Can You Still Be A Christian When...

Can you still be a Christian when:

1) all of your friends walk away from you, because you are living for God.  And what kind of Christian will you be?  Will you continue to praise God, and be glad you still have Jesus, or will you belly ache about being without friends?

2) a sermon effects you personally (directly or indirectly) and it makes you feel bad becasue you are convicted in your spirit, but you know it is the truth because it is based on the Word of  God?  Will you thank God for the revelation, or will you rebel and run because you don't like what you heard?

3) you lose your home?  Can you trust God for direction until He opens another and better door for you, or will you miss what is right in front of you by holding onto what you use to have in your mind?  You may have let go physically, but did you let go mentally?

4) your car breaks down and you have to take the bus?  Will you seize this opportunity of growth and exposure to seek out who you can bless, and what God has in store for you during this temporary transitioning? 

5) someone hurts you intentionally or unintentionally?  Do we really forgive as the Bible admonishes us to do?  I heard one Christian say that they forgave, but they can't forget --- but if you keep talking about the hurt maybe it's because you haven't truly forgiven.

6) you are the one who has to clean up behind all of your neighbor's pets?  Can you do it with a smile on your face, and a song in your heart?

I used the word "you" instead of we or us, because "you" is personal, and all of us need to take to heart all that was written above, and strive to be the Christians we are suppose to be.  We can't say thank You, Jesus, and then turn around and cancel it out by complaining.

 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Thank God for Rebirth (Hallelujah!)

Today is my 53rd birthday and I thank God for another year. Another year to get it right; another year to do better in honoring Him; another year to be a better husband to a wonderful wife; just another year. We know that we are not promised another year, but God's grace and mercy are sufficient.

But what I think about is not the fleshly happiness of another numerical birthday, but the spiritual joy of the rebirth that God afforded me. I think about what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3 (NLT): Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." Nicodemus was bewildered because he was thinking in the natural, in the flesh. John 3:4 (NLT): "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?"

I thank Jesus for saving my life and offering me an opportunity for inclusion into the kingdom of God. The birthday I celebrate today is wonderful, but the rebirth I received the day I brought God into my life and Jesus into my heart is the greater of the two.

What Are We Doing?!

Last night I read a computer print out that my husband brought home that is titled: "Walking with Jesus, Abiding in Christ - A Faith of Action" (Mark 11:27-33)  When I finished reading what was written I was convicted in my spirit.

The Word of God is suppose to convict us, and keep us on the straight and narrow.

I started thinking about how we like to boast about how blessed we are, how good God has been to us, and how favor ain't fair, but I never hear us talking about what we have done for or with God!

How many hours a week do we give God?  Are we consistent and presistent in the things of God?  Do we attend church services on Sunday and Bible study night regularly?  Do we wait until Sunday to open our Bibles?  How often do we pray, and what or who do we pray for?  Do we feed the homeless, and give aide to strangers, orphans, and widows (SOW)?  And, if we did, when was the last time?  Imagine how much more God can do with, through, and for us if we had a better relationship with Him!

We want so much from God, but we are not willing to do what it takes on our part to get what we need from Him.  Doesn't the Bible say: "To whom much is given, much is required."

Come on Christians, let's get our act together.  God surely deserves better and more from us. 

Road Closed (LET YOUR SPIRIT LEAD YOU!)

We are children of the King.  We are a Spirit; with a soul; housed in a body.  We must be Spirit led in all things, at all times.

As my husband and I walked a new trail recently, and the signs said that one trail was closed and directed us to take an alternate trail.  We let our Spirits lead us, and stayed on the, supposedly, closed road.  We came upon the backside of a row of restuarants, and stopped at a quaint little spot to refresh ourselves.  Because we let our Spirits lead us we found out and saw many new things, had an enjoyable time, but the most important thing we learned is that even signs can be misleading.

