Saturday, December 29, 2018
~Too Long Gone~
Wow! I recently realized how long it has been since I have sipped tea here with you! I have been learning a lot, growing, and resting in Father God. I will be back and sharing here soon. I have missed writing! and I have missed you!
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
~New Christmas; New Body~
Sipping tea as I look out the window and see the scattered snow flakes falling...the sky is gray...wanting to share with you for a few minutes...
It's the Christmas season...a mixed emotion time for many. Of course we know the "reason for the season"....Jesus Christ our Lord, Immanuel , "God with us"...is celebrated as having been sent to mankind through the Holy Spirit by way of the virgin Mary.
There is much reason to be grateful this time of year and as I said, it is also a time of a variety of emotions. I will be honest here with you, as always. Christmas is a mixed emotional time for me. In the month of December, God received two very important ladies in my life. On December 1, 1974, my mom was escorted to heaven by her angel and December 10, 2011 my sister was given her new and healthy body.
For me, this season is a time of joy and sorrow. I remember Christmas songs playing in the background as Mom made and decorated Christmas cookies. I remember entering my sister's house daily for four days as God was preparing her for her new body. I remember music in the background of her home each day. Her home had more of a presence of angels every time I entered.
As my sister was telling us (my other sister and me) that she wanted her new body, the two of us would each take turns hugging her and telling her things in her ears. Sometimes I would sing to her. One time I told her how lucky she was that she would be celebrating Christmas in heaven with our parents (Dad passed September 28, 1998). She would grin as she knew she would be with them.
A new body. My sister was given a new body. Jesus came to earth as an infant and had a human body. God with us was human. His new body was not perfect. Jesus allowed Himself to leave his glorious heavenly home filled with angels singing, prophets swapping stories, the "cloud of witnesses" mentioned in Hebrews all praising Jesus and worshiping Him...and so many more gathered to sing and tell of His praises. He left all of that to take on a body that could and would be beaten...a body that would be bruised and have nails pierce it.
I have no doubt that the angels surrounded Him when He arrived in that cave/stall. The angels told the shepherds of His arrival...an entire host of them (an army of angels). Can you imagine that night as you care for your sheep...suddenly the skies are lit up with an army of angels. Imagine the brightness! Imagine the singing! Imagine the angel announcing to them about the birth of "God with us"! They surely felt the angels. Can you just imagine an army of angels totally taking over the skies?
I got a bit excited just then thinking of how it felt each time I went to my sister's home and could feel the hush of angels...the shepherds felt the excitement and bustle of angels as they sang in celebratory voices of Jesus now in a new form; a baby.
We have so much to celebrate! We get caught up in singing a variety of Christmas songs. Do we really listen as we sing the words or are they so familiar that they just sort of roll off our tongue and stumble through our teeth? Have we heard the story of the birth of Jesus so often that it is simply something to be repeated like reciting a childhood story?
My hope is that you take the time to truly realize what "God with us" has done. I can't imagine leaving the splendors of heaven...taking on some perishable body to come here to be accepted by some and rejected by so many...to ultimately give life as a sacrifice on the cross.
Think about it...Jesus, our Saviour, lived among the people. They saw a difference in Him...not just because He did miracles but there was a difference in His attitude, His reactions, His mixing with the down and out and with those who others wanted nothing to do with. Just think about Jesus. Flip through the gospels sometime (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Study His way with people!
I want to encourage you to REALLY think about our love gift from God this season. Really focus on His life. Focus on: His Kingship, Servanthood, Him being Immanuel (God with us), His compassion, and His friendship you can experience.
I get excited and the inside of my head dances because the more I learn about Jesus and obey Him; desiring to learn and grow in Him, the more my soul rejoices and sings. There is this deep indwelling of His Holy Spirit (that He left with us when He returned to heaven) that flows through me. Sometimes it's as if everything about me is dancing inside, other times it is more hushed and calm, but He is always there!
Because Jesus came, I have a Joy and a Peace that cannot be explained. When He is part of your life, His Spirit is in you. I wish I could explain it better.
My desire for you, my friend,is that you experience this Christmas season with renewed thinking! Realize the promise! Realize that because of Christmas and the birth of Jesus we have Easter and His resurrection...our Eternal Hope!
We will all be able to sing with the army of angels in our new bodies one day! Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth and taking on a body that would be crucified on a cross. Because of Jesus and His powerful name, sacrifice, and rising again, we have power through the Holy Spirit! Amen!
It's the Christmas season...a mixed emotion time for many. Of course we know the "reason for the season"....Jesus Christ our Lord, Immanuel , "God with us"...is celebrated as having been sent to mankind through the Holy Spirit by way of the virgin Mary.
There is much reason to be grateful this time of year and as I said, it is also a time of a variety of emotions. I will be honest here with you, as always. Christmas is a mixed emotional time for me. In the month of December, God received two very important ladies in my life. On December 1, 1974, my mom was escorted to heaven by her angel and December 10, 2011 my sister was given her new and healthy body.
For me, this season is a time of joy and sorrow. I remember Christmas songs playing in the background as Mom made and decorated Christmas cookies. I remember entering my sister's house daily for four days as God was preparing her for her new body. I remember music in the background of her home each day. Her home had more of a presence of angels every time I entered.
As my sister was telling us (my other sister and me) that she wanted her new body, the two of us would each take turns hugging her and telling her things in her ears. Sometimes I would sing to her. One time I told her how lucky she was that she would be celebrating Christmas in heaven with our parents (Dad passed September 28, 1998). She would grin as she knew she would be with them.
A new body. My sister was given a new body. Jesus came to earth as an infant and had a human body. God with us was human. His new body was not perfect. Jesus allowed Himself to leave his glorious heavenly home filled with angels singing, prophets swapping stories, the "cloud of witnesses" mentioned in Hebrews all praising Jesus and worshiping Him...and so many more gathered to sing and tell of His praises. He left all of that to take on a body that could and would be beaten...a body that would be bruised and have nails pierce it.
I have no doubt that the angels surrounded Him when He arrived in that cave/stall. The angels told the shepherds of His arrival...an entire host of them (an army of angels). Can you imagine that night as you care for your sheep...suddenly the skies are lit up with an army of angels. Imagine the brightness! Imagine the singing! Imagine the angel announcing to them about the birth of "God with us"! They surely felt the angels. Can you just imagine an army of angels totally taking over the skies?
I got a bit excited just then thinking of how it felt each time I went to my sister's home and could feel the hush of angels...the shepherds felt the excitement and bustle of angels as they sang in celebratory voices of Jesus now in a new form; a baby.
We have so much to celebrate! We get caught up in singing a variety of Christmas songs. Do we really listen as we sing the words or are they so familiar that they just sort of roll off our tongue and stumble through our teeth? Have we heard the story of the birth of Jesus so often that it is simply something to be repeated like reciting a childhood story?
My hope is that you take the time to truly realize what "God with us" has done. I can't imagine leaving the splendors of heaven...taking on some perishable body to come here to be accepted by some and rejected by so many...to ultimately give life as a sacrifice on the cross.
Think about it...Jesus, our Saviour, lived among the people. They saw a difference in Him...not just because He did miracles but there was a difference in His attitude, His reactions, His mixing with the down and out and with those who others wanted nothing to do with. Just think about Jesus. Flip through the gospels sometime (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Study His way with people!
I want to encourage you to REALLY think about our love gift from God this season. Really focus on His life. Focus on: His Kingship, Servanthood, Him being Immanuel (God with us), His compassion, and His friendship you can experience.
I get excited and the inside of my head dances because the more I learn about Jesus and obey Him; desiring to learn and grow in Him, the more my soul rejoices and sings. There is this deep indwelling of His Holy Spirit (that He left with us when He returned to heaven) that flows through me. Sometimes it's as if everything about me is dancing inside, other times it is more hushed and calm, but He is always there!
Because Jesus came, I have a Joy and a Peace that cannot be explained. When He is part of your life, His Spirit is in you. I wish I could explain it better.
My desire for you, my friend,is that you experience this Christmas season with renewed thinking! Realize the promise! Realize that because of Christmas and the birth of Jesus we have Easter and His resurrection...our Eternal Hope!
We will all be able to sing with the army of angels in our new bodies one day! Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth and taking on a body that would be crucified on a cross. Because of Jesus and His powerful name, sacrifice, and rising again, we have power through the Holy Spirit! Amen!
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
~Three is Me~
Sipping tea as usual with you...I like to take my time with my tea...and I sip it at any temperature...there is so much on my heart and mind...we in the United States of America have just enjoyed ThanksGiving day...we have much to be thankful for...we are blessed...My heart, soul, and mind is in this...what I call a la-la state...simply mellow...sure my mind is ever going...always filled with a song and a variety of scenes as if plays or movies are always going through my mind....and my heart...it is mellow although it is going through a time of remembrance during this season...and my soul...oh my soul...it is also mellow...a sweet calm.
The reason for the calm? I have a short answer; prayer and the Holy Spirit. In all of my life, I have always talked with our Father Creator and Jesus. As a young girl I knew I could talk to Them/Him any time I wanted. I knew I could talk out loud or in my own mind. That was always such a comfort to me.
