I've been reading the blog of a lady who has been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and 98% of her posts focus on this disorder and how it runs her life. She watches tv shows that bring this disorder into spotlight and sure, there may be a need to educate on such matters and seems to surround herself with people that feed into her web of self-pity. This lady is a self-professed christian. Yet she says in a comment to me, "I am a firm believer in healing, and so is the church I attend. I have been healed on a number of occasions from a number of things. I DO believe that God can heal me, and maybe the way He has chosen to do that is by medication - at least for now. I don't doubt that I can receive a full healing from Him, and that may come. And, if it does, I will rejoice!!! Until then, I will still rejoice!" (By the way, I have read her blog on her bad days and she is not still rejoicing.)
To me it sounds like she is in a church that is so full of religion and religious thinking that her faith has to wade through layers of garbage just to get anywhere! I don't doubt that she really does believe that God can heal her but, she used words like "may" and "if". It caused me to wonder if this church is teaching its congregation to pray the word of God. Use His word in your prayers. Don't just pray "God please heal me". Pray the word of God when you pray. His word does not return void!!!
Healing Scriptures:
2 Tim 1:7, Rom 12:2, Psalm 94:19, 1 Pet 1:13, Phil 4:8, 1 Cor 2:16, Psalm 107:20, Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 103, 1 Pet 2:24, Rom 8:11 and Mt 19:26
to name a few.
There is a battle for our mind everyday; Satan puts in thoughts of lust, strike, suspicion, doubt...You are the deciding factor! Whose thoughts do you meditate on? The devil's or God's? We become what we speak and we speak those thoughts that we meditate upon.
If we speak out that we are this or have that then that is what we are. If we pray and speak out that we are healed (not that we may possibly someday get healed) then our bodies will soon align with our faith. Speak it like it has happened and thank Him for it!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
I am Thirsty
God isn't in the word reformation as much as He is in the word revival. Why? You can reform anything even without God being involved in it but you NEED God for revival!
Revive means to live again. There are dead churches that need to be revived-need to be brought back from the dead. They think that they are full of life by all the great things they do but the power & presence of God has never been allowed to show up in their meetings. I have been in those churches and they choke the life right out of you!
How do you know that you have been in the presence of God? Lives have been changed! It is impossible to be in the presence of God and not be changed!
Revival won't just come to us like people think. They think this and then when revival doesn't come they feel that God will just fall wherever He wants to fall. You need to thirst; there needs to be a desperation. You establish your position with God! Create an atmosphere that He will want to be in, one that is full of honor and reverence.
Too many of us hinder revival and God's presence because we want to stay in control, our lives and our junk mean too much to us, we fear His power. The reason we haven't seen global revival is not because there is a lack of water (God) but that there is a lack of thirst on the people's part. God will not waste so He won't pour out on people who are not willing to receive Him.
Thirsty people will change their entire lives in order to pursue God and revival. A thirsty person gets desperate for a drink and will change their entire direction to get one...how thirsty are you?
Revive means to live again. There are dead churches that need to be revived-need to be brought back from the dead. They think that they are full of life by all the great things they do but the power & presence of God has never been allowed to show up in their meetings. I have been in those churches and they choke the life right out of you!
How do you know that you have been in the presence of God? Lives have been changed! It is impossible to be in the presence of God and not be changed!
Revival won't just come to us like people think. They think this and then when revival doesn't come they feel that God will just fall wherever He wants to fall. You need to thirst; there needs to be a desperation. You establish your position with God! Create an atmosphere that He will want to be in, one that is full of honor and reverence.
Too many of us hinder revival and God's presence because we want to stay in control, our lives and our junk mean too much to us, we fear His power. The reason we haven't seen global revival is not because there is a lack of water (God) but that there is a lack of thirst on the people's part. God will not waste so He won't pour out on people who are not willing to receive Him.
Thirsty people will change their entire lives in order to pursue God and revival. A thirsty person gets desperate for a drink and will change their entire direction to get one...how thirsty are you?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
I will NOT compromise!
