K.J. Masters's Blog, page 3
January 6, 2016
OBEDIENCE: A MIND CHANGER, HEART CHANGER & LIFE CHANGER
I don’t need to follow Jesus down to the very last detail. I do most of the things a good Christian should do anyway. I go to church every Sunday, and even on some Wednesdays. I believe in Christ and that He died for my sins and so I could have eternal life. I believe the Holy Bible is the true Word of God. I’m a good person; better than most people. So what’s a little sin here and there going to hurt? God will still bless me because He knows how much I love Him and how hard I try.
Do you ever experience these thoughts? Maybe they pop into your head occasionally, maybe daily. These are actually lies of the enemy. Satan will fill your head with the above excuses to keep you from living an obedient lifestyle and receiving the Lord’s blessings in your life. Let's be frank, these are the excuses of a person who is unable (unwilling) to stop living for himself/herself in order to live for the Lord.
When you choose to live your way instead of God’s way, you are robbing yourself of God’s many blessings.
Can you still receive God’s blessings if you’re living a half-obedient lifestyle?
Sure you can, but you are missing out on soooooo much more when you choose sin over obedience, such as a close and intimate relationship with your Creator!
Years back, one of my favorite pastors in San Antonio told his congregation “I’m not going to stand up here and preach about drinking. In fact, nowhere in the Bible does it say to not have a drink, but I will tell you this … nothing good ever comes from drinking.” Of course, he was referring to the abuse of alcohol, which the Bible strongly warns about, even stating that drunkards will not enter into the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:21).
It was this church service that I realized the Holy Spirit was convicting me about my drinking, and instead of obeying, I fought it by going home and looking up Scriptures that would justify alcohol. You want to know what? Not only could I NOT justify my drinking, but I ended up confirming the fact that God does not like anything that's mind-altering. God’s Word tells us numerous times to live self-controlled lives and to be sober-minded (1 Peter 4:7, 5:8; Titus 2:2, 2:12).
This blog post is not about alcohol.
This blog post is about OBEDIENCE!
It's about being obedient to God’s Word so that you can build a deeper and closer relationship with Him. So that you can experience His blessings on your life. So that you can start living out the purpose He has for you.
If you think God is going to move you into your purpose while you’re living in sin, then you need to know that is NOT how God operates. God does not bless sin!
Recently I was flipping channels on TV when I came across a popular reality show. I heard the mother tell her very famous adult daughter, "God has blessed you so much," referring to her fame and fortune. The thing is, the daughter's fame and fortune is the result of a sex tape. I've got news for the mother, God did not bless this sex tape. He did not reward her daughter for her sins.
But there is someone who works hard to elevate the sins of others. His name is Satan. He wants young girls to fall into the trap of idolizing women who live in sin. Satan likes to glamorize sin to make it appealing to unbelievers so they, too, will be drawn to a lifestyle of disobedience. His main focus is to steal God's glory and take His children to hell. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). It's not a blessing if you had to sin to get it!
When you choose to stop giving in to worldly temptations and you stop participating in worldly lusts, and instead choose to be obedient to God’s Word, your whole world will change! Opportunity will come your way. Doors will start opening. Favor will rain down on your like you’ve never experienced before. That’s God moving you to the next level!
Drunkenness, drug abuse, fornication, adultery, hatefulness, cursing, cheating, lying … these repeated behaviors rob you from experiencing God’s blessings in your life. They are the WALL between you and your God-given purpose.
I’m not saying you have to be completely sin-free in order to experience God’s favor, but repeated sin will always knock you down. It’s destructive in every area of your life because it gives the devil a foothold. When you make a choice to ignore God’s Word in order to live in sin you will not receive the blessed life God has waiting for you.
Obedience is the pathway to BLESSINGS!
We all trip up and stumble occasionally. I know I do! It’s to be expected. I’m not writing this blog today in order to shame anyone. I’m writing this because God put it on my heart to stress the importance of obeying His commandments. He wants you to experience Him in His entirety, but far too often we have a habit of allowing sin to separate us from His love. This pains Him because He longs for us to live in His presence, experiencing all that He has for us.
If you want an intimate relationship with God and a powerful prayer life, obedience is key!
Matthew 16:24-25:
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”
Heavenly Father,
I know You have created me with a purpose and plan for my life. I know You desire me to have a life filled with joy, favor, and victory. Please help me to deny myself so that I can be an obedient follower of Christ. I know in order to fulfill the destiny you have for my life, I must live in obedience to Your Word, keeping my mind and my heart focused on You. Help me to attain self-control in all areas of my life, and to be sober-minded in everything I do. Examine my heart, and show me those places where I may lack obedience. Give me discernment about the things which keep me from obtaining my goals and achieving the desires and dreams you have put in my heart in Jesus’ name! Amen!
(This is Part One of a series of twelve. Part Two coming in February.)
December 8, 2015
Tis the Season to Give
My first Christmas in San Antonio was when I was ten years old. I remember it vividly. Not because I was excited to be spending Christmas in a new place and a new home, but because of one little girl’s words to me that broke my ten-year-old heart.
That year roller skates were the hot item and there must have been a lot of good little boys and girls because Santa brought us all a pair of shiny new skates. All except for one little girl.
As I was skating up a storm outside with the rest of the neighborhood kids, one little girl stood by and watched. She was a few years younger than the rest of us, but sometimes she liked to hang out with us older kids, and she was getting a kick out of watching us crash and burn on our new skates.
I skated up to her to make conversation and I asked her what Santa had brought her for Christmas. The smile immediately left her face as she hung her head low and mumbled something beneath her breath.
“What? I didn’t hear you,” I said. She couldn’t look at me, so she stared at the ground. A few seconds went by before she answered me a second time, and this time I heard her clearly.
She said, “Nothing.”
I couldn’t believe it. Santa never skips anyone’s house (does he?). So I pressed the matter and said, “Santa didn’t come to your house?” I wanted to make sure I’d heard her correctly.
Still looking at the ground with a long face, she shook her head. I was young, but I wasn’t naïve. I knew exactly who was responsible for Santa’s visits. I also knew there was some dysfunction in that household because I had witnessed a few incidents between her parents. I’ll never forget the look on that girls face, thinking she’d been put on Santa’s “Naughty List” and that’s why he had not visited her house or eaten the cookies and milk she’d left sitting out for him. That’s why he hadn’t left the presents she’d asked for under the Christmas tree.
My guess is that Santa could have made it to her house, but it wasn’t at the top of his Priority List, for whatever reason. The reasons don’t really matter. I don’t know if that was the only year he skipped her house, or if he made a habit of it. My parents bought a new home and we moved before the next Christmas rolled around. I never saw that little girl again, but I never forgot her. In fact, decades later, she still enters into my mind this time of year, every year.
Whether it’s lack of money or lack of caring, there are many people (many children) who are not going to be spending the holidays shopping, baking, caroling, wrapping, eating, and being invited to too many Christmas parties.
Some will even be spending the holidays alone and hungry. No family gathering, no laughs, no joy, no presents, no home cooked ham and sweet potato pie.
Why am I sharing this with you? Because I want to ask a favor of you. Between all the hustle and bustle of the busiest season of all, I ask you to please take a moment to be a blessing to someone else.
If you’re already seeing dollar signs and counting on your fingers how much it will cost you then STOP right there!
There are so many ways to bless others in need that don’t cost money.
Visit someone you know who is alone for the holidays, whether it be a neighbor, a friend, coworker, retirement community or assisted living home.
Another thing you can do (and I love this one) is to write a letter to a US soldier who can’t be home for Christmas. Let them know how much you appreciate their service to our country and that you are thinking about them during the holidays.
SEND LETTERS TO US TROOPS
SEND CARE PACKAGES TO US TROOPS
There are other servicemen who don’t get to be home with their families where it’s warm and cozy, such as firemen and police officers. Take them some home-baked goodies along with a thank you card to let them know how much you appreciate their service.
Invite a veteran (or two, or three) for dinner.
Make way for your new Christmas gifts by cleaning out your closet ahead of time and then donating it all to local shelters.
Volunteer at a local shelter.
