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Inventions of the mind

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (AMP) The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

I was reading Nehemiah chapter six as it was instructed in my Faith to Faith Devotional yesterday and something stood out at me. When a group of people heard that the wall had been rebuilt and there was no way to breach the gate (there were no doors to the gate at the time) they wanted to meet face to face with Nehemiah. Their intentions were not to talk things out, but to harm him. He refused. Four times they requested and he refused. The report back to him was that they heard a revolt was planned and they were planning on making Nehemiah their king. They said that if he did not come out and meet they were going to send a report to the Persian King. I love Nehemiah’s response, because it lined up with the scriptures above.

Nehemiah 6:8 (AMP) I sent a message to him, saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done; you are inventing them in your own mind.”

I do not know about you, but I have moments like the men outside the walls. We can act super spiritual and say that the Holy Spirit is revealing these things to us (that the spirit gift of discernment is at work.) I am so grateful that I have the husband that I do. This is why it is important that you have people in your life that are grounded in the Word, and for you to be grounded as well. When I start to allow the imaginations to run in my mind, I think a phrase or a look is directed with evil intent, I need to reel it back.

My husband is in a series called “Focus.” This is a year of distractions and we need to be focused on Kingdom purpose. Then he has branched to the subpart called “Assurance.” Assurance being the state of mind free from doubt. Now he has sub-parted off of that to “When the Enemy Attacks.” The first place the enemy will attack is your mind. It is not going to be a one time thing either. That is his point of entry. The whole point in attacking your mind is because he wants you to accept the lies that he tells, the Word in how he twists it. Then his goal is to rile up your emotions to you responding the way that is contrary to the Word (see Galatians 5).

Romans 12:2 (NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Ephesians 6, verses 10 through 20 tells us to put on the full armor of God. The renewing of the mind and the full armor of God are things we need to do daily. There are days I can honestly say that I do not feel like it either. We want to quote the lines from a famous song, “Jesus, take the wheel.” That is not His job, He is making intercession for us. We have to make the choice. Joshua 24:15a was explained very well in service yesterday. In the NIV it says, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” It is not always desirable to renew our minds. It is not always desirable to turn off the shows that cause us to become anxious (the news included). Our spirit man has been saved, but we still have our own fleshly desires we have to put in line (which includes our minds). Today, I choose to cast down those thoughts, those plots I can see forming (only in my head), and choose to think on what God sees (Philippians 4:8).

Happy Monday! Be blessed!!

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In Pursuit

1 Peter 3:11 (AMPC) Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]

Back when I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, in 1998, there was a couple of popular books going around. There was, Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and, The God Chasers by Tommy Tenney. This verse made me think of the later. I still have my copy of the book with all my highlights and notes from when I first read it. Rereading the introduction this paragraph stood out to me, “The difference between the truth of God and revelation is very simple. Truth is where God’s been. Revelation is where God is. Truth is God’s tracks. It’s His trial. His path, but it leads to what? It leads to Him. Perhaps the masses of people are happy to know where God’s been, but true God chasers are not content to just to study God’s trail, His truths; they want to know Him. They want to know where He is and what He’s doing right now.”

This has been my hearts desire and why I started Desiring for More. Yes, we are saved by the drawing of the Holy Spirit. You cannot pursue after something that you have no knowledge of.

Mark 10:46-52 (AMP) Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road [as was his custom]. When Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and say, “Jesus, Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!” Many sternly rebuked him, telling him to keep still and be quiet; but he kept on shouting out all the more, “Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, telling him, “Take courage, get up! He is calling for you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni (my Master), let me regain my sight.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith [and confident trust in My power] has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road.

The sovereignty of God has come to the point that people accept their place in life, their illnesses, their living situations everything they are as God’s will for our lives. “If He wanted something different for me, He will bring me out of it” mentality. Or, “I am just waiting on God to come through for me.” I know I am stepping on Sovereign toes (golden calves), but there are many times that we see pursuit of God before freedom, the break through, the healing. I know of people who burn sage in their homes to ward off evil spirits. That is weird to me, when I know the One that makes the demons tremble.

