Do Good Anyway

In the course of our lives, we will run across quotes, books, movies and songs that move us, challenge us and inspire us. They serve as the gas to get us closer to God.

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite pieces of inspirational writing, a poem, by Mother Teresa. It's called, 'Do It Anyway,' which has just enough gas to get us to our Destination.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may often accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

~Mother Teresa

This did not speak volumes to me. The knowledge, wisdom, faith and truth spoke whole libraries to me! What we have to realize is this-- there are a lot of jerks in the world, but as Christians we can instead look at it in another way . . . there are a lot of lost people in this world. The thing I've found is LOST people act lost, so it should come as no surprise when people are ugly to us for seemingly no reason at all. Should it?

My Dad has taught me, and encouraged me, to love people with absolutely NO expectations at all. Love them because Jesus, who is Love, inhabits your being. He overtakes your body, your Earthly vessel, so much so that no matter how people 'treat' you . . . you always respond in love! You do nice things for people not expecting anything back. In fact, if you do something for someone just to get something back . . . you really need to check your heart because your motives aren't motivated by love! The truest litmus test of character is doing something out of the goodness of your heart-- not expecting, or seeking, any recognition. It's giving something-- your time, love, energy and fellowship-- to someone who has nothing to offer in return.

Love always requires sacrifice and putting the recipient's needs, wants and desires above your own. It's putting an action with your words. It's simply wanting to make that person's day better in that moment. It's adding sun rays, Sonshine, to their day no matter how dark of a place they're in or how blue their life's skies are! It's uplifting words, words of encouragement, smiles, hugs and just attention, and validation, we all need.

I am LEARNING how to take things more with a grain of salt. Praise, criticism, being treated well or being treated terribly, responding the same way in indifference or in love, but doing my best not to react or do what is has been done to me. Be more like a duck and let their hurtful words and actions be the water that goes flying off your back!

Through forgiving someone, and asking someone to forgive you, there is great freedom, so let things go . . . life is too short not to! It's not easy to have the self-control to respond to cruel behavior in the right fashion, but it definitely worth it. For God sees!!

"You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:14) What is that command? Look at verse 17-- "This is my command: to love each other." What a radical, yet nonetheless, powerful thought!! Do I have this perfected? HARDLY, but God, through me, is making strides in this area.

Am I offended when someone is rude to me for no reason? When someone acts hateful toward me when I've done nothing to deserve it? Of course I am. I am human, when someone is ugly to me it hurts my feelings, it temporarily angered me . . . as in past tense. But what we have to understand is what Jesus said was and will always be true! The world will HATE us the same way it hated, and hates, Him (John 15:18-25).

Look at Jesus' words and it will come as no great surprise, or no surprise, at all when we are treated as outcasts.

Verses 18 and 19. "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it's own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

But then look at verse 25 "But this is fulfill what is written in their law: 'They hated me WITHOUT REASON.'

So we should not EXPECT people to be nice to us, but we should assume the exact opposite. We get spoiled into thinking we aren't supposed to be ridiculed, shunned, disappointed and treated badly, but the reality is without expectations of how we're SUPPOSED to be treated . . . there is no disappointment.

Hurt people do what? They hurt! And let's face it . . . there are many, many hurt people in our daily lives. What's the easy thing to do when someone hurts you? That's right-- to hurt them back, but the 'easy' thing to do is never the right thing to do. It's not about what the offender 'deserves' ; it's about being who God intended you to be! After all, we didn't 'deserve' mercy, grace, forgiveness and love, but thankfully that didn't stop God from extending it when all we REALLY deserved was death.

It's not just about when someone treats you badly . . . it's also about being who God created you to be-- being who YOU ARE! It's no coincidence the Bible says we are made in His image (Genesis 1:27). With that being the case; we are made out of Love, to love, to share His love!

I encourage you to pray John 3:30 over your lives every day-- More Jesus to fill your body, your vessel, and less of yourself. Only through dying to ourselves, see Romans chapter 6, can He, through us, allow us to obey the Golden Rule. A big part of the Christian walk is taking up our cross (Luke 9:23) and sharing in the suffering of Christ (Romans 8:17). It's not fun, but it is what we are called to do.

There will always be people who speak destructive words instead of words brimming with life. There will always be words filled with doubt, fear and hate not of faith, courage and love. There will always be people telling you you can't do something as opposed to encouraging you to achieve those special goals you have in mind. There will always be those telling you to be realistic when you want nothing more than to chase your dreams.

They can easily steal your joy if you let them. They can certainly chip away at the peace, which has been given to you, that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

But remember, it's not about them . . . it is between you and God, so DO GOOD ANYWAY!!''