According to Noah Websters' 1828 dictionary the word compromise means:
1. A mutual promise or contract of two parties in controversy, to refer their differences to the decision of arbitrators.
2. An amicable agreement between parties in controversy, to settle their differences by mutual concessions.
3. Mutual agreement; adjustment.
The things we are to believe are laid out for us in The Bible; they are black and white. I think, then, that it is plain and simple. We can not smudge (adjust)the truth in The Bible and put our own little spin on it, turning God's words for us into different shades of gray to suit our needs! We need to do exactly what God has laid out for us in His word, no if's, and's or but's!
John the Baptist did not compromise his beliefs to try to apease the religious system and neither did Jesus Christ! What happened to them as a result of their uncompromising doesn't deter me from being uncompromising myself! The devil may have cut the head of John the Baptist off and religion may have crucified Jesus Christ but they died without compromising their beliefs and I feel that there is nothing much more honorable than that!
I will not compromise my beliefs to apease the masses because they want some comfy, cozy church service where they get some warm fuzzies because they actually got out of bed on a Sunday morning and listened to their pastor tell them how much God will do for them and how wonderful God can make them! Gag!
I plan to go to each service not only expecting God to show up but wanting to know what it is I can do to serve HIM-not the other way around! I will not base my relationship with God on what He can do for me but on what I can do for Him! He is, after all, my king and who are the servants to expect their king to cater to them?
I will not compromise! I will spend my time and my energy wholeheartedly worshipping, praising and serving my God! You go ahead and sit there waiting for God to do something for you. As for me and my house, we will not compromise the words of The Bible and we will serve the Lord God with all our mind, all our strength, all our soul and all our hearts. Don't tell me by my jumping, shouting and dancing that I am being emotional. What I am doing is personifying the passion that I have for my God! By your sitting there in your little seat and not making an effort in anyway to glorify your king, you are being unemotional. When you have a relationship with your wife or your husband it is emotional; it is fullof passion. Why, then, should my relationship with God be any different?
1. A mutual promise or contract of two parties in controversy, to refer their differences to the decision of arbitrators.
2. An amicable agreement between parties in controversy, to settle their differences by mutual concessions.
3. Mutual agreement; adjustment.
The things we are to believe are laid out for us in The Bible; they are black and white. I think, then, that it is plain and simple. We can not smudge (adjust)the truth in The Bible and put our own little spin on it, turning God's words for us into different shades of gray to suit our needs! We need to do exactly what God has laid out for us in His word, no if's, and's or but's!
John the Baptist did not compromise his beliefs to try to apease the religious system and neither did Jesus Christ! What happened to them as a result of their uncompromising doesn't deter me from being uncompromising myself! The devil may have cut the head of John the Baptist off and religion may have crucified Jesus Christ but they died without compromising their beliefs and I feel that there is nothing much more honorable than that!
I will not compromise my beliefs to apease the masses because they want some comfy, cozy church service where they get some warm fuzzies because they actually got out of bed on a Sunday morning and listened to their pastor tell them how much God will do for them and how wonderful God can make them! Gag!
I plan to go to each service not only expecting God to show up but wanting to know what it is I can do to serve HIM-not the other way around! I will not base my relationship with God on what He can do for me but on what I can do for Him! He is, after all, my king and who are the servants to expect their king to cater to them?
I will not compromise! I will spend my time and my energy wholeheartedly worshipping, praising and serving my God! You go ahead and sit there waiting for God to do something for you. As for me and my house, we will not compromise the words of The Bible and we will serve the Lord God with all our mind, all our strength, all our soul and all our hearts. Don't tell me by my jumping, shouting and dancing that I am being emotional. What I am doing is personifying the passion that I have for my God! By your sitting there in your little seat and not making an effort in anyway to glorify your king, you are being unemotional. When you have a relationship with your wife or your husband it is emotional; it is fullof passion. Why, then, should my relationship with God be any different?
