My Thoughts - My Journey

Do you have days when you mourn the loss of something important to you? A marriage that is no longer? A friend who moved away? A child gone astray? A lost job? A loved one who passed? Sometimes, pain or uncomfortable circumstances block us from seeing God at work. Sometimes we just can't see the good because of the bigger-than-life things that surround us. Deuteronomy 33:12 says we are to rest between His shoulders.  . Father God, please help us to see past our current circumsta nces and enable us to see Your hand-prints on every aspect of our lives. May we feel Your presence and the leading of Your Holy Spirit. I pray, dear Father, that we will open ourselves to Your nudges, that we will be faith-filled followers, and that we will put our trust in the plans You have for us. It is not our way or our will, but Your will be done.  Thank You, gracious Father, for loving Your creation with an everlasting love beyond what we can imagine. In Your Precious Son's Name, Amen! †

QUESTION:  How many times are enough to forgive someone so we can say, "Okay, you have met your limit of wrongs toward me...'No More Forgiveness' for you?"  Maybe we can find our answer this way ~ How many times can I be forgiven if I do you wrong...do I get 10 mistakes, 100 mistakes, 500 mistakes...Do we ever want to be told, "There is no more forgiveness for you!"? Forgive as He Forgives!  Let me add...Make sure your forgiveness is "for real" and not just idle words. We remember to guard our hearts, but that does not mean there are no second chances.... But don't you love that washing of peace over you when you do FINALLY and TOTALLY give it to Him. Forgive and put the burden completely on the one who did you wrong...even when they don't ask for forgiveness. Our giving the gift of forgiveness is not based on another's asking for it. We forgive and set ourselves free...What an awesome feeling...FREE!! ....Because YOU

Where do we find “hope?” There are so many people living in this worldly world who see “this” as all there is. For them, there is only heartache and heartbreak….brokenness from family disfunction, financial struggle, illness, and the finality of death. The way of escape is through a knife, gun, pills, jumping….just looking for a way to get relief from their pain and released to non-existence they feel awaits them. For them, there is no tomorrow, no eternity, either good nor bad. There is just a sea of nothingness, an oblivious extinction of any form of life. I cannot fathom living in such a hopeless state day in and day out believing that the “now” is it and that there will never be anything better. As a believer, a follower of the Way, I draw on my faith, my hope, every day. Without it, I would be stumbling through randomness without vision of the better that is to come. How deeply sad! For those, we must share our hope. Isn’t that where it all lands….where the reality of our fut

Jesus was God’s best example of using the least likely person to achieve His plans. Perhaps, it would have made much more sense to use King Herod to be God-incarnate….rather than an obscure carpenter’s son. People listened to Herod. He had the influence, the platform, the power, and the authority as king over all the land. Herod, however, did not have a heart for the Lord. Jesus had the heart of His Father, God, and through His humble existence He began a powerful movement.  J esus didn’t draw people to Himself because He glittered or shined. People were drawn to Jesus because they were hungry for truth, not position. Jesus kept His ministry as far from the celebrity platform as possible, so there was never any confusion as to what people were drawn to.  Followers were drawn to God, plain and simple. God still uses the least likely to accomplish His plans. He does so in order to make one thing clear….it is He who is accomplishing the work, and no other. We are mere vessels, no ma

Our freedom comes when we offer forgiveness to others. Reconciliation takes two, but forgiveness is one way. Many will say, "but I can't forget." Forgiveness is not forgetting what happened. Sometimes we think in order to forgive someone, we must forget what happened.  "Forgive and forget" is a cliche that holds zero truth. Of course you can't forget because that is the way God created us. God wants to bring healing to our hearts so that we can remember these past experiences w ithout reliving the pain associated with them. God wants to show us how He can make all things new.  Forgiveness is infinite....without end...but there will be some people that we can't live at peace with because their hearts are not right; therefore; we forgive and keep our distance. We can freely give grace and mercy , but we can not control the heart of another.  Remember that we are a forgiven people; therefore, forgive and live FREE ! †  Be Blessed!

