Happy New Year!!!!

Ok, well maybe it's a little late, but better now then never! :D It has already been a fun start to the year and we are only 23 days into it. Our family is healthy, but the Lord has been speaking to me about complacency, which is always a great. So the definition is...

complacency:1:

self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies 2: an instance of usually unaware or uninformed self-satisfaction (borrowed from http://www.merriam-webster.com)

So here is the deal with why this has been a thing for me...last Nov. I started working for our church in the nursery. I love my job, it allows me to have my kids with me and I get to serve the families from our church. But sometime last year I lost my zeal, my passion, I think I moved into a place where I was serving and that was good enough, no need to do anything else. I love to speak encouragement in to women's lives, it's part of my Spiritual giftings. I know that when you don't use your giftings they start to dry up and soon you don't realize that you are even missing anything. It's crazy how quickly the enemy can come and make us complacent with our situation. Telling us that we don't need anyone to speak into our lives or visa versa. But it's just not true. We need that, especially if it is a gift. After talking with a women from my church and sharing my heart with her, God re-lit that passion of sharing God's word with people. I need that, to share what God is speaking to my heart, so here we are starting another year, and I am praying that He will continue to speak to me, about my life, so that I can share my heart with you. Getting out of that place that is comfortable and cozy is hard, and putting yourself out there, with what may sometimes be crazy thoughts and ideas is hard, but I am determined to open my mouth this year.

So I hope that you also have a great year of moving our of complacency and into His arms.

Influences

So this is more of a sequence of thoughts based on something that I have read/seen. So here we go...
Sometime last week I read a headline "Pastor protests Lady GaGa concert" so because I like her music, although I realize that I can't listen to it all the time, I followed the link. So I read the story, and basically the pastor was handing our fliers that said God hated Lady GaGa and some other stuff that as a Christian made me a little angry. I totally understand where he is coming from w/ the protest I don't think he worded his message the right way. So anyway I follow a few more links and found a website that looks at the music industry and their connection with the occult. One the website was a video with Lady GaGa on the front so of course I clicked on it. Anyway it was snippets of MTV's 2009 VAM awards. All I can say was that I was horrified. I mean, I never watch more than a few secs of MTV, I really think their stuff is junk, but I could not believe what I was seeing.
Now the VMA's happened in Sept, I believe and until this day the only thing I had heard about was what happened to Taylor Swift. So anyway, Lady GaGa sang her song Bad Romance, which is just a little disturbing by itself, but the "show" that she put on was horrifying and my Spirit Man was just going crazy. I mean I was seeing something very evil and it was televised on national tv to our teenagers!!!!!
So this website talks about the Illuminate and occult and stuff. And how the music industry is involved in passing this onto our kids. And two thoughts continued to go though my brain.
1-It is a lot of time, attention, and money for someone like Lady GaGa, or Jay-Z to go through to incorporate all the illuminate/occult stuff in every video. Plus you are really playing up to a small group of conspiracy people.
2-Man the devil is no longer hiding in plain sight. He is just showing himself outright. Not a single thing that this website showed as occult stuff was blatant. I mean there was a prayer to the devil on the vma!!!!
HELLO AMERICA!!!! WAKE UP!
The enemy of our souls is real and alive and walking among us. He is devouring our children and we have become complacent about it. Don't think that just because he/she has that in the video that they are not involved in the occult. Lets see what the Bible says about the occult.

Deuteronomy 18:10 (New King James Version)
10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,

1 Samuel 15:23 (New King James Version)
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”

What bothers me the most is that we are in the end time, yeah that right I said it, and we are seeing how people are lovers of themselves. Don't just think about yourself. What about your son/daughter? Your neighbor? I am writing this because my heart cries out to see people go to heaven for eternity. I don't want to see anyone go to hell.

Join me in prayer for this woman. Right now she is one of the hottest music artist. She needs our prayers. My heart aches for her. I don't believe that she could not be wrapped up in her "image". It becomes so much of who you are when you become a star.

2 Timothy 3:2 (New King James Version)
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Numbers 14:19 (New King James Version)
19 Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

We need His mercy, now!

P.S. I was really thinking that maybe mtv, the artist, etc. were just playing up the occult symbolism to pump up viewing and sales, but then I read a book on fasting and it had a story about a young Christian artist who went to a fairly large recording company and when she walked in to sign her Gospel contract they were burning incense and preforming a wicca rite. So I realized the best thing I can do is turn off my tv/radio,unless I know who/what is being said, and get on my knees.

Struggling

Another thought, last night our pastor said that someone said they would rather be in hell than be in heaven with a bunch of hypocrites. And this morning I felt like the Lord was saying to me...Just because we have asked Jesus to be Lord of our lives doesn't mean that we won't have anger issues, or addictions, or control over our mouth. We are not perfect just because Jesus was, we don't become something we are not, we are changed into what we were designed for. Jesus begins to change those things in us if we are willing, but there is sooooo much more to being a Christ follower that saying I am a Christian. We are all fallen humans we all have sin in our lives. Struggling with the same things, money, addiction, love, children, jobs. Christ followers don't have to go it alone. And neither does anyone else just ask Him to come into your heart and life.