Pursuit is not a bad thing. Pursuit does come with expectations though. It may be the disappointments that have caused believers to stop pursing after God. Maybe it is just not knowing that they could. It is up to the ones that are chasing to disciple others in that pursuit. There is something true about fire that we can relate to. If you get close to a fire you will either use it to get warm; you can get closer and you can start to burn; or we could make the choice to jump in and we can catch on fire ourselves. Just like the levels of intensity, we choose the level we want to be at.

I pray this encourages you to pursue! Pursue whatever it is that you have a need of in your life. I pray that you discover that in your pursuit that it is Jesus that you see that meets that need (see John 4:46-47; Mark 1:23-28; Mark 1:40-45; Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 9:1-8; Matthew 9:18-26; Matthew 9:27-31; Matthew 15:22-28). In also encourage you that you do not seek after a relationship to get, but you do like Bartimaeus and follow.

Matthew 6:33 (AMPC) But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.

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Give me the giants

Joshua 14: 7-12 (AMP) I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout the land [of Canaan], and I brought a report back to him as it was in my heart. My brothers (fellow spies) who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the Lord my God completely. So Moses swore [an oath to me] on that day, saying, ‘Be assured that the land on which your foot has walked will be an inheritance to you and to your children always, because you have followed the Lord my God completely.’ And now, look, the Lord has let me live, just as He said, these forty-five years since the Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, look at me, I am eighty-five years old today. I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so is my strength now, for war and for going out and coming in. So now, give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke that day, for you heard on that day that the [giant-like] Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.”

I love this part of Caleb’s story. I have had my spirit crushed before with expectations of people, specifically them not meeting my excitement of the journey ahead. Caleb was tenacious. He persevered even when they did not match his excitement (see Numbers 13). God rewarded Him for that.

There are times that you will be ready to move forward when those that you love are not ready to move at the same pace. Keep moving forward anyways.

I spent the day traveling three hundred and eighty two miles from home (nearly a six hour drive) to be at the Palm Coast Holy Spirit Conference this week. My husband and I planned this trip months ago. We brought our teenage sons along with us. A couple in our church are also attending. My prayer is that no matter what our ages, that we will have the excitement as Caleb did. “Give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke that day!” If not, then my prayer is lined up with Elisha for the servant with him, when the enemy army was surrounding them in 2 Kings 6:17 (AMP), then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.

We will have giants come before us that we will have to overcome. I get excited about the giants, because I know that growth comes from fighting giants. I understand that not everyone is excited about a challenge like I am. I might let you discourage me for a moment, but I am going after that giant eventually. Giant slayers are strong! Giant slayers gain momentum. Giants slayers eventually take that mountain!!!

Wherever you are I pray that you do not give up. I pray that you look up to the promise and tell God that you will do what you need to do to conquer that mountain, even slay a giant if you have to!

Have a blessed week!

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Closet Clean Out

Psalms 139:23-24 (AMP) Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

Our hearts are the most important muscle in our bodies. We often focus on our outward appearance and our outward change that we lose focus on the most important things that need t be dealt with…our issues of the heart. The personal things we hide deep in our hearts.

Ephesians 4:22-25 (AMP) That, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires, and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude], and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation]. Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].

So many of us put our faith in Christ as our Savior…but fail to allow Him to be redeemer, our healer, our restorer. Christ has done everything He needs to be done to be One with us. God lives in me, He sees me, He hears, me, He loves me and He understands me. People may not always understand you, but Jesus will always understand you.

When the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt, there were promised a new land, a new life…the land of mile and honey! But along the way it was evident that even though they were physically delivered from the bondage of slavery…their hearts were still being held captive! Almost every time that things did not go the way they thought it should have they reverted back to Egypt, “we would have been better off back there.”

One of the enemies best weapons to stop your spiritual growth is to get you “back there.” Back to the place of regret, back to the place of hurt, back to the place where sins of the flesh ruled you. We will never live in a land of promise wishing you were “back there.”