Monday, October 6, 2008
Take the word as strong as you can take it not as weak as you can make it!
Ah, that line. You know the line I am talking about. The line that most Christians walk with the skill of a tight-rope walker day in and day out. They live as close to that line as they possibly can, clinging to as much of the world as they possibly can without "crossing over". It seems to be a 'how much can I get away with without crossing the line' mentality. No actually it doesn't seem to be; it is!
Too many "Christians" show the world such a level of hypocrasy on a daily basis. How? They live their lives on the edge, the edge of the line, the edge of what is righteous; they live on the outskirts of righteousness where the shadows of the world can still creep in but not quite enough to darken where they are standing. They cling to the edge of the world like a dying man would cling to his last breath; they cling to the worldly things and white knuckle the last bit of "what parts of my old life can I keep" while simultaneously telling the people of the world that our life is so much better, a life of Christ is so much better. No wonder the world views Christians as hypocrites! I would say a good deal of them (at least in North America) are. Live your life that those people you are trying to save can see that what they are in isn't better instead of the other way around, you living your life like you would rather be in theirs.
Romans 12:2 says "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good & pleasing & perfect."
What I think that means and what I have been taught that means is just what I have titled this post: take the Word as strong as you can take it- not as weak as you can make it!
We, as Christians, need to step up our lifestyles, step up our devotion and quit living as close to that worldly edge as we possibly can! Pastor gave us a great example; if you are an athelete training for the Olympics you don't continue to eat what you always did. In fact, you don't eat the way you did when you were just some run of the mill athlete trying to catch his/her next break! You take your training up to another level and you take your eating habits up to another level. That is what we need to do! Take our training up a notch or two, take our eating habits up a notch or two as well, devour the Word of God and don't stop there! Always be wanting an increase! Always want more! Just as that athlete always wants a faster time, want to increase the power of God in yoru church services, increase the level of devotion you have for God each day.
Simply put, instead of doing as little as you can so you can boastfully tell others that you are a christian and living so much better than they are because you go to church on Sundays and maybe Wednesday nights(and that is pretty much your only difference) try living the Word of God to the best of your ability. You know with all your heart, mind, soul & strength. Choose to take the Word of God as strong as you can take it NOT as weak as you can make it!
Too many "Christians" show the world such a level of hypocrasy on a daily basis. How? They live their lives on the edge, the edge of the line, the edge of what is righteous; they live on the outskirts of righteousness where the shadows of the world can still creep in but not quite enough to darken where they are standing. They cling to the edge of the world like a dying man would cling to his last breath; they cling to the worldly things and white knuckle the last bit of "what parts of my old life can I keep" while simultaneously telling the people of the world that our life is so much better, a life of Christ is so much better. No wonder the world views Christians as hypocrites! I would say a good deal of them (at least in North America) are. Live your life that those people you are trying to save can see that what they are in isn't better instead of the other way around, you living your life like you would rather be in theirs.
Romans 12:2 says "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good & pleasing & perfect."
What I think that means and what I have been taught that means is just what I have titled this post: take the Word as strong as you can take it- not as weak as you can make it!
We, as Christians, need to step up our lifestyles, step up our devotion and quit living as close to that worldly edge as we possibly can! Pastor gave us a great example; if you are an athelete training for the Olympics you don't continue to eat what you always did. In fact, you don't eat the way you did when you were just some run of the mill athlete trying to catch his/her next break! You take your training up to another level and you take your eating habits up to another level. That is what we need to do! Take our training up a notch or two, take our eating habits up a notch or two as well, devour the Word of God and don't stop there! Always be wanting an increase! Always want more! Just as that athlete always wants a faster time, want to increase the power of God in yoru church services, increase the level of devotion you have for God each day.
Simply put, instead of doing as little as you can so you can boastfully tell others that you are a christian and living so much better than they are because you go to church on Sundays and maybe Wednesday nights(and that is pretty much your only difference) try living the Word of God to the best of your ability. You know with all your heart, mind, soul & strength. Choose to take the Word of God as strong as you can take it NOT as weak as you can make it!