If you’re lucky enough to have a few extra bucks laying around you could buy gifts for less fortunate children, donate food so a family can enjoy a Christmas dinner, or even pay for someone who is checking out at the store.
Take toys or gift cards to your local orphanage.
A wonderful organization is Samaritan’s Purse. You can fill a box full of toys for just $25 online. The packing and shipping is all done for you and you never even have to leave the comfort of your home.
CHECK IT OUT HERE
God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others! When we spread our blessings around, it creates love and spiritual growth with our Father, not to mention with each other. What a great way to celebrate the birth of Christ. How pleasing it is to God when we serve others. God loves a cheerful giver!
May God bless you and your loved ones this holiday season!
Merry Christmas!
Tis the Season to Give
My first Christmas in San Antonio was when I was ten years old. I remember it vividly. Not because I was excited to be spending Christmas in a new place and a new home, but because of one little girl’s words to me that broke my ten-year-old heart.
That year roller skates were the hot item and there must have been a lot of good little boys and girls because Santa brought us all a pair of shiny new skates. All except for one little girl.
As I was skating up a storm outside with the rest of the neighborhood kids, one little girl stood by and watched. She was a few years younger than the rest of us, but sometimes she liked to hang out with us older kids, and she was getting a kick out of watching us crash and burn on our new skates.
I skated up to her to make conversation and I asked her what Santa had brought her for Christmas. The smile immediately left her face as she hung her head low and mumbled something under her breath.
“What? I didn’t hear you,” I said. She couldn’t look at me, so she stared at the ground. A few seconds went by before she answered me a second time, and this time I heard her clearly.
She said, “Nothing.”
I couldn’t believe it. Santa never skips anyone’s house (does he?). So I pressed the matter and said, “Santa didn’t come to your house?” I wanted to make sure I’d heard her correctly.
Still looking at the ground with a long face, she shook her head. I was young, but I wasn’t naïve. I knew exactly who was responsible for Santa’s visits. I also knew there was some dysfunction in that household because I had witnessed a few incidents between her parents. I’ll never forget the look on that girls face, thinking she’d been put on Santa’s “Naughty List” and that’s why he had not visited her house or eaten the cookies and milk she’d left sitting out for him. That’s why he hadn’t left the presents she’d asked for under the Christmas tree.
My guess is that Santa could have made it to her house, but it wasn’t at the top of his Priority List, for whatever reason. The reasons don’t really matter. I don’t know if that was the only year he skipped her house, or if he made a habit of it. My parents bought a new home and we moved before the next Christmas rolled around. I never saw that little girl again, but I never forgot her. In fact, decades later, she still comes to mind this time of year, every year.
Whether it’s lack of money or lack of caring, there are many people (many children) who are not going to be spending the holidays shopping, baking, caroling, wrapping, eating, and being invited to too many Christmas parties.
Some will even be spending the holidays alone and hungry. No family gathering, no laughs, no joy, no presents, no home cooked ham and sweet potato pie.
Why am I sharing this with you? Because I want to ask a favor of you. Between all the hustle and bustle of the busiest season of all, I ask you to please take a moment to be a blessing to someone else.
If you’re already seeing dollar signs and counting on your fingers how much it will cost you then STOP right there!
There are so many ways to bless others in need that don’t cost money.
Visit someone you know who is alone for the holidays, whether it be a neighbor, a friend, coworker, retirement community or assisted living home.
Another thing you can do (and I love this one) is to write a letter to a US soldier who can’t be home for Christmas. Let them know how much you appreciate their service to our country and that you are thinking about them during the holidays.
SEND LETTERS TO US TROOPS
SEND CARE PACKAGES TO US TROOPS
There are other servicemen who don’t get to be home with their families where it’s warm and cozy, such as firemen and police officers. Take them some home-baked goodies along with a thank you card to let them know how much you appreciate their service.
Invite a veteran (or two, or three) for dinner.
Make way for your new Christmas gifts by cleaning out your closet ahead of time and then donating it all to local shelters.
Volunteer at a local shelter.
If you’re lucky enough to have a few extra bucks laying around you could buy gifts for less fortunate children, donate food so a family can enjoy a Christmas dinner, or even pay for someone who is checking out at the store.
Take toys or gift cards to your local orphanage.
A wonderful organization is Samaritan’s Purse. You can fill a box full of toys for just $25 online. The packing and shipping is all done for you and you never even have to leave the comfort of your home.
CHECK IT OUT HERE
God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others! When we spread our blessings around, it creates love and spiritual growth with our Father, not to mention with each other. What a great way to celebrate the birth of Christ. How pleasing it is to God when we serve others. God loves a cheerful giver!
May God bless you and your loved ones this holiday season!
Merry Christmas!
October 28, 2015
Things that go Bump in the Night
Quite often, when the subject of the devil arises, I’ll hear Christians say, “Don’t talk about the devil. It exalts him.” Huh? This confuses me. Speaking about Satan does NOT glorify him in any way, especially when the discussion revolves around his schemes, tactics, and how to defeat him. When Christians discuss Satan, it establishes our power against him. We have the power to defeat him. He would love for you to believe it exalts him so that you don’t share (or teach) how easy it is to have victory over his tactics.
This Halloween, more than ever (it seems), there has been much talk about whether or not Christians should celebrate a pagan holiday. I’m not going to get into all that—I know, you must be greatly disappointed that I won’t be beating this dead horse! Instead, what I am going to do is talk about how cute and funny it is to play with the devil (sarcasm)—that is, ghost séances, Ouija Boards, haunted houses, witchcraft, etc.
If you've read my book, “Spiritual Warfare, My Battle” then you know I grew up in a haunted house, and how my family exasperated the situation by tapping into the spirit world looking for answers.
Here are a few excerpts from my book about the dangers of playing around with spirits (AKA demons):
I had more experiences than anyone else in our house. I’m not sure why this is, but I did seem to have a stronger fascination with the supernatural happenings in our house and wanted to know who was there and why … and how. My friends and I would get out the Ouija Board to try and communicate with the entities and ask them questions. In return they would give us messages.
I had a friend who became obsessed with talking on the Ouija Board, not only at my house, but she’d take it home with her and talk for hours in her room. She said it was usually the same “spirit,” but sometimes someone else would talk to her as well and that particular spirit was not kind. That spirit would threaten her and it wasn’t long before she started experiencing noises, shadows, and hearing voices in her room or outside her windows. But believe it or not, it didn’t scare her enough to stop using the Ouija Board.
One Saturday evening, a group of my friends and I were hanging out at my house and we all decided to play with the Ouija. We put our hands on the pointer and it immediately started to move, just as it always did. It’s almost like they were all around, watching and waiting for us to call on them. My friend who’d become obsessed with the Ouija was present as well. After we’d asked several questions she said, “This is strange, but when we ask a question, the answer is what I’m already thinking in my head. It’s like they’re reading my mind.”
I responded, “Let’s ask a few more questions and you think of an answer and see if we get the same answer from the spirits.” We asked several more questions and sure enough, the Ouija Board would spell out exactly what was in her head. We decided we’d test this a little more, so we had her clear her mind and look away from the board. I told her, “Just picture blackness and blank out all your thoughts.” We asked another question while she kept her head turned away and her thoughts clear. The answer we received on the Ouija didn’t make any sense to us.
After a minute she asked, “What did it say?”
“Blank,” we all answered in unison.
She got this horrified look on her face and said, “I was repeating the word ‘blank’ to myself trying to keep my mind clear.”
We wondered if these entities were capable of reading our minds. As eerie as this sounds, I was even more intrigued and determined to find out the answers to my many questions. All the while, the ghostly activity increased around me. Of course it did, we were all feeding it and encouraging it, and the scariest thing of all, listening to it and believing it. Ghost séances became the thing to do at our house.
Our friends would come over and want to table knock or use the Ouija. Sometimes, during these séances, we’d hear knocking on the walls or our candles would burn out. Some of us even had our hair pulled on several occasions. We’d run out of the room screaming and laughing, then go back and start up right where we’d left off. It was a game to us. Nothing more than a game. But when it was time to sleep, that was another story. That’s when it wasn’t so funny anymore and the terror set in.
