Sunday, October 20, 2019
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
The Holy Spirit blows to the east to the west looking for hearts that will surrender to His will.
Love Feast #8-10
“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.”
1Corinthians 13:8-10 niv
Someday prophecies, tongues and knowledge, will be stilled. They will pass away. When we prophesy, we speak in fragments of what we know and we speak in faith. But when perfection comes, the imperfect will disappear. There are many definitions of “when the perfection comes.” I still attain this to be when Jesus Christ the Son of God returns.
Think of the wind that blows as far as the east is to the west. God’s love blows endlessly and will circle the globe throughout eternity. His love remains forever and is everywhere, yes, even right in front of you. His love never fails. Though, men will make promises and let you down, God’s love remains sound. His love is constant. His love is stronger and mightier than anything you can think of here on earth. His Holy Spirit works inside of our hearts and is unstoppable! He does this, because love is His character.
His love is not the universe, as some call love. For it was by Gods love that He created the universe and all the stars and planets seen and unseen. He is the Creator of all.
All the chapters in your past becomes like a guiding light to comfort others. God’s love begins to burn out all of the old wreckage, we have made in our lives. How would you have an ounce of understanding, unless you went through similar trials? One breath from His Spirit turns our sorrows into joy. Although, we are not promised an easy life we are assured His Holy Spirit will never leave us or forsake us. The Comforter will take you through all of your trials. When we walk through the rough times, we are given more hope, more faith, encouragement, empathy, compassion and wisdom. We learn not just by study, but through our experiences.
How can I have this new life? You might ask.
By following the two greatest commandments.
Jesus replied, “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Mt. 22:37-40
Jesus did not make it hard for people to understand these commandments, but they do require thought and action on your part. To love God our Father with all of our heart, all of our soul and all of our mind will require having a new heart from God and allow His Holy Spirit to take the scales from your eyes, renew your soul and replace old thoughts with good godly thoughts.
This means, you need to be born-again. The eyes of His love looks for surrendered hearts.
One small humble step the size of a mustard seed of faith towards our Father God will bring you into His arms, and His Holy Spirit will bring you the rest of the way.
Here is a prayer just for you:
Precious Father,
I know there is a God. I don’t understand it all, but I heard that your Son Jesus Christ died on the cross, so I can have forgiveness for my sins. I admit, I have done so many wrongs in my life. I know I am a sinner. I have been so selfish in my life and hurt so many people. I need your help Lord. Please forgive my sins. Name them____________. Forgive me Lord. Give me a new heart and give me understanding. Quicken my spirit O Father. Set me free from all my bondages Lord and replace them with the power of your love. Make me that new creature in Christ that your word talks about. Give me the ability to love you above everything else in my life. By faith, I give my life over to you completely. Do a work in my life Father. In your son Jesus I ask, amen.
If you have prayed this prayer, the Bible says that you have been “Born Again.” Now, you must grow spiritually. Read your Bible starting with the book of John in the New Testament. Ask the Holy Spirit to be your teacher in all areas, everyday. Be open to how He will be teaching you. Develop a new habit to have a quiet time in prayer and a reading of the Bible before you go to work. Find a Bible believing church to attend and to make new friends. Every believer has walked through this door and there are no exceptions. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me.” There is only one way to God and that is through His son Jesus. We have all humbled ourselves and admitted we are sinners and we are all a work in progress.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Morning Prayer
Precious Father,
Our desires are to be ones who think of you first thing every morning. We want to move in your will. We ask that our lives would be an example of your love and give you glory. We ask that our faith would be pleasing to you in every way. We give you all praise and all honor and thankfulness and for continually hearing our prayers.
We thank you for the never-ending truth you keep giving to us. We ask that your truth would begin to expand in the far reaches of this earth. Send your truth in the dark arenas of the hearts who are desperate for you Father. Continue to use those who are full of your Holy Spirit, to spread your word. We ask that you would keep angels around them wherever your Spirit leads.
Precious Father, We ask that you would give rise to a special, holy, Task Force in our land, in our counties and in our cities. Speak to these hearts to take back the land that you have given to us. Wake them all up and give these people a holy unction to speak your truth. We ask that this Task Force would not leave one stone unturned. Unleash these people Lord. We ask that every school would know, every business would know, every home would know and those that walk or not walk, those who drive, those who are wealthy to the poor; would all know that your Son is Lord. We ask that you would begin to prepare all these hearts to receive your word on good soil. We ask that everyone who accepts that Jesus Christ is Lord will grow quickly and zealously Evangelize your truth, join the Task Force and will shout their joy of the one who has set them free! We stand upon this Father.