He has shown you, O' mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Waiting on God

Waiting is hard for me. I read of Sarah waiting for Isaac, Anna waiting for the Messiah, and Elizabeth waiting for John, and I’m amazed. I mean, can you believe Sarah waited about thirty years for a baby? Thirty years?

I have a hard time waiting for my nails to dry!
But God’s Word is clear that we’re to wait, to be still, to remain in Him.

• Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
• Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7a
• Remain in me, and I will remain in you. John 15:4a

We know we need to find time every day to be in the Word. Bible study, word studies, and Sunday school lessons are great ways to grow closer to the Lord, but in order to truly rest in Him, we must learn to wait.

And that’s the hard part. But it’s in the waiting that we hear God’s voice.
I have to admit, there are times I can’t hear God. I pray and pray and read His Word, and yet, I don’t hear a thing.

It’s not His fault.

I realize now the problem is not in His speaking, it’s in my listening. After all, I have my list of prayer requests–all good things, you understand, and most are for other people. I faithfully go down the list one by one, telling God what I’d like Him to do. And then it’s over. I’m off and running, cramming in all the important things I have to do that day.

And God is left alone. There He was, just about to tell me what He wanted me to know, but I didn’t have time to listen. He wanted to tell me to take the job or to turn down the volunteer position or to mentor the young teen at church. But I couldn’t hear Him . . . because I wasn’t there. Because I didn’t have time to wait on Him.

But His answer is in the waiting. It’s all in the being quiet and listening for His voice. God wants us to rest in Him. He wants to speak to our spirits and let us know He’s really there. He’s just waiting for us.

What are you waiting for? An answer? A healing? A speaking opportunity? Could you be like me? Could God be trying to tell you something, but you’re too busy to hear His voice? Oh, friends, this is a constant battle for me, and I know it is for many of you. Will you join me? Instead of just “spending” your time reading a quick devotion and running down your prayer requests, will you commit to sitting and waiting on Him? It won’t be easy. It’ll take focus and determination, especially when the days are long and the sleeps are short.

No agenda, no lists. Just us and God, relating to one another. I know we’ll be amazed at what He has to say when we’re quiet enough to hear His voice.

I know it will be worth the wait.

Living the Christian Life

Living the Christian life isn’t easy. Thankfully, Ephesians 4:25-32 provides a few guidelines for Christians to live by. The verses say:

Therefore each of you must put off falsehoods and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every other form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Living the life of a Christian is an ongoing process of studying, learning, putting learning into action, and constantly reflecting and evaluating your actions. It can be a very liberating process, but it can also be very daunting as well.

Getting back to the passage from Ephesians…..first, we are told to be truthful to one another, but notice the same section discusses how we are all members of one body. The reference is to the body of Christ….other Christians, not the body of mankind. I don’t think this is telling us it is ok to lie to non-Christians….not at all, but our Christian brothers and sisters deserve more honest attention from us.

Once we admit with our mouths that Jesus is Lord we are sealed. Nothing can undo the grace we receive at that moment because we are sealed…protected by the Lord. However, our lies and the other negative things we say grieves the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, we should only use our mouths to build each other up.

The part about not letting the sun go down on your anger…I heard my mother spout that bit of advice over and over as I was growing up. Part of her spill was the advice was always something her mother told her. It just makes sense, doesn’t it? It’s amazing all of God’s instructions regarding life make sense. Hmmm….I guess it’s amazing because God’s plan for us is perfect.

Getting back to that anger thing…The longer you wait to settle something with someone the harder it becomes to face the person no matter who was right OR wrong. Anger allows too many other sins to creep in and gain a foothold. One sin that comes to mind is pride.

Work…work not just to provide for your family, but to keep your hands busy. This passage from Ephesians takes the idea of work one step further to becoming Christ-like though. Work to help others….work to be able to provide for others….work to make a difference in the world.

So, let’s see….as a Christian I cannot lie, I cannot be angry with anyone for very long without dealing with the issue, I must work not just to buy stuff but in order to be able to help others, I must watch my tongue and totally turn my back on any type of malice. I must strive to be kind always and forgive others as Christ has forgiven me.

The problem? While I am a Christian, I am also human. Professing Jesus is Lord saves me for eternity, but it does not make me perfect during my stay here on Earth hence the need for the constant study, constant learning, constant putting things into action, and constant reflection and analysis....oh, and constantly praying as well.

No….it’s not easy to be a Christian, but it’s worth it. :)

 

 

Psalm 34:8

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

I think of the difference between looking at a shiny red apple and tasting it. No matter how tasty the apple looks on the outside, the only way that I will truly experience its goodness is to take a big bite out of it!

It is when I sink my teeth into it, that I will be able to taste and see that it is really delicious. Looking at an apple will never sustain us. We could be surrounded by an entire orchard of apples and yet die of starvation if we don't eat the apples.