Later I learned of the Holy Spirit. I learned I could talk to Him also. We have talked about communicating with the Three. So, I won't back-track.
Spirit living is the focus here! Trust me it can be extremely exciting! Nothing heebie-jeebie. It is Jesus-y! In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 & 24 we read that we have a spirit, soul, and body. I know I always talk about my heart, mind, and soul but that is because my brain thinks in that way. I think of my heart as my emotional me, my mind as the thinking me, and my soul as more like my psyche. Those are my "human" definitions of the make up of self. The Bible tells us we are, spirit, soul and body. Our spirit is not the Holy Spirit. Those who follow Jesus can have the Holy Spirit inside but "He" is not "me". The spirit comes from the Greek word, pneuma, meaning breath or wind.The soul is the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans. The body is, well, our body. The physical you. So, 1 Thessalonians spells it out for us, we have spirit, soul, and body. These "three" are so very wonderful and unique as part of each person. We need to properly care for each of the three. We can read about caring for our body. We understand that pretty easily. Eat less; move more! (grins) Well, you can research things for caring for your body as today I want to talk about our spirit and soul care.
In Jude verse 20 and 21, he tells us to build ourselves up in the most holy faith, praying in the Spirit, keep ourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.
Let's break that down. Yes, I know it is already pretty brief...but let's break it down.
#1 Build yourself up in the most holy faith. How do we do that? Well, Jude goes on to tell us in his following words....
#2 Pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is your moving and guiding power. He is the one who motivates you to pray. We pray according to His direction.
#3 Keep yourself in the love of God. This happens by continuing to pray. Pray on all occasions. Pray about anything on your heart. Give praise. Give thanks. Petition. Cry out to Father. Prayer is our oxygen with our heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Without prayer, our relationship would suffocate. Breathing is essential; Prayer is our breath of life!
#4 Wait expectantly for our Savior.
The body is easy to sort and define. We can touch it, move it, see it. The spirit and the soul are unseen. All three are mentioned in the scriptures. All three are "me". All three need care. All three are unique. The body "houses" the spirit and soul. The soul is the "psyche". The spirit is designed to be in charge of your body and soul. The spirit is the inner person. The real you when you accepted Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit reveals truth to your spirit and guides you in the will of God. How wonderfully amazing when there is communication between your spirit and the Holy Spirit! The breath of life!
The reason for the calm? I have a short answer; prayer and the Holy Spirit. In all of my life, I have always talked with our Father Creator and Jesus. As a young girl I knew I could talk to Them/Him any time I wanted. I knew I could talk out loud or in my own mind. That was always such a comfort to me.
Later I learned of the Holy Spirit. I learned I could talk to Him also. We have talked about communicating with the Three. So, I won't back-track.
Spirit living is the focus here! Trust me it can be extremely exciting! Nothing heebie-jeebie. It is Jesus-y! In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 & 24 we read that we have a spirit, soul, and body. I know I always talk about my heart, mind, and soul but that is because my brain thinks in that way. I think of my heart as my emotional me, my mind as the thinking me, and my soul as more like my psyche. Those are my "human" definitions of the make up of self. The Bible tells us we are, spirit, soul and body. Our spirit is not the Holy Spirit. Those who follow Jesus can have the Holy Spirit inside but "He" is not "me". The spirit comes from the Greek word, pneuma, meaning breath or wind.The soul is the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans. The body is, well, our body. The physical you. So, 1 Thessalonians spells it out for us, we have spirit, soul, and body. These "three" are so very wonderful and unique as part of each person. We need to properly care for each of the three. We can read about caring for our body. We understand that pretty easily. Eat less; move more! (grins) Well, you can research things for caring for your body as today I want to talk about our spirit and soul care.
In Jude verse 20 and 21, he tells us to build ourselves up in the most holy faith, praying in the Spirit, keep ourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.
Let's break that down. Yes, I know it is already pretty brief...but let's break it down.
#1 Build yourself up in the most holy faith. How do we do that? Well, Jude goes on to tell us in his following words....
#2 Pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is your moving and guiding power. He is the one who motivates you to pray. We pray according to His direction.
#3 Keep yourself in the love of God. This happens by continuing to pray. Pray on all occasions. Pray about anything on your heart. Give praise. Give thanks. Petition. Cry out to Father. Prayer is our oxygen with our heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Without prayer, our relationship would suffocate. Breathing is essential; Prayer is our breath of life!
#4 Wait expectantly for our Savior.
The body is easy to sort and define. We can touch it, move it, see it. The spirit and the soul are unseen. All three are mentioned in the scriptures. All three are "me". All three need care. All three are unique. The body "houses" the spirit and soul. The soul is the "psyche". The spirit is designed to be in charge of your body and soul. The spirit is the inner person. The real you when you accepted Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit reveals truth to your spirit and guides you in the will of God. How wonderfully amazing when there is communication between your spirit and the Holy Spirit! The breath of life!
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (ESV)
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
~I am a Stone~
Sitting here sipping my tea...now cold as it has been setting out...still tasty...I drink tea in any temperature...I am so excited about sharing with you today...You have been with me through much of my listening and obeying God times...
Always learning...always growing...always sharing...that is what we are to do as Jesus followers...I am just so inspired! I have my Inspirational times with the Three every morning. Sometimes they are only about 30 minutes long...other times they have been as much as two and a half hours...it all depends on what all the Three and I are sharing. I read, I journal, I listen, They take turns talking to me, I talk with Them...I cherish our Inspirational time.
I have also included praying to the Holy Spirit in our Inspirational time now. I pray to Him to give me the words that I need to say to whomever...I pray to Him to flow through me to help me show compassion...I pray to Him to comfort me...I pray to Him to guide me...I pray to Him...for a variety of things....
The other day He and I were communing and I was praying that I would have the words to say that He would want me to say to people in general, to my husband, to my son...I had to run some errands in town and was in a grocery store. I was selecting items from a freezer bed when across from me there was a lady who seemed to be in need. I asked her if she was looking for something in particular. She told me what she was looking for and asked if I knew it the store had it. We conversed briefly. She then turned the corner to be nearly cart to cart with me and somehow we struck up a conversation.
She and I talked as if we had known each other for years. We began sharing our variety of health stories. We shared stories about our doctors...our travels for health reasons...and at one point I looked at her and said..."Well, I have Jesus..." and I began to tell her how I dealt with my health issues over the past years. As soon as I said, "Well, I have Jesus," her face lit up and her eyes sparkled. She had Jesus too! We both shared more excitedly. When we concluded our conversation we hugged and went about our business. I believe we talked by that freezer bed for nearly 30 minutes. The peculiar thing to me was those words that so easily flowed from my mouth, "Well, I have Jesus..." I knew those words popped right out with the help of the Holy Spirit. As they came out it was almost as if I wasn't speaking them. The power of words caused her to shine and sparkle. The power of the Holy Spirit gave me the courage to share Him and Jesus through my words.
Obeying, listening, trusting, sharing...it is who we are (or who we should be) when we follow Jesus. He has been doing some pretty terrific things in my life. For instance, He has told me to go through the book of Ephesians in the Bible. I am not to merely read it and be done...I am to pick it apart...really focus on the verses...the key things...
I believe the things I am learning were easy for the Ephesians to comprehend. For me, I am reading them with new eyes. I am reading them with eyes that dissect. I want to share with you some things that I have picked up in reading Ephesians so far.
First I want to say, I have fun keeping a journal. I think as I write. When I read some verses from Ephesians 2 today, I worked them out as if working out a math equation and I don't like math. I dissected the verses....and I don't care for science. Maybe what I did was parse them out as in the old fashioned way of handling some grammatical situations. At any rate...I "spelled them out" for me to grasp and I want to share it with you.
I was reading Ephesians 2 today so I will share with you my "take" on Ephesians 2.
In verse 5 it simply states that we are saved by grace. Verse 6 tells me that I am seated with Christ in the heavens...there is a place JUST for me! I am not saved because of anything I have DONE (works) but only because of God's grace (v. 9). In verse 10 I learned WHO I AM in Jesus...I am His workmanship whom He created to do good works FOR Him. I am not saved because of my good works; but because I am a Jesus follower I am to do good works FOR Him!
Reading further to verse 13 I learn that I have been brought near Jesus because of His blood. In verse 18, I know that everyone has access to the Father in one Spirit. Oh! The Holy Spirit pops up here!
Okay now here is where I begin to dissect. The first bit of chapter 2 was pretty easy to grasp. The next verses...verses 20 to 22, I pick apart...
Jesus is the Cornerstone of the temple.
The apostles and prophets are main stones of the temple.
The saints (believers) are stones of the temple.
In Jesus, the whole building grows into the temple in the Lord.
God's dwelling of the Holy Spirit is why we are all being built together (put together).
Again:
God's Holy Spirit dwells in the temple made of prophets, apostles, and saints (believers) and Jesus is the Cornerstone...where we all begin!