On one occasion a friend spent the night with me. In the middle of the night, she frantically woke me up screaming, “Look, look!” She pointed to the other side of my room. I struggled to focus my eyes in the dark, but it didn’t take me long to notice what she was pointing at. I saw a large black shadow moving across the wall making its way to my side of the bed. We scooted ourselves across the bed in the opposite direction until we ended up falling onto the floor. We immediately crouched down and peered over the top of the mattress to see where the shadow was, but it had vanished. We were terrified as we slowly climbed back into bed, where we ended up staying awake in fear for several hours. Talk about sleeping with one eye open!
As my brothers and I, along with our friends, grew older, ghost hunting lost its excitement and we moved on to other things, but our “ghostly friends” continued to hang around. They lingered, probably anticipating our interest in them to return. They wanted attention. They wanted to deliver more messages to us and to terrorize us some more.
At this point, we’d grown weary of them and wanted them out. It wasn’t funny anymore and they were becoming bothersome to us. We were growing up and were no longer intrigued by them. We had college or jobs and they’d be waking us up in the middle of the night or scaring us when we were trying to relax in the evenings.
The house was a little less active when we didn’t have company. I believe our boredom with these entities created boredom for them as well. We weren’t reacting to them in terror, as we once had, and we never enticed or paid attention to them anymore. In fact, I’d grown so accustomed to them waking me in the night by slamming my desk doors and opening and closing my dresser drawers that I’d wake up and yell, “Stop it. I’m trying to sleep. Get out.” I can recall many times waking up to a racket in my room and shouting, “Shut up,” then I’d roll over and go back to sleep. I know this sounds crazy, but we became so used to hearing noises, it just became a way of life.
Scarier things started to happen. It wasn’t just lights turning themselves off and on, knocking or voices anymore. The noises turned to apparitions, which turned to flying objects. Now I don’t mean huge heavy pieces of furniture or glass flying through the air. Instead, they were little things that involved small incidences, such as being hit in the leg with a rubber band when you’re the only one on the room.
One night I’d wadded up a piece of paper and tossed it into the trashcan and it flew back out and hit me in the leg. Another time, a safety pin had been sitting on the television set and it twirled through the air so fast I couldn’t even make out what it was until it hit me in the leg. I thought, this is it! Now I’ve really had it! I’m not standing for it anymore! I stood in the middle of my room and yelled out, “Don’t you ever touch me again. You do not have permission to ever throw anything or touch me again.” That was twenty years ago and it’s never happened since.
I’d like to say these entities only bothered us while we were at home, but they actually followed us around. They’d show up at our friend’s homes when we were over there and even at some of our work places. And let me tell you, some of our friends weren’t too happy with the situation. They soon started reporting their own ghostly happenings while they were at home and we weren’t around.
I wondered if maybe these entities had attached themselves to some of our friends while they were visiting in our house. A lot of our friends were playing around with the Ouija Board and table knocking as well … opening their own doorways. Either way, it was an unsettling situation.
Demonic oppression means to be burdened, tormented, suppressed or harassed by demons. Demons exert pressure on us in order to get us to sin and keep us engaged in sin, and they have the ability to blind us to God’s Word. Demons can gain access to us through our sins, which create an open door for them to reach us. When you sin, you attract evil and give Satan a stronghold over you. In a nutshell, sin opens doorways to Satan and attracts demons to you, which can then influence you.
Many people, even Christians, do not realize they can be oppressed by demons. As a result, they do nothing to stop this oppression, which leaves them at the mercy of the devil. This is what Satan wants, and he can get in your mind and deceive you to the point where you experience confusion and even false memories. It's much easier for him to wreak havoc in your life if you believe he has no power over you, which many people do.
Who is Satan? Satan is an angel created by God who served as a cherub until he rebelled against Him. The original Hebrew term, satan, is a noun from a verb meaning to, “obstruct, oppose.” The name Satan is traditionally translated as “the accuser,” or “the adversary.” This is a title bestowed on a creature or being, rather than the name of it. This being would be referred to as “the satan”.
When you ask someone what the opposite of “good” is, they’ll usually remark, “bad.”
What’s the opposite of “light?” Most likely their answer will be, “darkness.”
The opposite of “God?” They’ll say, “The devil.”
That’s the wrong answer.
Satan is an angel, he is equal to other angels. He is less than God and limited by God. “I am God Almighty” Genesis 35:11. Satan is not almighty. The only reason Satan has power is because God allows him to have it. Psalm 103:19 tells us God is sovereign over all, “The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.” Satan does not have any power beyond what God permits him to have. Satan's power may be vast, but it’s limited.
Satan will do everything he can to disengage us from our God-given mission and get us to doubt God’s Word. When you feel yourself being overcome by negative thoughts or guilty feelings, know that these are lies straight from the enemy’s mouth used to get you to give up on yourself, give up on God and to keep you in the devils stronghold.
When I’m plagued with demeaning thoughts I turn on some Christian music or turn on one of my favorite televangelists. I will also pray and praise the Lord for His grace. And reading the Word works miracles as well. You don’t have to endure thoughts of hopelessness. You’re not powerless against them, remember? You’ve been covered by the blood of Jesus and you’re free now. “And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth” Colossians 3:2.
As children of the Most High, we have victory over Satan, but we must stay in the Word. Ephesians 6 teaches us how to arm ourselves against the devil’s schemes.
Heavenly Father, I bind all of Satan’s tormenting spirits, messengers and strongmen their eyes blind and ears deaf in Jesus’ name. These demons cannot see or hear our plans, prayers or conversations. They cannot speak, influence, or gesture to us. They cannot cancel, alter or influence the plans God has for our lives. I bind them and command them powerless and unable to manifest in my presence or the presence of my family and anyone we’re around today. They cannot manifest in our homes, jobs, schools, cars, marriages, finances or anywhere else we go today or any area of our lives. Lord, I ask in Jesus’ name that you shut any doors that need to be shut and open any doors that need to be opened in the natural and spiritual realms of our lives and that no man or demon can reopen, shut or interfere with these doors. I cover these doorways in the blood of Jesus and declare the adversary be rendered harmless and powerless, unable to travel through these doorways in Jesus’ name, amen!
August 20, 2015
How God Fixes it!
Your enemy will never have the upper hand because anyone planning evil against another will never prosper.
They will continue to stay in the same stagnant job, with the same horrible boss.
They will experience relationships that lead nowhere and over time will actually find themselves taking steps backwards instead of moving forward in life.
Let me give you an example. This is my FAVORITE story to tell because it reveals God's faithfulness when we are faithful to Him!! Several years ago I was in a job where someone planned evil against me and because of it God used it to prosper me bigger than I've ever experienced in my life! The plan to do me harm actually ended an unhappy job and an unhappy situation, and then opened the door for me to live out my dreams and even prosper in areas where I never imagined I would or could! God turned the evil to my benefit! GOD IS GOOD!
There are several reasons why I feel God elevated me so much in this particular situation:
- I was obedient! I could have just quit this job at any time and been done with it, but God had put it on my heart to stay in that job until He instructed me otherwise.
- Although I despised the people I worked with, I repented of these feelings and prayed blessings over them. I would even pray blessings over their offices when they weren't around. In other words, I was praying for my enemies.
- One coworker was practicing Feng Shui in the office. I prayed against it and rebuked all occult practices and magic, rendering them powerless.
What kept me going the most is that I knew God could see the truth about what was going on and that I would have victory if I stayed obedient to Him! God closed the door on that job and opened the door to my dreams! I'm now living out my dream career writing Christian books and doing things I never imagined I'd be doing! I have a degree in Theology and am now working on my Masters. My coworker? Still in the same dead-end job with the same horrible boss, making the same lousy salary.
When people plan evil against God's obedient children, they will always lose because God intervenes so that the evil will work to the benefit of His children!
Now let me explain that my coworker professed Christianity and referred to herself as a believer. But Jesus isn't interested in whether or not one BELIEVES. He's interested in whether or not one is willing to FOLLOW. She believed, but was not obedient to God's Word! Anyone can believe, even the demons believe (James 2:19), but following means fully surrendering one's life in order to live the life God has chosen. Following means giving up fleshly and worldly lusts in order to put God's desires first!