Called to Worship
This is my first post on another site but I have lost all my sign in information and decided to just start over again(obviously this has been a bone of contention in the past as this is attempt number 3). So, here is my fresh start.
Why were we created? We were created to worship our God, Jesus Christ. We were not created so that we could be good and get to go to Heaven; that is just a bonus. We were created to worship God in the way we treat people, the way we behave, by giving 10% of what we make to Him, by thanking Him for all He has done and will do to look after us and for so many other reasons so very like that.
Worshipping God is not just standing in a church and singing. Yes, God loves to hear our praises that way; He comes down and abides in our worship/praises but, as I said before, worship is more than singing. Worship is an attitude; worship is a way of life.So many people give their lives to God for the wrong reason. They are lead incorrectly to do so. They are lead to give their lives to God so that they can get to Heaven and that is not the purpose for giving yourself to Him. The reason to give yourself to God is to worship Him for what and who He is. He is our King. We are His people. People would bow and humble themselves before the King of England, just a man. Why is it so hard to do this for God?
Too many modern Christians have a take/give relationship with God. They live His word, somewhat, and pray to Him to get what they want. They pray for Him to give them stuff. They take and take and take from God and don't expect to have to give Him anything. God will bless you but that is not the reason to become a christian. We are supposed to give of ourselves to Him and we will be blessed because of it. Our motives need to be selfless. We need to die to ourselves and to be willing to do what God asks of us. Ask God what He wants from us, what we can do FOR Him and not the other way around.We need to change our focus from ourselves and on to God. Instead of praying "Fix me... Give me...", we need to pray "Thank you for...Bless you for...You are awesome and holy...". Turn the focus for me, me, me to Him.
I know that this is just my opinion and that I have no scriptural backing in this post but, this is my first post and I just wanted to get something written down to get a good start. This has been sitting very heavy in my spirit for a long time now and it needed to be released. I do not want to use this site as a judgmental site to say I am better than you or vice versa. What I want from this is just a place to air what I feel about God and what I have learned. Maybe I will add insight to some, maybe I will let others know that someone feels the same way and I know that I will probably irritate others and perhaps, I can learn from someone as well. Not everyone I meet agrees with what I have to say and I accept that.
Please don't use this site as a place to slander others; I will not tolerate that and any comments of that nature will be deleted. Please do not come on here and attack my beliefs; we can discuss them maturely and I know, like I said not every commenter will agree with what or how I say something. I am not here to attack your beliefs; I am here just to voice mine. Thank you for respecting me and this space when making comments and for keeping comments clean and for respecting other people's feelings and beliefs.
Originally written July 21, 2006
Why were we created? We were created to worship our God, Jesus Christ. We were not created so that we could be good and get to go to Heaven; that is just a bonus. We were created to worship God in the way we treat people, the way we behave, by giving 10% of what we make to Him, by thanking Him for all He has done and will do to look after us and for so many other reasons so very like that.
Worshipping God is not just standing in a church and singing. Yes, God loves to hear our praises that way; He comes down and abides in our worship/praises but, as I said before, worship is more than singing. Worship is an attitude; worship is a way of life.So many people give their lives to God for the wrong reason. They are lead incorrectly to do so. They are lead to give their lives to God so that they can get to Heaven and that is not the purpose for giving yourself to Him. The reason to give yourself to God is to worship Him for what and who He is. He is our King. We are His people. People would bow and humble themselves before the King of England, just a man. Why is it so hard to do this for God?
Too many modern Christians have a take/give relationship with God. They live His word, somewhat, and pray to Him to get what they want. They pray for Him to give them stuff. They take and take and take from God and don't expect to have to give Him anything. God will bless you but that is not the reason to become a christian. We are supposed to give of ourselves to Him and we will be blessed because of it. Our motives need to be selfless. We need to die to ourselves and to be willing to do what God asks of us. Ask God what He wants from us, what we can do FOR Him and not the other way around.We need to change our focus from ourselves and on to God. Instead of praying "Fix me... Give me...", we need to pray "Thank you for...Bless you for...You are awesome and holy...". Turn the focus for me, me, me to Him.
