CHRISTmas

I am blogging after a long vacation because the Lord has put something on my mind that I have to let out. It is about the true meaning of Christmas. I have heard countless people in the past few weeks stressing over how they can’t afford to buy their loved ones what they really want for Christmas. They are so afraid of disappointing the kids because they can’t buy them the latest greatest thing. In the tough economy we are living in, now is a good time to explain to everyone you meet about the REAL greatest thing. That greatest thing is the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now before you say here we go again and click to something else, bear with me for a moment. When I try to talk about this most people say well you aren’t worried because you probably have all your Christmas bought for everyone. That is not it at all. We were only able to buy presents for our three children this year. We have them one present a piece and all three didn’t total over $30.00. I am not sharing this to get sympathy. I am trying to let you know that Christmas doesn’t come wrapped in a box.  Think about it. What is your favorite Christmas memory? I can safely say that it probably won’t be a gift you received. It would be you sharing a meal or a special time with friends or family. That is what brings a smile to your face. It will be the same with your children. They won’t remember every gift they got or didn’t get for Christmas but they will remember all the wonderful family memories that were made and not bought.  Christmas is about sharing and giving. What better gift could you give than to tell someone about the greatest gift?  There are several ways to show the love of Christ this season.  It could be as simple as helping a lonely elderly person by spending a few minutes with them. It could be spending time with your children without cell phones or television and listening to how they are doing.  Some of the greatest gifts can’t be bought with money.  I want to leave you with this. When the time comes for a person to end their journey here and cross over it won’t matter how many gifts or how much money they have acquired. The only thing that will matter is did someone tell them about the gift of Jesus and did they accept that precious gift. My prayer is that you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a BLESSED New Year!

Pity Party For One

The last year has been one big pity party for me. I have been constantly saying three words, IT ISN’T FAIR! I have been blaming everyone and anything for life not being fair. Life isn’t fair. We live in a devil’s world. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, Rev 13:7 (KJV) We are the saints this verse is talking about. Jesus had the hardest time on earth of anyone I have ever read about or known. How do we compare ourselves to Jesus? We can’t, but we are to strive to be like him. He was persecuted and rejected. What makes us think we are any better than him? If we strive to be like him then we are going to be ridiculed and persecuted like him. Jesus had many trials and heartaches in his short time on earth the death of his beloved cousin John the Baptist, people talking about him saying he was a fraud and no good, people wanting his attention 24/7. Not once do I read where Jesus said poor old me. Even when he was facing his sacrifice for our sins, he said …O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matt 26:39 (KJV) He was praying for God’s will to be done not his own. He was facing a wrongful painful death and still wanted to make sure he didn’t get in the way of God’s will for mankind. We ask God to show us his will for our lives then we murmur and complain that it is too hard when he reveals it to us. What did we expect? A Christian’s life here on earth is going to be full of heartaches and trials. This is not our home. Our home is with Jesus. We need to stay focused on our purpose while we are here. That purpose is to bring as many people as we can to Christ. We can continue to press on or we can wallow in self-pity. The choice is ours. When you feel like having a pity party, DON’T! Remember that God has a bigger plan and the pain we go through on earth will be nothing compared to the Glory of Heaven!

How To Fight The Good Fight

    Life is hard. The minute you think you are doing good someone comes along and tries to knock your feet out from under you. They criticize what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. Then you start to doubt yourself and what you are doing. We need to realize that this is from our enemy (satan) trying to knock us off course. So how do we stay the course that God has put before us? Well, the answer is not an easy one.
    We must PRAY daily. I don’t mean a little 2 minute prayer either. We must take time to pray and the LISTEN to what God has to say to us. I am as guilty as the next person on this. There are days I don’t take the time I should have to pray and seek Gods face. You can’t seek his face if you don’t get into deep prayer. Take time to pray at least 15 minutes each day. You will be amazed at how much your faith in God grows just from that 15 minutes. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word Acts 6:4 (KJV) 
   Next, we must get food. We have to fill ourselves with the word of God. We need to set aside a time to read our Bible every day. The word is food for our soul. We need to STUDY it daily. It will convict, uplift and help us to grow stronger in the Lord. It is our instructions for daily living. Everything we will ever need is in it. It tells us how to live Godly and how to deal with those that will come against us. If we neglect to feed our spirit, our flesh will grow stronger and our spirit weaker. FEED your spirit! Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways ……..Isaiah 58:2 (KJV)
    Lastly, We need to go to church to be with our fellow Christians. I know a lot of people think they can worship God at home and you can. The reason we need to get together is for us to gain strength from each others testimonies. See the devil wants us to feel isolated, trapped and scared. If he can get us to think that we are the only ones going through this trial then he can begin to feed us lies. You know the ones like, “I must be doing something wrong to have to go through this. I am so worthless and deserve to have this happen to me. People will think so bad of me if they find out what I have been through.” THOSE ARE LIES FROM THE PIT OF HELL!!! Satan knows that if we assemble ourselves together we are going talk and when we talk we will find out that we all go through similar battles. Then, we will find strength in knowing others have gone through and conquered what we are going through now. When we do that we will be stronger and more wise as to what the devil uses against us. Then we will be able to fend of those fiery darts that satan throws at us daily. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Heb 10:24-25 (KJV)
    I pray you find some comfort in the words that God has given me today. My only goal is to help others not fall into the snares that I have. I pray you find peace and grow in the Lord daily.
GOD BLESS!!