"Keep your mind on the higher things, not on the things of earth" Col. 3:2.
While my coworkers had their minds and thoughts on worldly things and circumstances, I was thinking much higher than this. My thoughts were aligned with God's Word, while their thoughts were on money (worldly thoughts).
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" Isa. 26:3.
I was looking to God for justice in this situation, knowing He is sovereign and that the outcome will be what He wants it to be, not what man is trying to achieve. My coworkers were attempting to control the situation themselves, doing evil to whomever they please.
When people attempt evil on an obedient child of God, trying to do us harm, they are setting THEMSELVES up for FAILURE, while setting us up for BLESSINGS and PROSPERITY! AMEN!
My reason for writing this blog today is because God put this on my heart this morning, wanting me to share this message:
God is true to His Word. When you are a faithful servant and surrender your life into His hands ... when you allow Him to take the reigns, He will fight your battles for you. You will do nothing but wait on the sidelines for Him to deliver the victory into your hands! Obey God's Word! Keep your mind off of worldly desires and lusts. Put God first in everything you do and you will soon start experiencing the power of God in your life!
"The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent" Exo. 14:14.
"The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you...." Due. 1:30.
"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" Isa. 40:31.
They will continue to stay in the same stagnant job, with the same horrible boss.
They will experience relationships that lead nowhere and over time will actually find themselves taking steps backwards instead of moving forward in life.
Let me give you an example. This is my FAVORITE story to tell because it reveals God's faithfulness when we are faithful to Him!! Several years ago I was in a job where someone planned evil against me and because of it God used it to prosper me bigger than I've ever experienced in my life! The plan to do me harm actually ended an unhappy job and an unhappy situation, and then opened the door for me to live out my dreams and even prosper in areas where I never imagined I would or could! God turned the evil to my benefit! GOD IS GOOD!
There are several reasons why I feel God elevated me so much in this particular situation:
- I was obedient! I could have just quit this job at any time and been done with it, but God had put it on my heart to stay in that job until He instructed me otherwise.
- Although I despised the people I worked with, I repented of these feelings and prayed blessings over them. I would even pray blessings over their offices when they weren't around. In other words, I was praying for my enemies.
- One coworker was practicing Feng Shui in the office. I prayed against it and rebuked all occult practices and magic, rendering them powerless.
What kept me going the most is that I knew God could see the truth about what was going on and that I would have victory if I stayed obedient to Him! God closed the door on that job and opened the door to my dreams! I'm now living out my dream career writing Christian books and doing things I never imagined I'd be doing! I have a degree in Theology and am now working on my Masters. My coworker? Still in the same dead-end job with the same horrible boss, making the same lousy salary.
When people plan evil against God's obedient children, they will always lose because God intervenes so that the evil will work to the benefit of His children!
Now let me explain that my coworker professed Christianity and referred to herself as a believer. But Jesus isn't interested in whether or not one BELIEVES. He's interested in whether or not one is willing to FOLLOW. She believed, but was not obedient to God's Word! Anyone can believe, even the demons believe (James 2:19), but following means fully surrendering one's life in order to live the life God has chosen. Following means giving up fleshly and worldly lusts in order to put God's desires first!
"Keep your mind on the higher things, not on the things of earth" Col. 3:2.
While my coworkers had their minds and thoughts on worldly things and circumstances, I was thinking much higher than this. My thoughts were aligned with God's Word, while their thoughts were on money (worldly thoughts).
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" Isa. 26:3.
I was looking to God for justice in this situation, knowing He is sovereign and that the outcome will be what He wants it to be, not what man is trying to achieve. My coworkers were attempting to control the situation themselves, doing evil to whomever they please.
When people attempt evil on an obedient child of God, trying to do us harm, they are setting THEMSELVES up for FAILURE, while setting us up for BLESSINGS and PROSPERITY! AMEN!
My reason for writing this blog today is because God put this on my heart this morning, wanting me to share this message:
God is true to His Word. When you are a faithful servant and surrender your life into His hands ... when you allow Him to take the reigns, He will fight your battles for you. You will do nothing but wait on the sidelines for Him to deliver the victory into your hands! Obey God's Word! Keep your mind off of worldly desires and lusts. Put God first in everything you do and you will soon start experiencing the power of God in your life!
"The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent" Exo. 14:14.
"The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you...." Due. 1:30.
"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" Isa. 40:31.
June 9, 2015
When Christians Despise Other Christians
Let me start off by saying this:
Instead of being jealous over what God is doing in someone else’s life, we need to put ourselves in an obedient position where God can use us as well. If we’re going to claim the title “Christian” then we must live like one or give that title up! If watching God prosper people who are putting Him FIRST and GLORIFYING His name bothers some of us and makes us jealous of them, then we have to ask ourselves, Who do we serve? Because if this is our attitude, we are NOT serving God almighty! In fact, I might go as far as saying that we are the enemy.
I’ve known people who claim to be Christians (I use that term lightly), but I warn you now that they are the type of Christians who all nonbelievers love to use as the “Christian example!” These people tarnish the Christian name. Instead of spending time spreading the gospel and feeding God’s glory, they go after other Christians who are doing these things and attack them publicly making judgmental comments in an attempt to diminish their reputation. Why do they do this? Because they're not true FOLLOWERS of Christ! They like to point the finger because they know they're not living right!
But we all know that God will reverse any damage done by these people and cause it to fall back onto them. Because you know what these people are really doing? It’s NOT the Christian’s reputation they’re diminishing … it’s GOD’S!!! And He knows this! That’s some serious business! These so-called “Christians” will never have prosperous, happy, fulfilling lives as long as they continue to attack the people who are serving God!
Jesus said, “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers” Matthew 5:11.
When we are obedient followers serving the Lord—and people come against us out of hate and jealousy—God blesses us even more! Hallelujah! You can’t beat that! That’s why when I have to deal with inadequate “Christians” who try to lie and persecute me I am more than happy to do so. Because the more they try to hurt me (which is, in reality, hurting God because I’m His representative), the more blessings will come upon me! Not only that, but I don’t even have to fight to defend myself against these people because God promised He would go before me and get VICTORY over ALL my battles!
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” Deuteronomy 31:8.
When God sets us up with the purpose He has chosen for our lives, and then an “outsider” tries to come against what He’s doing, He will STOP it in its tracks! Our God-given missions in life are to benefit HIM, not ourselves. God has a purpose for each of us that is glorifying to HIM, not us. But, with that being said, He will reward us for being obedient and for serving Him. But our purpose is never truly for us, it’s for HIM!
So when these phony Christians come crawling out of the woodwork because they can’t stand it that your servitude is greater, God smashes their evil schemes immediately. He gets rid of them! And guess what? It’s their reputation that gets tarnished in the end.
Everyone sees them for who they truly are.
But when people look at a true servant of the Lord’s—they see
Christ!
How beautiful is that?!
These people who are jealous and trying to bring down the Christians who are truly making a difference are lacking in all areas of their faith! The number ONE problem with them is that they have not surrendered themselves to Christ. They study the Word so that they can impress people with their knowledge, but they do NOT apply it to their lives. They are lacking obedience along with the willingness to give themselves up completely in order to serve God!
We need to pray for these people. Pray that God will soften their hearts and pull the blinders from their eyes. They need enlightenment. A true follower of Christ will CELEBRATE every time God is given glory, not try to crush it out of jealousy!
I address all of you who truly are serving GOD and I yell out: Keep on keeping on!! Though you may fall under persecution from time to time, God has got you covered! He is your VICTORY, and no man, woman, or devil can change, alter, influence or destroy your God-given mission in life!
March 10, 2015
I Can Tread on Serpents, Scorpions, and Depression!
Let me start by saying I had never experienced severe or clinical depression. The extent of my depression had always been along the lines of feeling bad or disappointed when a situation didn’t go my way. (What can I say? I prefer to get my way, like, ALL the time.) Maybe I planned for a particular event that didn’t pan out and I felt great disappointment or sadness because of it. It’s been known to happen. Yes, I had experienced the heaviness of doom and gloom (and hopelessness) on occasion, but it always lifted on its own within a few days and, again, was tied to an event.