I have told others before, message me anytime you need to have a listening ear. Mental disorders should never be closeted. It is a real shame that society, however, many times causes this to be a reality. One suffering from depression is forced to retreat into a corner and suffer alone. That should NEVER happen.  Loneliness or aloneness is no way to cope with depression as it only sinks one further  into the hole of helplessness. I do not judge as each one's story is their personal reality. No one has the "right" to tell another..."just stop being self-centered ~ get over yourself and stop acting like you have a problem." Those statements, or something similar, are actually made many times to those who are suffering from devastating depression. That is so very sad!  I am here for anyone who suffers depression and needs someone to share with. We will take your illness before our Father who has all power to heal and restore. He has all power to give you a calm

In today’s hectic, hurry-up climate, it’s easy to get ensnared by to-do lists, family demands, and even Kingdom service. But in all our business, we often lose track of the one thing that is needed, or as Jesus put it to Martha, the “better part.” Learning to cultivate intimacy with the Lord and keep Him in the center of our lives can be a challenge. But once we develop this relationship with Him, we’ll discover a greater satisfaction, fullness, and balance to our lives than we’ve ever known. Luke 10:38-42 tells a story of two very different sisters. Mary and Martha have nearly opposite personalities, characteristics, and~ in response to the arrival of Jesus in their home~actions. As Christians it’s easy to find ourselves caught in a tug-of-war as we strive to worship like Mary, yet handle the busyness and pressures of the day like Martha. A Picture of Mary As Martha scurried to handle all the arrangements of hosting a houseful of men, Mary became so enthralled by Jesus t

We are a people who have always been concerned as to where to draw the line in terms of unity and fellowship. There is obviously a place to draw the line since everyone is not a Christian, but we are reluctant/refuse to draw the line where Christ drew it, at the Cross. He accepts all who come to the Cross.  Should we require more? In John 3:14 (Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up)....he likened His being lifted up on the Cross to the serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness.  In Moses’ time the people were healed when they looked upon the serpent. They did have to look in simple trusting faith. And so we today must look to the Cross for our healing. When people do that, we should meet them there in loving acceptance, for they have yielded themselves in humble obedience to Christ. That is unity and fellowship.  If they are deficient in some ways (and who is not?) there will be time enough, in an atmosphere of loving fo

I have finally come to terms and acknowledge that much of what I had understood and believed most of my life was gained from being spoon fed by well-intentioned parents, teachers, and ministers...Of course, I had done much Bible reading and studying....with the POWERFUL influence of a preconceived understanding of what the words already meant. I fought the Holy Spirit's influence away because in His trying to convict me, it made me question and caused fear within me. I realized that much of what I had believed and was taught was not from God, but from a man-made understanding set-forth by a set of rules, regulations, and a man-made hermeneutic. In addition, on a regular basis, texts were pulled from here and there without remaining true to their context....merely to be used to prove a heritage/traditions doctrine.  I felt myself withdraw and want to fight the freedom in Jesus - It just seemed "too easy" compared to the restrictive, legalistic manner in which I was atta

To Him Who, by the power that is at work within us, is able to do super-abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].—Ephesians 3:20 Our basic approach to life needs to be full of faith and hope and good expectations, because the Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) and that hope will never disappoint us (Romans 5:5). There is nothing negative a bout God; there is nothing in Him or in His actions that will ever disappoint us; everything He does is for our good....so that’s what we need to expect as we pray. We should not pray and then wonder if God will do anything at all; we should pray EXPECTING God to do even more than we have asked. The verse (Ephesians 3:20) says that God can do “super-abundantly, far over and above ALL” that we would ever dare to ask or even think to ask and infinitely beyond our “highest prayers, desires, thought, hopes,

Death comes early in poor societies, where families lack adequate food, safe water, secure housing, and access to medical care. In the world's low-income nations, one-quarter of all children do not receive enough nutrition to be healthy.  Poor children live in poor families, and many share in the struggle to get through each day. Organizations fighting child poverty estimate that as many as 100 million children living in cities in poor countries beg, steal, sell sex, or work f or drug gangs to provide income for their families. With this knowledge, what would Jesus have us do? I believe we all know the answer! If one is hungry, thirsty, homeless, poor, helpless it is His call for us to reach out in all ways that we are able. If we do not, it as if we did not do it for Jesus.  There are many Christian humanities groups, mission teams, and outreach projects who need our support.

For many, years are spent regretting sins from our past. These sins might have hurt others, as well as, ourselves. And.....day after day we have replayed our decisions and actions. Years later, the sting of past sin still has a hold on us.  God has forgiven us, but we continue to hold on and do not allow ourselves to accept the freedom of His forgiveness. Far too many times we struggle with accepting that God's grace can erase our sin, wiping it away as if it never happened.  T he weight of sin makes it difficult to believe a perfect God can forgive us. Life is too short to exchange the freedom of grace for the bondage of unbelief. Some things to Remember: My God doesn't condemn. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 My master is grace, not sin. "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." Romans 6:14 My Savior Jesus has set me free, therefore I am free.