Lead By Example

I am writing this today shameful but in hopes it will let you know that God is forgiving and can use you in this dark world. I had to take my oldest daughter Charity to the doctor Monday for a check-up. When I first arrived, there was a woman there that was obviously distraught and had some mental issues. She told me that she had some curling irons and hair dryers in her bag for sale for a dollar. She said she just got out of the hospital and needed some money to get her medicine. I gave her a dollar and told her to keep her things. She moved over to the other side of the waiting room. I was relieved and thought I had done my Christian duty. I got out my Sunday School book to read my lesson for Sunday. I started reading and she was getting more and more anxious and nervous. I just kept reading not looking up from my book. She had went to the restroom and that is when God slapped me. Not whispered, not spoke, but SLAPPED me. Our lesson was about how Jesus came to serve. He led by example. One of the questions was, “What are you willing to do?” God spoke to me and said are you willing to help those that the world looks over or are you going to ignore them and conform to the world? I almost broke into tears right there in the waiting room. At that moment, I heard that lady crying in the restroom and screaming I can’t get out it is flooded. No one got up from there seats. Everyone pretended not to hear. I jumped up and knocked on the door. She opened it and you could see the water pouring from the toilet. It was overflowing and she was afraid. I told her to take both of my hands and walk slowly through it. I got her calmed down and told her to sit in the chair while I went to get help. I told the secretary about the overflow and came back to sit down. Another, woman in the waiting room had come over and was talking to her. I was wondering why didn’t she come forward earlier when God reminded me Jesus led by example.  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps 1 Peter 2:21 (KJV) Charity was done with her appointment by then so I had to leave. I pray the woman is doing better but most of all I pray he forgives me for being hesitant about doing his work. Being a Christian is more than going to church on Sunday or Wednesday, it is about leading by example. So I write this in hopes that you will be Christ like and help those in need. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47　Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48　He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49　But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Luke 6:46-49 (KJV)

True Forgiveness

Why is it that some people can forgive and others have such a hard time with forgiveness? We know our past. We know the sins we have committed. What we forget is that God doesn’t remember them at all if we have confessed them. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us Psalms 103:12 (KJV) He is just to forgive us if we confess our sins and turn from our wicked ways. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chron 7:14 (KJV) If God forgives and forgets our sins why is it so hard for us and others to do the same? It is satan who doesn’t want us to forgive anyone. If he can keep us focused on all the wrongs that people or life in general has done to us then he keeps us from doing God’s work. If we can stay focused on those wrongs then we are too occupied to move on. We have to learn to forgive ourselves and quit living in self-condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1 (KJV) We are so hard on ourselves when we do something wrong whether it is a sin or not. Now I am not saying that you can go out and sin willing an say oh Lord forgive me and it be alright. For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Heb 10:26 (KJV) I am saying that if you find you have sinned or wronged someone in some way confess it to the Lord. Ask him to show you how not to do that again. If it is a thing that causes you to sin remove it from your life. If it is a person that you know is going to make you sin limit your exposure to them. Here are some things I have done to help me to learn to forgive. Most importantly read your Bible daily even if just for a few minutes each day. If you do that you will find yourself starting to believe what you read. Then you will find that you mind becomes more Christ like and it will be easier to forgive others as well as yourself. When you can truly forgive then you will be set free from that bondage of sin that is holding you back. Than you will be able to fulfill the purpose that God has for your life.

Sinners Saved By Grace

We know all to well the scripture Judge not, that ye be not judged. Matt 7:1 (KJV) What most of us neglect to read, is the scripture that follows it.   2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3　And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Matt 7:2-6 (KJV) We always say NOT ME, I would NEVER judge someone. We know it is not right to judge but oh how easy it is to fall into the judgment seat. It starts off as a casual remark such as How can she even walk through these church doors after what her such and such did? Why is she telling Ms. So and So how to raise her child when she should be paying more attention to her wild child? Did you hear what happened at the church in gossip town? We are always quick to point out the wrong others are doing without stopping to look at how we were or even are right now. We spend so much time trying to be like the other guy that if we are not careful we try to judge them by what we think is right. We need to remember this verse 6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) Even when we think we are being the best we can be we need to remember that without God we are nothing. We need to stop trying to be like Brother or Sister So and So and be what God intended us to be. God has a plan for you. It is not to be like anyone you know. It is to be his hands and his feet. The talent that he gave you is what he wants to make perfect. It could even be the very thing that you hate about yourself. We need to stop judging ourselves by looking at what other people are doing and read God’s word and let it be the judge. Once we do that, we will then realize that we are all sinners just saved by God’s grace. 

Be Prepared

I was reading on the internet about fish dead in rivers and birds falling dead out of the sky. Events like these usually tend to make people think about the coming end of times. I admit it does me as well. I know the end is coming but I don’t know when. All I can do is be prepared. My favorite scripture about being prepared is The Parable of the Ten Virgins. 　1　Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2　And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3　They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4　But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5　While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6　And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7　Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8　And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9　But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10　And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11　Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12　But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13　Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Matt 25:1-13 (KJV) It reminds me so much of how life is today. We as Christians, myself included, have become so comfortable with ourselves that we have lacked to prepare for his return. We have been saved but have failed to take our salvation to a dying world. We have gotten so comfortable in our own little box that we don’t want to step out and share our love for Jesus. God wants us to be prepared for his return but he also wants us to bring others to him.　For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Romans 14:7 (KJV) We were put here for a purpose and that purpose is to lead others to Christ. To often we want to leave that job to our Pastors or Deacons. We think who am I? What good can I do? We can lead others to Christ by being a good example in our workplace and even at the grocery store. We can step up for the Lord when an opportunity comes along instead of coming up with excuses until it passes on by. We can start with our lost loved ones we have in our family. Read the Bible daily. Be prepared to answer the hard questions like why do you believe the way you do? and How can you have joy in times like these? Pray for knowledge and wisdom to say what God would want you to say to those he places in your path. Then when the opportunity presents itself you will be prepared to use it to the fullest for the Glory of God. We must be good soldiers and fight the good fight. Then when we have finished we will hear those precious words well done my child.