Psalms 37:3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
as humans we seem to never be satisfied... we think if only I had this.. if only I had that... but as soon as you have what it is that you desired, then you are desiring something else...
I LOVE new shoes... I have more shoes that anyone I know... it is truly a sin of gluttony... I can't even wear them all because I have so many shoes... when I walk into 9west the sales girl RUNS to me... she knows my size and likes and dislikes by heart... she brings out tons of shoes for me to try... she gives me discounts that no one else gets... I am considered a VIP customer in the store and on line both... but sadly enough... after I wear the shoes a few times... they lose their sparkle and I need new ones to make me feel good again... (thus the reason I have so many...)
I love new clothes... I don't really like to dress like a church lady... I like to dress provocative and sexy... but... if I have to dress like a church lady... I want to be the best dressed one out there... again... the reason why I am always looking for a new outfit...
when the bible tells us that if we take delight in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our heart... it doesn't really mean the desires of our heart... what it really means... is that when God becomes your delight... your heart... your focus... then... your desires change to line up with the will of God... and yes, He will always give you His will for your life...
it is a terrible thing when we tell God that what He wants for us is not what we want... we pay a horrific price for God giving in and giving us our own will over the will of God...
our prayers should not be that God will give us the desires of our heart... our prayer should be that God would align our desires with His will for our lives and that He will give us His will for our lives... that is a prayer that is sure to be in our best interest and it is also sure to be answered... it may not be what we thought we wanted... but it will always be what is best for us and for the body of Christ as a whole...
Thank you Father for aligning my desires with your will... whatever the outcome may be... I trust You... I love You... I want Your will be done, not mine... in the blood bought name of Christ I pray... amen.amen.amen...
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
unconfessed sin...
psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
I think as we become more mature in Christ... we let go of many of the sins that we used to do... you know... the obvious sins... and then we feel like we have come so far from who we used to be... that we are good... and we don't worry any more about confessing our sins before God...
for me personally... if I fell back and went out and got drunk... I would come back to God and confess this and ask forgiveness... or whatever the sin might be... drunk is just the most realistic outward sin for me to fall in to... as jack daniels and I have a long standing relationship that I miss badly when upset...
but what about the sins that we cover up... what about the sins that we make excuses for... are we confessing those? seeems to me.. if we are covering them up... or making excuses for them, then we are not acknowledging them and probably not confessing them to God...
recently... I had an issue where I decided something was not sin... mostly because I didn't want it to be... but I felt a change in the atmosphere between me and God... and then I listen on the radio (internet actually...) to my non playing friend John MacArthur... who never ever confuses what sin is and is not... (anything that does not bring glory to God is sin...) and I had to go before God and confess... now this was not something open and out loud... just something in me... in my heart... and although I didn't show it to anyone... it didn't make it any less sinful...
I have decided... that I am going to ask God to point out to me any thing in me that is not of Him... not just to empty me of it... but to show it to me... so that I can acknowledge it and confess it... accept forgiveness and get past it...
I do not want to have sin separating me from God... I do not want to have God not hear my prayer because of the unconfessed sin in me... I need Him too much to allow there to be issues in our relationship... I love Him to much to allow myself to disappoint Him intentionally...
change me God. make me into the person that you have created me to be in all areas of my life. in Jesus name I ask this... amen.amen.amen.
I think as we become more mature in Christ... we let go of many of the sins that we used to do... you know... the obvious sins... and then we feel like we have come so far from who we used to be... that we are good... and we don't worry any more about confessing our sins before God...
for me personally... if I fell back and went out and got drunk... I would come back to God and confess this and ask forgiveness... or whatever the sin might be... drunk is just the most realistic outward sin for me to fall in to... as jack daniels and I have a long standing relationship that I miss badly when upset...
but what about the sins that we cover up... what about the sins that we make excuses for... are we confessing those? seeems to me.. if we are covering them up... or making excuses for them, then we are not acknowledging them and probably not confessing them to God...
recently... I had an issue where I decided something was not sin... mostly because I didn't want it to be... but I felt a change in the atmosphere between me and God... and then I listen on the radio (internet actually...) to my non playing friend John MacArthur... who never ever confuses what sin is and is not... (anything that does not bring glory to God is sin...) and I had to go before God and confess... now this was not something open and out loud... just something in me... in my heart... and although I didn't show it to anyone... it didn't make it any less sinful...