I believe that God is extending an invitation for us to not only behold His goodness from afar, but to come close and taste and see that He really is good. In some Christian circles, looking for an experience with God might be seen as undermining the importance of believing without seeing. I am not suggesting that we base our entire Christian walk on experience, but I would suggest that experience is part of any relationship that we have.

While faith (Hebrews 11:6) is still the foundation on which we relate to God, I believe that He wants us to experience Him in every facet of our being. I pray that today, each and every one of us will taste of God's goodness in a very tangible way that will give us a greater insight into our Lord's heart.

 

Stepping Stone Seasons

We don’t like the difficult seasons in life.
We don’t jump up and down for joy when everything goes wrong.

We struggle when the heavens seem silent.
We get uncomfortable when God doesn’t fulfill His promise in our timeframe.
We freak out when the job is lost, the family fights and our health dwindles.
We can’t stand staying in the dead end job longer than a day.
We hate chasing a dream, pursuing God’s call on our lives only to watch it all fall apart.
We find it unfair to do the right thing, flee from temptation, and pay the consequences of someone else’s sin.

We want every season to be a season of blessing.

We want to always feel God with us.
We desire to see our prayers answered right away.
We strive after the well-paying job, the new house and fancy car.
We pray for God’s favor to be poured out on our lives.
We want the family to be healthy, the job satisfying and the bank account overflowing.

We fully embrace the seasons of blessing.
And do all we can to avoid the seasons of hardship.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Seasons of hardship aren’t meant to be avoided. Seasons where it feels as if God has turned his back and forgotten about us aren’t meant to be despised. The lack and frustration and heartache shouldn’t be wished over.


God works every season in our lives for our good.

Noah spent years building an ark and over a year in the ark in order to be saved from the flood.
Abraham cried out 50 years for a son, only to see his prayers fall flat.
Moses endured 40 years of obscurity in the desert before standing before Pharaoh.
Joseph was thrown in a pit, sold into slavery, accused of rape and put in jail for a crime he didn’t commit to prepare him to be second in command.
David endured the pain of his mentor trying to kill him in order to become king.
Ester was ripped from her home, spent a year being scrubbed and cleansed all to spend one night with the king.

Every season where it felt as if God turned His back is just a stepping stone in His plan for our lives.

You don’t become king without sacrifice.
You don’t save a nation from famine without betrayal.
You don’t lead people out of bondage without time in the wilderness.
You can’t stand before rulers and authorities without brokenness.

You can’t expect to accomplish great things for God without seasons of hardship.
They go hand in hand.

God allows every season in our lives for a purpose.
Our job is to embrace whatever season we are in, and use it as a stepping stone in His plan for our lives.

For His Glory

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

— Ephesians 4:1


Are you living your life well? That is an important question, because you never know when your life will end.

In a broad sense, life for the Christian will never end. There is an afterlife. There is a heaven. And ultimately, there will be a new earth where we will rule and reign. But according to Scripture, what we will do then is connected to how we live now. So we want to think about our lives and how we are living them today.

We all assume we will live a long life. Maybe you are a young person just getting started. Maybe you have lived many, many years. Maybe you are middle-aged. Whatever age you may be, you don't really know where you are in life's journey. And that is the thing we all have to think about.

We live our life as a story that is being told, and, for some of us, we may be further along in that story than we realize. So we have to ask ourselves questions like, "What purpose does God have in mind for me now that I have committed my life to Jesus Christ?" And, "What will the legacy of my life be? How will I be remembered?"

We are here to bring glory to God—nothing more, nothing less. So the objective is not to be the most successful or to have the biggest this or that. It is to be faithful to what God has set before each of us.

It is not for us to look at another person's success and say, "Why not me?" Nor is it for us to look at our own suffering and say, "Why me?" Instead, it is for us to simply say, "Lord, how can I best glorify You with my life?"

Dying to Be a Servant: A Parable

Once upon a time there were two grains of wheat lying on the floor of a warm and cozy barn. But one day, the farmer came in and told them, "I want to take you out of this comfortable barn and plant you in the earth. I'm going to place you in the cold ground and cover you with soil. It will be dark, and you will die. But I promise that you will multiply and become very fruitful."

The first grain of wheat turned down the suggestion. "No way!" he said. "Count me out. I like my comfort, and I don't want to die." But the second one, after carefully considering the pain and discomfort of dying, decided the promise of a future harvest was worth the sacrifice. So the farmer took him outside and planted him in the ground, while allowing the first grain of wheat to remain inside the barn.

A few days later, a small green sprout appeared over where the seed had been planted. Then it grew and became a tall stalk of wheat that produced one hundred more grains. For the next forty years, the farmer planted all the seeds that had originated from that first grain of wheat, and year after year, the harvest multiplied. However, the grain of wheat that stayed in the barn remained there by itself, never multiplying--but he was very comfortable.