We call for a complete loosening of all chains for all those that are in bondage. All sons, daughters, all families, friends, all those with heavy hearts, addictions, those who are indifferent, atheists, agnostics and those who are self-consumed. We ask that your Task Force bring hope to all those who do not know you, we ask that you would awaken their hearts to receive your son. Set them all free in you Father. We call for every ear to hear in their hearts and to repent from their sins. Give them an understanding they never had before. Awaken their spirits Father. We call for each county, individual state and country to kneel before the King of Kings. Please name your county, state and country: ______. Awaken our people Father, take all the scales from their eyes. Open up their ears to hear your message of love. We ask that your Holy Spirit would completely fall upon our county and touch every single heart. Set these people free.
We call for a unity in the Body of Christ. Give us all one mind and bring us into one accord in your love. Give us your eyes and the love we need to overlook one another’s disagreements and to “see” where others are coming from through your eyes. We deliberately break all strongholds of pride and power inside of any of us and any religiosity we depend upon, in Jesus name. And, we will stand upon the love and faith we need, to obey. Right now, we take off all limitations of your will Father in your son’s name. Your word declares that your ways are not our ways, your thoughts are not our thoughts, and so; we lay all of our ways down and fully trust in your ways Father. We ask that your Holy Spirit would reveal to us how we can begin to tear down all old brick walls, that hinder our work and the call you have given to each of us. Seal our lips not to judge one another but to be a help to our brothers and sisters through your understanding. Give us the wisdom to follow this through Father. Where there is disunity in your people, we ask for unity. Where there is unforgiveness, we ask for forgiving hearts. Humble your people, where they refuse to be humbled. Bring them back to you Father, heal them and forgive your people for any self-righteousness and take away all of their fears and we ask that you would replace all their fears with your love and faith. We pray this in your son’s name Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Love Feast #7 [We learn by doing, expressing our faith through love.]
Love Feast #7
“It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1Corinthians 13:7 niv
“Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].“amp.
“ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Galations 5:6 niv
There is a striking example of love between the Body of Christ and the US military. Young men and women from every imaginable walk of life, all signed on the dotted line. They come from the mountains of Appalachia, from the streets of the big apple and some from single parented families or no parents. They come from the farmlands. Some are self consumed, some are talkers, others are quiet and pensive, some never read, others always read, some have never worked, others have always worked. Some are believers, others not. Not one young man thinks alike, and they rode the bus together. There are heads snoozing, some texting without saying a word, others listening to music. Some gaze out the window thinking about those they left with hearts full of questions and fears. And, there are always those with a chip on their shoulder. The minute the bus drives through the gate of the camp, their lives belong to the Drill Sergeant. He will immediately get into their faces. He tells them to listen and look into his eyes. He tells them to spit out their gum, no more cellphones, no vaping or smoking [of any kind] and immediately begins to drive home just how serious the business of war is in their lives. The odor of burning flesh can be smelled for miles.
Getting up way before dawn, these men begin to force their bodies to go through miles of rigorous hiking in the rain, in the mud, in droughts, sometimes during flea season, mosquitoes and snakes. They learn how to build makeshift tents out of nothing. They get sores on their feet from the sweat as they march. They listen for things that may not be there and have eyes that go all around their heads. They communicate with their hands. They come as close to the reality of war during boot camp as possible. Whether they “feel like finishing, or not” means absolutely nothing! Any self-pity or whining, bounces off deaf ears. They have been give orders to finish the course. They will learn how to scale high embankments, carry extremely heavy loads on their backs, when to speak and when not and above all, these men will learn how to work together and have each others back! Yes, they learn to be their Brothers Keeper. They will learn how to trust each other, even with their lives! When the Sergeant gives an order, [which could mean a life or death order] they learn to all jump together! Those who were once lazy will develop muscles and calluses. Those who needed to lose weight will lose the excess in a matter of a month. Everyone learns by doing. Confidence comes to those who learned patience and determination. They are rewarded by their surprised ability to push through each trial. No matter if they fall in an obstacle course, this brings humility. Everyone trips and falls, but these men have hammered out a backbone to get back up again. They learned, love never gives up! A tenacity is birthed. Once again, they will demand their tired and weakened bodies to be aligned up! They became one mind and in one accord.