The temple is to be cared for and maintained...added to with more believers (saints). The Church is the whole! The Holy Spirit is in and among the Church!
Do you understand what I am saying? Saints (believers), the prophets and apostles, and Jesus being the very base for us, the Cornerstone are ALL the Church! Jesus gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, so He is IN the Church.The Holy Spirit, as I have stated before, gives the saints (believers) more power than what raised Jesus from the dead!
My friend, WE, the Church, the body of believers (saints) have or can have that awesome Holy Spirit Power. My goodness, I asked Him to help me with words to say...how much more can He do than simply give me words!
The Church has Jesus as the Cornerstone! If we have a body of praying believers who truly rely on the Three and know and claim that Holy Spirit power...how much can be done in the name of Jesus! We need to be that Jesus Church! We believers have that common ground just as I knew the lady in the grocery store knew Jesus because as soon as I said, "Well, I have Jesus..." she shined Jesus more. We, the Church, needs to obey, listen, trust, and share Jesus! My friend, we have the Holy Spirit to guide, counsel, give words, give us power...and so much more...live it!
We are each a stone of the Church of Jesus. Each believer is important and is equipped and being more equipped with the ways that God wants to use them in His church. Obey, Listen, and Share!
Always learning...always growing...always sharing...that is what we are to do as Jesus followers...I am just so inspired! I have my Inspirational times with the Three every morning. Sometimes they are only about 30 minutes long...other times they have been as much as two and a half hours...it all depends on what all the Three and I are sharing. I read, I journal, I listen, They take turns talking to me, I talk with Them...I cherish our Inspirational time.
I have also included praying to the Holy Spirit in our Inspirational time now. I pray to Him to give me the words that I need to say to whomever...I pray to Him to flow through me to help me show compassion...I pray to Him to comfort me...I pray to Him to guide me...I pray to Him...for a variety of things....
The other day He and I were communing and I was praying that I would have the words to say that He would want me to say to people in general, to my husband, to my son...I had to run some errands in town and was in a grocery store. I was selecting items from a freezer bed when across from me there was a lady who seemed to be in need. I asked her if she was looking for something in particular. She told me what she was looking for and asked if I knew it the store had it. We conversed briefly. She then turned the corner to be nearly cart to cart with me and somehow we struck up a conversation.
She and I talked as if we had known each other for years. We began sharing our variety of health stories. We shared stories about our doctors...our travels for health reasons...and at one point I looked at her and said..."Well, I have Jesus..." and I began to tell her how I dealt with my health issues over the past years. As soon as I said, "Well, I have Jesus," her face lit up and her eyes sparkled. She had Jesus too! We both shared more excitedly. When we concluded our conversation we hugged and went about our business. I believe we talked by that freezer bed for nearly 30 minutes. The peculiar thing to me was those words that so easily flowed from my mouth, "Well, I have Jesus..." I knew those words popped right out with the help of the Holy Spirit. As they came out it was almost as if I wasn't speaking them. The power of words caused her to shine and sparkle. The power of the Holy Spirit gave me the courage to share Him and Jesus through my words.
Obeying, listening, trusting, sharing...it is who we are (or who we should be) when we follow Jesus. He has been doing some pretty terrific things in my life. For instance, He has told me to go through the book of Ephesians in the Bible. I am not to merely read it and be done...I am to pick it apart...really focus on the verses...the key things...
I believe the things I am learning were easy for the Ephesians to comprehend. For me, I am reading them with new eyes. I am reading them with eyes that dissect. I want to share with you some things that I have picked up in reading Ephesians so far.
First I want to say, I have fun keeping a journal. I think as I write. When I read some verses from Ephesians 2 today, I worked them out as if working out a math equation and I don't like math. I dissected the verses....and I don't care for science. Maybe what I did was parse them out as in the old fashioned way of handling some grammatical situations. At any rate...I "spelled them out" for me to grasp and I want to share it with you.
I was reading Ephesians 2 today so I will share with you my "take" on Ephesians 2.
In verse 5 it simply states that we are saved by grace. Verse 6 tells me that I am seated with Christ in the heavens...there is a place JUST for me! I am not saved because of anything I have DONE (works) but only because of God's grace (v. 9). In verse 10 I learned WHO I AM in Jesus...I am His workmanship whom He created to do good works FOR Him. I am not saved because of my good works; but because I am a Jesus follower I am to do good works FOR Him!
Reading further to verse 13 I learn that I have been brought near Jesus because of His blood. In verse 18, I know that everyone has access to the Father in one Spirit. Oh! The Holy Spirit pops up here!
Okay now here is where I begin to dissect. The first bit of chapter 2 was pretty easy to grasp. The next verses...verses 20 to 22, I pick apart...
Jesus is the Cornerstone of the temple.
The apostles and prophets are main stones of the temple.
The saints (believers) are stones of the temple.
In Jesus, the whole building grows into the temple in the Lord.
God's dwelling of the Holy Spirit is why we are all being built together (put together).
Again:
God's Holy Spirit dwells in the temple made of prophets, apostles, and saints (believers) and Jesus is the Cornerstone...where we all begin!
The temple is to be cared for and maintained...added to with more believers (saints). The Church is the whole! The Holy Spirit is in and among the Church!
Do you understand what I am saying? Saints (believers), the prophets and apostles, and Jesus being the very base for us, the Cornerstone are ALL the Church! Jesus gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, so He is IN the Church.The Holy Spirit, as I have stated before, gives the saints (believers) more power than what raised Jesus from the dead!
My friend, WE, the Church, the body of believers (saints) have or can have that awesome Holy Spirit Power. My goodness, I asked Him to help me with words to say...how much more can He do than simply give me words!
The Church has Jesus as the Cornerstone! If we have a body of praying believers who truly rely on the Three and know and claim that Holy Spirit power...how much can be done in the name of Jesus! We need to be that Jesus Church! We believers have that common ground just as I knew the lady in the grocery store knew Jesus because as soon as I said, "Well, I have Jesus..." she shined Jesus more. We, the Church, needs to obey, listen, trust, and share Jesus! My friend, we have the Holy Spirit to guide, counsel, give words, give us power...and so much more...live it!
We are each a stone of the Church of Jesus. Each believer is important and is equipped and being more equipped with the ways that God wants to use them in His church. Obey, Listen, and Share!
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
~The Three; The One~
Sitting here again...sipping my tea...surrounded by windows full of gray skies...my mind...oh my mind wants to explode telling you things that it has been taking in lately...but explosions are not always so good...so I will choose to let bits of my mind out little by little...
The explosion could be an issue if it all bursts out to much and too fast...it would just smatter around and not be any good...it may also hit you in areas that you are not ready to take it yet...I say yet...
You see, and some of you know this of me, I have Jesus and Father, with the Holy Spirit inside me. Yes, the trilogy...not a biblical word, I know this. I love knowing all three of them...I know I am not supposed to choose a favorite...but because of the type of person I am, I do have a favorite...be assured that I know the importance of all three for me...but my favorite...if you asked...is the Holy Spirit.
There is SO much I could write here about the Holy Spirit. I won't overwhelm you (grins) Jesus was excited for us to have the Holy Spirit. In John 16:7 He tells His disciples, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go I will send Him to you." Jesus was here in body. He was among the disciples and the people walking and talking with them...teaching...doing miracles...living as a man. Jesus knew that we could know his teachings...we could remember things he taught...but that He could not possibly be IN us. He knew that when He left, He could and would leave His Spirit...that Being who could be inside us, teaching us, guiding us, comforting us...His Spirit could always be a part of us as long as we had a relationship with Jesus because together they were One (and yes with the Father). So, Jesus wanted to leave in order for us to have some of Him (Spirit) with us always! He knew that was the only way. How exciting and giving!
I get all excited knowing that the Holy Spirit is inside me. I learn more about Him daily. I know that I need to lean into Him always. I need to pray to Him before dealing with any issue or people in order to give godly words or advice. I know that I need to be talking with Him as I go about my day. Of course I can talk to Jesus. He is my friend and Savior. I can also talk to Father. He is my creator. But when I talk to the Holy Spirit, it is different as He resides in me. He courses through my mind, body, and soul. He knows just what I need and when. He will give me the guidance. He will give me the comfort in difficult times. He will give me words to say that are far better than any I could come up with. He will keep me in tune with Father and Jesus.
As I said, I get all excited in the Holy Spirit! I get all excited in prayer! I have dancing of the Spirit inside my head! My soul sings Him! My heart rejoices in Him!
I want to encourage you to study up on the Holy Spirit. Look up scriptures about Him! He is a unique person not simply a power or influence as He may be grieved (Eph. 4:30), He may be quenched, (1 Thes. 5:19) and He may be resisted (Acts 7:51). He is the author of the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16) as it is God breathed. He convicts and regenerates (John 16:8-11, John 3:1-16, Acts 2:38). He is our comforter (John 14:16-17, Eph. 2:14, Phil. 4:7). The Holy Spirit empowers us to live in Christ's righteousness (Rom.8:26, Phil 4:10-13) and He helps us to read the Bible and pray (John 4:25, 16:12-15, Rom.8:28). There are so many attributes of the Holy Spirit! Seek more.
