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Second Quarter of 2025 Reads

Colossians 1:9-11 (AMP) For this reason, since the day we heard about it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking [specifically] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [with insight into His purposes], and in understanding [of spiritual things], so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [displaying admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity], to [fully] please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing in the knowledge of God [with deeper faith, clearer insight and fervent love for His precepts]; [we pray that you may be] strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy

The momentum for reading books slowed this quarter (April through June), I have been spending time with people. I have not forsaken getting in the Word. I read Esther through Isaiah, completed my verse-by-verse study of Ephesians (also completing Ephesians Study, Head Held High by Lori Wilhite) and have gotten to chapter three of the book of Galatians doing the same. During this time of studying, I have taken four trips, which is why my book reading was limited to twelve this quarter. Two of the twelve I have ready before and I will tell you why I picked them up again later on, I will also pick just a couple for you to learn about. Here are my books:

  • Get Over It by Kate McVeigh
  • Humility by Andrew Murray
  • The Spirit of Might: A Revelation of Man’s Ability in Christ by Jerry Savelle
  • The Five Levels of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
  • Univited by Lysa TerKeurst
  • The Untapped Power in Praise by Kenneth Hagin, Jr.
  • Mended: Pieces of Life Made Whole by Angie Smith
  • Radiant by Priscilla Shirer
  • Looking for Lovely by Annie F. Downs
  • The Courage to Change by Joyce Meyer
  • She is Free by Andi Andrew
  • X: Multiply Your God-Given Potential by John Bevere

She is Free: Learning the Truth About the Lies that Hold You Captive by Andi Andrew was one of my favorites this quarter. Over the past six years I have been going on a journey in freedom and a lot of what she says is spot on. The chapter titled “Chaos and Real Love” was one that hit home for me. “We have to take responsibility for our own hearts. We’ve got to stop expecting someone to fix them for us.” “Allow Him to search your heart. Be intentional about it and allow Him to lead you in a way that brings real healing and wholeness.” Andi had a hard time with forgiveness with those that were supposed to love her. Healing comes through God only. Get in His Word daily, pray and worship. Put God in the right place in your life. Other Chapter titles were: “Freedom from Unforgiveness, Freedom from Anger, Freedom from Shame, Freedom from Control and Freedom from Isolation.” The lie she writes about, “Isolation from honest and vulnerable relationships will keep me safe from rejection, betrayal, and pain.” I am a woman in ministry, co pastoring with my husband, I had believed that lie before. I had kept people at a distance because I had felt the sting of rejection. Here is what we are doing; by isolating ourselves we are attempting to stop potential rejection when in reality we are simultaneously rejecting the love of God. We are rejecting the possibility of thriving in community, friendships and relationships that are a part of our purpose. Isolation will breed an orphan mentality and here are some characteristics she lists: a sense of being self-defective, lack of identity, self-defense, lack of trust and/ or a sense of deep injustice. The truth that God wants me to know is that I am a daughter, deeply connected to the heart of the Father and my connection to those in a loving community brings healing. There is so much more to this book. It is definitely one that I would recommend.

If you are looking for a quick read, I recommend checking out The Spirit of Might: A Revelation of Man’s Ability in Christ by Jerry Savelle. A quick seventy-seven pages and it was very impactful. Many times, we ask God for wisdom and then try to go out and do it in our own power. This book helps you put your focus on where our power comes. Christ dwelled with the Father, and we need to as well. First thing is do not entertain those negative voices in your head. Secondly, saying God can do it and believing that He wants to are two different things. God wants us to prosper (and that is not just talking about money). Ephesians 6:10 (AMP) “In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might.” Jesus not only had wisdom but the might to back it up, and that was given to Him by the Father. We have that too. God is able and willing, believe it!

The two books I pick up again were X: Multiply Your God-Given Potential by John Bevere and Univited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out and Lonely by Lysa Terkeurst. Two of my all-time favorite authors and they have put out lots of good books. Why do I read these again. First, I believe that stewardship is an important part of being a member of the body of Christ. I glorify God when I build up His body because of His great love for us. We are His temple, and that means I am one part, but what I bring is unique and I cannot keep it to myself. John Bevere challenges you to grow past yourself. Second, loving well comes from being loved and accepting His love. I cannot love others if I am not living loved myself. I first picked up this book by Lysa Terkeurst over six years ago when I had an opportunity to hide in hurt, shame and embarrassment. I chose to hide myself in His Word and allow the broken things in my life to become exposed. I did not want to live with a shell of who I could be any longer. I found freedom in the Word and reading this book. This is one that I have bought for many in hopes they will find love in the only place that is truly fulfilling and empowering. I fell in love with Ephesians 3:16-19 and have held those verses close ever since then. I am rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, and I get to discover just how big that is by living the life He wants for me to live.