The military is a true picture of The Body of Christ. We are all soldiers for Christ. We do and learn. But, we cannot learn without doing, because we express our faith through love. Love does. Just as those in the military war, so do we.
Their obedience to protect, trust and hope in good things become dominant in their thoughts. They now have a bravery to sacrifice their lives for each other in Christ and they are compelled to hold each other up, in faith and love.
If you’ve ever wondered why you are here on earth, it is to learn how to apply Gods love in your life.
Ironically, when we do these things; everything begins to fall into place in our lives. In other words, our faith can express love many times before the feelings come. When we take that one obedient step by faith to love in Christ, a new door opens up in your life. New habits come and eventually the feelings will come. Instead of blaming others, or comparing yourself with others; that one small step of faith takes you through the door of hope that was placed in your heart.
Prayer
Precious Father,
Friday, October 4, 2019
Love Feast #6
Love Feast #6
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” 1Co. 13:6 niv
Love is sealed by the hand of God Himself and displays His splendor in all of His creation. True “Love Hearts” understand the plan and purpose of being set free in Christ and being sealed by the Holy Spirit.
Be ready. God’s love works a deep deep assignment within each believer. His Holy Spirit travels into every crack and crevice inside of their soul and begins to fill up these places with His truth. Picture an invasion of foreign troops on your land. These troops must be rounded up before they can do anymore damage and then dispelled. Think again, how a Dentist must first drill out the cavity and get all the infected areas, before he can refill the tooth to be used productively. Although, your land is rid of the invaders and your tooth is filled, your work has only begun.
You begin by rejoicing with God’s truth.
Freedom in Christ springs a love relationship and this produces an overwhelming joy to know more about the one who set you free. Every time we absorb a little more of His truth, we are stationed closer to His heart. We walk up the hills and down the valleys and listen a little bit clearer. Then, one day we get out of bed and notice how his loving salve is continually applied upon all of the past wounds we once acquired.
Love does not delight in iniquity or evil.
Like a friend of mine once said to me, “We got to all stick together.” There may be times when you feel alone, but we are all in this together. We aren’t walking alone on this narrow path, but we will notice not everyone looks the same, thinks or sees the same way or responds in the same way, but we all belong in the same family. I cherish truth but I try to be very careful in how I write it. Forms of gossip may even be truth, but it doesn’t make it a good thing to do. Everything we do, comes from our heart. A seed is planted, is watered, growth takes place, the flower blooms and produces more seeds. Think, how all of this goes on in our hearts. The Holy Spirit looks deep within us, and sees what we’ve been “piling up inside of us.”
The question is: “Are you reproducing seeds that delight in evil? Or, love seeds that rejoice with the truth?”
“Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Mt. 7:1-2
I personally believe Christians walk out their own judgements right here on earth. The very thing you judge in another, you will find yourself walking in their footsteps. I say this because I have personally experienced this, early in my walk and have seen others Christians walk through the harsh words of their judgements time and again. If anyone has an ounce of spiritual understanding, they will see the valuable lessons; of the woes and blessings of sowing and reaping. This happens on all levels of our lives. We are not to even think of a judgement towards another. This is not an easy lesson, but a hard lesson that can be very well learned and never again to be repeated. Not one of us can afford to ignore Jesus’ words. We can discern because we know, we pray and if we must, carefully warn another sister or brother. When we judge another, we set ourselves upon a judgement chair and look down on them and have become a judge and jury and condemn them, by the verdict of our words. We are not called to be judges. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to judge our own hearts. Unfortunately, most of us have to walk through this lesson.
[Jesus said “you judge after the flesh, but I judge no man.” Jn 5:15 He further talked about if he did judge, it was because of his full dependance on what His Father gave to him. He said that he did not come to judge man, but to save man.]
The thoughts we habitually feed ourselves will begin to pile up inside of our hearts and before you know it, the overflow comes out of our mouths. What sort of “food” have you been feeding your heart?
“For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks’ (Matthew 12:34).”
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”
Proverbs 4:23 amp.
Our assignment? Yield! Give into the will of God. Many shortchange themselves in God’s grace simply by refusing to use everything that has been given to them in Christ. It is time to yield. True growth is watered by obedience and brings an unspeakable joy. Have you ever experience such joy? A bold confidence comes from the faith of developing a sensitive, humble, clear conscience and then, you will be able to hear His whispers in your life.
