rolled in, the wind increased and those waves rocked our boat and actually broke one of the poles that keep our boat anchored in place.  So needless to say, the boat was slamming up against the dock for what seemed like an eternity.  The black clouds poured down rain by buckets and lightening flashed across the sky.  A raft we had tied up to the dock, blew out of the water into our neighbors yard.  The scene was actually a little frightening.   As we watched helplessly all we could do was pray.  The boat is fine, a few scratches, but fine.  The raft is okay also, but I learned something important that night, Jesus took care of our needs. 

It's later!  Why did I have a bad night last night?  Yesterday began on such a high note for me.  Church was amazing, lunch out with Jerry was fantastic and a boat ride was priceless.  Because of our lunch I was not hungry but Jerry was.  I really don't know why, but lately I have started to hate to cook.  I don't know maybe it's because I've done it for 35 years, but I can go buy food and have it in the freezer, I can make plans but when it comes actual cooking, I don't want to do it.  My night went down hill after that.  It was quite disappointing for me to feel like I did after the amazing day I had had, but that sometimes happens to me.  You see the way I am beginning to understand this life is just when I think I have things going good and life is amazing, I get thrown another curve ball by Satan himself and I fall for it.  Like Joyce Meyer says, "new level, new devil"  and boy is she right.  That kind of stuff happens to me all the time.  Jesus starts to supply my needs and the devil tries to take them away.  Bam!  Hit in the head again.  Okay let me say this.  I may hate cooking, but that's really not the problem.  The problem is I am trying to grow and get back on track and the devil doesn't want me to so he tries to steal my joy, and for some stupid reason I let him last night.   Am I confusing you guys?  I think I may be confusing myself.  I feel like I'm rambling a bit but give me a moment here.

You see yesterday at church our pastor talked about this verse I have above.  The one about Jesus being the bread of life.  The way He explained it was different than I had ever heard before. Jesus wasn't just talking about filling our bellies, but supplying all our needs.  Physical, spiritual, financial and so many other ways we can't even imagine.  Jesus is the bread of life.  While bread fills our bellies, the bread Jesus gives us fills our hearts, our souls and our minds.  He can heal our addictions, He can heal our broken relationships, He can heal our wounded hearts and mend our damaged souls.  Jesus gives us life, a life that is not known to many.  Like me yesterday when I let the devil steal my joy,   Jesus restores it.  You see I really want to do my best to dive in deeper with Jesus and the devil does not want me to do that.  I have been hungry for more of God and the only way for me to fill that hunger is by going deeper with Jesus.  I cannot satisfy that hunger with just actual communion like I was taught in the catholic church, there is only one way to satisfy that hunger, read the Bible.  Jesus does not want us to rely on anything or anyone else to satisfy that hunger.  I need to chew on and devour as much about Jesus as I can.   Not literally but spiritually.  

Jesus is the bread of life and I want to have that bread.  I do not want to be hungry anymore.  I want my spiritual appetite to be filled and if I am not careful and cautious I will fill that hunger with senseless TV or movies that do nothing for me.  I want to go to a new level in Jesus Christ and to do that I know I will face some opposition but I know that if I fill myself up with the bread of life by reading the Bible and chewing up all the knowledge and wisdom I can, then all my needs will be met and I will never be hungry again.  Don't grab the wrong bread!  It's not just about communion, it's not just about physical.  It's about relationship!  It's about getting to know Jesus better.  It's about relying on Him and no one else, not even yourself!  

Jesus, fill me with the living bread you offer me.  Help me to chew on this living bread every second of every minute of every day so that I  can share this living bread with all I meet in Jesus name I pray, amen!

A DROUGHT CAN SUCK THE LIFE OUT OF YOU

John 6:35  Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."

When we were in Arizona back in January, the desert was dry and parched.  Now yes a dessert is normally dry, but usually the creek beds have water in them, when we were there they had gone over 200 days without any rain, not even a drop.  There was a drought going on and it was sucking the life right out of everything.  This picture is of a creek bed that is usually filled with water, but as you can see there is not even a trickle of a stream.  The dry, parched land was so thirsty.  Cracked and hardened, the land was desperate for rain.  The plants and flowers and trees are accustomed to this climate so they can survive usually, but even some of them were suffering from the lack of rain.  Out in Arizona, the humidity is low, alright extremely low.  When we were out there I think the humidity level was 4 %.  When you compare that to Michigan's humidity level which seems to be always around 50% at least, that is quite a difference.  Out in Arizona, you take a bottle of water with you everywhere, especially if you are going on a walk.  If you don't you can become very sick, very fast.  We humans need water to survive.  We thirst for water which brings life to our bodies.  Without water, we die!  