I hope this encourages you to read. Most importantly, read your Bible. Reading through the Psalms this time, the words ‘His lovingkindness endures forever’ over and over really drove deep that God is love (1 John 4:8). When He created us in His image, we were created in love. We lost that and sin clothed us in fear. We are clothed in the garment of love (Colossians 3:14) again because of the love of Christ. How amazing His Word is. Do not go a day without reading it. Allow the Word to challenge you and grow you. The Word will bring strength to your soul. Have a blessed week!

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What sting?

1 Corinthians 15:55 (AMP) “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Do you know what happened on the other side of the cross? Victory! Victory over anything that death brought into the garden that day. Paul continues to tell us the Corinthian church and us, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose] (verses 56-58).

I worked in the garden this past week and now I have a rash from either poison ivy (of which I did not think I was allergic to), or the dye in the wet mulch that I was handling. It showed up after being hot because of no air conditioning for Sunday’s service (is that not enemy fighting). I was in prayer and praising God for the feeling of abandonment and rejection no longer being there. Healing comes through praise. Then a thought popped in my mind that I hope that I have not been calloused and the reason was a wall I had created. He told me I had not and assured me that death no longer had victory in that area of my life. I heard, “O death, where is your sting?” The stings were gone. Peace has taken its place. Thoughts of rejection have no power any longer. I can walk into a room and just because no one is speaking to me, not feel completely alone.

I am sure that I will be tested in it again. The devil does not have any new tricks, but he is not good at letting go. He loses his power when you face the obstacle, he laid out head on. That means no more walls and no more running.

Colossians 2:6-7 (TLB) And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote “What shoes are you wearing?” In it I shared about binding your feet with the gospel of peace, from Ephesians 6:15.

“and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news].” These shoes were a part of the weaponry of the Roman soldier. They started at the knees and were made of metal and leather. They were vicious weapons. They wrapped around the calves. Why, because the enemy does not fight fair and looks for weak points. The bottom of the shoe was affixed with sharp, dangerous, protruding spikes. They extended beyond the front of the shoe. The spikes were intended to hold the soldier in place during the battle, making him virtually immoveable.

This is what happens when your roots grow down into Him. This is why we are to meditate on the Word. Making us strong and vigorous. He is my strong tower. I am not hiding from what could possibly be an attack of rejections because I am hidden in Him. I am immoveable.

About six years ago I was sharing something that I was reading from a book by Joyce Meyer. She wrote, “You can spend your entire life dealing with outward symptoms, but the bad fruit will manifest somewhere else if the root is not eliminated. The principle never fails: rotten fruit come from rotten roots, and good fruit comes from good roots. To really deal with bad fruit, you must follow Paul’s admonition to the Colossians to be “deeply planted” in God. You may need to carefully examine your own roots. If they were unpleasant, harmful and abusive, don’t be discouraged; you can be uprooted from the bad soil and transplanted into the good soil of Christ Jesus, so that you become rooted and grounded in Him and in His love. Remember, uprooting can be painful. Being planted and becoming grounded is a process that requires time and effort, but it is by faith and patience that we inherit God’s promises.”

It was a little over six years ago that rejection wanted me to hide. That humiliation wanted me to give up completely. I decided to hide in His Word. There was a battle going on and the victory was going to take my surrender. It has been a process. I have had moments of darkness. The enemy wanted to keep me in a broken state, that relationships are not for people like me. I had to let the walls down so that the roots could be dug up. I am rooted and grounded in Him. My soil is made new because it is not just me in it, it contains the fullness of Christ. Dead things had to go. That is why He reminded me that death no longer has a hold on rejection. There is no sting, because I am free through His victory!

Lord, our Redeemer, our Banner. You are so Marvelous and Worthy of Praise. Thank you for Your Son, our Victory. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Friend. We desire to deeply rooted in Your love. We repent for forming our own weapons and not putting on what You gave us, Your love garment. We desire to be deeply planted and rooted in Christ. With this we will produce good fruit wherever we go. We want to glorify You in everything we say and do. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Release – Even if there is a Scar

1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].

I have a two inch scar on the front of my left knee. It has been there since I was three years old. The picture is of me is when I was just a little over two. I was a rambunctious child and would slide into my wooden toy-box knees first. This resulted in a chipped knee cap that did not show up on the original x-ray. It got to where I could not put my weight on it and had to be hospitalized for a bone infection. I was there for six weeks. At such a young age, my memories of who was there with me if fuzzy (it has been 40 years). I can tell you how I felt, because that stayed with me into my developmental years and into adulthood (even after receiving Christ as my Savior). I felt alone (even though I wasn’t). Feelings of abandonment and rejection, as a result of so many other things that transpired, like my father not choosing to be a part of my life after the divorce. Here is the thing, I do not blame anyone for how I felt. It was no one’s fault that the memory of me being in the hospital at three resulted in feeling alone. Who’s fault was it?