As I said, I did not want to overwhelm you with the dancing going on inside my being (of the Holy Spirit). I think it is so fabulous that Jesus was so thrilled to give us the Holy Spirit when He left earth. He so wanted us to be a part with Him and that is how it was to be done!
All Three are One! All Three can be prayed to. Most of us are not as familiar with praying to the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to write out a prayer to Him. I was going to do it here for you but I know that when you learn more about Him on your own...reading scriptures about Him...you will want to put prayers to Him in your own words! Your words will penetrate your heart and soul. I also want to encourage you to turn to Him, as He is in you if you follow Jesus, when you need guidance...comfort...words to speak to someone...
I thank Jesus for leaving us His Spirit the part of Him that is possible to be in us!
The explosion could be an issue if it all bursts out to much and too fast...it would just smatter around and not be any good...it may also hit you in areas that you are not ready to take it yet...I say yet...
You see, and some of you know this of me, I have Jesus and Father, with the Holy Spirit inside me. Yes, the trilogy...not a biblical word, I know this. I love knowing all three of them...I know I am not supposed to choose a favorite...but because of the type of person I am, I do have a favorite...be assured that I know the importance of all three for me...but my favorite...if you asked...is the Holy Spirit.
There is SO much I could write here about the Holy Spirit. I won't overwhelm you (grins) Jesus was excited for us to have the Holy Spirit. In John 16:7 He tells His disciples, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go I will send Him to you." Jesus was here in body. He was among the disciples and the people walking and talking with them...teaching...doing miracles...living as a man. Jesus knew that we could know his teachings...we could remember things he taught...but that He could not possibly be IN us. He knew that when He left, He could and would leave His Spirit...that Being who could be inside us, teaching us, guiding us, comforting us...His Spirit could always be a part of us as long as we had a relationship with Jesus because together they were One (and yes with the Father). So, Jesus wanted to leave in order for us to have some of Him (Spirit) with us always! He knew that was the only way. How exciting and giving!
I get all excited knowing that the Holy Spirit is inside me. I learn more about Him daily. I know that I need to lean into Him always. I need to pray to Him before dealing with any issue or people in order to give godly words or advice. I know that I need to be talking with Him as I go about my day. Of course I can talk to Jesus. He is my friend and Savior. I can also talk to Father. He is my creator. But when I talk to the Holy Spirit, it is different as He resides in me. He courses through my mind, body, and soul. He knows just what I need and when. He will give me the guidance. He will give me the comfort in difficult times. He will give me words to say that are far better than any I could come up with. He will keep me in tune with Father and Jesus.
As I said, I get all excited in the Holy Spirit! I get all excited in prayer! I have dancing of the Spirit inside my head! My soul sings Him! My heart rejoices in Him!
I want to encourage you to study up on the Holy Spirit. Look up scriptures about Him! He is a unique person not simply a power or influence as He may be grieved (Eph. 4:30), He may be quenched, (1 Thes. 5:19) and He may be resisted (Acts 7:51). He is the author of the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16) as it is God breathed. He convicts and regenerates (John 16:8-11, John 3:1-16, Acts 2:38). He is our comforter (John 14:16-17, Eph. 2:14, Phil. 4:7). The Holy Spirit empowers us to live in Christ's righteousness (Rom.8:26, Phil 4:10-13) and He helps us to read the Bible and pray (John 4:25, 16:12-15, Rom.8:28). There are so many attributes of the Holy Spirit! Seek more.
As I said, I did not want to overwhelm you with the dancing going on inside my being (of the Holy Spirit). I think it is so fabulous that Jesus was so thrilled to give us the Holy Spirit when He left earth. He so wanted us to be a part with Him and that is how it was to be done!
All Three are One! All Three can be prayed to. Most of us are not as familiar with praying to the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to write out a prayer to Him. I was going to do it here for you but I know that when you learn more about Him on your own...reading scriptures about Him...you will want to put prayers to Him in your own words! Your words will penetrate your heart and soul. I also want to encourage you to turn to Him, as He is in you if you follow Jesus, when you need guidance...comfort...words to speak to someone...
I thank Jesus for leaving us His Spirit the part of Him that is possible to be in us!
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
~Task-y~
Sipping tea here on this brisk, gray morning...During my Inspirational time this morning...I was telling Father that I had so many things running through my mind that I needed to do...I told Him I know that is part of who He created me to be...a lady with multiple things coursing through her mind at all times...and these things were a variety of tasks...tasks that actually sound fun to begin and accomplish...but tasks that are in no order and being in no order...nothing...not one of them...gets completed or sometimes not even started.
I told Father, "You know that who you created me to be is also a list maker. It just feels good to make a list". I also told Him, that I may write things down and look the list over and then feel overwhelmed and do nothing. THAT is part of who He created me to be too. I accept that. I like the lady He created me to be.
As I sat writing in my journal about needing to do these tasks, I told Him..."I know, I know, I just need to begin somewhere." He agreed. Of course He would. I never consider it a task to have time with my Father. Those are moments I look forward to.
Even as I write, the "list" of tasks run through my mind. It isn't even a "time thing" with me. It is just a thing. I don't consider myself a procrastinator, I am simply an "oh this is a good idea to do" lady who then finds other things to do. I don't know if you can relate to this or not, but I have all of these "neat" things to do in my mind, it's just the reality of needing to begin and complete one at a time.
Are there things that God is calling you to do? I know that the more I make the time to be with Him, the more I hear from Him. At times I sit quietly "talking" with Him mentally. I love it when He fills my mind. The task thinking stops (grins) and I focus on Him. Do you take time to focus?...to focus on what He desires of you?
No task should ever take His place. He should be the Ultimate "Task". When we study His Word, He reveals things to us. He reveals His desires for us. When we communicate with Him, He lets us know the desires of His heart for us and they become the desires of our heart.
I want to encourage you to make the time in your day to be with Father. Listen! Learn! Communicate! The "tasks" he desires of you, will not be beyond your capability. How do I know this? I know this because Father gives us all that we need to accomplish all that He desires of us. He may stretch us...and He usually does....but He will be there to assist and give the strength, courage, knowledge...all that we need. Believe that He will ask of you things that you never dreamed you would do. He wants your obedience! He wants you to grow in Him! He wants you to show His character here in human form!
When we take on the task that Father desires for us to do, we become closer to Him! Sometimes the task may not be a very "popular" thing to do. Do it anyway! Obey! Each time you obey Him, you will feel a renewal within your soul and you will feel (and be) closer to Him.
If you are like me, you have multiple tasks floating around inside your head to take on. When you listen to God, you will know what He desires for you to take on. It may not be anything that is going through your mind at the time. It may be something new! Something Challenging! Something that will "show off" your God-given gifts!
As it says in Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". The desires of your heart will be in tune with His heart as you get to know Him more intimately on a day to day personal basis. Your heart will become one with His. THAT is how and why He will give you desires of your heart. THAT is how and why you will be able to do all that he asks of you to do.
Take it a step at a time...day by day...Jesus is always there to assist you in what He wants you to accomplish. You will be amazed at the joy and peace you will have when you fulfill what He asks of you as you go about your daily life.
I do know that His main "task" for us all is as He says in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
This I know, Jesus' desire is for us to put into practice Matthew 28:19-20. In order for us to do so, He will guide you as to how He wants you to be doing this for Him. You may face rejection. You will be strengthened. He will give you all that you need to be as His "hands and feet". Take time to learn from Him. Obey Him. DO what He desires of you! Your desires will collide and be the desires of both your hearts. Each time you do something He wants of you, it will make it easier for the next time. You will have trusted Him to help you with one "task" of His...and then you will be ready for the next knowing how He was there with you to do His will.
Listen! Obey! Do!
I told Father, "You know that who you created me to be is also a list maker. It just feels good to make a list". I also told Him, that I may write things down and look the list over and then feel overwhelmed and do nothing. THAT is part of who He created me to be too. I accept that. I like the lady He created me to be.
As I sat writing in my journal about needing to do these tasks, I told Him..."I know, I know, I just need to begin somewhere." He agreed. Of course He would. I never consider it a task to have time with my Father. Those are moments I look forward to.
Even as I write, the "list" of tasks run through my mind. It isn't even a "time thing" with me. It is just a thing. I don't consider myself a procrastinator, I am simply an "oh this is a good idea to do" lady who then finds other things to do. I don't know if you can relate to this or not, but I have all of these "neat" things to do in my mind, it's just the reality of needing to begin and complete one at a time.
Are there things that God is calling you to do? I know that the more I make the time to be with Him, the more I hear from Him. At times I sit quietly "talking" with Him mentally. I love it when He fills my mind. The task thinking stops (grins) and I focus on Him. Do you take time to focus?...to focus on what He desires of you?
No task should ever take His place. He should be the Ultimate "Task". When we study His Word, He reveals things to us. He reveals His desires for us. When we communicate with Him, He lets us know the desires of His heart for us and they become the desires of our heart.