There’s a point to this.… (I really try not to reveal too much about myself. I’m a very private person. I know … I haven’t demonstrated this at all, have I?) My point is that I want to reveal a period of time when I experienced doom and gloom for no particular reason. I was sad when I had nothing to be sad about. My life was happy and fulfilling, yet I felt miserable and, oh, so unfulfilled.
Why do I feel so sad? I questioned myself repeatedly, but, for the first time in my life, I had no answer. I even went to my husband, repeatedly, hoping he could help me figure out the reason for this darkness that hung over me like a thick black cloud. I asked him again and again, “Why do I feel so miserable and sad? My life is good and happy.” And he kept giving me the same answer every time, “I don’t understand it. You have nothing to be sad about or any reason to be miserable.”
Guilt started to set in. Daily, I thought: My prayers have all been answered. I have a great marriage. I’m living out my dream career. I can see God’s favor all over my life. I have so many blessings I didn’t even ask for, such as going back to school and furthering my career. I never imagined I’d ever have that opportunity, yet here I am … doing it!
The reason guilt started haunting me was because I started viewing my sadness as an attitude of ungratefulness. I felt as if I didn’t appreciate what I had. Even worse, I was being unappreciative of all God’s blessings on my life. Shame. Shame. Shame. This, naturally, made me even sadder. How could I be so ungrateful? So spoiled? So discontent? But the guilt and shame didn’t relieve me from the sadness, it just compounded it.
It was my birthday! Toby and I had made HUGE plans. We were going to drive to Charlottesville, Virginia to visit my childhood home. I had dreamed about this home since I’d left it thirty years ago. I have the most beautiful memories of this home, the neighborhood, my friends, and especially of the holidays. My happiest holidays were spent in this home. I never thought I’d have the opportunity to visit it again. To see where I played, walked, went to school … and lived a happy life.
Toby and I had just moved to Greensboro, NC and were only three hours from the home that held my most beautiful memories. Visiting my old stomping grounds on my birthday should have been a time of happiness and celebration. It SHOULD have been, but it wasn’t.
My husband came home early from work that day to surprise me, and instead of finding me antsy and anxious to go, he found me in bed crying. He found me curled up in a fetal position sucking my thumb. Okay, I made up the part about sucking my thumb. BUT I FELT LIKE IT! If it would not have guaranteed me a trip to the psyche ward, the thumb would have been in the mouth!
Again, I looked to my husband for help. “I should be happy right now. Why do I feel so sad? Why do I cry for no reason? What’s wrong with me? What happened to my happy life?” Then that little lightbulb went off in my head (ping). “Is this depression? Do I have depression?” All my husband could do was shrug his shoulders and name off a list of reasons why I should be happy.
This went on for several months. It wasn’t a fleeting thing, and actually quite unbearable. Was it here to stay? I couldn’t live like this. I found no joy in anything. I was completely discontent and complained about everything. I want my joy back!
Then the HEALING came!
Stress always beats up my body. During this time of doom and gloom, Toby and I moved (yes, again) to Louisiana and, like any move, it was stressful and took its toll on my body. I started some meditative techniques to help me de-stress. Basically, I needed a Calgon Moment! I was experiencing headaches, body aches/pains, stomach issues … the usual stress related ailments. One night, I decided to look up some healing Scriptures that I could recite in the morning.
The reason I chose to recite them in the morning was because that was the hardest time for me. I would wake up so depressed that I found it hard to get my day going. I wanted to lay in bed in the dark instead of facing the day. Friends, this is soooo NOT ME! I am a breakfast and coffee kind of gal. A “Get out of my way, it’s time for my workout” mad lunatic. I do yoga on my patio at 5:30 in the morning. Lying in bed in the dark was for someone else … not ME!
I went through my Bible app and highlighted numerous healing Scriptures, getting them ready for the next morning.
When morning came, I left the shades drawn. I had quit opening the curtains during the day. For some reason I had grown more fond of the dark. It seemed to suit me better … as if it matched my mood. I started to pray. With authority I rebuked the Spirit of Infirmity and declared physical healing over my body. I rebuked sickness, illness, aches, pains, and declared I was whole by the blood of Jesus.
It was at this point in which I realized something strange was taking place. My room was lighter. I looked around and my room was no longer dark. Had the shades somehow been lifted? Nope, two layers of shades were still drawn tight.
Why is it lighter in my room? But that’s not the only thing that was lighter. I felt lighter. Not in weight (oh, how I wish), but in spirit. I immediately “floated” out of the bed. I kid you not, that’s what it felt like. I now understand the expression “spring in your step.” I had a spring in my step!
As I lifted the shades I heard a voice say “It’s a new day.” Yes, I heard God speak these words to me. “It’s a new day.” I also had a couple of other words floating through my head: Light and bright. Immediately I was aware the depression had been lifted. I felt like a new person. No, wait … I felt like ME!
There are several things you should take away from this story. First, we have the power to speak into fruition what we want (or don’t want) in our lives. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead indwells us. USE IT!
Second, call out that Spirit of Infirmity. Rebuke it. Bind it and loose the Spirit of Life! Matthew 18:18 assures us, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The Message version puts it like this, “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven.” Bind it! Loose it! Use your power in the name of Jesus!
Now, recall the conversation between Jesus and the seventy-two: “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.’” Luke 10:17-19.
Note that as I was declaring the authority of the healing Scriptures over my BODY, my mind was focused on physical ailments, not emotional ones. I wasn’t trying to rebuke the depression because I wasn’t sure I had depression. Yet, my authority was such that the depression spirit could not withstand the power of the Scriptures! It had to flee! It could not stay in the name of Jesus!
Ever since that day, I’ve been back to my normal, happy, bubbly, funny, grateful, interesting, wonderful (well, you get it) self. And just to confirm what I experienced was from God, He sent me that phrase, “It’s a new day” for a whole week. What I mean is that everywhere I went, I heard someone say, “It’s a new day.” I even happened upon a program on TV called, “It’s a new day.” God loves to send us messages, so watch for them! They’re actually very plentiful.
Again, I don’t like to write personal things about myself (believe it or not). It’s actually really hard for me to do this, but if my testimony helps even one person rid themselves of this Spirit of Infirmity and a life of depression then I’ll endure the pain and embarrassment. (Wink.)
Use your AUTHORITY!
There are many healing Scriptures in the Bible. Google "Healing Scriptures" and then make a list and keep it handy. Recite them with authority. Be persistent. The Spirit of Infirmity will try to make you believe you can’t get rid of it. This way you will give up, thinking you’ve been defeated when in reality it must flee. You have the POWER to defeat it!
Here are some of the Scriptures I recited that morning:
Philippians 2:9-10 - ...God has highly exalted Jesus and given Him the name which is above every name {your disease has a name. Now speak to that spirit of infirmity in Jesus’ Name and it must leave. It will stay until it is sure you will not give up through weariness or unbelief}.
Isaiah 53:4-5 - Surely He has borne my griefs (Hebrew: “pains”) And carried [away] my sorrows (Hebrew: “sicknesses”); ...And by His stripes I am healed.
Luke 10:19 - Behold, I have been given the authority to advance by setting my foot upon snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will in any case harm me.
James 4:7 - I resist the devil [I stand firm against him], and he will flee from me.
Psalm 107:20 - He sent His word and healed me, And delivered me.
2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Psalm 103:2-3 - Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all my iniquities, Who heals all my diseases.
Deuteronomy 7:14-15 - I shall be blessed above all peoples... And the Lord will take away from me all sickness...
Romans 8:11 - ...the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me, He who raised Messiah from the dead will also give life [healing] to my mortal flesh through His Spirit who dwells in me.
There’s a point to this.… (I really try not to reveal too much about myself. I’m a very private person. I know … I haven’t demonstrated this at all, have I?) My point is that I want to reveal a period of time when I experienced doom and gloom for no particular reason. I was sad when I had nothing to be sad about. My life was happy and fulfilling, yet I felt miserable and, oh, so unfulfilled.