Ephesians 2:1-2 (NKJV) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience

That word course in Greek means aiona – denoting a specific period of time, a specific era or generation. We were trapped, bound to walk that path time and again. I can no longer identify with the course of the world that Christ delivered me from? I had to get free of this thing that was plaguing me and not allowing me to walk in my full freedom that Christ redeemed me from. That may be where I am from and I am not to forget that (so I can show the path of freedom to others), but that does not mean that I have to live there.

I was stuck in a pit of rejection. So much that I even allowed the oppressive spirit of orphan to attach itself to me as a believer. How do we get out of these graves that we did not put ourselves in?

Psalms 40:1-2 (AMP) I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path.

First thing is that you have to want to get out of the pit, but you cannot do it yourself. This is why Jesus came, not just for fire insurance to keep me from hell. Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah), because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy), to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].” (AMP) Are we walking in the fullness of our salvation?

1 Peter 5:6-9 (AMP) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.] 

It is our of pride that we will not seek help. It takes great humility to admit of your struggles. It takes greater humility to desire to get out of the pit. That is what I wanted. I had to surrender everything to Him who redeemed me. I had to get to the root of what was going on, and not just treat the symptoms for them to leak out and put me back in bondage again (Galatians 5:1). The second thing you do after you ask God for help is to release it (cast all your cares). After you release you need to fill that void with the Word. Why? Because that enemy of ours, the devil, is looking for an area of entry. We need to fill our minds, our hearts and our mouths with the Word. That’s what Jesus did, how do you think He was able to live such a victorious life? We are to be imitators of Him (Ephesians 5:1). There is more in me that is getting worked on, that is what working out our salvation means (Philippians 2:12).

It is time to release it. It is time to be free from the strongholds that have kept us in the pits for so long. There is still a very noticeable scar, but it is not a symbol of trauma, it is a symbol of victory. I am free of abandonment, rejection and feeling alone.

Ephesians 1:5 (AMP) He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—

In the time that this was written, the cost of children being high and average families having very few children, this posed a challenge to the senators. Without a male heir, their title and estate would be forfeited. This was the leading cause for adoption in ancient Rome. They adopted adult male heirs. According to Roman law, an adopted child’s debts were erased and transferred to their adoptive father, and they became the heir to that estate. The adopted person would have new rights and responsibilities and the legal records of their history would be expunged (erased). The adopted son was not required to have an untarnished life. The adopted person would be considered the son of the new father, and their past would have nothing to do with it. They cannot identify as an orphan. Therefore, I should never feel alone, abandoned nor rejected.

Ephesians 4:21-24 (AMP) If in fact you have [really] heard Him and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus [revealed in His life and personified in Him],  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].

Start with the ask, then cast. Do not forget the soberness of your mind because the enemy only wants to keep you in bondage. Release it to Him. Trust that He paid the price for every part of your freedom. The scars may not go away, but the effects you do not have to live in any longer.

Abba Father, You are so Wonderful and Marvelous. Thank You for all that You are. Thank You for sending Your Son so that we could be adopted as Your sons and daughters through Him. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit that brings revelation to Your Word. We repent for not stepping into the fullness of the freedom that Your Son set us free from. We are set free and not longer captives to the course of this world, which includes that ways we were brought up. Let us call upon Your Name. Let us cast those cares and concerns to You and fill them up with Your Word. The devil has no place in our hearts and minds any longer. We choose freedom today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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I am hungry!

Matthew 5:6 (AMP) Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.

What is it that we hunger and thirst for? That is what I was praying about the other day. I was praying that we hunger and thirst for the right things. What we hunger and thirst for we begin to crave. My husband and I are foodies. We like finding new restaurants for the most unique dishes to try. I like cooking different types of cuisines and will often make my own twists on dishes. This year I had asked God to take away all my cravings and only crave Him. I looked up ‘what is the biblical definition of righteousness’ through Google and this was I found from Christianity.com:

In Its deeper spiritual meaning, righteousness is the quality of being right in the eyes of God, including character (nature), conscience (attitude), conduct (action), and command (word). Righteousness is, therefore, based upon God’s standard because He is the ultimate Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).

http://www.christianity.com

I have often heard the term that ‘I am now in right standing with God’ and that ‘through Christ I have been made righteous’, but those words out of context can tell us that we can live our lives any way we want to. There is still a standard. Since it was Jesus who spoke the words about hungering and thirsting after righteousness I searched for other times to hunger and thirst.

John 6:35 (AMP) Jesus replied to them, “I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually].”