I want to encourage you to make the time in your day to be with Father. Listen! Learn! Communicate! The "tasks" he desires of you, will not be beyond your capability. How do I know this? I know this because Father gives us all that we need to accomplish all that He desires of us. He may stretch us...and He usually does....but He will be there to assist and give the strength, courage, knowledge...all that we need. Believe that He will ask of you things that you never dreamed you would do. He wants your obedience! He wants you to grow in Him! He wants you to show His character here in human form!
When we take on the task that Father desires for us to do, we become closer to Him! Sometimes the task may not be a very "popular" thing to do. Do it anyway! Obey! Each time you obey Him, you will feel a renewal within your soul and you will feel (and be) closer to Him.
If you are like me, you have multiple tasks floating around inside your head to take on. When you listen to God, you will know what He desires for you to take on. It may not be anything that is going through your mind at the time. It may be something new! Something Challenging! Something that will "show off" your God-given gifts!
As it says in Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". The desires of your heart will be in tune with His heart as you get to know Him more intimately on a day to day personal basis. Your heart will become one with His. THAT is how and why He will give you desires of your heart. THAT is how and why you will be able to do all that he asks of you to do.
Take it a step at a time...day by day...Jesus is always there to assist you in what He wants you to accomplish. You will be amazed at the joy and peace you will have when you fulfill what He asks of you as you go about your daily life.
I do know that His main "task" for us all is as He says in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
This I know, Jesus' desire is for us to put into practice Matthew 28:19-20. In order for us to do so, He will guide you as to how He wants you to be doing this for Him. You may face rejection. You will be strengthened. He will give you all that you need to be as His "hands and feet". Take time to learn from Him. Obey Him. DO what He desires of you! Your desires will collide and be the desires of both your hearts. Each time you do something He wants of you, it will make it easier for the next time. You will have trusted Him to help you with one "task" of His...and then you will be ready for the next knowing how He was there with you to do His will.
Listen! Obey! Do!
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
~Sing Your Heart & Soul~
Sipping tea here...listening to songs of praise to Father and His Son...
Sometimes a song is what we need...Sometimes we need to sing a praise or prayer song to our Lord...Sometimes we need to get caught up with Him in a song...
This song, "Yours Will Be", is one of my favorites and I want to share it with you...there is a sort of "silly" part of singing la-la's but I get caught up in the words...I close my eyes...raise my hands...envision all of it...I sing my heart and soul out...
The words touch my heart and soul...I soak in the words...The only name that matters to me!...and The friendship and affection I need...He truly is the only true friendship that matters!
Yours will be the only name that matters to me
The only one whose favor I seek
The only name that matters to me
Yours will be
The friendship and affection I need
To feel my Father smiling on me
The only name that matters to me
I Hope that you will listen and soak in the words to this song at least twice (especially if it is new to you). I hope that you will sing out with your heart and soul and truly be "with" Jesus as you sing.
When I wake up in the land of glory, with the saints I will tell my story, There will be one name that I proclaim! Imagine it! David, Moses, Joseph, Esther, Rahab, Paul, Watchman Nee, Brother Andrew, so many who truly had a relationship with Father...envision friends and relatives you plan to see when you wake up in the land of glory! How amazing!
Sometimes a song is what we need...Sometimes we need to sing a praise or prayer song to our Lord...Sometimes we need to get caught up with Him in a song...
This song, "Yours Will Be", is one of my favorites and I want to share it with you...there is a sort of "silly" part of singing la-la's but I get caught up in the words...I close my eyes...raise my hands...envision all of it...I sing my heart and soul out...
The words touch my heart and soul...I soak in the words...The only name that matters to me!...and The friendship and affection I need...He truly is the only true friendship that matters!
Yours will be the only name that matters to me
The only one whose favor I seek
The only name that matters to me
Yours will be
The friendship and affection I need
To feel my Father smiling on me
The only name that matters to me
I Hope that you will listen and soak in the words to this song at least twice (especially if it is new to you). I hope that you will sing out with your heart and soul and truly be "with" Jesus as you sing.
When I wake up in the land of glory, with the saints I will tell my story, There will be one name that I proclaim! Imagine it! David, Moses, Joseph, Esther, Rahab, Paul, Watchman Nee, Brother Andrew, so many who truly had a relationship with Father...envision friends and relatives you plan to see when you wake up in the land of glory! How amazing!
Monday, October 15, 2018
~The Dream~
Sipping my Irish Breakfast tea...I had a dream last night that I didn't want to leave...I was with my dad...
Some background information on me and my dad...we would take long road trips together while listening to music or a sermon and talk only when something hit us just right about the song or sermon or some topic hit our mind...we sometimes would discuss the sermon as it was being spoken and/or sometimes after...we would watch sporting events together in our family room while we each had our own large bowl of popcorn...we would "hang out" at the church where he was the pastor, he in his office, me either in the secretary's office as she was gone or "performing" on the stage in the sanctuary where I had songs set up and would sing along pretending I was in concert (dad was near so we were together)...when Dad and I were together...we rarely spoke...but we were together and that presence thing was what mattered most to me....As dad was on his last days in his hospital bed we had many quiet moments; some with conversation. During one particular conversation I looked at Dad and said, "you know, Dad, we never really talked a lot." He turned and looked at me and said, "no, only about what was important." THAT was our relationship! We had a togetherness but didn't need a lot of words...just about the meaningful things.
Dad and I approached this little greenish house that was surrounded by cedars and beautiful pine trees. The yard was that grassy-sandy yard. The front door was a metal screen door with window panels and there was a heavier inner wood door. We stepped inside. I could smell a sort of woodsy smell from our surroundings.
Dad and I walked through the rooms. None of them really stand out. We didn't talk. We walked and observed. Every room was a hue of green. I felt him beside me so I knew he was there. We came to the last room to view. It was the living room. There were built in book shelves. There was no furniture in the room. There were no books on the book shelves. Everything in the house was tidy and clean. The empty book shelves bothered me as I like to read and checking out people's books sort of tells something about the person living in the house. We stood side by side and I said to my dad, not turning his way but continuing to stare at the emptiness in the house and on the book shelves, "everything is empty. There is nothing here." He replied, "they were ready to go!" His words stood still inside my head. "They were ready to go!" We stood looking at the emptiness, neither of us saying a word. I could smell the closed up woodsy smell of the house and feel the coolness of the atmosphere. Dad spoke meaningfully yet simply as he did another time to me when he was on his hospital bed. He looked up at the ceiling and said, "people need to learn to think about nothing." I asked, "how do you do that?" He turned to me and said, "you just do!" So, whoever lived in this now empty house was "ready to go!" So simple! Few words needed. Dad and I stood beside each other until I awakened.
So simple! That house was empty, clean, fragrant, with a pleasant atmosphere. Whoever lived there was ready to go! They had given all!
How do you see that house? What do you make of it being empty? What does my dad's statement, "they were ready to go" mean to you?
I don't know where the belongings of this house were. It doesn't matter. The owner had cleared everything out and was ready to go!
The house was empty. Empty of all but what needed to be there. The foundation was there. The various rooms were there. The aroma, that woodsy smell, was there. Does your mind, heart, and soul have space for Jesus? Does your mind have the space for learning scriptures? Does your heart have the space for more compassion? Does your soul have space for the Holy Spirit? Do you need to clear out your "house" to be ready to go?
That house had a comfy~cozy feeling...a feeling of familiarity. The one who was ready to go did leave something behind. What was left behind was the knowing! Knowing that we need to de-clutter ourselves and create the vacancy to be filled with learning more of what Father wants. The bookshelves were empty. The reading (learning) had been done. There was nothing to dust. There was no furniture. What had been needed...gone!
"They were ready to go!"
That house had a comfy~cozy feeling...a feeling of familiarity. The one who was ready to go did leave something behind. What was left behind was the knowing! Knowing that we need to de-clutter ourselves and create the vacancy to be filled with learning more of what Father wants. The bookshelves were empty. The reading (learning) had been done. There was nothing to dust. There was no furniture. What had been needed...gone!
"They were ready to go!"
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
~It's Sneaky~
Sipping my tea on a gloomy, gray, misty day...Lately my mind has been on both sides...and somewhere in the middle. People on what we call the left and right side...and then there are those caught in the middle. All three positions believe they are correct in what they have to share.
People voice verbally...People write their views in magazines, newspapers, social media...People are full of opinions...all of us are varied; even those "on the same side". This makes for a very negative and critical assembly of people. Our thinking begins to focus on two things...one; that WE are the one who is correct (pride), two; the others are just annoyingly wrong (critical).
All of this world view "stuff" begins to skew our minds. It becomes natural to view people critically and think nothing of it. Perhaps some were of a more critical nature anyhow. Some may have slipped into being critical so subtly and slowly that they didn't even notice.
People begin to annoy you. People who are maybe more peripheral in your life. Someone will say something that you deem questionable and you cringe inside. Or you will be scanning through your social media and there will be a post that your eyeballs happen to read and you will wince. "Why does he/she post that meme or make that rant?" You will ask yourself. This is where that critical spirit enters along with pride.