Why do I feel so sad? I questioned myself repeatedly, but, for the first time in my life, I had no answer. I even went to my husband, repeatedly, hoping he could help me figure out the reason for this darkness that hung over me like a thick black cloud. I asked him again and again, “Why do I feel so miserable and sad? My life is good and happy.” And he kept giving me the same answer every time, “I don’t understand it. You have nothing to be sad about or any reason to be miserable.”
Guilt started to set in. Daily, I thought: My prayers have all been answered. I have a great marriage. I’m living out my dream career. I can see God’s favor all over my life. I have so many blessings I didn’t even ask for, such as going back to school and furthering my career. I never imagined I’d ever have that opportunity, yet here I am … doing it!
The reason guilt started haunting me was because I started viewing my sadness as an attitude of ungratefulness. I felt as if I didn’t appreciate what I had. Even worse, I was being unappreciative of all God’s blessings on my life. Shame. Shame. Shame. This, naturally, made me even sadder. How could I be so ungrateful? So spoiled? So discontent? But the guilt and shame didn’t relieve me from the sadness, it just compounded it.
It was my birthday! Toby and I had made HUGE plans. We were going to drive to Charlottesville, Virginia to visit my childhood home. I had dreamed about this home since I’d left it thirty years ago. I have the most beautiful memories of this home, the neighborhood, my friends, and especially of the holidays. My happiest holidays were spent in this home. I never thought I’d have the opportunity to visit it again. To see where I played, walked, went to school … and lived a happy life.
Toby and I had just moved to Greensboro, NC and were only three hours from the home that held my most beautiful memories. Visiting my old stomping grounds on my birthday should have been a time of happiness and celebration. It SHOULD have been, but it wasn’t.
My husband came home early from work that day to surprise me, and instead of finding me antsy and anxious to go, he found me in bed crying. He found me curled up in a fetal position sucking my thumb. Okay, I made up the part about sucking my thumb. BUT I FELT LIKE IT! If it would not have guaranteed me a trip to the psyche ward, the thumb would have been in the mouth!
Again, I looked to my husband for help. “I should be happy right now. Why do I feel so sad? Why do I cry for no reason? What’s wrong with me? What happened to my happy life?” Then that little lightbulb went off in my head (ping). “Is this depression? Do I have depression?” All my husband could do was shrug his shoulders and name off a list of reasons why I should be happy.
This went on for several months. It wasn’t a fleeting thing, and actually quite unbearable. Was it here to stay? I couldn’t live like this. I found no joy in anything. I was completely discontent and complained about everything. I want my joy back!
Then the HEALING came!
Stress always beats up my body. During this time of doom and gloom, Toby and I moved (yes, again) to Louisiana and, like any move, it was stressful and took its toll on my body. I started some meditative techniques to help me de-stress. Basically, I needed a Calgon Moment! I was experiencing headaches, body aches/pains, stomach issues … the usual stress related ailments. One night, I decided to look up some healing Scriptures that I could recite in the morning.
The reason I chose to recite them in the morning was because that was the hardest time for me. I would wake up so depressed that I found it hard to get my day going. I wanted to lay in bed in the dark instead of facing the day. Friends, this is soooo NOT ME! I am a breakfast and coffee kind of gal. A “Get out of my way, it’s time for my workout” mad lunatic. I do yoga on my patio at 5:30 in the morning. Lying in bed in the dark was for someone else … not ME!
I went through my Bible app and highlighted numerous healing Scriptures, getting them ready for the next morning.
When morning came, I left the shades drawn. I had quit opening the curtains during the day. For some reason I had grown more fond of the dark. It seemed to suit me better … as if it matched my mood. I started to pray. With authority I rebuked the Spirit of Infirmity and declared physical healing over my body. I rebuked sickness, illness, aches, pains, and declared I was whole by the blood of Jesus.
It was at this point in which I realized something strange was taking place. My room was lighter. I looked around and my room was no longer dark. Had the shades somehow been lifted? Nope, two layers of shades were still drawn tight.
Why is it lighter in my room? But that’s not the only thing that was lighter. I felt lighter. Not in weight (oh, how I wish), but in spirit. I immediately “floated” out of the bed. I kid you not, that’s what it felt like. I now understand the expression “spring in your step.” I had a spring in my step!
As I lifted the shades I heard a voice say “It’s a new day.” Yes, I heard God speak these words to me. “It’s a new day.” I also had a couple of other words floating through my head: Light and bright. Immediately I was aware the depression had been lifted. I felt like a new person. No, wait … I felt like ME!
There are several things you should take away from this story. First, we have the power to speak into fruition what we want (or don’t want) in our lives. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead indwells us. USE IT!
Second, call out that Spirit of Infirmity. Rebuke it. Bind it and loose the Spirit of Life! Matthew 18:18 assures us, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The Message version puts it like this, “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven.” Bind it! Loose it! Use your power in the name of Jesus!
Now, recall the conversation between Jesus and the seventy-two: “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.’” Luke 10:17-19.
Note that as I was declaring the authority of the healing Scriptures over my BODY, my mind was focused on physical ailments, not emotional ones. I wasn’t trying to rebuke the depression because I wasn’t sure I had depression. Yet, my authority was such that the depression spirit could not withstand the power of the Scriptures! It had to flee! It could not stay in the name of Jesus!
Ever since that day, I’ve been back to my normal, happy, bubbly, funny, grateful, interesting, wonderful (well, you get it) self. And just to confirm what I experienced was from God, He sent me that phrase, “It’s a new day” for a whole week. What I mean is that everywhere I went, I heard someone say, “It’s a new day.” I even happened upon a program on TV called, “It’s a new day.” God loves to send us messages, so watch for them! They’re actually very plentiful.
Again, I don’t like to write personal things about myself (believe it or not). It’s actually really hard for me to do this, but if my testimony helps even one person rid themselves of this Spirit of Infirmity and a life of depression then I’ll endure the pain and embarrassment. (Wink.)
Use your AUTHORITY!
There are many healing Scriptures in the Bible. Google "Healing Scriptures" and then make a list and keep it handy. Recite them with authority. Be persistent. The Spirit of Infirmity will try to make you believe you can’t get rid of it. This way you will give up, thinking you’ve been defeated when in reality it must flee. You have the POWER to defeat it!
Here are some of the Scriptures I recited that morning:
Philippians 2:9-10 - ...God has highly exalted Jesus and given Him the name which is above every name {your disease has a name. Now speak to that spirit of infirmity in Jesus’ Name and it must leave. It will stay until it is sure you will not give up through weariness or unbelief}.
Isaiah 53:4-5 - Surely He has borne my griefs (Hebrew: “pains”) And carried [away] my sorrows (Hebrew: “sicknesses”); ...And by His stripes I am healed.
Luke 10:19 - Behold, I have been given the authority to advance by setting my foot upon snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will in any case harm me.
James 4:7 - I resist the devil [I stand firm against him], and he will flee from me.
Psalm 107:20 - He sent His word and healed me, And delivered me.
2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Psalm 103:2-3 - Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all my iniquities, Who heals all my diseases.
Deuteronomy 7:14-15 - I shall be blessed above all peoples... And the Lord will take away from me all sickness...
Romans 8:11 - ...the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me, He who raised Messiah from the dead will also give life [healing] to my mortal flesh through His Spirit who dwells in me.
February 16, 2015
Psychics & Paris
“I have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”
~ 1 Samuel 28:8
I was alone in my hotel room in Paris and decided to lay down on the bed for a minute. I was expecting a phone call so I placed my cell phone on my chest and closed my eyes. Within seconds I heard a gentle female voice speak, "You will not find what you're looking for here."
The voice was next to my ear and I sat bolt upright and said, "Who are you? What do you mean? Tell me! Who are you?" Now remember, at this point in my life hearing voices, seeing apparitions and visions was not unusual for me. Speaking back wasn’t an unusual thing for me to do either. The voice did not scare me, in fact, it was a calming voice.
Although I got no answer, I could feel the presence lingering ... watching me. Maybe it wanted to see what I was going to do with that information. Honestly, God had been working through numerous people that week, each of them speaking almost identical words to me ... "This is not your home. You have a home in Texas. Go back. You shouldn't be here." Odd that so many people would tell me this all in the same week.