There was a time in the desert that the devil tempted Jesus to satisfy His hunger by turning a stone into bread (Matthew 4:3). Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy “man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” What was this bread they were referring to. Putting that quote into context, Deuteronomy 8:3 says, “He humbled you and allowed you to be hungry and fed you with manna, [a substance] which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, so that He might make you understand [by personal experience] that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” Manna was a substance that man could not make on their own. There is no recipe for it. If I wanted to show you what manna tasted like I could not recreate it. The ingredients do not exist here. God was showing us that our dependence on His Word would satisfy us.

John 1:1 (AMP) In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

Jesus said that He was the Bread of Life (the Word at the beginning), when we come to Him we will never be hungry again. The Word and Christ are one, just as the Father and Son are one. How can we wrap our understanding around such? Let me ask you a question, how can God feed a whole nation with something that man could never make for themselves? Faith. Faith in His Word (Christ).

Joshua 1:8 (AMP) 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.

Now that I have hit on hunger, let us dive into some scripture about thirst. Jesus told the woman at the well that she would never thirst again from the water that He would give her (John 4:10).

Psalms 1:1-3 (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. And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season; its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].

One of my favorite verses to cling onto is that I am rooted and grounded in the Love of Christ (Ephesians 3:17). I cannot be rooted and grounded into someone that I have no relationship with. If Christ is the Word, then I need to have a relationship with the Word. This is what I have begun to hunger and thirst after. My roots are searching for nourishment. Everything that I need is found in His Word. My right standing, my righteousness, is found in Him. What happens when I try doing something else. God said that it was to bring the people of Israel to humility that He had them to hunger. Do you think He would allow us to thirtst?

Jeremiah 2:13 (AMP) For My people have committed two evils: they have abandoned (rejected) Me, the fountain of living water, and they have carved out their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Due to long times of drought, cisterns were dug to hold water. When a cistern was broken the water became contaminated. It is when we place our trust in anything other than God, that our cisterns are broken. It is when we say the Word does not work. It is when we say Christ might have done that for you, but He did not do that for me. When we do not trust in God and try to make out own way. He is the fountain of Living Water. He is the Bread of Life.

As Lysa TerKeurst writes in her books Made to Crave, we were made to crave after God. How? In the beginning was the Word. Christ being the Bread of Life (the Word made flesh). He being the fountain of Living Waters. I was made to crave after the righteousness of God. I am to hunger and thirst after Him. I am to be rooted and grounded in Him. There is a standard. My right standing cannot be defined by man, it must be Word defined. My righteousness in Christ is not the same as my self-righteousness. Today choose to hunger and thirst after righteousness (the God way).

Abba, Father, Lord and Creator, we honor Your Holy name today. We want to honor You in everything we say and do. Thank You for Your Son, the Word made flesh, the Fountain of Life and the Bread of Life. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, that empowers us to seek after You. We repent for the times we have tried to fill our hunger and thirst with anything that does not line up with Your Word. You tell us to be Holy as You are Holy. You tell us to seek after righteousness, that is Your way of doing things. We are aligning our thoughts with the Word today. We are thankful that we are rooted and grounded in Your Love. We choose to forgive those that we may have blamed for being a root of our depression, our anxiety or even our rejection. We know that we do not have to take root in anything other than You. We are allowing the Holy Spirit to dig up areas that do not reflect Your nourishment. We choose love today. We choose joy today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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A vow from rejection

Ephesians 4:2-3 (AMP) With all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another in [unselfish] love. Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful].

We are in the middle of what we call “Holy Week.” This is the week we are reflecting on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus came to give us restoration. He restored our relationship with the Father, but He also restored us to peace, to fullness and to wholeness. He restored us to Kingdom purpose. So why are we still looking at each other as broken and ready to hurt each other?

We have turned the thoughts that “not everyone will understand us” into “not everyone is for you.” It is okay when others will not understand us, but when not everyone is for us, then we have an enemy. Why? Our thoughts are now they are out for our harm. I have a question. Does the thought that not everyone is for you bring you peace? Does it bring you the desire to seek restoration? Does it bring you the desire to seek unity? Then can we say, does that match the character and nature of God?

Romans 12:14-18 (AMP) Bless those who persecute you [who cause you harm or hardship]; bless and do not curse [them]. Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief]. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty [conceited, self-important, exclusive], but associate with humble people [those with a realistic self-view]. Do not overestimate yourself. Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

I know that when I have thoughts that someone meant to harm me, or they were hoping that I would fail, it does not bring me peace. It brings me anger. It brings hurt. It brings in comparison. It brings the feeling of being unloved. So why is it okay for us to say “not everyone is for us.” The enemy, the devil, is not for us. However, we do not fight against, nor struggle against, flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12).

What if what they said hurt my feelings? What if they did not help me succeed?

I just did a online fundraiser to raise funds for our youth at attend summer camp. I needed to raise $500 for the deposit. We raised $100 of it through them. There was also the option to donate without purchasing the product. We raised another $100 that way. What would your thoughts be if you started seeing people on your feed using the same source (setting up their own fundraisers), but they did not give into yours? It is not for the same cause. What do we do? They did not give into mine, so I am not going to give into theirs? What about when those that you thought would support you, don’t?