Pride; you think you are above the individual and that critical spirit has "no clue" how they could say such a thing and not realize the sphere of influence they may have over their group of friends who read them. That enemy is a sneak isn't he? He creeps into your mind with little whispers..."you are so much better. You don't post things that make people wince or cringe like that." "Yes! You declare, I am better." You continue reading to see what comments are made or how many "likes" are given. "Don't those people get it? This is not something that should be stated." "That's right," chimes in the enemy. "you would never post such a thing or say that." You're feeling pretty proud of yourself and you are wishing that others would be so "righteous".
You are with a group of people. Someone begins to share a story they think is funny. Your ears begin to burn as you listen. "How can they think that is funny? It's pretty 'iffy' to share with these people." "Yes, you would never share such a thing," whispers the enemy. "No, I wouldn't," you respond. Each time the enemy chimes in, when people speak or write/post you thought it was our Father. The enemy can be tricky. He can come at you in any way you will accept.
You "hear" a still small voice as you are having your prayer time with Father. "Do you really think I condone your thoughts and attitude toward that person?" "But Lord, look at what they do and what they say? It's really not appropriate," you defend. "Who are you say that?" Father responds. You sit in silence for a while. Your thoughts whirling. What some say or do is just so....so questionable! Father sits with you waiting quietly...allowing you to think. Prayer! "Okay, Father, I hear you! You want me to pray for them." You realize that you have had a critical spirit mixed with some pride.
You have a revelation! Whenever you hear or see something questionable, you will pray for the person stating it. Or if the person merely comes to mind, they are there for a reason. You will pray! It is so very true that prayer changes things. We have all been told that when you pray for someone to change...you change...your attitude changes!
Pray away a critical spirit. That spirit can hide and be sneaky. Pray away pride. Pride can also be sneaky.
I encourage you to "pick apart" this passage from Ephesians 3 and pray it for that person(s) you have issues with. Or of course pray as God leads...this is an example:
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you (the person) to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your (the person) inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your(the person's) hearts through faith—that you(the person), being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you (the person) may be filled with all the fullness of God.
I leave you with this encouragement...from Ephesians 3:
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
People voice verbally...People write their views in magazines, newspapers, social media...People are full of opinions...all of us are varied; even those "on the same side". This makes for a very negative and critical assembly of people. Our thinking begins to focus on two things...one; that WE are the one who is correct (pride), two; the others are just annoyingly wrong (critical).
All of this world view "stuff" begins to skew our minds. It becomes natural to view people critically and think nothing of it. Perhaps some were of a more critical nature anyhow. Some may have slipped into being critical so subtly and slowly that they didn't even notice.
People begin to annoy you. People who are maybe more peripheral in your life. Someone will say something that you deem questionable and you cringe inside. Or you will be scanning through your social media and there will be a post that your eyeballs happen to read and you will wince. "Why does he/she post that meme or make that rant?" You will ask yourself. This is where that critical spirit enters along with pride.
Pride; you think you are above the individual and that critical spirit has "no clue" how they could say such a thing and not realize the sphere of influence they may have over their group of friends who read them. That enemy is a sneak isn't he? He creeps into your mind with little whispers..."you are so much better. You don't post things that make people wince or cringe like that." "Yes! You declare, I am better." You continue reading to see what comments are made or how many "likes" are given. "Don't those people get it? This is not something that should be stated." "That's right," chimes in the enemy. "you would never post such a thing or say that." You're feeling pretty proud of yourself and you are wishing that others would be so "righteous".
You are with a group of people. Someone begins to share a story they think is funny. Your ears begin to burn as you listen. "How can they think that is funny? It's pretty 'iffy' to share with these people." "Yes, you would never share such a thing," whispers the enemy. "No, I wouldn't," you respond. Each time the enemy chimes in, when people speak or write/post you thought it was our Father. The enemy can be tricky. He can come at you in any way you will accept.
You "hear" a still small voice as you are having your prayer time with Father. "Do you really think I condone your thoughts and attitude toward that person?" "But Lord, look at what they do and what they say? It's really not appropriate," you defend. "Who are you say that?" Father responds. You sit in silence for a while. Your thoughts whirling. What some say or do is just so....so questionable! Father sits with you waiting quietly...allowing you to think. Prayer! "Okay, Father, I hear you! You want me to pray for them." You realize that you have had a critical spirit mixed with some pride.
You have a revelation! Whenever you hear or see something questionable, you will pray for the person stating it. Or if the person merely comes to mind, they are there for a reason. You will pray! It is so very true that prayer changes things. We have all been told that when you pray for someone to change...you change...your attitude changes!
Pray away a critical spirit. That spirit can hide and be sneaky. Pray away pride. Pride can also be sneaky.
I encourage you to "pick apart" this passage from Ephesians 3 and pray it for that person(s) you have issues with. Or of course pray as God leads...this is an example:
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you (the person) to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your (the person) inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your(the person's) hearts through faith—that you(the person), being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you (the person) may be filled with all the fullness of God.
I leave you with this encouragement...from Ephesians 3:
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
~Brain Change~
Sitting here sipping my tea with you...the skies are gray...the air is humid...thinking...the brain is truly amazing. It can retrain itself. I won't go into all of the scientific detail or terminology. There has been a case where someone re-trained their brain out of autism (The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge, M.D.). We can train our brains to believe a non truth if we tell it to ourselves often enough. The "wiring" in our brain will change and it will be true...to us. The brain weighs about 3 pounds and is mostly made up of water with some "decent" fat.
I have studied the brain for a few reasons: my youngest was born with most of his corpus callosum (the middle part of your brain, a thin membrane) missing. There is Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (Acc, total absence) and Partial Agenesis of the CC (P-Acc). The Corpus Callosum is the bridge that transfers messages to the hemispheres. Like a bridge allows cars to cross over, the corpus callosum allows neurotransmitters to cross over. The amazing thing about having Acc or P-Acc is that the brain can actually form other routes for messages to cross to the other hemisphere. The brain changes itself. Things for a person with Acc or P-Acc won't be fully just like someone with a corpus callosum, but some things can re-route. The amazing brain! What all it can handle!
I also studied the brain because I had a benign brain tumor and I wanted to know more about it and where it was located...what it may affect. The tumor was 3 mm from optic nerves, boring into my skull, and on sinuses. Prior to learning I had this tumor, at times I would say words backwards...not a natural given talent but it came with the tumor. After having most of it removed by surgery and then the rest zapped out with the gamma knife, there were changes in my brain. I lost some of my long term memory. It does make me sad as I likely won't have that back. My brain took a while to rejuvenate...to snap back. Some who know me wonder if it is fully back...ha!
Think of it, there are tiny tools prodding around inside this gel blob. Who knows what all is being pushed around. My focus was not there for a while after it was gone. I had difficulty keeping my attention on reading, writing, and listening. The brain, as I said, is amazing!
Think about it. The brain can re-train itself! The brain can snap back after the gel being pushed around! The brain can be so full of information that you feel a major over-load! The brain can feel like your head will simply explode because you have so many bits of knowledge and trivial things floating around inside it. The brain stores your emotions! It stores your memories! The left and right side of your brain vary so! One side is the more logical side, the other the more creative side! Your brain is amazing! You can fill it with information of your choice! Your brain can let both sides sort of collide! When your brain hemispheres collide reading the Word, you can experience amazing insight!
The bible tells us we need to guard our hearts. We also need to guard our brains! As it says in Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
I want to inspire you to fill your mind (brain) with things of God. I want to inspire you to dig deep into your Bible! Really study it!
I have been reading a book that has been inspiring me to see some of the scriptures I have read in the past in a different way...re-training myself. I am reading passages such as Ephesians 3:8-10 differently. I have been shown the need to "pray" Ephesians 3:14-21. My mind is waking to learning! It's almost like recovering from brain surgery! I read scriptures and have "ah ha!" thoughts. My brain is being spiritually retrained.
My hope for you is that you truly begin to dig deep into the Word of God. There are a variety of ways to do so. Some read books by Christian authors who help spur our thoughts and get us into the scriptures seeing things in a different light. Some of us dig deep on our own. Some do both. Some do both at different times.
What I know is, the brain is an amazing thing! The more we dig into scripture, the more the mind will be changed. When you begin to read the Word, ask Father to speak to your heart and mind. Ask Him to show you what you need to know. As you read and learn, talk to Him throughout the reading. I journal thoughts, prayers, and verses. Maybe you want to do that. What I know is, the more you study God's word, the more your thoughts, words, and life will change! The changing of your brain, brings about life change!
I want to inspire you to make the time! Spark up your brain for Jesus! Learn! Apply! Change!
I have studied the brain for a few reasons: my youngest was born with most of his corpus callosum (the middle part of your brain, a thin membrane) missing. There is Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (Acc, total absence) and Partial Agenesis of the CC (P-Acc). The Corpus Callosum is the bridge that transfers messages to the hemispheres. Like a bridge allows cars to cross over, the corpus callosum allows neurotransmitters to cross over. The amazing thing about having Acc or P-Acc is that the brain can actually form other routes for messages to cross to the other hemisphere. The brain changes itself. Things for a person with Acc or P-Acc won't be fully just like someone with a corpus callosum, but some things can re-route. The amazing brain! What all it can handle!