Forever After

This is just a quick note. Just got back from an awesome Wed. night service.
My heart breaks for my family and friends who know God but have no relationship with Him. He is the God of relationship, that is why He put Adam and Eve in the garden. They made choices that led to them leaving the garden. He longs to have relationships with us. It is not easy to follow Jesus. Trust me, it is not a cake walk, but He gives you the strength you need, for every step. He doesn't ask anything of you that you can not do.
Religion and relationship are not the same thing. Just because you go to church every Sun AM, Sun PM, and Wed PM, and every Bible study doesn't mean that you have a relationship.
So as our Pastor ask tonight, what do you do with Jesus at you church, and in your life? Is He just someone who died on the cross for you sins? Did He do that yes He did, but He did so much more. He ROSE from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is not longer attached to a cross, He lives. If you are dry and thirsty ask for more of Him. Ask for His Holy Spirit to come and show you how to have a relationship with Him.
John 11:25-26 (New King James Version)
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Holy Spirit

What does the New Testament really have to say about the Holy Spirit? I am a Spirit filled Christian and I get very tired of people say to me that the New Testament doesn't say anything about how the Holy Spirit works in our lives. I believe that we still live in the New Testament church. We are a continuation of Acts. Just because the book does not continue til today doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit has left the earth. I haven't read anything in the New Testament that stated that the Holy Spirit descended in to the heavens like Jesus did.

So lets take a journey into the Scriptures.

Luke 11:13

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

John 14:15-18

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Luke 12:12

12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

John 14:26

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 16:7

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.



So we lean here God is willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. If He (Holy Spirit) is something that you long for but don't have, ask.

The world doesn't know Him (Holy Spirit) they don't understand Him. He is a mystery to them. Maybe that is why as Christian we don't talk about the Holy Spirit much anymore. He turns the world off. Because He is the guiding factor in our lives, not a God who dwells in the Heavens, but a God who dwells with us and lives in us.

He teaches us what to say. He speaks to us, yes God does speak to us! He is not this all knowing, but not caring God. He longs to have a relationship with you, for you to share with Him what you share with your best friend. He know what is best for you and He is willing to lead you with His Holy Spirit if you ask.

He is our teacher. Because sometimes when we read our Bibles we don't understand everything, but if you ask and bring it to the Lord the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you to the answer.

He is our Helper! Gift, Teacher, Guide. These are just some of the many verse about the Holy Spirit.

If you don't understand pray ask for guidance, read God's word. Then ask for the Holy Spirit. If He doesn't exist then nothing will happen, but...if God's word is truth then by asking you will be filled. And the Holy Spirit will begin to work in your life. Guiding you, teaching you just like Jesus promised.

He is for today. We need Him as much today as they did in biblical times. He desires to be here for us. Step out.

Living in Grace

So last week I finally made it to church on Wednesday night. They have been working on the book Just Walk Across The Room by Bill Hybels. I need to read the book or do the study from the beginning. I would recommend the study just from the one class session that I went to.
Bill was talking about not judging people based on addictions, actions, etc. One of the questions on the study guide was...
"Have you ever thought that being a Christian that you had to become a "Lifestyle referee" to the world around you?"
That brought me back to something that the Lord was teaching me about in my own life. There is no condemnation in Christ. So basically, if the Lord of creation does not condemn me, why should I condemn others.
Now that is not to say that He doesn't correct me, He does. When He does it, it is ALWAYS in love. When He uses a human to help with the correction, which He does do, sometimes we as humans get it wrong. Maybe not the concept but the way of helping the person in need of correction.
If my family member does something that I don't think a Christ follower should do, what is my obligation? Tell them? Or keep quite? I totally think that depends on what the Lord is doing in there lives. I certainly am not going to say "Mom, the Lord told me that you..." I think that comes across harsh, and for those who are "far from God" (as Bill Hybels puts it)it comes across as being judging.
Remember Jesus ate with sinners. He dinned with tax collectors and prostitutes.
There were days not so long ago when I would see my husband doing something that I didn't believe that Christ followers should do, I would feel upset. How could he do that knowing that we have friends from church who may drive by and see him doing _____! But then I am remembered I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LORD IS SPEAKING TO MY HUSBAND. I don't know where his heart is, or at which stage he is at.
There are a number of things that I did the first year of becoming a Christ follower that the Lord spoke to me about and I then changed with His help. I could not have stopped smoking with out Jesus' help. I tried. Believe me it was not easy, until I gave it to Him. Sometimes I still fight it.
So what I am really trying to say is to love those who can not, or will not love themselves. The Lord as called us to love our neighbors. If you see something in someone you believe to be a Christ follower and you do agree, just remember the Lord is in control. He maybe working with that person right that moment, but really its His job not yours.

1 Peter 1:22 22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

I also believe that our judgment as a church is what causes the world to not want to enter. Remember love, not judge. You were once on the outside wanting to be loved.

Revelation 22:17 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Pray, for them, for yourself, for the church. Just pray!

Teething

So for the last few day I have been dealing with a very cranky, clingy, teething baby. Last night as I was holding her as she cried I was thinking about how I would like to just be able to take away the pain. She was in so much pain she could not sleep. She would plant her face in to her bed and scream. Every few hours she is awake in pain.

So as I was holding her I was thinking about taking away her pain, and I thought about all the pain that my family and I have gone through over the last few years. I pictured God holding me in his arms while I cried and screamed about how the pain was unbearable. I am not denying that a lot of my/our pain was our fault. We made a lot of choices that caused pain. But here was the thing that I think that I really took away from this picture. If the baby doesn't teeth she will have to gum her food for the rest of her life. Teething is part of the process of growing up, it painful and it hurts. We grow up by getting though the hard and painful times in our lives. We don't need to dwell in/on them, but sometimes we need to go through them so that we can grow up.

If I had never made bad choices about money, I would not have learned to trust God with what little I do have. Its tough. Trusting the pain of teething will go away is easy for babies they don't remember that pain. If I asked my 6yr old if he remembered teething he would say no.

I am praying that some day I will remember the time learning to trust God with my money because I have "teeth" to show for it. Not because there was pain involved.
I have spend a lot of days crying in the arms of the Father, but He was and is always there for me, just like for the rest of my life I will be there for my daughter. I will carry her as much as I can, then I will trust her to my Father. He is big enough.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

My confession tonight is that I WILL TRUST THE LORD!