How about this real life scenario? I had planned to have my 18th birthday party at my grandmother’s pool. I had also invited a bunch of people. Another girl, in the same grade, had one a few weeks before and lots of people were just having a blast. My party came up and just one of my friends showed up. When I was much younger, this pool was the hangout spot for all the neighborhood kids. You could find my friends and I there just having a blast. Now flash forward to my 40th birthday and it is during the COVID lock down. My family decides to throw a surprise let’s have a car parade party. Sounds fun? Let me tell you it was awkward when not many cars show up. However, I did have more than one friend show up this time.

What does all this have to do with the idea of not everyone is for you? The root of it is rejection. This is the vow we have used to protect our hearts. Will it bring peace? Jesus was sitting at a table knowing that very evening that one of his close friends would betray Him. He still fed Him. He did not tell the others and point him out as “not for us.” He loved him. Jesus said, “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets (Matthew 7:12).” Who is He talking to? Us. The nature of man is to do the opposite. We want to treat others on how they treat us. When Jesus tells us to treat others the way we want to be treated.

My verse at the beginning is a continuation of a thought by Paul. He starts off with: So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]”… In the Modern English Version, Ephesians 4:1 states, “walk in a manner worthy of the calling you were called.” What am a I called to? The ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:10-21). As I mature as a believer, my focus is on reconciliation, not who showed up for me. Have I had moments of immaturity? Yes. By the world’s definition was I right? Yes. However, if I follow the example of the Word I am not. I have had to die to that part of myself. It has been one of the hardest things to do. What does it cost? My pride. What do I gain? Peace. Those vows only bring bondage and I would rather live free.

Father, You are all I desire, not for what You can do for me but for who You are. I thank You for sending Your Son to be the Prince of Peace, He is the ultimate example of what it is to serve and love unselfishly. I repent for coming short in areas, when I wanted to live for me. I repent for getting mad and holding people hostage for them not showing up for me. I desire to live a life worthy of the call of restoration. I desire to live a life of Your character, Your integrity and to grow into the maturity of Your Kingdom. I thank You that Your Word has been written on the palms of my hands, it has been inscribed on my forehead and it pours out of my mouth. I thank You that it is for the purpose of reconciliation, so that I focus on Your truth. I take captive every thought, imagination or argument that I have had to bring division to my calling. I choose love today. I choose forgiveness today. I choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Heart Nuggets

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (AMP) Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit. Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning]. But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].

I was in 1 Thessalonians yesterday and came across this list given by Paul. It had so much good nuggets of truth in that I wanted to break it down. What is funny is that it is list of do’s and don’ts. Isn’t that what the modern day church is trying to get away from? However, it is not a list of what not sins to do and how to be pure and holy, this is a list of how to keep your mind right. Paul confessed about the battle he had going on in his mind about this very church (1 Thessalonians 3:5), “For this reason, when I could no longer endure the suspense, I sent someone to find out about your faith [how you were holding up under pressure], for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our work [among you] would prove to be ineffective.”

So here is my list for this week:

  1. Rejoice always and delight in my faith. In my prayers, in my daily parts of life and in all circumstances. No matter what happens, I am to rejoice. How can I rejoice when someone just blasted me? How can I rejoice when the bills keep coming in? How can I rejoice when I just got in a fight with my spouse? Remember Romans 8:28: And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. In trust Him, so I rejoice. Joy is a fruit of my faith in Him. Continually have a heart that is thankful. This is God’s will for you!
  2. I should be accepting of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I do not need to be scornful in direction. We have become an independent, self governed, selfish group when we do not take direction as a growing opportunity. The Holy Spirit is not trying to harm you. We need to grow in the surrendered life.
  3. Do not reject the gifts of prophecy. This is man speaking to me through the revelation of the Holy Spirit. “Nobody is going to tell me what to do!” What will they say? Revelation knowledge (to get me back in line with the character and nature of God as revealed in His Word). Words of instruction (you are always going to have someone tell you what to do). Warnings (sometimes my attitude needs to be put back in check).
  4. Test all things! We like this one. I get to judge and criticize what is being said or done. Wait though. It says to test all things so you can recognize what is good. I do not test things and tear down what is bad. SO I CAN RECOGNIZE WHAT IS GOOD! Philippians 4:8 says, “ 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].” This is a true test for love. Can I change my mindset to focus on the good on others? Can I hold firmly to what is good?
  5. Abstain from every form of evil. Is this telling me to not sin? Why are we so focused on sin? This is a heart thing. If I need to hide who I am or what I am doing, then that is opening a doorway for the evil one into my life. The church has been good about hiding , therefore, it now lacks power. Be a person of integrity. Do not cause anyone to question your motives. This is why transparency is the body should be encouraged. Why are our boundaries more like weapons against flesh and blood?