I also studied the brain because I had a benign brain tumor and I wanted to know more about it and where it was located...what it may affect. The tumor was 3 mm from optic nerves, boring into my skull, and on sinuses. Prior to learning I had this tumor, at times I would say words backwards...not a natural given talent but it came with the tumor. After having most of it removed by surgery and then the rest zapped out with the gamma knife, there were changes in my brain. I lost some of my long term memory. It does make me sad as I likely won't have that back. My brain took a while to rejuvenate...to snap back. Some who know me wonder if it is fully back...ha!
Think of it, there are tiny tools prodding around inside this gel blob. Who knows what all is being pushed around. My focus was not there for a while after it was gone. I had difficulty keeping my attention on reading, writing, and listening. The brain, as I said, is amazing!
Think about it. The brain can re-train itself! The brain can snap back after the gel being pushed around! The brain can be so full of information that you feel a major over-load! The brain can feel like your head will simply explode because you have so many bits of knowledge and trivial things floating around inside it. The brain stores your emotions! It stores your memories! The left and right side of your brain vary so! One side is the more logical side, the other the more creative side! Your brain is amazing! You can fill it with information of your choice! Your brain can let both sides sort of collide! When your brain hemispheres collide reading the Word, you can experience amazing insight!
The bible tells us we need to guard our hearts. We also need to guard our brains! As it says in Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
I want to inspire you to fill your mind (brain) with things of God. I want to inspire you to dig deep into your Bible! Really study it!
I have been reading a book that has been inspiring me to see some of the scriptures I have read in the past in a different way...re-training myself. I am reading passages such as Ephesians 3:8-10 differently. I have been shown the need to "pray" Ephesians 3:14-21. My mind is waking to learning! It's almost like recovering from brain surgery! I read scriptures and have "ah ha!" thoughts. My brain is being spiritually retrained.
My hope for you is that you truly begin to dig deep into the Word of God. There are a variety of ways to do so. Some read books by Christian authors who help spur our thoughts and get us into the scriptures seeing things in a different light. Some of us dig deep on our own. Some do both. Some do both at different times.
What I know is, the brain is an amazing thing! The more we dig into scripture, the more the mind will be changed. When you begin to read the Word, ask Father to speak to your heart and mind. Ask Him to show you what you need to know. As you read and learn, talk to Him throughout the reading. I journal thoughts, prayers, and verses. Maybe you want to do that. What I know is, the more you study God's word, the more your thoughts, words, and life will change! The changing of your brain, brings about life change!
I want to inspire you to make the time! Spark up your brain for Jesus! Learn! Apply! Change!
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
~Really Pray~
My tea is nearly gone...cool now as I have been sipping it for a while...I am starting this later than usual as today is the sad anniversary of 9/11 and respect for that day was a must!
Learning and growing...isn't that what we are to do as Jesus followers? In my learning and growing, I am finding that there is SO much more learning and growing...do you think so too? The more I learn and grow closer to Jesus...there is more the need and want to learn and grow even more...what a wonderful cycle to be a part of...learning and growing to learn and grow in Jesus.
My mind, heart, and soul are full of all sorts of things to share. The "topics" are all dancing around inside me! I sort and pray; wanting to share from Father here...not from me. So, I sit, pray, and wait. Grinning I realize you, reading, have no idea of the wait period. Maybe that's a good thing!
Prayer...there are a variety of types of prayers. There are "pillow prayers" (as you drift off to sleep), there are "help me" prayers (said urgently in time a a real crisis), there are prayers sent up to Father for healing, there are prayers of simply conversing with Father, there are fervent prayers (in which you make the time to talk to Father about a certain issue), there are simply many types of prayers.
I want to inspire you to make time to pray with all of your mind, heart, and soul for something you know needs much time in prayer. Often such prayers will wipe us out emotionally and/or physically as we take them to Father pouring out our hearts. The prayer could be anything from talking to Father about a relative, something of our own personal concern, praying for the leaders of our country, praying for the leaders of your church...any variety of concerns on your heart.
In my humble opinion, we as a people have been slacking in prayer. We wonder why our country is in the shape that it is. Really? Do we need to wonder? Do people still pray for our country? We wonder why there are so many issues with people at our church. Again, Really? Do we pray for the people at our church? Do we pray for the leadership? We have family who are in need of Jesus. Maybe you have been praying earnestly for them. Keep praying!
"Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God"~ Phil.4:6 Did you catch that? I have read over it many times...read that again! Don't rush through...take it in! It says...Don't be anxious! Some prayers take TIME to be answered for whatever reason! In your requests ask or petition humbly with adoration and with thanksgiving! If you are not sure how to begin your prayer, you can always begin with praising and thanking God...the rest of the words will follow.
You may say, "Oh, but I don't have the time to really gut it out with Father and pray earnestly." To that, I say, You don't have the time NOT to be in earnest prayer with our Father. Make the time! Prayer is of utmost importance. Can you just imagine your life, the lives of those you care about, your church, the schools,...I could go on...if you or others made the time to REALLY get down on your hands and knees and truly pour your heart out to Father about issues? Lives would be changed! You would be changed! Our God could do so much in fighting through those spiritual realms! Don't you just get all excited in thinking about the awesome changes that could be made JUST because you PRAYED? You prayed in earnest! You set aside time and continued to make the time for pouring out to Father God!
Make prayer both your lifeline and your lifestyle!
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion, and power both now and ever. Amen."~Jude 24-25
Learning and growing...isn't that what we are to do as Jesus followers? In my learning and growing, I am finding that there is SO much more learning and growing...do you think so too? The more I learn and grow closer to Jesus...there is more the need and want to learn and grow even more...what a wonderful cycle to be a part of...learning and growing to learn and grow in Jesus.
My mind, heart, and soul are full of all sorts of things to share. The "topics" are all dancing around inside me! I sort and pray; wanting to share from Father here...not from me. So, I sit, pray, and wait. Grinning I realize you, reading, have no idea of the wait period. Maybe that's a good thing!
Prayer...there are a variety of types of prayers. There are "pillow prayers" (as you drift off to sleep), there are "help me" prayers (said urgently in time a a real crisis), there are prayers sent up to Father for healing, there are prayers of simply conversing with Father, there are fervent prayers (in which you make the time to talk to Father about a certain issue), there are simply many types of prayers.
I want to inspire you to make time to pray with all of your mind, heart, and soul for something you know needs much time in prayer. Often such prayers will wipe us out emotionally and/or physically as we take them to Father pouring out our hearts. The prayer could be anything from talking to Father about a relative, something of our own personal concern, praying for the leaders of our country, praying for the leaders of your church...any variety of concerns on your heart.
In my humble opinion, we as a people have been slacking in prayer. We wonder why our country is in the shape that it is. Really? Do we need to wonder? Do people still pray for our country? We wonder why there are so many issues with people at our church. Again, Really? Do we pray for the people at our church? Do we pray for the leadership? We have family who are in need of Jesus. Maybe you have been praying earnestly for them. Keep praying!
"Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God"~ Phil.4:6 Did you catch that? I have read over it many times...read that again! Don't rush through...take it in! It says...Don't be anxious! Some prayers take TIME to be answered for whatever reason! In your requests ask or petition humbly with adoration and with thanksgiving! If you are not sure how to begin your prayer, you can always begin with praising and thanking God...the rest of the words will follow.
You may say, "Oh, but I don't have the time to really gut it out with Father and pray earnestly." To that, I say, You don't have the time NOT to be in earnest prayer with our Father. Make the time! Prayer is of utmost importance. Can you just imagine your life, the lives of those you care about, your church, the schools,...I could go on...if you or others made the time to REALLY get down on your hands and knees and truly pour your heart out to Father about issues? Lives would be changed! You would be changed! Our God could do so much in fighting through those spiritual realms! Don't you just get all excited in thinking about the awesome changes that could be made JUST because you PRAYED? You prayed in earnest! You set aside time and continued to make the time for pouring out to Father God!
Make prayer both your lifeline and your lifestyle!
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion, and power both now and ever. Amen."~Jude 24-25
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
~After Forgiveness pt. 2~
Sipping tea on this dreary gray day...after the storm. The storm took out our internet...but many nearby are without power. I am thankful that we have power. In the last blog, I wrote about forgiveness...there is power in forgiveness. Power in forgiveness? That same power that Jesus used to forgive.
Jesus, hung on the cross for each of us. As he hung and looked down at the crowd of people yelling up at Him, a sadness in His heart for all of us, knowing that He came to the earth to show us that we could have a relationship with Father God, Daddy. He looked and saw the crowd. Did he also see those who weren’t there? Those of us yet to sin? To spit in His face? To mock Him? I don’t know. I do know that He took upon Himself all of the sins that were and that were to come. He looked out at the crowd and said, “Father forgive them…” That was powerful! That was from the Holy Spirit! How else would He have the strength to forgive?
