Monday, December 31, 2012 New Year's Eve!

Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God and let us give thanks for this day that He has made. Whether it be a fancy special holiday like New Year's Eve or just another Tuesday in March, every day should be special to a child of God. For each day is a gift from Him and we should cherish each precious one. I have learned through my walk that one of the best things I could have ever done for myself was take my life one day at a time. And it is so cliche' now and the "saying" has lost its meaning but when you truly learn the truth of it and live your life each day as its own, it is a game changer. The stress leaves your life, the worries of tomorrow dissipate, and you stop wasting time. When I wake up each day I thank my good Lord for another wonderful day in Him and I give the day to Him. And I look at what the day has to bring and I leave my mind in it. Trust me, if you are like I once was where my mind was always racing about everything but the day at hand or planning out your monthly calendar and thinking of this and worrying over that, take this Godly advice. It comes with pure love and pure interest in your life. Take this day as its own. Love it, cherish it, be grateful for it and own it. Stop fussing over yesterday and don't even think about tomorrow for the Lord is there and He has it for you. Enjoy today. The bible tells us these wonderful truths about daily living.....Give us today our daily bread (Matthew 6:11),  This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24), Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.(Lamentations 3:23). My prayer for you is that you slow down in the new year. That you stop and truly rest in Him and in all He has given you. That you rejoice in Him, glorify Him and exemplify Him all of your days. Love others, live to bless others, and cast all your cares unto Him. I claim this for your new year and may it be will be filled with more joy and love ever imagined. For now, let's enjoy today and it is the last day of 2012. Whether you are celebrating large or intimately, enjoy this day. And may tomorrow be tomorrow.  

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Another year is coming to a close. It is a good time to reflect spiritually on the last 365 days. Did you grow? Did your walk with Christ gain momentum or did you hit a pit stop? How was your tithing, church attendance, service, giving of one's self? The Lord loves us and is more interested in our inward self than our outward self so when we take this time to inventory our lives, there is no mask for denial for He knows all things.  I describe the year of 2012 as bittersweet. My walk continues to change, my knowledge of the Word and His desires for me have grew and my life is filled with peace and contentment. The Lord has simplified my life and I am no longer on the pinwheel of life and death. But I also suffered a great loss and that was the loss of my precious Mom, Bianca, who I still cannot believe is gone. She passed away at 1am on Sunday morning and not a Sunday goes by that I do not flash right back to that day I was told my Mom went to be with the Lord. She was my best friend, my biggest fan, my sweetest ally. She gave of herself and exemplified what a Mother should be. She loved God and loved her family. I lived to treat her like a queen and spoil her with luxuries of life because she deserved it. All mothers deserve your love and admiration and all children should live to give back to their parents for all they have done for you and for me. But I also know my Mom's health was declining and she no longer was having the quality of life she was used to or desired and the Lord knew her heart and He took her home to be with Him and her loved ones and that is why it is bittersweet....although I miss her here with me, I know she is at rest with Her Savior and that brings me innermost joy. I don't believe I would be so at peace with it, if there wasn't spiritual balance in my life; if I hadn't worked on my relationship with the Lord and strengthened myself in Him and gave Him all of me. How about you? The Lord wants all of you and there are things in your life that are hindering that. What have you placed in front of your relationship with Him? Your spouse, children, careers? Whatever held you from experiencing all that the Lord had planned for you..don't postpone the new year. You will forever be frustrated if you don't let go of yourself. He has a wonderful plan for your life, but will only do it if you allow Him. Time is precious and none of us are guaranteed tomorrow so I encourage you to do this for you. Place God first and allow everything else in your life to follow and watch what 2013 becomes. Happy New Year's Eve eve.

Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)?