Prayer:
Precious Father,
We thank you for never giving up on us. We thank you for always feeding us and teaching us ways to move closer to you and your will. Our desire is to manifest the love of your Son in all of our thoughts. We choose to rejoice in your truth and discard anything that would hinder our walk in your Spirit. Help us to be discerning and sensitive towards others and be ones who would not just speak our faith but be doing it as well. We will yield to your correction, listen to our conscience and guard our hearts daily. We depend upon your Spirit to develop good habits of thoughts. Thank you for your love, Father. We pray in Jesus amen.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Frank Sonnenberg strikes again! I have the utmost of respect in this man's wisdom. Read it and apply it in your life.
Do You Let Envy Get the Better of You?
If you could trade places with anyone, who would it be? Why would you select that individual over others? Is it because of their personality, relationships, possessions, career achievements, or their overall lifestyle? The million-dollar question is: Do you admire that person or do you envyhim or her?
In the age of social media, it’s hard to ignore what your neighbor is doing. After all, most folks reveal their entire life on social media. To make it worse, some people can’t keep their ego in check. For example, people brag about their expensive possessions, lavish experiences, luxurious vacations, perfect relationships, and of course, their physical attractiveness. (Yuck!) Everyone knows that some of their blabber is exaggerated, but it’s not unusual to think others have it better than you. That can take a toll on your confidence.
Your self-image and self-worth are influenced, in part, by comparing yourself to others. It’s also determined by contrasting who you are against who you want to be. That comparison can go one of two ways. It can be beneficial — inspiring you to become a better person. Or it can be detrimental — making you envious and resentful of others.
“They have more,
They have it easier,
They have it better,
They have it all,” you may think
They have it easier,
They have it better,
They have it all,” you may think
Resentment can make you bitter rather than encouraging you to be your best.
Envy Is Toxic and Destructive
It’s hard to admit that someone could be more deserving of a good life than you. To rationalize that sentiment, some folks denounce successful people — saying they didn’t really earn their accomplishments. They “received an unfair advantage” or “secured their achievements by mistreating others.”
If you subscribe to that notion, you may conclude that life is unfair and that others are holding you back; this frees you from having to accept personal responsibility for your circumstances. Such thinking can lead to envy, resentment, and even anger.
While you may think that envious behavior is warranted, harboring resentment can hurt you more than you think. For example, it can:
Distort your sense of reality. If you believe you’re being treated unfairly, you’ll look for proof that supports that view. That thinking can progress into a downward spiral, making you angrier and more envious rather than positive and constructive. Furthermore, if you surround yourself with like-minded people, they’ll reinforce those beliefs, making it harder for you to shed that unproductive mindset.
Hurt your health. If you’re gloomy about your future, you’ll view every opportunity as a glass half-empty rather than as a glass half-full. That can be debilitating and have a negative impact on your psyche.
According to the Mayo Clinic, positive thinking can increase your life span, lower rates of depression, offer better psychological and physical well-being, reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and enable you to cope better during hardships and times of stress.
Destroy positive relationships. Envy can turn friends into adversaries. If you think your friends’ accomplishments were achieved unfairly, you’ll resent them for their triumphs rather than be happy for their success.
Foster unproductive behavior. If you become consumed with envy, you may be motivated to seek retribution, and tear others down, even though their success may have no correlation to your success.
Damage your opportunity for success and happiness. If you believe the world is against you, you’ll be more inclined to give up than to invest in your future.
Look in the Mirror Rather Than at Your Neighbor
Just as you’ll never really understand someone’s problems until you walk a mile in their shoes, you’ll never fully appreciate the effort and commitment that someone made to achieve their success. Moreover, the more time you spend comparing yourself to others, the less time you’ll have to make your own dreams come true.
If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, chances are it’s getting better care.
There will always be people who have more, or less, than you. Get over it. Be grateful for what you have. Money should never become the cornerstone of your life nor should it define you as a person. It’s not what you have, but who you are that counts. The only way that you’ll achieve happiness is when you’re at peace with yourself and thankful for the blessings in your life.
Are You Happy For Or Envious Of The Success of Others?
Please leave a comment and tell us what you think or share it with someone who can benefit from the information.
Additional Reading:
Do You Compare Yourself to Others?
Good Relationships Don’t Keep Score
Is Your Friend Really an Acquaintance?
The Secrets of a Successful Marriage
There’s More to Friendship than Friending
Do You Compare Yourself to Others?
Good Relationships Don’t Keep Score
Is Your Friend Really an Acquaintance?
The Secrets of a Successful Marriage
There’s More to Friendship than Friending
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