Now I was hearing a mysterious voice, a supernatural voice, demanding I go home as well. Why am I not supposed to be in Paris? And why must I go back to Texas? I had no plans to do any such thing and I fought this voice, rejecting its command. I had dreamed of moving away to an exotic land (okay, Paris isn’t all that exotic, but it was my first step in getting to my paradise) and the last thing I wanted to do was turnaround and go back home.
"I'm supposed to be here," I answered back. But it was at this point that I truly questioned my destiny. Had God just sent me a messenger? Had I been visited by an angel, warning me I was off track and needed to get back to my proper place? A large part of me didn't want to believe this, but I had clearly heard the voice telling me otherwise. Could the psychics I’d been visiting be wrong?
They swore I was to move to Europe. And if I wasn’t supposed to be in Paris that would mean there was a chance these psychics were wrong about everything they’d ever told me. What would I do if that were true? I’d have to come up with a whole new plan for my life … and I’d have to do it ON MY OWN! Without the guidance of psychics and mediums. Could I do that? I shuddered at the thought of not having that control over my future. I NEEDED control!
The emptiness in my life was because I was hungering for the Lord, but didn’t know how to recognize this need, much less satisfy it, so I tried to fill it in other ways. I had no contentment in my life and was very bored. Psychics, moving, Paris, France, adventure, new life. Satan was in that line-up as well, I just couldn’t see him. That’s what he’s best at, staying hidden, lurking around every dark corner. Only God’s light (His Word) can expose him. I’m sorry to say this was not the end of my quest to find what the future had in store for me, but I was just around the corner from enlightenment and freedom. Freedom from the need to control everything in my life and freedom from psychics!
You can find the rest of this story in “Spiritual Warfare, My Battle.”
~ 1 Samuel 28:8
I was alone in my hotel room in Paris and decided to lay down on the bed for a minute. I was expecting a phone call so I placed my cell phone on my chest and closed my eyes. Within seconds I heard a gentle female voice speak, "You will not find what you're looking for here."
The voice was next to my ear and I sat bolt upright and said, "Who are you? What do you mean? Tell me! Who are you?" Now remember, at this point in my life hearing voices, seeing apparitions and visions was not unusual for me. Speaking back wasn’t an unusual thing for me to do either. The voice did not scare me, in fact, it was a calming voice.
Although I got no answer, I could feel the presence lingering ... watching me. Maybe it wanted to see what I was going to do with that information. Honestly, God had been working through numerous people that week, each of them speaking almost identical words to me ... "This is not your home. You have a home in Texas. Go back. You shouldn't be here." Odd that so many people would tell me this all in the same week.
Now I was hearing a mysterious voice, a supernatural voice, demanding I go home as well. Why am I not supposed to be in Paris? And why must I go back to Texas? I had no plans to do any such thing and I fought this voice, rejecting its command. I had dreamed of moving away to an exotic land (okay, Paris isn’t all that exotic, but it was my first step in getting to my paradise) and the last thing I wanted to do was turnaround and go back home.
"I'm supposed to be here," I answered back. But it was at this point that I truly questioned my destiny. Had God just sent me a messenger? Had I been visited by an angel, warning me I was off track and needed to get back to my proper place? A large part of me didn't want to believe this, but I had clearly heard the voice telling me otherwise. Could the psychics I’d been visiting be wrong?
They swore I was to move to Europe. And if I wasn’t supposed to be in Paris that would mean there was a chance these psychics were wrong about everything they’d ever told me. What would I do if that were true? I’d have to come up with a whole new plan for my life … and I’d have to do it ON MY OWN! Without the guidance of psychics and mediums. Could I do that? I shuddered at the thought of not having that control over my future. I NEEDED control!
The emptiness in my life was because I was hungering for the Lord, but didn’t know how to recognize this need, much less satisfy it, so I tried to fill it in other ways. I had no contentment in my life and was very bored. Psychics, moving, Paris, France, adventure, new life. Satan was in that line-up as well, I just couldn’t see him. That’s what he’s best at, staying hidden, lurking around every dark corner. Only God’s light (His Word) can expose him. I’m sorry to say this was not the end of my quest to find what the future had in store for me, but I was just around the corner from enlightenment and freedom. Freedom from the need to control everything in my life and freedom from psychics!
You can find the rest of this story in “Spiritual Warfare, My Battle.”
January 14, 2015
Top New Year's Resolution For Christians?
I bet you didn’t guess the answer is PRAYER & FASTING ! Yeah, yeah, that was just too easy! But I’m not here for trivia! I want to talk about how depriving ourselves of chocolate cake and our morning caramel macchiato makes us better Christians. (With stomach rumbling.)
Eating never felt so good and food never tasted so divine than it does AFTER a fast! When we deprive ourselves of worldly loves in order to seek our Lord … He. Shows. Up.
So … watch it! You may just get what you’re praying for … and then some!
FASTING GETS RESULTS
Why should we fast? Well, fasting and prayer brings us closer to God. The Bible tells us about people who fasted and prayed (about the different fasts and different reasons to fast), all having positive results. There are many stories in the Old Testament about people fasting.
When Nehemiah mourned over the conditions in Jerusalem he “fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven” Nehemiah 1:4. Daniel pleaded with God “in prayer and fasting” Daniel 9:3. And in Acts 13:3, talking about the church in Antioch, “So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on [Paul and Barnabus] and sent them on their way” to their first missionary journey. John the Baptist had followers who fasted.
Most importantly, Jesus fasted and prayed, and so did His disciples. In Matthew 6:16, Jesus said “ when you fast,” not if you fast. This statement tells us we should all have times in our prayer lives in which we should fast. Fasting strengthens our prayers because to deny our flesh in order to feed our spirit is an act of devotion, obedience, and servitude to the Lord.
The fasts mentioned in the Bible all range in length. Some were one day, three days, several days, seven days, twenty one days, and forty days. Jesus’ fast was the longest and it wasn’t until after He fasted that He began to preach, heal, and perform numerous miracles. There’s power in fasting and it’s encouraged by the Lord. Each and every fast mentioned in the Bible was answered by God. His people were fasting for a breakthrough, and breakthrough is what they received. Whatever issue they were going through, God answered, fixed, moved, mended and restored.
I’ve heard some Christians say they don’t believe in fasting; it seems ridiculous and it’s not needed in today’s world. The truth is, fasting and prayer is very much needed, especially in these end times. Again, fasting and prayer brings us closer to God. It connects us with Him. The fact that Jesus (the Son of God) fasted speaks volumes and tells us we need it too. I want to emulate Jesus, don’t you? I mean, if the Bible tells us to do something, I’m there! I want to do what the Lord asks of me.
I want to think like Jesus and act like Jesus as best as I can. So why would I neglect this area which Jesus treated so importantly in His relationship with His Father?
Also, I want what God has for me. So if fasting is a means to the riches He holds in His hands, I’m going to do what I must in order to achieve those blessings. This way, I can fulfill (there’s that word again) the purpose and plans He’s laid out for my life! The combination of fasting and prayer are Bible-based disciplines and are not meant to control or manipulate a situation. Instead, they add insight, movement, strength, and wisdom to a situation or circumstance. It’s appropriate for everyone, in all times, anywhere in the world.
I never heard much talk on fasting in church growing up, so I never learned any details about it. I thought it was an ancient practice no longer in use today, until I went to Livingway Church in San Antonio. Quite often, the pastor and associate pastor spoke of how much it benefits us as believers to fast and pray. But it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I decided to try it for myself. I was in a place of desperation for the Lord. I couldn’t get enough of Him, and I felt like it was my last hope of connecting to Him on a more intimate level. I wanted to have a one-on-one with Him and fasting felt like the answer, so I tried it. And I was right!
I think the problem today is that people don’t really understand fasting. They feel it’s a form of religious works, or that it’s ritualistic and ancient in practice. Many people feel they’d never be able to fast, and they give up on the idea before even giving it a chance. They decide it’s not for them or not needed because they can’t imagine going without food for any amount of time. Let me add this side note: When I deprive myself of something I want or enjoy in order to show my obedience to the Lord (to show Him how much more He means to me than any worldly object or substance, even food) it satisfies every ounce of my being. It’s a wonderfully refreshing feeling. Not a feeling of deprivation, but a feeling of fulfillment. A feeling of, I lack for nothing!