I have decided... that I am going to ask God to point out to me any thing in me that is not of Him... not just to empty me of it... but to show it to me... so that I can acknowledge it and confess it... accept forgiveness and get past it...
I do not want to have sin separating me from God... I do not want to have God not hear my prayer because of the unconfessed sin in me... I need Him too much to allow there to be issues in our relationship... I love Him to much to allow myself to disappoint Him intentionally...
change me God. make me into the person that you have created me to be in all areas of my life. in Jesus name I ask this... amen.amen.amen.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
isaiah 1: 26 I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City." 27 Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.
in the old testament days... the men of the bible wanted a king... God didn't want them to have a king... He felt as though they were saying that He was not enough... but He gave them a king to satisfy their begging and they paid a price for it... in the end they realized that things were better with the judges and prophets being the voice of God and not having to pay taxes to a king... in this scripture... God tells us that He will take the kings away and restore the need for the prophets and judges... and I would say that He has done this...
the question is... do we recognize a prophet when we see one? or do we run after what sounds like what we want to hear?
I don't believe that the people felt that God was not enough... I believe that they just wanted something that they could touch and feel guiding them, carrying them. so they opted for a king as they didn't know any better... and the grass is always greener on the other side... till you get there...
I think even today... we want something we can touch and feel... we want God to speak to us in a physical manner... something that is concrete and cannot be denied... but this is not the way of Jehovah... the Great I Am... He gives a spoken word... He confirms it with written word... and every now and then He will give you a little sight of something to keep you hanging on.... but the Living God expects you to just trust His word, His voice, His calling... and EVENTUALLY it will come to pass... our time is not God's time...
Father give me a breath of life to hold on to your spoken word... I want to be in Your will... not mine... in Jesus precious name I pray... amen.amen.amen.
in the old testament days... the men of the bible wanted a king... God didn't want them to have a king... He felt as though they were saying that He was not enough... but He gave them a king to satisfy their begging and they paid a price for it... in the end they realized that things were better with the judges and prophets being the voice of God and not having to pay taxes to a king... in this scripture... God tells us that He will take the kings away and restore the need for the prophets and judges... and I would say that He has done this...
the question is... do we recognize a prophet when we see one? or do we run after what sounds like what we want to hear?
I don't believe that the people felt that God was not enough... I believe that they just wanted something that they could touch and feel guiding them, carrying them. so they opted for a king as they didn't know any better... and the grass is always greener on the other side... till you get there...
I think even today... we want something we can touch and feel... we want God to speak to us in a physical manner... something that is concrete and cannot be denied... but this is not the way of Jehovah... the Great I Am... He gives a spoken word... He confirms it with written word... and every now and then He will give you a little sight of something to keep you hanging on.... but the Living God expects you to just trust His word, His voice, His calling... and EVENTUALLY it will come to pass... our time is not God's time...
Father give me a breath of life to hold on to your spoken word... I want to be in Your will... not mine... in Jesus precious name I pray... amen.amen.amen.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
tests...
I have never been so good at tests...
this morning I am reading and I learn that every situation is a test from God... how will we handle it? will we respond with the love of Christ or the words of man? will we at least say next to nothing?
I have been severely tested this last few weeks by people talking about me and treating me bad... but through all of it.. I would say that while I haven't handled it maybe as God would have liked me to... I haven't handled it like I would have in the past either...
so my thought is... obviously I am still a work in progress... and the good news is that I am sure God will give me another chance to get it totally right... and the bad news is that God will give me another chance at getting it totally right...