Romans 6:16

But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience). James 1: 25

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Fear is not of God.  God is of peace and sound mind.  He is with us always and we can rest in that truth. If God is for us then who can be against us?  We know this scripture, we all have heard it at one time or another so then why do we worry ourselves over things? Why do we grow anxious in the waiting period when there is nothing we can do to change anything. We lose so much time and waste so much time worrying and being fearful when our Almighty God reigns above all and He is sovereign over our lives. When we truly know this and believe this, then we can rest in Him and be still. This is known as living in God's peace and receiving His grace for our lives. Allow yourself to fall into His arms and let the Lord wrap you up in love. May you learn to accept Him as your " Master Planner". May you surrender all to Him and submit your ways to Him so that you can truly understand the power of God and truly receive the power of God in your life. I believe that this is your breakthrough! The Lord wants you to know that you are loved and He has it all under control and He no longer wants you to be anxious for anything, but simply pray and believe. And live by faith! Happy New Year!!

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

Friday, December 28, 2012

Let's love one another instead of judging one another. Why do people think it is okay to poke criticisms at a believer like we are to be held to a higher standard? I try my best to live my life pleasing my Father Lord with my actions, my responses and my words. I try to keep my heart pure and with good intent and I try to treat others the way God treats me. I appreciate people and respect others so why am I your target? I am not acting like I am better than you, in fact I was so lost I needed my Savior to cleanse me. I am not so proud I think I am more important than you, in fact I was so broken I was humbled by my Savior. I simply love what He has done for me and I live to obey Him and His Word tells us we are to be fishers of men and we are to go out in to the world and preach His name. So I am simply spreading His message to all I meet. So please don't think you know me or know my agenda. For my intention is nothing more than to save the lost from a pure evil future. I am not a hypocrite, I am not a hater, I am not a racist, I am not holier than thou and I certainly am not better than you. I am simply a woman of God who loves her Lord and Savior and lives to glorify Him. I am a person who is free from herself and of this world and someone who chooses to live in peace and with joy. So the next time we meet or you meet a brother or sister of mine, just know we come in love.  May God be with you on this wonderful day.

Matthew 4:19

Thursday, December 27, 2012

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57

Do not let your past dictate your future!  We have all sinned, we have all made mistakes but none of us will ever "lose" our salvation. Once we have repented and given our hearts and life to Christ, we are forever saved. Salvation is not something we have earned therefore it can not be taken away for we never were worthy of having it in the first place. It was a free gift from God because of His love for us and that is why it is referred to as "gift of grace".  The Lord certainly does not want us to be disrespectful to Him by continuing to live a life of disobedience knowing our salvation is "a lock". However He gives us free will to do as we choose. But when you truly give your life to Him and change from within, your desires no longer matter. All that matters is pleasing and serving Him. So never let anything you have done stop your walk. Never feel you are not good enough; never live with regrets....all tools of satan. He is a liar and a hater and does not want any of God's children to experience all that God has for us. His existence is to destroy you, your mental state, your physical being and your world so any of those negative thoughts must be rebuked and cast out. Remember who died for you on the cross that gloomy overcast day and remember why. And when you truly do, you will never doubt His love for you ever again. Start living in victory for we are victors in Christ. We are the head, not the tail. We are victorious in Him. Amen?!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

There is always the rainbow after the rain.  It is so hard to see it when you are in the midst of a horrible trial or period of loneliness and sadness but it is there. There is victory in Christ Jesus and when we place our trust in Him, He will see us through it. There are times we may want to give up; we grow weary of waiting and fighting but that is when the enemy will strike. We must stay strong in faith and allow the Lord to sustain us. As we draw close to Him, we gain strength and our faith will remind us that this too shall pass.  Whatever it is you are facing today, God is there. He is with you today, tomorrow and everyday. Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you and guide you through this difficult storm. He will calm the waves and allow you rest. I always tell my loved ones that we should rejoice in these dark times for with darkness, comes light. Your miracle is right around the corner, all you need to do is believe.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. For he who comes to God must believe He exists, and rewards those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Jesus is real and today we honor and celebrate "His" birth.  Today a Savior was born. With all the latest controversy over Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays and keeping Christ out of Christmas; I am left with one question. If you do not want to honor Christ nor believe in Him, than why are you celebrating a "happy holiday"? It is so hypocritical to me. There is only one meaning for Christmas and it isn't Santa. If you feel that way than put your money where your mouth is and sit this one out. But people want to shop and receive presents and reap the benefits but pay no attention to the true reason for this day. There are people I see on Facebook that question God etc....any other day but today they are all out there wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. So sad that commercialism is what kids are being taught to believe Christmas is for..... Well I pray for all that are lost and blinded by the enemy's lies and I ask that the Holy Spirit convict their hearts to the truth and that they come to see the light. May they choose the path of righteousness over all other choices and truly get to know the Lord and Savior, who is our God in Heaven. For He is the way, the truth and the life. SO MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas Eve everyone. 