I know that this is just my opinion and that I have no scriptural backing in this post but, this is my first post and I just wanted to get something written down to get a good start. This has been sitting very heavy in my spirit for a long time now and it needed to be released. I do not want to use this site as a judgmental site to say I am better than you or vice versa. What I want from this is just a place to air what I feel about God and what I have learned. Maybe I will add insight to some, maybe I will let others know that someone feels the same way and I know that I will probably irritate others and perhaps, I can learn from someone as well. Not everyone I meet agrees with what I have to say and I accept that.
Please don't use this site as a place to slander others; I will not tolerate that and any comments of that nature will be deleted. Please do not come on here and attack my beliefs; we can discuss them maturely and I know, like I said not every commenter will agree with what or how I say something. I am not here to attack your beliefs; I am here just to voice mine. Thank you for respecting me and this space when making comments and for keeping comments clean and for respecting other people's feelings and beliefs.
Originally written July 21, 2006
Why?
Post originally written in my journal:
I don't get it? Halloween that is. Why do we feel this is a day we must participate in? Some say its origin is good other sites I go to state that the origins of Halloween are pure evil in motive and purpose. Whatever the case may be, think about what it has been turned into now. It is called Devil's Day. There is an increase in crime on Halloween. It takes focus off of God completely by putting the focus on disgusting costumes, drunken parties, tricks, vandelism and greed. Greed? Yes, greed. We encourage our children to beg for candy and they get pillow cases full of it and are not satisfied. What is Godly about Halloween? Yes, we can turn it all around and make our costume a nice costume or even something biblical but where, then, are we being different? Are we not supposed to be different from the world? Where is our difference? If we are out dressed up and trick or treating with them, how are we being different?
I feel the same way about the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. Fine, they are not evil. There is nothing to fear from an egg bearing bunny and a toy toting elf but, we lose the focus on what really matters during these times of year. God gets lost in the shuffle and I personally think that breaks His heart. Our focus turns from Him and onto stuff. We turn the bunny and the elf into idols. We are not supposed to have idols. Is it not bad enough that we turn every day things like tv, computers, game boys, nintendos, work, etc into idols that we have to add these guys into the mix to really nulify the significance of Jesus' birth and death and resurrection?
I don't cast judgement on people who do feel it all right to celebrate or particiapate along with the world but it saddens me. Just remember we are supposed to be different. That doesn't mean, in my opinion, that we can do what the world does as long as we put a spin on it. We are supposed to set ourselves apart. I don't think that means giving the best candy because Jesus would give out the best candy. Think about it for a minute, do you really think that Jesus would be handing out candy to a bunch of kids or do you think He may have something a little better to do with His time, like preaching the word to the world that our actions should honor His father not mute what His father has done for us.
Just my opinion.
I don't get it? Halloween that is. Why do we feel this is a day we must participate in? Some say its origin is good other sites I go to state that the origins of Halloween are pure evil in motive and purpose. Whatever the case may be, think about what it has been turned into now. It is called Devil's Day. There is an increase in crime on Halloween. It takes focus off of God completely by putting the focus on disgusting costumes, drunken parties, tricks, vandelism and greed. Greed? Yes, greed. We encourage our children to beg for candy and they get pillow cases full of it and are not satisfied. What is Godly about Halloween? Yes, we can turn it all around and make our costume a nice costume or even something biblical but where, then, are we being different? Are we not supposed to be different from the world? Where is our difference? If we are out dressed up and trick or treating with them, how are we being different?
I feel the same way about the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. Fine, they are not evil. There is nothing to fear from an egg bearing bunny and a toy toting elf but, we lose the focus on what really matters during these times of year. God gets lost in the shuffle and I personally think that breaks His heart. Our focus turns from Him and onto stuff. We turn the bunny and the elf into idols. We are not supposed to have idols. Is it not bad enough that we turn every day things like tv, computers, game boys, nintendos, work, etc into idols that we have to add these guys into the mix to really nulify the significance of Jesus' birth and death and resurrection?