This sounds a lot like the closets we keep in our homes. I have a size ten dress that I am very much trying to get back into. I succeeded a few years ago, then put the pounds on again. I did not get back to the size twenty I started with, but I did creep up a bit. That does not mean I have let that dress go. The closet, attic, garage are usually the places we hold everything from our past. We keep it there just in case. What are we holding onto that needs to go?

Realize this, we are in a process of progress! Daily we have to allow God to come in and deal with the issues we have in our heart.

Philippians 3:12-13 (AMP) Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christ like] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead… Paul is saying that he has not “arrived” yet. He has more to work on, there are areas he needs to decrease in so that God can increase. One thing he says for sure the he had to get a hold on…Forgetting the Past! You cannot live in the past and have a future. Stay focused on what lies ahead, and leave what was behind. Verses 14-16 (AMP),  I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us stay true to what we have already attained.

Keep on keeping on! You may have been put down. You may have been counted out. You may have been bruised. You may have been falsely accused. You may have been let down, trampled on, talked about and left to fend for yourself…but remember that you have been made a new creation. Old things have been passed away, behold all things have been made NEW!!! Each day you put on the renewed mind set, clean up the intimate areas we allow God to reside in, take out the trash and keep on going!!

The things that have been hidden away… the hurts and the let down that we try to keep to ourselves, the beat down that my mind tries to do to me daily… NO LONGER will I put up with it! That is not who I am any more. I am a child of God, made in His image, for HIS purpose. Get into our closets, get rid of the junk and live a new life in Christ!

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Quality Time

Philippians 1:6 (AMP)  I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].

God is not going to ask me to do something and then not give me the power to complete it. A few weeks ago I did a post called, “Where is your spot?” I wrote about the importance of having a spot that you can go to throughout the day and spend time with God. My spot just so happens to be in my living room. It is a room that I spend quality time fellowshipping with God. It is also the room (in our house) that holds what influences our lives, if we let it, a television. I remember the days when we did not have televisions in every room like we do now. Now we walk and have the ability to watch whatever we want with our phones!

The things we meditate on, spend time with, is what we will become. The more we spend time with it…the more we allow it to become a part of our thoughts, attitude and behavior. We are all doing to do two things: 1) we are either going to influence or 2) we are going to be influenced. Influence defined is “the power to change or affect someone or something; it is the power to cause changes without directly forcing them to happen. The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.“

God wants to have an open door to come into “Living Room” and remodel what we are allowing to influence our lives. Our success in life is dependent on what we meditate on and observe. The Word of God tells us to think on good things, things that build us up and not tear us down. The things we meditate on and observe will influence our thoughts, our thoughts affect our words, our words precede our actions and our actions define our life.

Philippians 4:8-9 (AMP)  Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].  The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you.

Guard the gate to your heart. Gates allow or stop things coming in and our of our hearts of our home. There are two very important gates: 1) the eye gate, and 2) the ear gate. The things we allow in these gates will either help build or destroy our house. A city can have great walls around it, but if the gates are not guarded (no matter how great the walls are) the enemy has free access to enter.

This was a needed reminder for me as I like to binge watch shows on Netflix. When we are at a restaurant, how many times do I pick up my phone to look at Instagram? This was just came to my mind this morning to help me get back on focus. Getting back to my living room as a place of fellowship. I pray this blesses you as well!

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Where does worry lead?

In the times we live in today it is easy to just spill out our opinions for the world to read. Is that not what blogging and social media was created for? It is easy to follow into the flow of judgement and dishonor. I am guilty of it myself. I try my best not to let it out on social platforms, but I can tell you I have to battle this stuff in my mind.

Pastor Steven Furtick posted late last night, “Father, we worship you in the moment. I declare dreams come alive in this moment, hope come alive in this moment. Do what only You can do, God. Resuscitate, revive, restore, move, heal, save, deliver. Spirit of God, have Your way in our lives. Have Your way in our situation. Nobody is greater than You. Amen.” As I read that this morning I had this unction to cast down the thought of disappointment of people and practice honoring them anyways.

Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].” (AMP)

That means that whatever I think, whatever I post, whatever I speak about should line up with this so that I can get that heart change. I do not want to dwell on the other stuff, because I do not want it to effect my heart. I do not need to dwell on when they did not show up, that does not mean I have to stop showing up for them. When I choose to honor, when I choose to see the value and virtue in others, I am glorifying my Father.

Philippians 4:4-7 (AMP) “Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].”

“Let your gently spirit be known to all people.” To be honest, most of the time I can admit that I do not fall into this category. That does not mean that I do not want to. I desire to be gentle. I desire not to worry so much, which I can say is the root of why I do not walk in grace, mercy, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance and patience at all times. There are times that they will flow out of me and I praise God in those moments, because that is reflecting a work in me. It shows that the Lord is near. That is where I desire to be, where the Lord is near. Worry is not there, peace is. Worry does not lead to honor.

Jesus even says in Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life….” Jesus goes on to talk about food and clothing,but how about relationships? Thoughts and rehearsals of conversations you have had? Events that you were not invited to? People who do not show up for you? This is all rooted in worry, which will ultimately distract us. I am done with being distracted! I want to be free of worry. Verse 27 Jesus says, “And who of you by worrying can add one hour to (the length of) his life?” This is what He does tell us to do, verse 33, “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.”

Alright God, I hear what you are telling me today. Putting my focus back on you. Laying down the thoughts and worries of yesterday and the days to come. I am going to worship and praise moment by moment today. Worry brings distractions and I am tired of being distracted!

Praying for you all this week!! Be blessed!!!

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Where is your spot?

In our homes we have many rooms, but there is one room you spend most of your time in. For me it is my living room. We have a separate “Man Cave” that my husband likes to spend his time in, but I have a room right in the middle of the house that lets the sun it. You could say it is the brightest room in the house. I can sit and read for hours in that room. At night it is the room that I curl up and watch a movie with my thirteen year old (my seventeen year old has gotten into online gaming and spend his nights in his room now). I have a “spot” on the couch that I sit in. When I get up, my son or the dog likes to get into the “spot.”

This is the “spot” that I do my daily reading and prayer. Do you have a “spot” that you have separated for this very purpose? In my “spot” I have books and highlighters placed on a table in front of me. They remain there so that I do not have to gather them daily.

It was not always like that for me. I knew what Joshua 1:8 said, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful. (AMP)” How much effort do we actually put into the study of the Word? We may go and listen to the preacher, listen to sermons on a podcast and occasionally read the Bible, but have we actually made reading the Word a major part of our lives? I know personally I could do better. Let us face it, most of us are lazy (I even nap daily in my spot), and want things just handed to us; however, that is not the way things work in the Kingdom. Honestly, if we are not willing to put into it, we should not expect much out of it.

Psalm 1:1-2 (AMP) Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.

How much time do we actually spend thinking about the Word of God? If we are having areas of problems in our life, the answer to this question might be a reason why. A lazy mindset is a true setup for failure. The lazy mindset that the Israelites had was one of the things that kept them in the wilderness for forty years making an eleven day trip. People who always have to have someone else pushing them will never really do anything great. Those who only do the right thing when someone is watching will not get very far either. We must be motivated from within, not from without. We must live our lives before God, knowing that He sees all and that our reward will come from Him if we persist in doing what He has asked us to do.

Take action today, take a step today and respond to the call to spend time in His Word. Learn and grow in the knowledge of God!

Isaiah 26:3 (AMP) “You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].“

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Loner – not a spiritual gift

Have you been struggling with relationships in your church? My husband is in a series called “Focus: Assurance.” He talked about the born again believer still walking in darkness. Really? Yes, we can walk around as a born again believer and not reap the benefit of this life. How? God gave us: 1) His Word (Jesus); 2) His Spirit (Holy Spirit); 3) His Body (each joint supplying the other); and 4) His five fold Ministry gift to us. Then he said we walk in lack due to self inflicted blindness of God’s will. God gave us the body for a purpose. It was not just someplace to go on Sundays, it has to do with your stewardship as well. Are we being a good steward with the call to disciple? Are we being a good steward with our talents? Are we being a good steward with our knowledge?