I pray you are with someone you love this holiday season. 

May the good Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine 

upon you so that others can see His light. 

 ²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Dear Lord,

I wanted to come to You today and simply thank You for all that You are. It is too often I am asking for this and worried about that and You deserve more than just that. I love You, I worship You and I am so forever grateful for You. My life was a shadow of itself and I reflect back two years ago at this time and where I was as a believer and person and where I am today. I think of who was in my life then and how I was so hurt by betrayal and disappointment in people. I learned slowly over time to never place my peace in anyone other than You. You are all that I will ever need. We thank you for all the wonderful  brothers and sisters in Christ we met and grew to love . As we all gathered in our home last night the common reason was to celebrate You and our love for You. So I want to lift You up in praise and honor. I pray that all of my words and all of my actions bring nothing but glory to You. You are worthy of all our praise. I thank You for Your peace this holiday season and I pray that this be the season the lost is found. Protect my home, my husband, bless my family as we experience our first Christmas without our Mom and may Your spirit of comfort nurture us through this tough time. I ask all of this in Your mighty name. Amen.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

Rest in Him. Everyday. He has wondrous plans for us so 

let's stay in His will, rest in His truth and live in peace. 

Friday, December 21, 2012

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Isaiah 9:6

Let us not forget the true reason for this season and all seasons. Have a wonderful pre -holiday weekend. And remember let's keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry." Ephesians 4:26

 In man's anger comes sin. And with sin comes consequences. The bible tells us to make peace with the person we have a grievance with before we lay down to sleep. How often do we really do that? So many people have harbored ill will towards another for years. Yet we are to be peace makers for we shall be blessed. The Lord sure knew what was going to be difficult to do for we do so many things based on feelings and emotions. That was why He left such instruction for us. Maybe it is time you laid down the sword of anger, pain, resentment, hurt, hatred you have felt in your heart for someone. Maybe the Lord has been trying to deal with you on this and you have yet to heed to His Word. When we are holding something against someone, it is hurting no one but us. It can cause added strife and stress and block you from God's blessing for your life so does that sound worth it to you? Forgive as God first forgave you. Let go of it all and hold on to God. Free yourself of all burden. And do it today....

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Philippians 4:13

King James Version (KJV)

^13" I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me".

When life gets too hard to stand...kneel before God and pray. When we draw close to Him, He will draw close to us and give us the strength we need to face and overcome any situation. I have said it before and will say it again that we need to be so sensitive to others around Christmas time. It is the most joyous time of the year but it can also be the most loneliness for some. For them waking up and putting one foot on the floor takes all the strength they have. Whatever mountain you are facing, God will remove it with your faith and trust in Him. He is with you, He loves you and has already prepared a way through it for you. 

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Ecclesiastes 3:1       Everything Has Its Time

"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven".