During a fast I don’t feel physically hungry as much as I feel spiritually hungry, in which only God can satisfy. He feeds my soul in the only way it can be fed—with His Spirit. It’s the filling up of that empty space within me that drives me to fast in the first place. It’s a time of filling up with His Spirit. It’s so refreshing! Fasting leaves a person full, refreshed, and satisfied.
Fasting can be as long, or short, as you want it to be. You can fast for several weeks, days, or one meal. Some people drink only water, some drink juices, and some skip breakfast, but still eat lunch and dinner. The importance of fasting is not the length of your fast, but the prayer and discipline behind it. Fasting with prayer puts you in the best possible position for a breakthrough. What I’ve learned from the Biblical fasts, my personal fasts and the experiences my friends have had with fasting is, it produces spiritual results, some being miraculous. I’d call them all miraculous because everything the Lord does is a miracle in our world, but in reality, it’s just God being God. He’s a God of miracles; this is just who He is.
So fasting and prayer causes breakthrough in any situation you may have, and we all have some sort of situation, don’t we? I mean, I wish life could be a bowl of cherries all the time, but we’re not in Heaven yet. We haven’t earned that privilege because there’s still work to be done here, and until the Lord calls us home, we have situations to deal with. Sometimes we need insight into a problem, a financial breakthrough, understanding, healing, or mental and emotional strength. If we have any need in our lives (we usually do on a regular basis) God is who provides answers, healing, and breakthroughs. Fasting and prayer quickens the process by taking us straight to the source … God! See how He has supplied us with numerous ways to connect with Him on different levels and for different reasons?
Toby and I encountered so many difficulties while in Birmingham that it literally drove me to fast. I say it like that because, as I mentioned previously, I just wasn’t into the whole fasting thing. Drown me in desperation, and I become a little more willing to do, well, just about anything. I was so like, Lord, I’m ready to fast. I’m expecting a miracle. Actually, a miracle is not what I was expecting and that’s because I had absolutely no idea what to expect.
I knew very little about fasting except I was to starve myself and pray. Pray in place of eating, is what I told myself. I didn’t know much, but I knew enough, and I had the basic concept down. So I went without eating and prayed throughout the day … a lot! Lots and lots of praying. I was dying to seek, find, and grab on to whatever connection to God I could. Bring me breakthrough, bring me miracles, no, bring me GOD! If you’re not sure what God-given purpose you have in this world, fasting and prayer is a good way to achieve revelation.
Jesus taught people how to fast, so He certainly supported it, but He never commanded it. It’s a discipline in order to help believers in their prayer lives, “Fast … to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” Matthew 6:17-18 (NKJV). Fasting is not a requirement but a discipline that has the ability to strengthen believers. When implemented correctly it becomes a tool which provides answers to prayers. That’s what Jesus taught.
During mine and Toby’s fast, God went from being silent to talking … a lot! He spoke to us using Scripture, through others, and in visions. He led us to certain subjects, missions and purposes. What I got from the Lord during my fast was far from what I’d ever imagined. It left me feeling like Mike Murdock, “Lord if this is really You then have three camels walk into the room right now so I can be sure.”
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December 31, 2014
MOVE OVER, 2014!
For me, 2014 had its own story from beginning to end. 2014 was not just a new chapter in an already existing story; it was a whole new adventure in and of itself. With plot twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat all year. I even wrote a book about it.
Although 2014 has had its own great ending, it’s done just that … end! 2014's story started in January and perfectly culminated in December.
As I sit here on the eve of the new year, with my 2014 story published and at my side, I cannot tell you the contentment I feel as I say goodbye to 2014 and everything it’s brought me. I feel nothing but excitement brewing in the pit of my gut as I embrace this NEW door opening to a NEW adventure in 2015. I look forward to a new place, a new mission, new friends, and another NEW adventure! Once again, I anticipate 2015 not being a new chapter to an already existing story, but a whole new story in itself! Look at all this NEWNESS! I am overwhelmed!
But before I rush into the New Year (again, you see how anxious I am to get rid of 2014), first I want to recap—not the highlights of 2014—but the Lessons Learned. Because isn’t that what life is all about? Lessons? But it’s how we apply these lessons to our lives that paves the road to our futures. Will it be a road of success, or will we repeat these same hard lessons because we did not apply what we learned? In other words, we didn’t learn our lesson!
I have a name for people who don’t learn from their mistakes. They are “repeaters” living a “broken record life.” They repeat everything that didn’t work for them over and over again. It’s like living in a Deja-vu every day. If it didn’t work for you the first 500 times, chances are it’s not going to have a different result on attempt 501.
FORGIVENESS
2014 was a time for forgiveness. One very important thing to remember is that forgiveness is less about the people involved and more about a person’s walk with Christ. Forgiveness is between us and God.
Although it’s good to forgive, we should not be too hasty to forget. To forget the hardships in life would be to bypass one of the most important stages we go through in this world. It's our hardships that mold and transform us into the people we are today. To forget hurts, pains, and the hard lessons we've encountered in life would cause us to have absolutely no spiritual, emotional, or mental growth.
There would be no learning from our mistakes. We would repeat situations which had bad consequences because we didn't allow ourselves to learn a lesson the first go around. This is what Albert Einstein was referring to when he said the definition of insanity is: “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” If we forgive others and ourselves, and then forget what we learned out of it, we are doomed to repeat the same situations over and over again while anticipating different outcomes! INSANITY!
DEAD WEIGHT
There are two kinds of friends in this world. There are the kind that drive you to be all that you can be, while bringing out the best in you, and then there are dead weight friends. Dead weight friends have nothing to offer you except heartache. They deplete you of energy, motivation, enthusiasm, and life. They create a huge drain on you.
This year I have experienced phony friends:
These friends want a relationship with me in order to get something out of me. Their interest in me is only for their own advantage.
I have also experienced green-eyed friends:
These friends don’t want to see me succeed. They hope I don’t prosper in anything I do because they fight for that “top spot” that exists in their minds. They cannot acknowledge or congratulate another person on their success because then they will feel inferior. They exist in a fantasy world where they are puffed up, sitting high upon their pedestal while looking down upon the rest of us.
HATERS
They are out there and they always will be. Haters do one thing best: They hate.
They hate your success. They hate everything you post on the Internet. They hate every good choice and decision you make. They hate every blessing in your life. They hate your loving marriage. They hate your beautiful home. They hate everything you excel at. They hate everything you love.
I’ve actually experienced other “Christians” (they call themselves) coming to my FB page and spreading hate, diminishing the glory of God, just because this is what they do best … they hate! But we don’t have to worry about these people. God is taking care of them for us! They can’t touch us!!!
But the one thing they don't do is control you, your decisions, your destiny, your future, and your life! Stand tall, chin held high, and march your awesome-self forward without a care in the world! Their hate can't touch God’s blessings for your life!
Be proud to be YOU and let the haters keep on hating! It's okay to be hated! That means you're doing something right.
In the end the only thing that matters is your servitude to God. The only thing that counts is that you put Him first above all else. Others cannot see your heart or know your feelings, but God can. And through it all I’ve learned the only thing that matters is how God feels about your choices and your actions. Other's OPINIONS about your life do NOT hold any SIGNIFICANCE at all!!!
Let the users use, the enviers turn an awful shade of green, and the haters hate. You can move forward knowing God can see their hearts as well, and that’s why you walk in VICTORY! Let go of what didn’t work out. When you rid your life of negative people (and situations), it’s easier to keep your heart and mind pure.
It allows you to stay in God’s obedience and this is why you WIN!
This is the place happiness comes from!
Don’t start the New Year off with old frustrations, anger, and bitterness. Don’t carry unhappy situations into your NEW STORY! This is a season of new beginnings for you! God is working things out in YOUR favor! Let go of what didn’t work out in 2014 and get ready for Chapter ONE in 2015!
Happy New Year to you! May God BLESS and PROSPER everything you put your hands to!