If you want your heart to follow after the things that God’s heart is after – the local church and reaching the lost – put your treasure there. Your heart will follow. – The Blessed Life by Robert Morris

We cannot keep going at it on our own. Attendance and serving when when you go is great, but are we are getting the full benefit. The benefit is not just the Word that comes forth. It is the value you see in each other and the fellowship with the body.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (AMP) Just as the human body is one, though it has many parts that together form one body, so too is Christ. For by one Spirit we all were immersed and mingled into one single body. And no matter our status—whether we are Jews or non-Jews, oppressed or free—we are all privileged to drink deeply of the same Holy Spirit.

Yes, it is going take trust. It is worth seeing the growth in each other!

Giving is not just finances. It is of your talents, it is of your knowledge, it is of your wisdom.

When God’s people catch a revelation of giving – when God does a work in their hearts – they begin to want to serve in their churches. They want to help the children’s ministry grow. They want the church to have a good youth ministry, a powerful praise team, and a blessed staff. They want to be generous in missionary giving. The whole atmosphere in a church changes when people catch a revelation of generosity, tithing and giving. – The Blessed Life by Robert Morris

This all ties to stewardship…our relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit, the body and the five fold ministry. Are we being good stewards with the gifts He has given to us?

I have to have a better relationship and receive more from the body that I am called to. I have to set down the strongholds that are keeping me from trusting and receiving the gifts that of the body. I have to see them as God’s created and redeemed!

Joyce Meyer wrote a devotional, Love Out Loud, called “Let Me See You Smile.” In it she was encouraging us to be friendly. She writes, “For years I excused myself from being friendly by saying, ‘That you isn’t me, I have a lot on my mind, a lot of responsibility, and I am more of a loner,’ but I realized that ‘loner’ is not listed as a gift in the Bible. Thinking of ourselves as ‘loners’ is simply an excuse to avoid the often messy business of being vulnerable.”

Be confident in this that God gave us His body as a gift. Receive it and enjoy every aspect. Have a blessed week!

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See the created and the redeemed

Ephesians 4:16 (TPT) For his “body” has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.

Without a relationship with the Holy Spirit you will not see the body that you are called to in His image. What do I mean by that? There is not a person in the Bible (except Jesus) that did not have an issue with what they saw in the people God called them to. When we start getting close to people we can fall into the trap of identifying them by the flaws that they have instead of the benefits to your life. We are so quick to cut people out of our life when they disappoint us, anger us, hurt our feelings, etc. Yes, the ones that do not want the best for you separate from, but a member that wants to help and their help might have hurt your feelings.

We are His Created and Redeemed. Isaiah 48:12-13,17 (AMP) “Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called; I am He, I am the First, I am the Last. “My hand founded and established the earth, And My right hand spread out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand together [in obedience to carry out My decrees]. CREATED This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says,“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit (benefit), Who leads you in the way that you should go. REDEEMED Start seeing each other as God’s created and redeemed!

1 Corinthians 12:21-26 (TPT)  It would be wrong for the eye to say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” and equally wrong if the head said to the foot, “I don’t need you.”  In fact, the weaker our parts, the more vital and essential they are. The body parts we think are less honorable we treat with greater respect. And the body parts that need to be covered in public we treat with propriety and clothe them. But some of our body parts don’t require as much attention. Instead, God has mingled the body parts together, giving greater honor to the “lesser” members who lacked it. He has done this intentionally so that every member would look after the others with mutual concern, and so that there will be no division in the body.  In that way, whatever happens to one member happens to all. If one suffers, everyone suffers. If one is honored, everyone rejoices.

We are connected. What profit is it not to see the value in others, because you do not think they know what you have been through? Receive the gift anyways. There are those who have knowledge and wisdom in areas. Why not tap into that? Are you afraid they are going to be like Job’s friends and say that everything you are going through is your fault or you deserve it? Well, you might have some people like that, but that does not mean you cut them out of your life. I have been that person and I have been on the receiving end of it as well. That will definitely make me want to go into hiding, but the benefit of the body outweighs the chances of trying to go at it alone.