People will come and go in your life. Some stay a life time, some stay one season. But there is a reason and a purpose for all who come in and out of our lives. All our days are ordained and the Lord intervenes often with meetings between people. The bible tells us we may be entertaining an angel right here on earth and then never see then again. I believe relationships, friendships, jobs, etc..are for seasons. We should accept when to let things go and when to hold on and fight. I pray for all of my relationships and I ask that they be Godly relationships based on the common ground of loving Jesus. I am not interested in having certain people in my life at this stage of the game. I want my friends to be Christian sisters that I can call anytime, day or night, and ask that they pray with me. Women that love me and will celebrate my successes and mourn my losses. I am not interested in techno friends who only keep in touch through Facebook and text messages. I am going through so much in my personal life right now that is so profound and so deep and so real that I am valuing my deep true relationships, not surface shallow ones. So I call upon the Lord often to help me with my assessment of my circle of friends. I ask Him to reveal their hearts to me so I know who is for me or against. I believe that many of us are going through the same struggles and trials of who is who. I do feel that if I cannot rely on you during my darkest of days, then I certainly do not need you in the light. So if you like me, are going through some things and are disappointed in the way others have responded or behaved, just meditate on this scripture that I posted. For there is a reason and a purpose for all things. When you align your life and all that are in it, up to the will of God then you are in the best hands you can ever be. So stop doubting and evaluating and trust on the One that you can rely on all of your days. And appreciate those special people in your life He blessed you with and tell them you love them and let them know you care and value them. It may be just what they need. 

Monday, December 18, 2012

Trust the Lord in your darkest days.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

The best things in life are not things.  In this world we are conditioned to accumulate. Buy,buy,buy...commercialization is huge in today's society. Filling up voids trying to make one feel better by having the latest bag or pair of shoes. I used to be one of those people who had to have the latest Fendi or BMW but you know what? I was miserable. I do believe for years I was highly favored and untouchable at my place of employment. But over time as I made more and more money, I spent and bought more and more things...home, cars, clothes, accessories, vacations, you name it. But what ended up happening was I was on a pinwheel. A pinwheel of wealth and debt. The more I made, the more I spent to the point I was working to  keep up with my lifestyle and my relationship with God suffered. I stopped attending church regularly which means I was putting work before church. Although I tithed, I would tithe monthly instead of weekly putting God before all other bills. I was so in fear of losing my job for fear my life would crumble around me. I was so dependent on my job, my employers, my paycheck that I forgot who provided it all to me. Can you imagine? And may I say, it all happened very slowly and before I knew it, I was in a rabbit hole. The Lord literally had to come to me and tell me like Abraham and so many others, to lay down my job, my security, my things, my marriage and my home to Him and walk away and follow Him. And I did. It has been a long a very hard road with many sacrifices and losses but I am at peace. No longer surrounded by things and excess living. I live a very simple life with simple treasures and I have deep founded joy and peace. The best things in life today are not my BMW, my blackberry, my wardrobe or my jewelry collection or even my financial portfolio but my love for the Lord. My gratitude for His love for me. His forgiveness and allowing me a second chance at life. The best things in life are His restoration and renewal of my marriage and home, my family and the blessed assurance that my Mother went home to be with Him. These are the things that are best in my life...today and always!

Luke 12:15-21

¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”¹⁶ And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Saturday, December 15, 2012

People are going to disappoint you.  Friends, family, children, spouses, parents. No matter how much someone loves you, they are human and they are fallible. The only One that is perfect from all sin and pure in spirit and in truth is our Lord and He will never let you nor I down. His Word tells us He will never leave us nor forsake us and when we obey Him, He honors us. So keep God in the center and everything else will come together. So many wonder why their lives and relationships have problems yet never take accountability that it may be something they are causing. If you are unevenly yoked, your relationship will not be blessed. Same for people who are not tithing, or those having premarital sex...there are consequences to our actions known as sin and when it comes back to us, we look to blame people, places, things and even God. Let's try to repent from it all today and give our life over to Him. When we truly and sincerely do that, we give up our right to our life. It becomes  His and we surrender it to Him. So if you are hurting today, like so many of us are, trust in God today and all His promises. He loves you so much and wants to help you with your pain. All you have to do is come to the end of yourself and submit yourself to Him. You will never find the love you are searching for nor the peace or joy like He has to offer. He is the way, the truth and the life. He will fill every void and wipe every tear. After all His Word declares He heard our cries before they were ever spoken. My prayer for you today is that you hold on to God like you never have before and trust in His Word more than anything else you will ever hear and may your life change and grow in Him. Be blessed in Him today and all that He has to offer. 