Which grain of wheat are you? Are you playing it safe, or have you let Christ plant you in the world? The only way you'll ever become useful and fruitful in God's kingdom is to abandon your own selfish desires, get out of your comfort zone, and serve the Lord by serving others.

Hope....A Small Word With Big Meaning

Some people place their hope in financial security. Others hope their popularity, abilities, or connections will get them where they want to go. But only those who place their hope in God can face tomorrow without any fear of the future. When you trust in God, you do more than hope for the best. You rest in knowing God's best is His plan for your life.

If we are believers, the Bible says that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and He guarantees that we will arrive safe, preserved from all destruction, on the final day of deliverance from sin and all it's effects. WOW!

Just think of what it will be like to actually see God face-to-face, to have no more tears, no more sorrow, no more dying...to see our loved ones who have passed on and never be separated from them again. These thoughts leave me totally awestruck!

But it is so easy to lose heart when your focus is on difficulties that persist day after day. That is why it is so important to reconnect with God every morning. Time together reminds you that an all-knowing and all-powerful God is in your corner, ready and able to help. It helps you sift the trivial from the eternal. And restores hope to it's rightful place in your life, where it can shine a light on God's goodness and faithfulness to you.

Life is not about losing. Life is about overcoming. As long as I hold tight in my heart the fact that His plans are GOOD, then I can fight through the obstacles life throws at me, to see the light of the reward that will greet me in the end.

Remember, God is bigger than your biggest problem, stronger than your most frightening enemy, and greater than your doubts and fears. WOW, WE SERVE AN AWESOME GOD!

All our hope needs to be in God because He is the only One Who can make us happy.

Hope is the ability to hear the music of the future; Faith is the ability to dance to it today. I hope you dance.

God… Please don’t wipe away all my tears!!

Revelations 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Dear Father God,


I’m so glad that you’re going to wipe every tear away from my eyes one day…but I don’t want all my tears wiped away. I do want the bad tears wiped away…the ones that came from my suffering…but there are some special tears that I hope you collected and will never get rid of….they are….my tears of love for you! My God….I love you so much and in my prayer times I have cried so hard because I love you so so much.


My wonderful, merciful and caring God…these are my good tears and I don’t want you to wipe them away. Every tear of love I shed for you are from deep within my heart. My heart aches for you and each tear represents the depths of that love.


Please don’t wipe my love away. How will I be able to tell you how much I love you when I get to heaven? Will there be a way? Can I pour oil on you? Will I have hair to wash your feet with? I know you are a spirit so how will I pour my love out on you?


Luke 7:38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.


Please tell me how I will worship you and I will be so happy. Father God…when I get there… will there be room for me to lay before your throne in adoration of your Holiness and your love that you have shown to me. I think a lot about what I will do in your presence. I’m going to want to hug you tightly and say thank you for making me, forgiving me, saving me, loving me and accepting me warts and all. Yes these tears God…that I have on my face right now…they are for you….don’t wipe them away.


God there are no words in my mouth and in my mind right now…only my tears of love…my human expression of passion for you. My tear’s are my worship Father…don’t wipe my tears away. You’ve given me so much and my good tears are all I have to give you….they are…my love. They are symbolic of my heart’s cry of worship and praise to you.


Will I remember these times of prayer and intimate fellowship with you? They are precious to me! Will my love for you be lost in the history of your many other blood washed children? I know I’m asking so many questions…but I don’t want my good tears to be gone from my memory of you….I cherish my good tears and my good times with you.


I know when I get to heaven….you’ll be waiting for me and I’ll have a glorified body and I’ll be like you and things between you and me will be on a whole different level…..but I still have to say this while I’m still down here…..Don’t wipe my good tears away….they are my joy, my happiness and my love that I have for you! I love you!!


From your tearful daughter… good tears,

Whose Attention Are You Seeking?

Are we too busy lifting ourselves up to pay attention to God? Pride is ugly. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5

God reminds me everyday that it's not me that does the work, it's Him.

The thing is, we can spend so much time worrying about what others think about us, that we have no energy left for what God thinks.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, we MUST remember whose we are on order to behave like we believe. What we should be concerned about is whether or not our actions and attitude are glorifying Him. Am I taking the credit for the work He has done in my life? We need to keep Christ and our reflection of Him at the center of our lives at every moment. The more we do that, the more instinctual it becomes. And instead of being prideful we become humble in His sight.

When we try to exalted ourselves above others, we set ourselves up to be dumped on.

God will use whatever it takes to get our eyes on Him and off ourselves.