2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (TPT) My friends at Corinth, our hearts are wide open to you and we speak freely, holding nothing back from you. If there is a block in our relationship, it is not with us, for we carry you in our hearts with great love, yet you still withhold your affections from us. So I speak to you as our children. Make room in your hearts for us as we have done for you. In the Message Translation it says, Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively! Blocking relationships withing the body that you are called to can make you feel small and insignificant. Start living your life in a bigger way!

Get back into the local church and get plugged in! Get into some relationships when they have fellowships and gatherings, make up your mind to not stay away any longer. Start seeing them as the created and the redeemed…a gift to Him and to you. Be blessed!

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Do like the otters do

Yesterday was Mother’s Day and I got to bring the message to our church. I am a mother of two handsome teenage boys. I am married to their amazing father, and have been for going on twenty one years this month. However, I was raised by a single mother for most of my childhood (from the age of four to twelve). My mother took us out of an abusive home, to start over with nothing, and did not remarry until I was almost a teenager. In that time she was single she went to night school, we moved from living together in a bedroom at my grandparents (there were four of us), to moving into section eight housing and then she bought a home while I was still in elementary school. We took dance lessons and she was at our dance recitals. We played softball and she was one of the coaches. My academics did not suffer because I was in a home of a single parent.

According to The Life of a Single Mom Ministries founder, Jennifer Maggio, “There are approximately 23 million single moms in the United States. And with divorce rates at approximately 50% and 1 in every 2 babies being born outside marriage, these numbers are expected to rise. 67% of today’s single parents are not actively attending a local church.” There are many reasons, number one is that they do not think they will be accepted. The church will not understand or be compassionate of what they are going through. A third of my church is made of of women that have been or are currently single mothers.

Church it is time to do like the otters do. I googled otters and this is what came up, “To prevent themselves from floating away in the swirling sea while they sleep, sea otters often entangle themselves in forests of kelp or giant seaweed to provide anchorage. … This is also the reason why they hold hands. They do so in order to prevent themselves from drifting away from the group.“

I was watching a show on Hulu, called Station 19, and in this episode some of the firefighters were on a dinner cruise. A couple of the guys go off to have a private conversation, one being the chief, he clutches his chest and falls over the rails. The other firefighter just jumps in after him. Another firefighter witnesses this and grabs a life vest to put on himself, a life preserver for some one to grab onto, then jumps in. He tried to alert the crew inside running the boat, but they were not responding, so no one else knows that they have all just jumped overboard and are floating at tight in the Pacific. The boat is gone from sight in minutes. The one with the life vest suggested they do like the otters do, hold hands so they do not drift apart and help each other stay afloat. The chief is dead and floating in the life preserver, the one without the vest refuses and says he will just hold onto the dead thing (which is going to eventually sink). This is where I got my message for Sunday. God said, this is the state of the church right now. They do not see the gift of the body that He put together to strengthen us. Yes, He gave us the Holy Spirit, but He did not create us to be alone separated from His body (the church).

We like to quote Philippians 4:13, I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace] (AMP). Check out what Paul says next, verse 14, Nevertheless , it was right of you to share [with me] in my difficulties. In Galatians 6:2, Paul writes, Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love] (AMP). He is writing to believers. He is writing to the churches. He goes on to write in Philippians 4:15-19, And you Philippians know that in the early days of preaching the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I do seek the profit which increases to your [heavenly] account [the blessing which is accumulating for you]. But I have received everything in full and more; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. They are the fragrant aroma of an offering, an acceptable sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights. And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (AMP).

By resisting the body, and the gifts that it has, we are missing out on this heavenly account. By looking at the body as a gift and receiving from each other, blessings can be accumulating for each other. We are called to be generous givers. This is not just talking about finances. This is talking about our talents, our spiritual gifts, our wisdom and knowledge. The early church gave everything to see the needs of each other met. We look at each other through the lens of hurt and do not see how they can or if they would want to be a part of their lives. A healthy church will see the value in each other and will want to see each other succeed, no matter their status in life.

It is time to do like the otters do!