Proverbs 3:6

Friday, December 14, 2012

Please try to be sensitive to others. So many people are hurting right now whether it be physically, mentally, emotionally, financially. These times are very dark..that is why we all need a Savior. We believers need to understand our responsibility to the lost. It is not enough that you are saved, your friends and family and take the stance, "we are all good" and not pray for others. We are to go out in the world and preach the gospel to all man kind. It is not pleasing to the Lord to only have concern for your own. Selfishness is a sin, it is not good. Someone actually told my husband that his number one priority was his family and if others had to go to hell because he didn't have enough time to share the Word, then so be it. Wow! I pray right now for anyone that truly feels that in their heart. The Word of God tells us to love others as ourselves, to feed our enemies...it does not tell us at any turn to only care for those that care for us.  A big confusion people have is thinking that being a good person or doing good works earns them favor with God but the truth is we will never be good enough to earn anything with the Lord. His gift of grace was given unto us freely, we did not deserve nor earn it. And we all must know that the Lord goes by our hearts, not our actions. He judges us inwardly, not outwardly therefore all the pomp and circumstance and "show" you are putting on is futile. Let's all come together this Christmas season in love as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus, who exemplifies all that is good and pure. Let's glorify Him by obeying His Word and reaching out to those that are lost. Let's change the world into a better place. Let's make all of our little lights shine. Amen?!

John 15:12

¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

There is no limit or ceiling to what God can do in our lives. I am praying to receive a miracle from the Lord and from my eyes it seems almost impossible. And then I find myself doubting it will happen, which is my own fear. Then I begin to mentally prepare myself for the denial so I won't be too upset. But where is my faith? How on earth is that believing the Lord can do anything through His supernatural power? He tells me that when I delight myself in Him, He will grant my heart's desire and what I am praying for is my true heart's desire so why wouldn't He answer my prayer? He has been guiding me through this process for a long time and through it all the common word He would lay on my heart or show me over and over was FAITH. Faith is defined in the book of Hebrews as "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.". So where is my deep rooted faith? Don't we study and worship and pray for these very moments? Moments of truth? Moments of answered prayers? I have been waiting for this for so long I am nervous. But my husband is my rock and He reminds me God is faithful and we are to be thankful because God has already answered our prayer. We thank Him for His promise of restoration (Jeremiah Chapter 33) and wholeness. The trap is when we get caught up in our own limitations, instead of focusing on God; for there is no limit to God and what He can do. He can do anything and all He wants for me to do is believe that deep down in my heart and I am declaring today, right now, that I do believe in God's power. For He tells me in Jeremiah 29:11, " For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". The Lord promises us great and mighty things and I believe!

³ ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

There is power in our words.  In one sentence we can encourage and uplift another or discourage and dishearten. How many times over the course of your life have you regretted something you said? I cringe at those moments for I was so immature in spirit and in body. But if we can only study up on and learn what the Lord thinks and tells us of our mouths, we would truly see how we can breathe life or death in a moment's time. I pray for my husband's workplace everyday and it is a good thing for you to...I pray everyday that everyone in his office speak life through their words, not death. That everyone speaks words of encouragement and of hope, not criticism and negativity. How easy it is for us to be an encouragement for someone else today. Thanking someone, wishing someone a blessed day, telling someone they did a great job. I loved my Mom for so many reasons but one thing she always would do is tell a store manager when an associate was kind and did a good job. She would always start out by telling  them that reason she would take the time to praise their employee was because she felt managers are only told about things when someone messed up or did somethingwrong, never when they did a good job, so she would take the extra time and seek out the manager...always! She was so awesome at speaking life. I used to call her on my way to work and thank her for being the way she was because she taught me how to be. I used to always try to uplift my employees and praise them when they did something good, instead of just criticize them when they did something wrong. I believe it helped build their self esteem and confidence.. And I always would give and still do, all glory and honor to God. I recently went for my annual doctor's examine and was called with the news that my test came back negative and I exclaimed, "Praise God for the good news". There was dead silence on the other side of the phone but you know what? She may have been encouraged by that. The Lord tells us to be the light in the dark world. To be the salt where there is sin. And we can do it not only with our hearts and actions but also through our words. So breathe life. Meditate on Proverbs 18:21 and ask the Lord to guard your tongue from sin and death. Be someone's blessing today. Make someone's day today. You will please God to no end. Have a wonderful day in Him. And remember Jesus loves you!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