Joseph dreamed of having authority and being a great man. However, he was young and impetuous. Joseph's brothers hated him and sold him into slavery. God used the situation as an opportunity to test and train Joseph. He spent thirteen years in prison for something he didn't do, but whatever happened to Joseph during those years definitely equipped him for his God-ordained role in history.

The Lord has to humble us before He can use us.

We have to trade in our self-confidence for God-confidence.

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James4:10)

My personal challenge is to look at my life not the way a perfect stranger would, but the way a Perfect Savior would.

Is The Grass Really Greener On The Other Side?

Why is it that we try so hard to belong in places we were never meant to be? Usually, it's because we want so badly to be there. But what we've failed to realize at one time or another is that it's not being where WE want that brings the fulfillment and satisfaction we seek; it's being where God wants us to be.

You see, God has designed and equipped us to fulfill a particular role in this world. If we spend all our time trying to be somewhere else or do something else, not only will we probably experience dissatisfaction in the place we weren't meant to be, but we'll also miss out on the rich blessings God has planned to give us in the place He planned for us to be.

God hates it when we pass up on the real life and settle for false promises of this world.

Oh sure, the other side of the fence might look greener, but it's an optical illusion. It's not really a field full of green grass; it's a field planted with grass that Satan has painted to look green so he can deceive us into moving to his side of the fence.

I think that sometimes things are the hardest when we are headed in the direction God wants for us.

The grass is not greener on the other side, it's greener where we water and fertilize it.

I'm certain that the best I can think of for myself pales in comparison to the best God has in mind for me.

"As the heaven are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:9

But We See Jesus!

“In putting everything under him, God left nothing

that is not subject to Him. Yet at present

we do not see everything subject to Him.

But we see Jesus.” (Heb. 2:8b-9a NIV)

Don’t you love it when a familiar scripture leaps off the page at you as if you’ve never seen it before? As I read the above scripture the other day, this part bounced up and crashed right into my heart, “Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus.” (Heb. 2:8b-9a NKJV)

Though some circumstances may not be subject to our control, they are always subject to the Lord’s control, even when, at times, they do not appear that way to us.

Without the same point of view as God, the same Spirit-realm vision, we fail to see God’s hand in action or His Word at work. We wonder why He is taking so long to remedy our circumstances or why He doesn’t answer our prayers.

But, no matter...

No matter what others say about us, we see Jesus.
No matter how discouraged we become, we see Jesus.
No matter what trials and afflictions pursue us, we see Jesus.
No matter how dark the night’s grief enshrouds us, we see Jesus.

As David said, “I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.” (Ps. 123:1 NLT)

Whatever comes our way...we see Jesus!

Operation Fragrance

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” –2 Corinthians 2:14

Trees and other plants rely on small animals to help them survive. Bees carry pollen from flower to flower in Spring. Squirrels take acorns and other nuts from place to place. Birds move the seeds from fruit trees to new locations where there may be more room for seedlings to grow. In turn, the animals get the food they need from the plants. God planned for the plants and animals to help each other in this way.

In a similar way, we carry the fragrance of the knowledge of God with us wherever we go. We plant seeds of God’s love in others, nourishing them spiritual and helping God's kingdom to thrive. As we go where God leads, He goes with us, filling us with His Spirit, His strength. This is God’s plan for us. We are triumphant so long as we rely on Him.

Holy Spirit, fill my life with the fragrance of Your love that others may know You wherever I go. Amen.

The World is Full of Wounded People Wearing Masks

Have you heard the phrase, “You can’t judge a book by its cover”? It’s true. Most of the time, people are not who they seem to be. You may be one of those people walking around right now.

Unless you have been outwardly wounded in some way, others can’t see your wounds. All wounds are not gaping holes or bleeding cuts. The worst looking ones are usually on the inside of us where no one can see and be disgusted.

That’s what people expect, you know. They think that others will be offended or disgusted when they see who you really are. Can she see that I used to do drugs? Does he know that my family is poor? They won’t talk to me anymore if they knew I had been sexually abused.

So, everyday you hide behind the mask. What is the mask? It’s smiles, laughter, a short temper, an indifferent attitude or acting clueless. You show whatever type of face or attitude that will keep the demons away.

The longer you do that, the less anything in your life will seem real. The mask is a lie and it will eat you alive. Satan likes masks. It lets him hide his true intentions from you. You may think that hiding your pain is helping you live but instead, it is holding you prisoner.

Here’s a scenario that everyone can relate to: Someone in your life hurts you. It could be physical, verbal or emotional. When it’s over, they walk away without apology or regret. Because they don’t care, you refuse to forgive them. That unforgiving attitude turns you into someone else. You lash out at people with your tongue or even your fists. All the while, the person who hurt you is walking around without any thought of you whatsoever.