I don't cast judgement on people who do feel it all right to celebrate or particiapate along with the world but it saddens me. Just remember we are supposed to be different. That doesn't mean, in my opinion, that we can do what the world does as long as we put a spin on it. We are supposed to set ourselves apart. I don't think that means giving the best candy because Jesus would give out the best candy. Think about it for a minute, do you really think that Jesus would be handing out candy to a bunch of kids or do you think He may have something a little better to do with His time, like preaching the word to the world that our actions should honor His father not mute what His father has done for us.
Just my opinion.
Stuck in "religion"
We need to hunger after God, more of God. We need to never, ever be satisfied with the level we are at in God. Everyone fears the possibility of going to hell and we all tell children when someone dies that the deceased has gone to Heaven but, how many people actually want to and do live the life it takes to get to Heaven? Too many of us go to a church in a what some call a "humanistic" church where they teach you to have a relationship with God for what He can do for you and not the other way around. Philippians 3:12-17 says "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Fogetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join with the others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you."Many churches teach that this scripture means to forget your past hurts; I have been taught that we have taken this scripture completely out of context. Paul is not telling us to forget our past hurts and wounds and to move on with God now. He isn't even teaching us about forgiveness in this scripture. This scripture is about forgetting ("fogetting what is behind...") and it is not about forgetting what has happened to us, our hurts, sins or mistakes. He is talking about forgetting our religious pasts. Paul had to forget a lot of his religion and press on because he met Jesus on the road and a lot of his religion didn't match.We have religion so etched into us that we have to strain and fight to get out of it. This scripture is about people experiencing the Living God and not about experiencing religion. God wants to meet with us in His presence and in His power and when He does meet with you it isn't always according to your previous religious experiences. We will miss out on meeting with God if we can't forget and leave behind our "religious" past. We can not be locked into religion!God's pattern has not changed, ever! The pattern that was started in the Garden of Eden and in Heaven is the same pattern today. When 1/3 of the angels were thrown out of Heaven those remaining didn't say "ok, now what do we do?". They just kept the pattern. We need to recieve, recognize and understand the heavenly pattern and be able to get it into our hearts and apply it to our generation. As I said before, the pattern has always been the same; it is the generations that are changing. "Religious" people may realize that the pattern of Heaven hasn't changed but they don't know what to do with the pattern now that the world has. We need to be able to capture this pattern without having to throw out or televisions or without having to dress like it is 1850 or without having to sing only hymns because that is how it was done. Moses did what God told him to do. He didn't say "God, I grew up in Egypt and that is not the way we did it".If we want to inherit and be spiritually successful we have got to have the same attitude as Moses when God said "This is the way I want you to do it." Folks, we need to do it! We represent Heaven here on Earth. Think about that. Everything we say and everything we do represents Heaven and therefore, God.God doesn't pick certain people and tell them a secret. There are simply those who can grab the pattern and break the old pattern. They are also able to apply it without fear of the church and without fear of people. Too many times we hear, "we are just not like that" or "That is just not my personality". Does God teach it in His word? Then we need to become like that!Being a christian is not about people adjusting to me; it is about me adjusting to Him. We become christians because we want what Jesus is. We can't try to make Him want what we are. We need to find someone who has grabbed hold of that pattern and who is applying it to their life and find out why they are doing it. Find out how...
Note: I am transferring this all from another blog I had that I have forgotten all my passwords for. I have more time now and, unfortunately, this means in order to blog, I had to start fresh but I want to keep those posts. This was originally written Aug 1, 2006.
Note: I am transferring this all from another blog I had that I have forgotten all my passwords for. I have more time now and, unfortunately, this means in order to blog, I had to start fresh but I want to keep those posts. This was originally written Aug 1, 2006.
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