I am rejoicing over you today. I am thankful for those that He has placed in my life to guide me. I will not be scornful in correction. I choose love instead.

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 in the Passion Translation. I like to put my name in the passage…Amanda’s love is large and incredibly patient. Amanda is gentle and contently kind to all. Amanda refuses to be jealous when someone else is blessed. Amanda does not brag her own achievements not inflates her own importance. Amanda does not traffic in shame and disrespect, she is not seeking honor for herself. Amanda is not easily irritated and is not quick to take offense. Amanda is joyful when honesty is presented and celebrates it for herself (does not find ways around the truth), and she does not delight in when someone else is wronged. Amanda’s trust is under the shelter of the Almighty for she is grounded in His perfect love. Amanda believes and thinks the best for others. Amanda does not take hurt, rejection or setbacks as a defeat. Amanda continues to hope, because love never gives up.

I have to admit that I failed at a few of these this morning, but instead of beating myself up, I look to the Father. He is the perfecter of my faith.

Father, I thank You for the reader today. I thank You that you sent your Son to reconcile us to You. I choose to walk in freedom and grow in the areas that brings me more freedom. I do this so that I can be a light and example to others that need freedom. I bind up every thought that may be holding me captive to loving others the way You want me to. I repent for not walking in love like I should. I know you give me grace in these areas, not that I take advantage of Your mercy to give me permission to hurt others, but so that I can grow. Let my hope grow today. I rejoice in every set up that has been made today. I know that I can trust You. I place my trust in You. I desire You. Holy Spirit I surrender more of me today. I pray for those that persecute me for Your Name’s sake. Let your Word reign in my heart, in my mind and on my tongue today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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I cannot stumble in peace

Psalms 119:165 (MEV) Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing shall cause them to stumble.

As I was reading Psalms 119 yesterday this verse jumped up at me. There are many verses in that section that I highlighted, but this one I meditated on a little more. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). What does that really mean? In Matthew 10:34, Jesus tells us that He did not come to bring peace on earth, but a sword. What! Then there is this block of verses that can be taken way out of context: “For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his [own] household [when one believes and another does not].” (verses 35-36 AMP)

What is it about us that we are attracted to drama? The first place that our minds go to is that they just do not like me or they just do not want me. It stems from our root nature to judge the situation for ourselves. That is why we have to renew our minds daily. This is why we need to mediate on the Word daily. That is why the psalmist wrote, “those who love Your law have great peace.” The law here is the precepts or the first five books of the Bible that we have today. When the disciples led others to Christ, they did so by showing how Christ fulfilled the law (which means they knew it). When the thoughts of destruction or fear rise up that others are against us, we need to be grounded in the One who knows us.

John 14:27 (AMP) Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]

How can I not allow my heart to be troubled? I need to be rooted and grounded in His love (Ephesians 3:16-19). The hardest part of entering peace is first accepting that you are loved. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 AMP). I read this yesterday and it really calmed the storm of what others perceive of me: “He does not love you with the hope that you will be like someone else,” Lisa Bevere. He does not love me hoping that I will become anything more than He has created me to be. I was created to be His daughter.

I am here to tell you that you may battle rejection. You may fight the urge to hide because you feel like you do not measure up. Our hiding place is in Him. We can walk boldly into that throne room of grace because of Jesus and His great love. When we do not walk in His love, we walk in fear. We will walk in the mindset that we are not accepted. We will focus on other things that will not line up with the purpose for our lives, that is to glorify Him. When we choose anything else we will stumble.

Philippians 4:8 (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].

His Word is good and that is why we should implant them in our hearts. Direct your mind back to the Word. I cannot get focused on anything other than His Word. Yes, there are demonic spirits out there that want to tear down every ounce of peace that we have. However, we do not fight against people. We should never put our mouths against people. People are not trying to indoctrinate us or our children, the enemy is. When we know the Word, when we spend time in relationship with Him, we will know His voice. All those other voices can speak, scream or yell, but they will not have access to my peace. Why? Because I am rooted and grounded in His love. It is not a passive love. It is an aggressive and passionate love. A love that I will pursue after.

Father, I thank you for sending your Son to be the Prince of Peace. Thank you for changing my mindset of what Your peace is. Peace is not the absence of trouble, it is knowing that we are grounded in love. You are my hiding place and my fortress of peace. I love your Word and it will not depart from my heart. Thank you for the ability to renew my mind. I choose to focus on You today. I choose to walk in love today. Show me opportunities to glorify You today. Lead me through the still waters. I choose to listen to Your voice today. I am loved because You are love. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Baggage Claim

Galatians 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

It has been a few years since I have flown and will be boarding a plane this week to attend Icing in Dallas, TX. I am both nervous and excited. Excited to see a friend and spend a few days with her, nervous about the meet and greet part. As I have said before, I am a recovering extreme introvert. I still get overwhelmed when walking into a room with a bunch of people. For example, a couple of years ago I walked in late for a birthday party for one of my friends and the entire rooms attention got brought on me. My reaction was to go in (with my head down to not make eye contact with anyone) and tell her happy birthday, then I quickly made my exit.