Does this sound familiar? God wants to heal your wounds. Jesus died on the cross so that you could be free from bearing that pain alone (Isaiah 53:5).

If you’ve never read the Bible or it has been a long time, here are a few people you need to become acquainted with: The woman at the Well, the Samaritan woman, the woman with the issue of blood, the man by the pool of Bethesda. Most of these people are women but their gender doesn’t matter. What matters is how Jesus responded to them.

Their wound wasn’t always evident to others. But, their belief in Jesus healed the source of their pain. Living with your pain is not God’s will. He wants to heal your mind, body and soul through His love and your faith that He can do it.

This doesn’t mean that the pain goes away all at once. Sometimes physical infirmities stay with you as a lesson through your life to others who are suffering. God’s love turns an evil deed into something that can benefit your life and His message.

Many bitter people are holding on to pain. The wound has infected their entire life. Jesus came to save the ones who are lost and living with hidden pain is definitely living as a lost soul.

You might even be scared. Giving up the pain you have hidden for so long means you are opening yourself up to the possibility of more pain. But, God won’t hurt you. Let His healing wash out the fear and bring you back to life once again.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
-John 16:33

Salt

Matthew 5:13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (NIV)

In your daily life, the world swirls in the filth of dirty jokes, pornography, corruption, crime, hatred, bigotry, irreverence, and lawlessness. In the middle of this darkness there is you. In the middle of this darkness you are to be a tiny salt crystal, a tiny light to make the world more bearable, more kind, and a little more survivable. Salt is used both as a seasoning and as a preservative. You add taste in a tasteless world. You are the preservative that keeps the world from unraveling and falling apart. Be the salt by giving love, giving understanding, and shining the light of His truth into the hearts of all those you know.

Why Christianity is Not a Religion

Those who know me often ask, "Emma, why does it offend you so much when people call you religious?" The summary of my answer is, "Religion has no more to do with biblical Christianity than sitting in a church pew every Sunday does."

One difference between the two is that every religion is man made. Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism, and liberal Christianity all involve man’s interpretation of faith. When you start worshiping with another man’s credo, you are dangerously close to religion, not biblical Christianity. Many of these religions have a manual (Koran, Book of Mormon, the writings of Buddha) to go along with the true word of God. As a knightly Christian, I refuse to worship with any man’s rules other than those of the God man, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God is explicit about not taking away or adding anything to His word found in the bible.

Furthermore, the false prophets of religion teach that the only way to benevolence (God of their choice) is by good works. They teach self-esteem, moral actions, and humanistic pride as the way to their God of choice. However, never doubt that religion does not have to be centered on a God for it can be centered on mankind itself. Jesus foretold them coming in Matthew 24:11 when he said, "And many false prophets will appear and deceive many people."

Defining "Religion"

In the dictionary, "religion" is defined as a set of strongly-held beliefs, values, and attitudes that somebody lives by, or an object, practice, cause, or activity that somebody is completely devoted to or obsessed by. This can be anything that takes us away from the true living God—Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Religion can be alcohol, drugs, pornography, a career, sex; thus, anything that drives a wedge between us and the trinity of God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a religion.

Religion teaches us to hide our sinful attitude behind a mask of goodness, righteousness, and secular humanism. How many self-help gurus have we heard claim to have the secret to our happiness by giving us self-esteem, pride, and true self worth? I tire of hearing pompous professors and teachers of "higher learning" telling young folks that the only way to fulfillment is through "enlightenment of the mind."

In his book, Hard to Believe--The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus, John MacArthur hit the nail on the head when he said, "Natural reason seeking God ends up ignorant, idolatrous, and demonic. Demons are behind all false religions. They are behind all philosophical and religious systems. They are behind every lofty thing lifted up against the knowledge of God. Any unbiblical, anti-God idea is demonic."

Don’t let anyone fool you--we all have masks. Biblical Christianity is taking that mask off, first before God, and then second, before man. Why the second, you ask? Because not doing so is denying Christ before man—denying his ability to free you from your bondage and denying his true kinship over you. If you hide what you are--a vile sinner--Satan wins. The Bible makes the point this way in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15: "For such men are false prophets, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

Christ demands that we realize and admit our fallen state. He demands that we acknowledge before man that on our own we cannot reach benevolence. He demands that we become transparent with our sin, vile nature, and admit the dirty secrets and desires that permeate our minds. Religion requires us to hide our weakness because only the strong survive. Biblical Christianity demands that we admit our weakness to become strong so we may survive.

God's Grand Plan

God’s grand plan of the Bible first showed Jesus Christ as a lamb coming to earth as a man full of the blood God required for the forgiveness of our sin. It then talks about Christ coming back as the lion, conqueror of Satan’s world, "And every knee will bow." My point is that God required Christ to be a lamb before He could be a lion. He bowed before God and did His will, and not His own. We must become meek before God before we can be strong for Christ—a lamb before a lion. As biblical Christians we must forgo the sinful pride of our reputation and gain the pride of Christ’s reputation. Religion is about doing your own thing; Christianity is about doing Christ’s thing.