There were theives hanging by His side. One theif mocked Jesus. The other rebuked the theif who mocked Jesus saying, “Do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the the reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. And he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And He (Jesus) said to him, truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.~Luke23:40-43
There is a difference in the crowd and the theif who asked Jesus to remember him. There is a difference in Jesus’ forgiveness of the crowd and of the theif. The crowd continued to mock Jesus. To accuse Him. To taunt Him. The crowd, like those in our lives who have abused, threatened, caused harm to a loved one, deeply wounded us...The crowd was forgiven by Jesus. He gave them the grace of His Father. He showed mercy and compassion. So, like Jesus, we have that power to forgive because of the Holy Spirit in us. As gut wrenching and difficult as it may be...we can...in Jesus name and with the power of the Holy Spirit...forgive. As, Jesus demonstrated, He forgave! There was a difference in the “after” of the forgiveness for the crowd and for the theif.
To the theif hanging by His side, He said, “today you will be with Me in paradise.” Jesus forgave the theif! Jesus would have a relationship (in paradise) with that theif. The “after” came with grace! It came with mercy! It came with compassion! Unlike the mocking crowd. The crowd that caused Jesus so much heart ache whose “after” was a “type” of comfort...if they cared to know...they were forgiven. Jesus didn’t say, “hey, today we’re going to have a big party! We are going to celebrate that I forgave you!” Nor did He say, “I forgave you so now let’s hang out sometime.” No, Jesus forgave! They still mocked! Their hearts were still hard! Whereas to the theif hanging beside Him, Jesus said, “you are forgiven! You and I will be together in paradise! We will hang out sometimes!”
We are told to forgive! Forgiveness takes Holy Spirit power! As in 2 Corinthians 2: 5 and 7, we are told to comfort after we forgive. We have given mercy! (that is a tough thing to do without Jesus and the Holy Spirit). The “comfort” after forgiving someone may be that smile you give them when you see them. It may be a note in the mail. It may be hanging out with them some. OR with some whom we need to forgive who have shattered our lives, is Father asking you to comfort them? Maybe, maybe not. Jesus didn’t command it. Sometimes it isn’t possible to comfort the offender. Even if you “comfort” someone who has offended us, we are not guaranteed a positive response.
After you have forgiven an offender, have a real heart to heart talk with Father. Your willingness (obedience) to do what He tells you...is what He wants. I know in the previous blog (first part) I encouraged you to forgive and comfort. In that instance, I was more referring to more “simple” wrongs done against us...slander, attitude issues, an argument that no one “won”....resentments you need to deal with...forgive! And yes comfort! (show mercy). The more heart wrenching, gut wrenching offenses need to be forgiven...you need healing time...but with that Holy Spirit power, you CAN forgive! As in the situation with the crowd, unless you are told by Father, there is a difference in the result. You can have mercy! And heal and move on with God.
With the power of the Holy Spirit, you can forgive! The true Comfort comes from Him! When you forgive, you will have freedom! Freedom! Joy! Peace!
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
~After Forgiveness~
Sipping my tea with you...I'd like to talk with you about something that for some maybe makes you uncomfortable or wince a little...I want to talk with you about.......Forgiveness.
Many of us are familiar with reading or hearing things like, "Forgive others because that sets you free." "You need to forgive others so that God will hear your prayers and forgive you." (Mark 11:25) These things are familiar to us right?
To forgive someone who has deeply hurt you emotionally, physically, or mentally is extremely difficult. We can't do it on our own. I am not going to spend time here detailing various abusive situations that need forgiveness. To be able to forgive someone, you need to have a heart to heart with Father. Pour out your heart, mind, and soul to Him. Search the scriptures. Father is there for you to lean on, cry on...He has BIG shoulders and He is your amazingly wonderfully caring and compassionate Daddy. He loves you like no one ever has! He wants the best for you as only He can. I encourage you to go to Him and ask Him for His help in forgiving that one who hurt you so deeply.
I want to focus on something regarding forgiveness but not delving into details of deep wounds (you and God can gt into those details if you need to forgive a deep wound). Some of you need to forgive others simply for the way they treat you. Maybe whatever it was that happened has driven a wedge between you an another...it dug at that tender spot in your heart. Or whatever you need to forgive of someone is something they have done against you...lied about you...slandered your name...nothing truly extremely abusive but they have offended you and there is hurt there...an emotional wound.
So, we know we need to forgive that person. Jesus told us to forgive others as our Father in heaven forgives us. Did you know that you have a responsibility AFTER you forgive?
Check this out:
Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you.....so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.~2 Corinthians 2:5,7
Paul had not been with those in Corinth (to forgive anyone) but he was telling them that if someone caused THEM pain, they are to forgive the person. Did you read that next part? "and comfort him". What?!?!? We not only are supposed to forgive the one who hurt us, wronged us...but we are to comfort that person?
Think about this...we, the Jesus follower, once hurt Jesus...wronged Jesus...with our attitudes and actions. In order to become a Jesus follower, we needed to ask His forgiveness. He forgave us for all that we did against Him. Was that easy? No! He went to the cross for us! He bled in agony with nails in His hands and feet and a nasty crown of thorns pressed down on His head. He sacrificially forgave us.
Jesus forgave...then He comforted. He rose from the dead...to walk out...to tell us that He would be with us always and that He was sending His Spirit to be with us...to comfort us. After all the things we did to Him...took Him to that cross....He forgave and comforted!
Jesus follower, you are to be like Christ. Forgive! Comfort! After you have had the help of Jesus to forgive the offender, ask Jesus how it is He wants you to comfort that person. Maybe it's simply to smile at them whenever you see them. Maybe it is to do some sort of an act of kindness. Maybe send them an encouraging note. Ask Jesus, He is the Comforter of ALL comforters! He will guide you.
I urge you, to take to heart that passage in 2 Corinthians...forgive and comfort! When you obey Father in doing this, you will be changed! Your communication (prayers) with Father will be more heart felt and you will hear Him more clearly. Your heart, soul, and mind will have real Joy. You will have an amazing Freedom!
Forgive! Comfort!
Many of us are familiar with reading or hearing things like, "Forgive others because that sets you free." "You need to forgive others so that God will hear your prayers and forgive you." (Mark 11:25) These things are familiar to us right?
To forgive someone who has deeply hurt you emotionally, physically, or mentally is extremely difficult. We can't do it on our own. I am not going to spend time here detailing various abusive situations that need forgiveness. To be able to forgive someone, you need to have a heart to heart with Father. Pour out your heart, mind, and soul to Him. Search the scriptures. Father is there for you to lean on, cry on...He has BIG shoulders and He is your amazingly wonderfully caring and compassionate Daddy. He loves you like no one ever has! He wants the best for you as only He can. I encourage you to go to Him and ask Him for His help in forgiving that one who hurt you so deeply.
I want to focus on something regarding forgiveness but not delving into details of deep wounds (you and God can gt into those details if you need to forgive a deep wound). Some of you need to forgive others simply for the way they treat you. Maybe whatever it was that happened has driven a wedge between you an another...it dug at that tender spot in your heart. Or whatever you need to forgive of someone is something they have done against you...lied about you...slandered your name...nothing truly extremely abusive but they have offended you and there is hurt there...an emotional wound.
So, we know we need to forgive that person. Jesus told us to forgive others as our Father in heaven forgives us. Did you know that you have a responsibility AFTER you forgive?
Check this out:
Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you.....so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.~2 Corinthians 2:5,7
Paul had not been with those in Corinth (to forgive anyone) but he was telling them that if someone caused THEM pain, they are to forgive the person. Did you read that next part? "and comfort him". What?!?!? We not only are supposed to forgive the one who hurt us, wronged us...but we are to comfort that person?
Think about this...we, the Jesus follower, once hurt Jesus...wronged Jesus...with our attitudes and actions. In order to become a Jesus follower, we needed to ask His forgiveness. He forgave us for all that we did against Him. Was that easy? No! He went to the cross for us! He bled in agony with nails in His hands and feet and a nasty crown of thorns pressed down on His head. He sacrificially forgave us.
Jesus forgave...then He comforted. He rose from the dead...to walk out...to tell us that He would be with us always and that He was sending His Spirit to be with us...to comfort us. After all the things we did to Him...took Him to that cross....He forgave and comforted!
Jesus follower, you are to be like Christ. Forgive! Comfort! After you have had the help of Jesus to forgive the offender, ask Jesus how it is He wants you to comfort that person. Maybe it's simply to smile at them whenever you see them. Maybe it is to do some sort of an act of kindness. Maybe send them an encouraging note. Ask Jesus, He is the Comforter of ALL comforters! He will guide you.
I urge you, to take to heart that passage in 2 Corinthians...forgive and comfort! When you obey Father in doing this, you will be changed! Your communication (prayers) with Father will be more heart felt and you will hear Him more clearly. Your heart, soul, and mind will have real Joy. You will have an amazing Freedom!
Forgive! Comfort!
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