I'm thinking... that before we react to any given situation... we need to be prayed up... I try to start my day in prayer and ask God to guide my steps and guard my tongue... I would say He has surely been faithful in this... I am slowly learning to not talk about situations to anyone at all other than God.. (still working on this but getting much better at it..)and to pray about how God would have me handle something and ask Him what it is that He would like me to learn from the situation... what is it He is trying to change in me...
thank you Lord for you unfailing mercy upon me... I thank you for the changes you are creating in me daily... I pray that you will continue to make me and mold me to do Thy will... not mine... in Jesus precious name... amen.amen.amen.
this morning I am reading and I learn that every situation is a test from God... how will we handle it? will we respond with the love of Christ or the words of man? will we at least say next to nothing?
I have been severely tested this last few weeks by people talking about me and treating me bad... but through all of it.. I would say that while I haven't handled it maybe as God would have liked me to... I haven't handled it like I would have in the past either...
so my thought is... obviously I am still a work in progress... and the good news is that I am sure God will give me another chance to get it totally right... and the bad news is that God will give me another chance at getting it totally right...
I'm thinking... that before we react to any given situation... we need to be prayed up... I try to start my day in prayer and ask God to guide my steps and guard my tongue... I would say He has surely been faithful in this... I am slowly learning to not talk about situations to anyone at all other than God.. (still working on this but getting much better at it..)and to pray about how God would have me handle something and ask Him what it is that He would like me to learn from the situation... what is it He is trying to change in me...
thank you Lord for you unfailing mercy upon me... I thank you for the changes you are creating in me daily... I pray that you will continue to make me and mold me to do Thy will... not mine... in Jesus precious name... amen.amen.amen.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
the spoken word...
Genesis 17:23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen; 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day. 27 And every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.
so one day when Abram is 99 years old... God tells him... through spoken word... that he is changing his name and that of his wife also... and that they will be having a son... now that part right there is hard enough to believe by itelf... then God goes on to tell him that his descendants will be like the sands of the ocean... or the stars in the sky... and... that he is to cut the foreskin off of the men in his household... come on now... lets be real... with most of us... that right there is more than too much... it's fine if you say I'm supposed to be a mother as an old woman but to talk about cutting my body parts... and 'special' body parts is even less likely to happen...
this is what is so amazing... some of us hear the spoken word of God in our spirit right now... but we try to find excuses to not do whatever He told us to do... whether it is lack of belief... or lack of desire for it... or lack of wanting to deal with other people's reactions... whatever it is that keeps us from obeying the spoken word of God... look at the scripture... the very same day... Abraham..(immediately he goes by the new name...)takes out all the men of his household and performs minor surgery... (not so sure I would've let him cut me...)and circumcises all these people... young men and grown men both...
sheesh... can you imagine having this much faith in the spoken word of God... now let me tell you... I have pretty much faith in the spoken word of God... anyone who spends any time with me knows that I will just speak out things that God says... I will do things that make me look crazy... some see that more often than most... but no matter how much I say I have... it is nothing compared to Abraham... because for me to move forward... I still tend to wait for approval of man... what if we all just exhibited some truly crazy faith... what changes would be made in the kingdom of God? what would be the differences in your own home, but more importantly, in your church? how is the kingdom of God to get furthered without the people of God getting up the same day and believing the spoken word of God and walking forward into it... show God your love for Him this day... show Him your faith and trust in Him... get up and follow the command of the spoken word of God...even if you are the only one that heard it... He will carry you....
so one day when Abram is 99 years old... God tells him... through spoken word... that he is changing his name and that of his wife also... and that they will be having a son... now that part right there is hard enough to believe by itelf... then God goes on to tell him that his descendants will be like the sands of the ocean... or the stars in the sky... and... that he is to cut the foreskin off of the men in his household... come on now... lets be real... with most of us... that right there is more than too much... it's fine if you say I'm supposed to be a mother as an old woman but to talk about cutting my body parts... and 'special' body parts is even less likely to happen...