God's timing is always perfect. He is never too late and never too early. Our faith truly can be tested during our times of waiting but it builds character and builds our trust in Him. And He is worth the wait. I believe that when we truly give our hearts and lives to Him and commit our ways to His, then waiting is par for the course. There is no other way than His will so why angst for it? I know my God's delays are never His denials, but simply His timing. So whatever it is you have been praying for, wait upon Him. Don't give in or give up. He will answer your prayer more perfectly than you could ever imagine. So keep the faith and hold on to Him all of your days. 

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14

Monday, December 10, 2012

John 13:34-35

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Do you genuinely empathize for others less fortunate than you? Do you give it a moment's thought or none at all? Do you secretly thank God it isn't you? Do you blame them for their situation? Do you take the stance, "the less I know, the better off I am?" Don't be ashamed for being honest with yourself when answering these questions. I truly believe one of the reasons why the Lord instructed us to love others as ourselves and to pray for our enemies, is because it is one the hardest things to do. It is easy to feel sympathy for a loved one or to lend a hand to a close family member or friend but pray for an enemy? Show kindness to a total stranger? Much more difficult but isn't that the kindness Jesus showed when He walked this earth as a man? He broke bread with the outcasts and chose the unlikeliest of men to be His disciples. The point is we need to stop walking through life with our rose colored glasses on and ignorant mindsets. It is rude, it is obnoxious and it is not of God. We are to represent His light and His goodness and show love, not hate. We judge way too much,especially lately during these economic times. People blasting others for being on government assistant programs and feeling as though those people are lazy and taking advantage while others are left holding the bill. Do you really believe that every single person on unemployment, welfare, disability, food stamp programs etc....are beneath you? Would God view them as such or count us all as His children? The bible said God did not show favoritism Romans 2:11 so why do you believe you are more special in His eyes? I am not trying to come off as I am perfect and how dare you. I am simply trying to provoke a meaningful deep conversation that deserves to be had. So I challenge you to truly examine your heart and see if there is not someone in your life that is hurting or struggling and you have yet to lend a hand or an ear? This time of year appears to be the happiest season of all but for many, it is the loneliness, saddest and most depressing times. After losing my Mom early this summer I am experiencing my first holiday without her. Christmas in New York City was where she and I (and then we eventually allowed my husband to join in on the fun!) celebrated our time together for over 15 years. Radio City, the Rockettes, dinners and Broadway shows, The Nutcracker, Rockefeller Center lighting of the Christmas tree, Saks 5th Avenue light show, Bloomingdale shopping....it is a devastating loss and this time of year is brutal. All I want is for others to be sensitive to it, show empathy to me and be aware. So today, let's seek the Lord to see who else we could bless with His love today and let's get our minds off ourself. It will do us all some good. 