Back to the point of this blog…when I started flying you could check one bag with the cost of your ticket at no additional charge. Now you can check a bag your first bag for $30 and an additional charge for anymore. Or the other option is carry on. Which means you have to keep up with it before your flight. Carry it as your find your seat. Find a place for it during your flight. Carry it as you disembark the plane. We have done pretty good at masking our emotional baggage, by checking it. When we are triggered is when it shows up again.

I fully believe in getting to the root issues of areas. Like why rejection keeps attaching itself to me. There is a root there. It does not belong there. I have to do the work to remove it, but not without the help of the Holy Spirit. Unpacking the baggage of rejection, betrayal, hurts, disappointments is like checking your baggage at the gate. You can walk around freely and not have to worry about until the end of the flight. Just because you checked it somewhere, does not mean it is gone. When it shows up, the weight of it tries to know us down. So here we are at baggage claim to get to the root once again, because even though it is not carry on, we still need to deal with the root issues.  Can I help you with it?

Unforgiveness:

  • Unforgiveness because of unfilled expectations. The participation trophy. I was not recognized because I showed up.
  • Unforgiveness because of untreated pain. Trying to act like it never hurt in the first place. You ever stumped your toe in public and played off like that did not hurt!
  • Unforgiveness because of unsolved conflicts. Unresolved conflicts can turn into resentment. Resentment can turn into bitterness.
  • Unforgiveness because of an unhealthy view of ourselves. You think everyone’s thinking about you…they aren’t thinking about you.

Matthew 6: 7-15 (AMP) “And when you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  So do not be like them [praying as they do]; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. ‘Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’  For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.“

I do believe we are responsible for dealing with our baggage and unforgiveness. I do believe our lives can be miserable because of our choices. You and I can walk around with weights that slow us or stop us from walking in the life that God intended for us. That is why I chose this verse to focus on today: Galatians 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Freedom is what God intends for you. If baggage is in our life, let’s identify it, then allow the Holy Spirit to help you get rid of it. A pastor, therapist, life coach, mentor, are all very helpful to lead you through the unpacking of baggage. Make sure they are filled with the Word and have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, if not, the humanistic approach is to put the problem in people. Even the issues that happened in my childhood are not to be blamed on people. I have to forgive, not to be abused again, but forgive, love and grow. I am no longer burdened by my past, I am free! I want that for you too.

Father, I thank you for each and every person that is reading this today. I thank you that you desire us to be rooted and grounded in the love of your Son (Eph. 3:16-19). We are choosing right now to throw off these weights that have kept us from walking in the fullness of that love. We ask the Holy Spirit for the help with the unforgiveness in our hearts and minds. We know to forget is not necessarily not remember, it is the act of not letting it affect the outcome. Our past hurts and the baggage we allowed can no longer affect the outcome of our lives. We are free in you and cast that yoke of bondage away. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

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The baggage that should not be claimed

Philippians 3:13-14 (AMP) 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,  I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul was a man with a past. Paul (known as Saul) held the coats of those stoning Stephen. He was responsible for persecuting the early church. Then he was the one who was being persecuted. Why? Jesus became real to him and he could not keep quiet about it. He learned first hand what Stephen was going through physically, and he held the coats of those doing it, while cheering them on.

We often wonder what Paul’s thorn was in 2 Corinthians 12, could it be the hurt he caused those that he is now trying to minister to? How he wished that they would forget like God has forgotten who he was. Paul was not the same man he was holding those coats. He was not the same man who searched the cities with the intent of killing anyone who professed Christ. That did not mean he was trusted by them now.

Paul said that in verse 10 that his determined purpose was to know Him more. That is something you and I have to grow in, just like Paul did. He was humble enough to admit that he did not reach there to completion yet, he had some things he was still working out, but one thing he did know was to forget what lies behind and reach forward.

He had to let go of the baggage of his past. There are some areas that we have to get to the root cause of. Those areas are rejection, hurts, orphan spirit, victim mentality, etc.. The area I am talking about is our mistakes. Like us, Paul had made some mistakes. He could not put his focus there. We can carry it around like baggage and let it way us down. If we try to unpack it, we eventually put it on and identify with it.

Have you ever flown and your luggage was too heavy? Instead of paying the surcharge to check a heavier piece of luggage. you take out items and put them on. So now you are wearing two pairs of pants and three bulky shirts. That is what it is like when we identify with our mistakes because we tried to unpack them and examine them. How comfortable is that flight going to be? The seats are already tight enough. Don’t you think a little bit of anxiety is going to set in? We sit there long enough like that and depression gets a hold of us. Then you do not want to move. You would rather hide in your bed than face the world because you have identified with your mistakes. Relationships start to suffer and now you have isolated yourself.