this is what is so amazing... some of us hear the spoken word of God in our spirit right now... but we try to find excuses to not do whatever He told us to do... whether it is lack of belief... or lack of desire for it... or lack of wanting to deal with other people's reactions... whatever it is that keeps us from obeying the spoken word of God... look at the scripture... the very same day... Abraham..(immediately he goes by the new name...)takes out all the men of his household and performs minor surgery... (not so sure I would've let him cut me...)and circumcises all these people... young men and grown men both...
sheesh... can you imagine having this much faith in the spoken word of God... now let me tell you... I have pretty much faith in the spoken word of God... anyone who spends any time with me knows that I will just speak out things that God says... I will do things that make me look crazy... some see that more often than most... but no matter how much I say I have... it is nothing compared to Abraham... because for me to move forward... I still tend to wait for approval of man... what if we all just exhibited some truly crazy faith... what changes would be made in the kingdom of God? what would be the differences in your own home, but more importantly, in your church? how is the kingdom of God to get furthered without the people of God getting up the same day and believing the spoken word of God and walking forward into it... show God your love for Him this day... show Him your faith and trust in Him... get up and follow the command of the spoken word of God...even if you are the only one that heard it... He will carry you....
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
love those who hate you...
Matthew 5:44 but I say to you love those who hate you and pray for those who persecute you...
these words are spoken by Jesus himself... sorry to say... that is a very hard concept for me... oh I will pray for them all right... but not for God to bless them or save them or change them... I am an old testament warrior... I tend to pray that those that persecute me or persecute those that I love will die or be removed from my world...
and I am wrong... I want to save the world... but not the same world that everyone else wants to go to heaven I'm thinking... I am learning the hard way... that much of the church world or the so called christians are the ones that need saved... I don't so much mean saved from the worldly ways... maybe I do mean that... the people in the church have turned out to be the meanest people I have ever had to come in contact with... I used to just go to church without being involved in it... and now.. now that I guess you would have to say I am part of it... I find that the majority of church servants and leaders are mean and hateful people... aren't these supposed to be the saved ones??? aren't they supposed to be the ones out here saving the world in action and deed? apparently I am so confused about the role of church...
I had the imagination that church was to be a light in a dark world... I promise you that I have never been dogged out and talked about in the world like I am in the church... when I was talked about in the street... it was truth... I was doing what they said I was doing... NOW... I am doing NOTHING... and people are accusing me of doing sinful things... don't get me wrong... I don't pretend I am not sinful... (for goodness sake I just told you I want these people to disappear...)but I am not doing what I am being rumored to do...
you know... I had told someone once that the change that we are to make is in the church... and I guess I never realized the significance and truth of that statement... I too was confused about my role in the kingdom.. I thought the souls to be changed were the ones in the street... and I believe it will be... but I think maybe it has to begin with change in the lives of the people in the church... including me...
so... apparently instead of wishing/praying for their demise... I will begin this day... this new year to pray for the church to be delivered and to become more Christlike... and I will pray this same prayer for myself... because if I am wanting folks to disappear or die... I am not so much like Christ either...
let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me... let there be love on earth and let it begin with me... let there be Christ on earth and let it begin with me...
these words are spoken by Jesus himself... sorry to say... that is a very hard concept for me... oh I will pray for them all right... but not for God to bless them or save them or change them... I am an old testament warrior... I tend to pray that those that persecute me or persecute those that I love will die or be removed from my world...
and I am wrong... I want to save the world... but not the same world that everyone else wants to go to heaven I'm thinking... I am learning the hard way... that much of the church world or the so called christians are the ones that need saved... I don't so much mean saved from the worldly ways... maybe I do mean that... the people in the church have turned out to be the meanest people I have ever had to come in contact with... I used to just go to church without being involved in it... and now.. now that I guess you would have to say I am part of it... I find that the majority of church servants and leaders are mean and hateful people... aren't these supposed to be the saved ones??? aren't they supposed to be the ones out here saving the world in action and deed? apparently I am so confused about the role of church...