Sunday, December 9, 2012

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[e] to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:23-25

Financial blessings do not necessarily reflect God's favor. I used to think it did but then I would think about all the wonderful preachers and missionaries who truly live their lives for God and many are far from rich. In fact the Lord tells us in the scriptures how difficult it will be for many rich men to ever enter heaven because so many look to money as their god. They try to find their happiness from people, places and things. Many people place more importance on making their almighty dollar than worshiping our Almighty Father. I worked in an environment for over twenty years where obtaining financial wealth was everyone's number one goal. To watch who out did who with the jewelry, the houses and the automobiles were countless years of entertainment. I was around people who would sell themselves out and their families for the big bucks. I would be attacked and accused falsely of things simply because people hated me or were threatened by me. I never sold out and I never rose up the ladder by knowing someone, I rose up the ladder by hard work, God's favor, and God's gifts. But even I lost sight after awhile and forgot the One who gave me all my successes. But I am so grateful the Lord loved me enough to ask me to lay it all down for Him. And I am so thankful I obeyed Him that day. And when I reflect back, I think "how on earth could I ever think that God favored those men and women because they had wealth"? A lot of times people gain riches through lying, cheating and stealing. So how could God ever honor that with His favor?  So don't ever make the same mistake I did by equating God's favor with the riches of this world. And I will leave you with one name? Jesus. 

Saturday,December 8, 2012

Stop letting your past dictate your future.  I believe we need to learn from our past mistakes, repent for our sins to God then accept His forgiveness and live in the present. Allow the Lord's grace to free us and live in His peace. So many suffer from self guilt, they simply cannot grasp the Lord's never ending love for them. Yet the bible tells us that there is no condemnation in Christ. Others use their past as their excuse for their current life's situation. They will play the blame game and not take accountability for what it is that may be causing them issues now. The Lord never says He is the Great I Was, not the Great I Will Be, no He calls Himself the Great I Am. And that means we are to live in Him now. Embrace today for all its glory. Be victorious in Christ and respect the past for it formed your present. Live in His presence for it is a true gift for God.  Just love yourself, forgive yourself and allow yourself to experience the abundance of Christ's blessings. You deserve it, He loves you and He forgives you. By His stripes we are healed from all we once said and did and we are called His children. Make this a new day in Christ Jesus and live in His tender mercy. 

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.   Isaiah 43:18-19

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.    2 Corinthians 5:17

Friday, December 7, 2012

Proverbs 31: 10-31 Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

^10 [b]A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.

¹² She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Matthew 7:7

New International Version (NIV)

Ask, Seek, Knock

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Proverbs 6:16-19
16 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out liesand a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

"If Jesus ordained it, He will sustain it". - Unknown

When we follow God's will for our lives, we can rest assure that His grace will uphold us.  I remember one time driving to work after purchasing a pretty expensive car with a hefty payment and I just suddenly panicked and He quietly spoke to my heart and told me, "I will sustain you." And He did. I never forgot how at peace I was knowing God was with me.  I to this day recall that promise and I know when I am doing what God intended for me, no matter how unknown it is, I will be taken care of.  My husband and I tell ourselves often that the Will of God will never lead us where the Grace of God cannot keep us. I think we need to stop worrying so much, planning so much and looking so far ahead. I believe the Lord lights our path at each step of faith taken and He guides us all the way home. There is no need to plot and plan when we should pray for nothing more than for our lives to be according to His plan and live as such. If the Lord's will is for me to do something than why would I question it or analyze it? I should just do it with the blessed assurance of God. What ever it is you are facing that has you wondering or pondering, pray to the Lord and ask Him to reveal if it lines up with His plan for you. If we speak to the Lord He will listen and if we quiet our voice, He will speak so simply go before Him for guidance and you will be granted the deepest of peace. I remind my husband of this when his minds starts to wonder about this or that. I tell him we cannot change our past prior to given our hearts to God and all we can do is live each day glorifying Him. Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace. It is as simple as that.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 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. Romans 12: 1-2

Monday, December 3, 2012

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

There is power in the blood of Jesus.  He is omnipotent and all sovereign and so worthy to be praised. He is all the names above but I love to call him my Father. My best friend, my attorney, my financial planner, my house manager, my counsel, my physician, my veterinarian, my pilot, my everything. I love Him more than anything or anyone on this earth. If you never accepted Jesus into your heart and made Him your Lord and Savior, I sure do encourage you to do so. Simply confess to Him you are a sinner and are powerless over your sins and ask Him to come into your heart to dwell within you. Commit your ways to Him and He will become your Lord and you will be saved. Saved means to be saved from the flames of eternal damnation into hell, which is a very real place that exists and it is where all those people go that do not believe. 