King David's son, Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 1:9-10: "History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new." How true Solomon's revelation was. Just as what we read about in the Book of Romans......we see all around us today. Man continues to turn his back on God and follow after his flesh. God's Anger At Sin: "But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they bega

Romans 14 ~ The Danger of Criticism It is not anyone's place to judge or criticize how others assemble or where they assemble on Sunday morning. Some sing with instruments while others sing A cappella. Some assemble in buildings, some in homes, some in a coffee shop, some on a river bank....and so on. Some use lights, cameras, smoke, and other special effects. Some have choruses, some praise teams, some choirs...and so on. I could go on and on about the many various ways that  followers of Jesus gather on Sunday; however, I think you get my point. God did not create us as robots or cookie-cutter individuals. What edifies and uplifts one group might not be sufficient for another. We have freedom. It is our hearts that must be right and only God knows the condition of our hearts. So many will judge another group of believers for what they do when they assemble….even go as far as to judge their hearts, yet have never set foot inside the building to gather with them and to expe

Some question.....what is called by some (usually those who are not assembling with such a group)......a "mega church." Many times, that "labeling" comes across with negative undertones that can be quite condescending. There are those that question their service, their sincereness, virtually everything about them and judge/critique them from the outside having never gathered with them. That would be like me watching the actions, lifestyles, etc of a family setting thinking th at I know what is good for this family, judging them, and telling them how I can make their family and home-life better. This is what I think in response to such thought: If you are on the outside of a "mega church" merely looking in, how can one have a solid, informed, and/or reasonable opinion? Only those who are part of such a group can decide its purpose, outreach, the closeness, the friendliness, the bonding....and so on. Of course, in the larger groups there are MANY s

Yes, words do hurt! They can break your spirit - steal your joy and diminish your self-worth. As they penetrate into the deepest recesses of your soul, they leave jagged cuts along the way that are slow to heal. The scars are safely tucked away inside so no one has to know the pain you suffer. Our words can be music to the receiver's ears and can warm the heart or they can bring pain and heartbreak. We must guard our words as they are a window into our inner being. Be intentional and think before you speak. Words, harshly spoken, can not ever be completely retrieved as they leave behind their scars. Praying for all who suffer from verbal abuse! "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!" Psalm 141:3

"Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong." ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13  As another year of school begins, stories of bullies will surface. The most shocking ones make the news, but those are a small percentage of the actual bullying that takes place. Sadly, victims of bullies often keep silent due to shame, intimidation and a silent unspoken code. But the schoolyard isn't the only place we'll find bullies this month. Bullies are everywhere. They are in offices, committees, homes and community meetings. They are found anywhere they can dominate through force of will. And I believe they have intimidated a generation of people long enough. Sadly, many well-meaning Christians have "turned the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39) when bullied. However, a closer examination of that passage reveals something vitally important. Turning the other cheek involves us willingly ignoring an offense to us, even though we could defend ourselves. We don&

There are a growing number of broken marriages in the  world today. The further apart they drift....the wider the  crevice of brokenness expands. Given enough time, the  chasm between them seems an insurmountable  obstacle. Many couples who eventually wake up to the  reality of their broken marriage feel they have fallen too  far apart for any reasonable expectation of real healing  and reconciliation.  B roken marriages need "HOPE" for long-term healing  and restoration. God promises a good return for those  who invest in seeking hope. Amazingly, the Bible even  tells us that we can ‘rejoice in our sufferings.’ Why?  Because ‘suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope  does not disappoint us, because God has poured out  His  l ove into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom H e has  given us.’ (Rom. 5:3-5)  The benefit to pressing through the suffering of a  broken  marriage and pursuing hope to

I'm not sure what goes on inside an assembly has any requirements since we do not find any commands in the Scriptures; therefore, that can't define a Christian. We are to assemble to edify and uplift each other (Hebrews 10:25). We are to commune in order to remember our Savior's sacrifice. We gather to equip ourselves to go into the world and reach out to the lost, the hungry (physically and spiritually).  We, according to the Scriptures, will be known as His according to our fruits....not the building we assemble in. We will be known by how we love God, love mankind, help the homeless, hungry, jobless, widows, orphans, and the general poor communities in society. It is how we choose to serve Him by giving of ourselves...how we give away our excess rather than build bigger barns to store and save. We don't need to build bigger barns for the future because we are only promised the second that we are breathing right now....no more.  W e are promised, however, that He