How To Shake Off The Attacks

As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. 4 The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” 5 But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. Acts 28: 3 & 4

We were blessed with a guest speaker on Sunday at church named Tim Bittle. He is a Pastor who just planted a church in San Francisco! He has spoken at church and our youth camps before. We really like him.

This Sunday’s message was so ON POINT for things that me and my friends have been dealing with in life.

Tim talked about shaking off the attack of the enemy. In the Scripture I posted above, we see a snake attack Paul, but he just shook it off. This was just after the ship he was in shipwrecked into this island after 2 weeks of nothing but storms.

During the storms, God told him that he was going to Rome to preach. So, Paul had confidence that he would not die in that storm.

That same confidence caused him to shake off the snake when it bit him.

Tim’s 3 points for how to shake off a storm/ attack are:

1. Stay hot. You see the snake didn’t come out of the fire until it was too hot. As lukewarm Christians, the enemy isn’t concerned with us. If we are hot, he will attack, but being hot is the best way to fight. It means we are on fire for God and willing to fight!
2. Remember Rome. Paul knew in his heart that God told him he would preach in Rome, Since that had not happened yet, he wasn’t worried about anything taking him out. He KNEW God’s plans, he believed it, and kept moving forward.n God has a plan for you too. So focused on it, and know that the end result is worth going through the storm for.
3. Greater is HE that is in you, than he that is in the world. The enemy can not be every where all the time. He recycles his schemes. He can not create and he can not do anything new. Therefore, remember the authority and power in you. You have the Holy Spirit in you! You can command and declare things to leave in Jesus name.

I’m just here to tell you, going through storms SUCKS! It is not fun by any stretch of the imagination….

BUT GOD!

We serve an amazing, loving, honest Father who has plans for us. He does not cause the attacks and He is always there as we go through them.

I know my storms have caused me to be a stronger person. Sometimes, even Spiritual gifts are activated during storms.

God promises in Romans  8:28 to turn all the bad around for our good for those who love Him. He keeps His promises!

Shake off whatever storm or attack you are currently experiencing. Keep moving forward.

God’s got you!

God bless you today and always!

Does God Chase Us Down?

 There is a new worship song out that I like. It’s called Reckless Love by Bethel Worship, Corey Ashbury. Here is a video if you’d like to hear it :https://youtu.be/Sc6SSHuZvQE

In the lyrics, he says that God’s love chases me down, fights til I’m found, leaves the 99.

Recently, I’ve heard someone say that God doesn’t chase us down.

I decided to research this. Because, I have also had someone tell me, “He chased me down, even in a bar.”

I have said it before, I believe God is a gentleman. He will NOT force Himself on you, but I kind of think He will chase us down. He loves us so much.

In Luke 19, we see Jesus going to Zacchaeus house for dinner. Just being around Jesus changed Zaccaeus heart. In verse 8 it says, “8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

Jesus response in verses 9 and 10 were amazing, “Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

If Jesus says He came to seek and save those who are lost, then I guess God does chase us down, in a way.

Now, I am reminded of the prodigal son story Jesus told. The dad DID NOT chase his son and try to keep him home.

BUT… he did RUN to him when he saw him from afar, because he was looking for him.

Jesus also told the story of the shepherd who will leave the 99 sheep to go after the 1, which of course is referenced in this worship song. That was His way of telling people that God will go after them too.

So, I think, in certain circumstances, God will chase us down. He wants a relationship with us. He wants us to be saved and live for Him for the rest of our lives. He will not MAKE a person chose Him, but He chooses us daily.

What are your thoughts? I would love to hear them.

God bless you today and always.

"Yet even now" - says The LORD- "Turn back to Me with all your hearts, and with fasting, weeping, and lamenting." Rend your hearts rather than your garments. And turn back to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, and renouncing punishment." Joel 2: 12-13 Jewish Bible

This was my Scripture writing for today. When I was writing it, I felt like God was saying, "Your heart is your will."
The whole reason God wants us to surrender our heart to Him, is because it's our will as well. It's a combo! Two for one! LOL

A few weeks ago, it dawned on me that we need to surrender our will to God when we surrender our life. I know that might sound weird, so keep reading if you will.