The bible tells us in Revelations ..But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”  

I believe the Lord is coming back soon and is drawing many to Him. His desire is for all of us to be with Him in Heaven forever and every warning, every time someone speaks to you about the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is Him knocking on your heart. He is simply using me as a vessel to get to you. So if you have yet to answer the door of your heart and invited Him in, may this be the day you do. I will lift you and your family up in prayer and believe you are ready to receive His free gift of grace. John 3:16

Sunday, December 2, 2012

God will return on our spiritual investments in His perfect time. Some people give up when they don't reap a mighty harvest in five minutes.  Your investment will come back to you big time, more than you can possibly imagine. God's children will never be beggars  Sometimes it takes years. If you sow generously, you will reap generously. We are to give systemically, not emotionally. We are to give first our tithes, not our leftovers. Put the Kingdom of God first, for He will provide. Trust in Him and you will see Him pour out favor onto you and He will use you to spread out the message of salvation. When people read the Wall Street Journal and watch the stocks rise and fall, I rely on my financial planner to watch over my financial portfolio. I have peace and sleep with ease. I will never worry what I will eat, drink or wear. I will never worry about shelter for my Lord reigns over high and He will provide. So where do you invest your money...your time? The devil wants you immobilized in your current situation and wants to rob you of your riches but don't let him. Take back what the enemy stole and break the chains of bondage. Seal your home, seal up your family, children, friends, by believing in God's restoration. Sow seeds of wisdom and you reap a harvest of prosperity. So whatever you have done up until now is done. But you can change your sowing this point forward. Stop saying there is not enough to tithe and you cannot afford to, for I will say you cannot afford NOT to. Keep the Word in your heart by hearing it, speaking it, believing it and hold on to the Word you hear. Obey the Lord and give and as Jeremiah 33:3 says  ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

Saturday, December 1, 2012

John 3:16

New International Version 

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

We live in a world that  is trying to get rid of God. You watch on the news how people are offended by the nativity scene during the holiday and u wonder why is there a war on God and Christianity? You hear the debate on the tree whether it should be called a Christmas tree or a holiday tree. It fascinates me as I think on it and the Lord laid on my heart that no matter how hard the world tries to rid themselves of Him, it is impossible. The reason why is our conscience,which means with knowledge. The bible tells us our conscience bears witness to God's law, which are the 10 Commandments and it is true. Just think you don't have to believe in God to know it is wrong to lie, steal, murder or commit adultery... your conscience bears witness to yourself that it is. This is what Jesus meant when He said He would write the law on our hearts  That no matter where we go, God is always with us because we have the knowledge of good and evil. This is the very reason why we need a Savior. See what the world doesn't understand is, it is not about religion or behavior modification but what it is about is we are born with a disease called sin and this is a fact of life. The only way we are able to come to God and be in His presence, is through the One He sent, who is our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Have you accepted Christ today? Have you taken one of God's greatest gifts which is free will and freely chosen Jesus to come into your heart and be Lord of your life? Do you have the courage to own up to your sin and admit that you are a sinner and ask God for His forgiveness to repent and ask the Lord to change. To be born again of the Spirit is the transformation from the inside out; it is the changing of your heart, the renewal of your mind and the saving of your soul from eternal damnation. Let me encourage you all, my friends, that I say this with love...Jesus is standing at the door of your heart knocking, waiting for you to answer. Won't you invite Him in? 

"since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them" Romans 2:15

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me". Revelations 3:20