I had the imagination that church was to be a light in a dark world... I promise you that I have never been dogged out and talked about in the world like I am in the church... when I was talked about in the street... it was truth... I was doing what they said I was doing... NOW... I am doing NOTHING... and people are accusing me of doing sinful things... don't get me wrong... I don't pretend I am not sinful... (for goodness sake I just told you I want these people to disappear...)but I am not doing what I am being rumored to do...
you know... I had told someone once that the change that we are to make is in the church... and I guess I never realized the significance and truth of that statement... I too was confused about my role in the kingdom.. I thought the souls to be changed were the ones in the street... and I believe it will be... but I think maybe it has to begin with change in the lives of the people in the church... including me...
so... apparently instead of wishing/praying for their demise... I will begin this day... this new year to pray for the church to be delivered and to become more Christlike... and I will pray this same prayer for myself... because if I am wanting folks to disappear or die... I am not so much like Christ either...
let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me... let there be love on earth and let it begin with me... let there be Christ on earth and let it begin with me...
Monday, December 28, 2009
Christmas Dinner...
I had not cooked in the past several years because there is no one there to eat it.. so I just had been going to someone else's house... there is just something about cooking for a man that makes it seem worth while... (yes, I know that sounds stupid..)but I decide I am cooking this year for Christmas dinner...
I buy a turkey and a ham... keep remembering that I have not cooked this in several years... and the turkey has a gravy packet with it... ???? and the ham has a glaze packet with it... ????...
apparently... I am too old school for today... I make my own ham glaze and I use the juice from the turkey and some shredded up turkey to make the gravy... now I will tell you that I thought I would try this gravy packet... ugh.... it didn't thicken like the flour mixture I would normally make and use... wondering what happened to being taught how to cook by someone... I wasn't taught by my mother... I was taught by my wilbur... my kid's grandpap... and he taught me all old school stuff... like how to make gravy from nothing... and how to make glaze for a ham... and truth told... he taught me how to make pig feet and chitlins... and I can even cook a groundhog so you won't know it is a groundhog... (lololol... that is a true statement...)(I keep telling you people I come from the REAL hood... and no one believes me...)
I taught myself how to make sweet potatoe pie... because the women in my world I have asked to show me how don't want me to be able to make it from scratch... and last year... it tasted good but looked like orangish pudding... BUT.... this year... for Thanksgiving... India took it back to school with her... and they ate it all and she didn't get any... but she said they said it was great... I was still suspect... cause you know... kids will eat anything... BUT... this Christmas some of her friends came over and they tried it... and they went to work talking about it was really good!!! yay me!!! I am very excited about that!! and only took 2 tries...
so... Christmas dinner came out good... and I can make sweet potatoe pie... and I am very happy about that... next is the souffle... I am hoping to have that down by Easter...
I buy a turkey and a ham... keep remembering that I have not cooked this in several years... and the turkey has a gravy packet with it... ???? and the ham has a glaze packet with it... ????...
apparently... I am too old school for today... I make my own ham glaze and I use the juice from the turkey and some shredded up turkey to make the gravy... now I will tell you that I thought I would try this gravy packet... ugh.... it didn't thicken like the flour mixture I would normally make and use... wondering what happened to being taught how to cook by someone... I wasn't taught by my mother... I was taught by my wilbur... my kid's grandpap... and he taught me all old school stuff... like how to make gravy from nothing... and how to make glaze for a ham... and truth told... he taught me how to make pig feet and chitlins... and I can even cook a groundhog so you won't know it is a groundhog... (lololol... that is a true statement...)(I keep telling you people I come from the REAL hood... and no one believes me...)
I taught myself how to make sweet potatoe pie... because the women in my world I have asked to show me how don't want me to be able to make it from scratch... and last year... it tasted good but looked like orangish pudding... BUT.... this year... for Thanksgiving... India took it back to school with her... and they ate it all and she didn't get any... but she said they said it was great... I was still suspect... cause you know... kids will eat anything... BUT... this Christmas some of her friends came over and they tried it... and they went to work talking about it was really good!!! yay me!!! I am very excited about that!! and only took 2 tries...
so... Christmas dinner came out good... and I can make sweet potatoe pie... and I am very happy about that... next is the souffle... I am hoping to have that down by Easter...
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