People will speak into our lives, but our Spirit has to be careful not to receive and/or believe everything that is said.  There will be many signs along the way, figuratively and literally, but the only signs that qualify with us are from God.  We have to pray, and ask God for direction about the rest.

My Godmother, Aunt Mamie, always said: "Believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear."  Seems to me that there is some validity to that saying.

I heard Rev. Creflo Dollar teaching on having a spirit led life this morning.

If we continue to listen for God's voice, and look for His signs; He will show and tell us about the same thing in different ways.

We must not let life detour us from what God has for us, and, more importantly, what He has for us to do.  We must not forget that we walk by faith and not by sight.

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.  So it is with the body of Christ.  Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.  But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.  I Corinthians 12:12 & 13 (NLT)

God Forgives and So Should We

Can you imagine holding a grudge against someone for more than 20 years, yet many of us do this.  A gruge like this doesn't hurt the person it's aimed at, but keeps the holder in a perpetual state of mental bondage. Allowing someone to take up negative space in your head is self-destroying and serves no good.

I've heard people on television talk about how much they hate, and will never forgive the person that killed or murdered their love one.  Now, someone who has suffered such an atrocity surely has a right to feel the way they do, but they have only allowed the perpetrator to have more control over their life, and they will be in bondage to them until they forgive. 

Forgiveness does not come easy for most of us.  Our natural instinct is to recoil in self-protection when we've been injured.  We don't naturally overflow with mercy, grace, and forgiveness when we've been wronged, but we only hurt ourselves.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

I Tried It My Way !

For so long I tried to do things my way, never conceding that my way didn't really work.  Oh yes, we can be fooled into thinking that the way we do things, the manner in which we handle situations is the correct way.  But when I look back over my life, I hear Dr. Phil asking: " so how's that working for you?"

I realized now that the things I controlled or tried to do on my own were pretty much the failures, and all the successes I've had had nothing to do with me, but were what God had for or did for me.  When I realized that God really is in control of my life is when doors opened, opportunities presented themselves to me, and others around me.

Killing the flesh (the old man) is very hard to do, especially the older you are, but it must be done to allow God to have his way in your life.  We all want the best that life has to offer, and the best way to achieve this is to put everything in the Lord's hands.  People may argue that they see non-Christians achieving just as much or more as Christians do, but we know all they will achieve is earthly success.  And, most of the time, while people are working so hard for earthly success, it is costing them something more percious and priceless - a real realtionship with God, special times with family, and even their health.  We know the more important success is with our heavenly Father, because the things of this world are temporary.  The rewards with Him are eternal and overflowing.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't
try to figure out everything on your own. (Proverbs 3:5-6/The Message)

Giving Thanks Daily !

I pray that all of you had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.  My wife and I had a truly wonderful and blessed one.

The preparation of all the delicious food is a warm family tradition for most; and the time spent together is a joyous occasion.  Yes, the fourth Thursday of November is looked forward to annually.  But, when we look at the sacrifice made on our behalf by Jesus to pardon us, so that we can have life everlasting, it should bring up inside of us a daily thanksgiving.

There are so many things to be thankful for every day of our lives, and every minute of every hour.  We are still breathing, and living. Thank You God.  We are not what we should be, but thanks be to God we are not what we use to be.  We must be thankful for the fact that when we mess up God gives us another chance to get it right.  Our lives may not be what we want them to be because of our weaknesses and short comings, but the joy of the Lord is our strength while we work on positive change.  We may not have everything we want, but we do have everything we need.  We may have lost love ones who were near and dear to us, but let's honor them by being thankful for and celebrating the living.  We must even be thankful for trials and tribulations.  Hard times are just growing experiences.  Remember the old saying: "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger."  This is a true fact.  God loved the world so much that He gave the life of His only son for you and for me; and Jesus willingly died on the cross, and then He selflessly left so that Holy Spirit could come and be our constant keeper and comforter.  They did all of this while you and I were still sinners.  How great is our God.  We have to be super thankful for all He has; is, and will do for us!

Psalm 118:21
I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.