The biblical word for baggage is strongholds. It is the one area that always stays with us. Always trips us up.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NIV) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

The definition of stronghold here is: a prisoner locked by deception. Living life by something that is not true.

This is why Paul said forgetting what lies behind. God chose to forget our sins. We have to choose to forget our past. The Hebrew words for “forget,” shakach and nashah means to cease to care or to ignore. It is has not dropped from the mind, but it has dropped from the equation.

Still think it’s too bad? You have been through too much?

This is when you need to stand on Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Paul fought with his flesh, the human nature to do things with self concern. The inability to walk in forgiveness and not letting go of who we use to be, has to do with us. We need Jesus.

Ephesians 4:22-23 (AMP) 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].

I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

How? By forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. Drop it. Your mistakes do not have to form your future. There may be consequences. Like Paul, the people had to watch and see the character change that happened. There is not need of convincing. Take off that old self and let them see the true you, the you that was made in His image. Glorify God with where you are right now. We are all still progressively growing. We are going to make more mistakes. None of us have perfected this, not even Paul. Jesus has been the perfect one. Keep going. Keep focused on Jesus. Get to know Him more through the Word, through prayer, through the Holy Spirit and through showing love (the unselfish concern for others). We are His, let Him work through you today.

Father, I thank you that you are the God that sees me. You know my every thought and action. Yet, you sent your Son to die for me. Please help me in the areas that try to weigh down my mind. I know you have forgiven me for my past, please help me not to live there any more. You say we can come boldly before you in your grace and mercy. I know you do not identify me by past and I am not asking you to control the thoughts of others. Please help me to not see them as my enemy and not ones who bring condemnation. Let your love flow through me. I desire to be close to you and glorify you in all that I do. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Mirror the Glory

2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP) And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

Progressive is an adjective (a describing word) meaning: happening or developing gradually or in stages; proceeding step by step. I am progressively being transformed. What am I transforming into? His image. By glory to glory.

We were created in His image. What image? His glory! When He breathed His Spirit into man (Genesis 2:7) we took on His likeness. This is part of the restored purpose that Christ came for.

Genesis 1:26 (AMP) Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness.]

You were created for more than just to exist. You were designed to take on His spiritual personality. John 15:4-5 tells me that I am nothing in myself, but in Christ, I am everything I need to be. My self image matters.

Ruth, often preached as a love story, is a story of perseverance. Ruth was a brave woman. Being a Moabite, Noami’s sons were not supposed to marry them, but they did anyways. Why? Moabites are from Moab, the son of Lot and his oldest daughter. They worshiped idols. In Ezra we see the Levites disowning their wives and children from those unions because they were told not to marry them. However, Ruth set out to change her destiny. Do you know what the future held for a woman that was widowed and had no children? They were either to become a beggar or a prostitute. Ruth did not have to follow Naomi, she chose to. Ruth did not have the right to glean in the field, that is why she went behind everyone else. Everything was set against her. Her race, her culture, her status.

Ruth 1:16 (AMP) Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God.

According to the US Census Bureau data released in 2015, the poverty rates for women are substantially higher than the rates for men. The overall poverty rate is 3.8 percentage points higher for women than for men, and difference in the poverty rate among those over the age of sixty-five is even higher, with nearly one in five women who are over sixty-five and live alone in poverty.  (nwlc.org/resources/national-snapshot-poverty-among-women-families-2014)

Ruth is in the lineage of the direct descents of Jesus. Do you think that your past, or what you went through, can keep you from wholeness?

Break the generational bondage in your family. Break the poverty spirit. Break the orphan spirit. Break the spirit of anger. Break the spirit of not being able to accept love. Break the abandonment spirit. Break the spirit of rejection.

What holds you in bondage has control over you. Often we do not understand why we react a certain way is, it is because there is a form of bondage that has been attached to you. It is time to break free.

For me, I battle with not feeling accepted or wanted. There are many women in my family that struggle with the same thing. Where did this root come from? Where did it start? I have no idea. It started to take root in my oldest son and then I became aware that it was generational. What made me feel rejection was starting to show in him.

Ephesians 3:17-19 (AMP) So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

I was created to present His glory. He came to make me whole so that I could fulfill that purpose. We were given the Holy Spirit so that we can fulfill that purpose. I am not the result of my past. I am the result of the Holy Spirit taking root in me. I am rooted and grounded in Love!! Do those thought still come up? Yes, I have to choose to put them aside and think on what is true, honorable, confirmed by His Word, what brings peace, and anything worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). It takes practice. We can choose different because we were created to reflect His glory.