As humans we have a physical need for water, but what about a spiritual need for water?  Have you ever felt like you were empty?  Like something was missing in your life?  Like there is some void, some empty space that nothing seems to be able to satisfy?  I have.  We look to anything and anyone to fill that space and quench that thirst, but nothing seems to work.  There is a longing in our souls and no matter how much we may try to deny it's existence, it is there.  We may try to quench our thirst with alcohol, love, intimacy, drugs, or any of the other quick fixes, but nothing seems to work.  Our life seems meaningless and hopeless, yet we bury this feeling and deny it.  We stick a smiley face sticker on our face and pretend all is right in our own little world.  Deep down we are in pain and agony.  Nothing we try satisfies our thirst, nothing fills the void.  We are in a drought.  Parched, dry and desperate, we search the world for the answers to our feelings.  We do not tell anyone, because what will they think of us?  We do not want anyone to know so we hide.  I have felt like that at times.  Looking for answers, longing for something to quench this thirst I have, desperate for answers.  As I sat in a catholic church many years ago, I felt this emptiness.  The words that I had memorized, had meaning to me, but everyone else just seemed to be repeating them without actually listening.  The mass, which is beautiful, became a routine for so many catholics.  Lost in the sea of routine and rituals, I noticed my fellow church goers were missing something.  I became desperate and than one day, sitting in a catholic mass I heard the most beautiful song, "Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone".  With that one song my thirst was quenched and my life had taken a turn I never expected.

As I listened to the lyrics of the song, tears rolled down my cheeks.  That is what I had been thirsty for, a real connection with Jesus Christ, my Savior.  The prayers of the mass say that I believed Jesus was my Savior, and I knew He was, but this song brought out something different in me. As I watched the other parishioners, they all seemed to just be going with the flow of the mass.  Oblivious to what this song really meant.  Being baptized as a baby and confirmed in 8th grade, I thought I had given my life to Christ, but no it was just another ritual. Never did I ever hear any nun or priest ell me that I had to verbally accept Jesus as my Savior, even though that is what Jesus Himself said.  Anyway, something that made me thirstier than I had ever been in my life.  Nothing in my church seemed to satisfy that thirst, so I searched and found Jesus Christ in St. Louis at the Edward Jones Dome.  At a Joyce Meyer Women's Conference I finally had my thirst quenched forever.  The void in my heart has been filled, that emptiness I felt, has been satisfied.  I no longer search for fulfillment because I found it in Jesus Christ.  Not in a "religion", but in the Bible.  When I verbally stood up in front of 17,000 women and accepted Jesus Christ into my life and my heart, I changed.  I no longer thirst, because I have been filled with the living waters of Jesus Christ.  

I owe my life, my heart and my soul to Jesus Christ.  I do not belong to a certain "religion" or denomination, I belong to Jesus Christ.  I know many people who belong to certain denominations that are missing out on the greatest opportunity of their lives.  They are so bogged down with their "religion" that they are missing out on the greatest experience of their lives.  People are so afraid of what others will think if they say "I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior"?  I have actually heard priests and pastors say "Being saved, or born again, is not biblical.  It's not something we practice."  Really?  Have they read the Bible?  Listen I am trying real hard not to offend anyone but God wants to use my words to shake you to your very core of beliefs.  Your thirst will never be quenched just by attending mass once a week or doing certain rituals.  Your thirst will never be quenched by any "religion" or denomination.  It's all about Jesus Christ!  Having a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior is the only way to have that thirst quenched eternally.  You have to say it, you have to believe it, you have to live it!  Praying to Mary will not get you to heaven.  Doing good works will not get you to heaven.  Being a catholic, lutheran, methodist, protestant, baptist or jew will not get you to heaven.  Obeying a list of rituals and man made rules will not get you to heaven.  There is only one way to heaven.  

Matthew 10:32-33  So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Romans 10:9-10  If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 

 

Lord, today I confess with my mouth that you Jesus Christ are my Lord and Savior.  Come into my life and my heart.  Quench that thirst with your living waters and forgive me of my sins.  Change me and renew me from the inside out.  Create in me a pure heart and let me be a light that shines in this dark world, in Jesus name I pray, amen!