Many people surrender their lives to God daily. They surrender by believing that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, that He was buried and rose again on the 3rd day defeating death. This is sometimes presented as the way to heaven, and they want to go there, so they surrender their lives.

BUT

They keep doing a lot of the stuff they did before they surrendered their lives.

Therefore, I think, we are to surrender our WILL to God as well.

You see, that's what started this fallen sinful stuff, Adam and Eve using their free will that God gave them.

I know, I know... you are wondering, "Why did God do that? If He wanted a perfect world with no sin, why give free will?"

Because, like this Scripture says, He is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in kindness.

He did not want little robots to just do what He said. He wanted us to choose to love Him.

He wants EVERYONE to choose to love Him... but alas, some do not.

It's not easy to surrender to WILL to someone. Especially to someone you can't SEE!

That's when other Christians need to step in and tell you all that God has done in their lives.

If I were to type up all of the negative things that happened to me over the past 5 years, you'd think, "That poor girl." These are not small little things either. They are big LIFE CHANGING things.

However, as Elton sings, "I'm still standing, better than I've ever been. Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid."

I am God's daughter. I am His masterpiece created for GOOD works. He has a purpose and a plan for my life, and I will not turn away from that for anything.

This reminds me of Joseph in the Bible. He wasn't really doing anything wrong either, except after a dream, he got a little mouthy. (I understand that, I am currently on a journey learning how to keep my mouth shut. LOL)

Joseph had WAY worse things happen to him than I have. After all, I think being sold into slavery by your brothers tops anything I've been through. Then, they told his dad he was dead. Joseph also spent years in jail for things he did not do.

BUT GOD!!!

Since Joseph had surrendered his life and will to God, he ended up second in command in Egypt! Who does that?

GOD my friends! GOD!

When you decide to live for God, SELL OUT! Give Him your life, your heart, and your will.

You will not regret it!

God bless you today and always!

x

Seek Justice or Do Justice?

Micah 6:8 (NIV)

⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[a] with your God.

My Scripture writing for today was this, Micah 6:8. Since it's in the Old Testament, I grabbed my Jewish Bible.

Guys! This is translated directly from the Hebrew. To me, it means something different from all of the English versions I've read.

Casting Crowns and Steven Curtis Chapman have songs with this Scripture in it.

I have always heard, "SEEK justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God."

You see in the NIV I posted above, it says to ACT justly.

Here is the Jewish Bible:

"He has told you, O man, what is good, And what the LORD requires of you:

Only to do justice, And to love goodness, And to walk modestly with your God."

Honestly, the King James is the closest: Micah 6:8 (KJV)

⁸ He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

To SEEK means:

verb (used with object), sought, seeking.

1.to go in search or quest of:

to seek the truth.

 

2.to try to find or discover by searching or questioning:

to seek the solution to a problem.

 

3.to try to obtain:

to seek fame.

 

4.to try or attempt (usually followed by an infinitive):

to seek to convince a person.

________________________

To DO means:

 

verb

1.to perform (an act, duty, role, etc.):

Do nothing until you hear the bell.

 

2.to execute (a piece or amount of work):

to do a hauling job.

 

3.to accomplish; finish; complete:

He has already done his homework.

___________________________

To ACT means:

 

noun

1.anything done, being done, or to be done; deed; performance:

a heroic act.

 

2.the process of doing:

 

 

 

Honestly, I can't even find a version that uses the word SEEK. So, I'm not sure where that came from. I know I have heard it more than just that song. Seek and do are verbs, act is a noun.

What I want us to see here is that we need to really pay attention to God's Word.

It is our road map for life.

We can really mess so folks up telling them to SEEK justice. That sounds like they have to do something to earn their salvation.

We can not do anything to earn our salvation. Jesus died on the cross for us, and that will never change.

I believe the Golden Rule always applies to everything in life... treat people the way you want to be treated.

If you don't want people telling you that you are doing everything wrong, then don't tell them they are. Pray for people. Do justice. Love Goodness. Walk modestly with your God.

God bless you today and always!

 

 

2 Reasons We Should Be Obedient

"Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess." Deuteronomy 5:33

Dictionary.com defines Obey like this:

1.to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, o rinstructions of:

to obey one's parents.

2.to comply with or follow (a command, restriction, wish, instruction,etc.).

3.(of things) to respond conformably in action to:

The car obeyed the slightest touch of the steering wheel.