Are You a Leader, or a Follower?

Religion is about being a leader, strong and defiant. Christianity is about being a follower, meek and mild. Don’t get me wrong: Jesus Christ demands that we pick up our cross and follow Him with strength and loyalty, whereas religion requires that we do society’s thing with strength and loyalty. There in itself is a glaring hypocrisy of religion; i.e., "do your own thing with strength, loyalty, and pride as long as it’s what everyone else is doing." That further hypocrisy is being observed in our public forums. Today’s society is about understanding and respecting everyone’s faith and beliefs so long as it doesn’t threaten one's perception of pride, strength, and the American dream.

Christianity is being watered down beyond being effective when it’s allowed to be mentioned at all, because, in our society, admitting weakness is a sin. Few parents want their children in school learning to be followers; instead, they want leaders like Trump and Turner—rude, prideful, rich, and successful. Religion requires that we have goodness through our own reputation and good works. Only the top of the class make it into the "club." If you aren’t healthy, wealthy and fat, you must not be living a complete benevolent life—you must do better. Christianity gives us the hard core truth about what we are--"not one of us is good, no not one, and we all fall short of the glory of God." Religion teaches that we must pull ourselves up by our boot straps to reach Utopia. Many of our rich and famous have fallen head long for this ideology. They think if they save enough people from HIV in Africa, feed enough of the homeless, and save enough babies, they will make it into heaven. Wrong. One of the bedrocks of biblical Christianity is that we do these things not in our name, but Christ’s.

Ted Turner was once quoted as saying that "Christianity is for losers." Man, did he hit the nail on the head. We are losers. That is to say that, to be a biblical Christian, we must be a loser in society’s eyes. To become a winner, we must lose all that society lives and strives for. We cannot chase the American dream of fame, fortune, and "stuff." We cannot pick our wives and husbands based on where they went to school, what they drive, wear, and make, but rather where their allegiance lies. We cannot feed the homeless or help the poor and sick with swelled chests and pride. We cannot become indulgent. We must lose our appetite for the fleshly desires that plaque this world. We must get up every morning, try with everything we are to be righteous, and swear our allegiance to our Lord, not because we can ever live up to His requirements, but rather because we know we can’t.

Worshiping in a million-dollar church with forty-thousand-dollar cars sitting in the parking lot is religion, not Christianity. Taking the words, hell, damnation, Jesus Christ, and the Old Testament out of our sermons is not biblical Christianity. Allowing homosexuals and lesbians to preach feel-good Christianity, and portraying Jesus Christ as a 60s hippie is liberal Christianity and, therefore, religion. Seeking fame and fortune with a microphone in your hand, singing about Christ and healing people in three-thousand-dollar suits is religion, not biblical Christianity. Putting the symbols of the Virgin Mary, Star of David, the prophet Muhammad, Buddha, the Masonic Lodge, and a God of erotica before Christ is not biblical Christianity but religion. Christianity is not looking at people and thinking, "They’re messed up; I’m glad I’m not messed up like that." Rather, it’s seeing the sin in their life and rebuking them with candor, truthfulness, and biblical teaching. Knowing in your heart you’ve been there, or if you trust in your own righteousness, you can fall just like they did.

Biblical Christianity is fire-and-brimstone teaching just as much as teaching the love of Christ. Feminism, liberalism, and the sexual revolution is religion from the depths of Satanic teaching, not biblical Christianity.

Making Hard Choices

Nobody said it was going to be easy. In fact, Jesus said that he did not come to "bring peace to the earth, but a sword." For many, the cost of becoming a winner in the afterlife is too great a loss on earth. Jesus underlines in the New Testament without a shadow of a doubt what must be done to gain the greatest prize—an eternity in His presence. We must turn against our family if need be, and we must acknowledge Him before man even if it means the greatest sacrifice of laying down our life. As Jesus says in Matthew 12:30, "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters."

As biblical Christians we must take a stand in our lives and that stand is turning our backs on the person we were before God called us. It even means turning our back on those who try to pull us back into that pagan lifestyle because, truthfully folks, if God had called them that would not be their aspiration. Remember, becoming a knightly Christian is not going back to the bars, having premarital sex, and basically thinking you have received the genie called Jesus Christ who is waiting to fill your every wish. It’s not watching Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives, and viewing Internet porn. As knightly Christians we must search the word of God and see its truth, not spin its truth to fit our desires.

Forgiveness

However, as knightly Christians we must not forget an important aspect of biblical Christianity—forgiveness. In Matthew 18:35, Jesus talks about forgiveness, saying "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." He used the word brother for a reason. This is to mean our brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible is clear about not intertwining nonbelievers in our lives. The pagan lifestyle has no business in the biblical Christian lifestyle. However, if God leads pagans into your life and they truly accept Jesus Christ in a biblical way, they are now your brothers and sisters in Christ, and they must be forgiven and the old lifestyle forgotten.

Will We See The Savior?

“Sovereign Lord … you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation …” -- Luke 2:29-30

The religion page of a local newspaper carried a story called “Divine Encounters.” It was an account about three women who had what they called life-changing moments when they experienced God in a special way. One of the women talked about a time when she had lost all hope because she was full of pain and despair. She had decided to end her life. At that moment she saw Jesus standing in front of her, and she heard him say, “I love you. I love you so much that I died for you. And I want you to live for me.” It was the beginning of a new direction in her life. It would be easy to dismiss her story as a product of her imagination. Most of us have never seen the Savior standing in front of us. But whether it is through physical eyes or through eyes of faith, our Savior wants us to see him.

Simeon, after years of waiting, could finally say, “My eyes have seen your salvation.”

And later on, Peter wrote, “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

Have you seen your Savior? Ask God for eyes of faith to see his impact on your life. You don’t have to see him physically, but it’s possible to see his work in your life so that you know, beyond doubt, that he is there. Ask God today to open your eyes so you can see Jesus.

“Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.” Please give us a glimpse of your presence and reassure us that you are with us always. For your name’s sake, Amen.

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. – Psalm 32:1-2

"I had a vision of the Lord Jesus........!"

After my nightly prayers, I lay in bed, and before I close my eyes to go to sleep, I always say, "I Love You Jesus", and I always hear that inner small voice respond, "I love you too, Emma"! I did the same last night as I do ever other night, and no sooner I closed my eyes, I saw Jesus standing before me. Jesus was illuminated with a dazzling sparking white light! Jesus was clothed and dressed in whiter than white, as he stood there smiling at me with his arms wide opened reaching out to me! The next thing I knew I saw myself in his arms, which were wrapped around me as he was holding me close to Him and hugging me, as His love overflowed in my most innermost being. I too was dressed in a white gown. His white light was so brilliant on His person which engulfed and surrounded us both, I felt like we were one being...The vision must of lasted 5-10 seconds! I opened my eyes with tears flowing down my face as I was totally overwhelmed at what I had just seen occur. Then I heard within, that still small voice; I am coming to take my bride home! I have prepared a place for you and for all those whom love my appearing! Occupy just a little longer, and do not despair! I will come!


Come Lord Jesus, we are waiting, longing and loving your appearing!

I saw a vision and have a message for someone

Mathew 9:20-22 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

The Lord was very clear to me this morning…He said to give these scripture verses because someone needs this kind of faith today. The message for you today is:


The Lord wants you to stretch your faith…reach out…stretch your hand out and reach. Touch the Lord with your faith in His ability to help and heal you. No matter what the need is…no matter what you are going through….humble yourself….even if you have to bow low…even if you must crawl…extend your hand out to the Lord and……touch the hem of His Holy garment.

I’m seeing a vision right now:

I see you on the ground…tired and dirty from what you are going through. After your faith and trust in Jesus carried you to His hem and you touch it…I see Jesus pulling you to your feet. You are limp like a doll…but He hugs you and strength begins to come back into your spirit man. You stand before Jesus and you look into His eyes and the tears begin to flow down your checks. I see your mouth moving. You are giving Him thanks. I can hear Him saying something back to you. He is saying…”tell others what I have done for you”.

Whoever this message is for…….this is Holy Ground today. I feel the awesome presence of God. Someone has really been going through some things. You are going to be Ok. This is a day to really stretch your faith like you never have before. This is a time to trust all that you know about our powerful God. He can do it for you…He can bring you through this. This is a turning point in your walk with the Lord.


Remember to give Him all the praise, glory and honor due Him for what He’s about to do for you. Expect a miracle!

The Lord’s Prayer For Today

My Father who lives in Heaven, may Your Name always be kept Holy and revered in my life, may your Kindgom, Will, Plans and Purposes be accomplished in my life today as it always is in Heaven.

Give me today my daily bread, finances, health, joy, and shalom and forgive me of all my sins, financial debts, wrong thinking and times of doubt that I questioned You, as I have forgiven all those around me that has ever done me wrong or misunderstood me.

Do not lead me into any hard testing and trials beyond my ability to withstand them, but protect me and keep me safe as Your child from the evil one and his authority, for Your Kingdom existed forever and Your Power and Glory reigns Supreme for all eternity.

I am in agreement to Your Will and let it be so in my life today.