4.to submit or conform in action to (some guiding principle, impulse,one's conscience, etc.).

verb (used without object)

 

to be obedient :to agree to obey.

I have had a couple of conversations recently about how some people feel certain things are sin for them, while others do not consider them as sins.

 

Take drinking alcohol for an example:

Some people say a drink here and there is ok. Others think it's a sin to drink ANY alcohol.

 

James 4:17 NIV says, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them." 

 

I read a devotional today and this one sentence grabbed me:

 

Obedience inspired by faith will lead you where knowledge and intelligence would never dare to go.

What this all boils down to, is if you are obedient to what you feel is right.... AND if you are obedient to the things in the Bible that are CLEARLY sin these things can happen:

 

1. Your life will change!

 

2. You will be blessed!

In Luke 11:28 Jesus said: 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

These are just 2 reasons why we should be obedient in my opinion. Do you have any reasons to add to it? I'd love to hear them.

God bless you today and always!

 

Birthright or Beans: A New Way to Make Decisions

29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)

31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”

32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”

33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn. Genesis 25: 29-34 NLT

Shane Willard's 2nd message on Saturday night was just as good as his first.

This one is about how to make decisions.

First of all, Shane said to stop looking at decisions as if it's right or wrong.

What we should do, is think of, "Is this WISE to do?"

For example, is it wrong to eat 3 pieces of cake in one sitting? Nope.

Is it wise? Nope. I think this is a great way to look at life decisions.

In the Scripture I posted above, we see Esau selling is birthright to Jacob for what he thought was hardy beef stew. When Jacob gave it to him, after, he'd agreed, it was only beans.

Esau did something profane in the eyes of the Jews. Your birthright was one of the most special things about you. The writer of Hebrews even calls him "godless" Chapter 12, verses 16-17, "16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears."

Esau was treating his birthright as though it was a common thing.... when in reality it was not.

Birthright for them meant:

1. Carrying on the family name for survival.
2. Image for everything your family stands for.
3. Entitled a person to an inheritance.
4. Essentially, a summary statement of your destiny. 

Esau traded everything he could be for a momentary urge.

Shane asked these questions:

1. Do we live as though there is no higher purpose which profanes our destiny? This pattern leads us to simply go from urge to urge. What seems so great (the red stuff) ends up being a cup of beans.
2. Is the story of your life going to be a pursuit of the birthright or a summation of living from urge to urge?

Luke 9: 23 23 Then He (Jesus)said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me."

Live for your birthright with everyday decisions to destroy the bowl. Don't choose beans over your birthright!

God bless you today and always!

This Is For Your Delieverance

9 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. Paul, in Philippians 1:19

Shane Willard was at my church over the weekend. This was his 7th year joining us. I absolutely LOVE his teachings. He learned under someone with Rabbi training. So, he knows a lot about the Jewish culture, history, and Hebrew. 

Saturday night we had 2 sessions. This post is about the first one.

Paul, who used to be Saul, was in prison during most of the letters we read in the Bible. When someone was in prison back then, if people who loved them did not bring them food, they died.

The church at Philippi decided to care for Paul while he was in prison.

Spoiler alert! Paul dies. So, when he wrote here in Philippians 1:19 about his deliverance, he was referencing Old Testament Scriptures. Job was one of them. King David the other. The truth here is that God will deliver you through whatever you are struggling with. 

Job 3: 15-16 says, "15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
    I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
    for no godless person would dare come before him!

These two men are going through a loss, but how they respond is inspirational!

In Psalm 34, David had just pretended to be insane to protect himself from someone. In verse 8 he says, "8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."

We can take these examples and say this...

When life is hard, and there will be hard times, say, "This will be for my deliverance."

Shane said, "Struggle doesn't mean your faith is weak. In the middle of whatever is happening, no matter how it turns out, always have clean hands, pure hearts, and taste that's good." 

Life your life in a way that others see clean hands, a pure heart, and taste that's good.

No matter how big the stress gets, stay focused on God and keep saying, "This will be for my deliverance." 

No matter what, praise God.

No matter how it turns out, keep your ways clean before God.

When you struggle, if you share your life with clean hands, pure hearts, and tastes that's good, you will be an inspiration to many!

God bless you today and always!