Monday, November 25, 2013

~Cast out the Angel of light~

This Thanksgiving the Deceiver comes even as we thank God for His goodness and whispers (not audibly) "You are being prideful ~ bragging by being thankful." Many may stop there, even if their motives are pure and not give God the glory for the great things He has done. All due to fear of man.  Or maybe the Deceiver whispers, "Your future is uncertain focus on that. You don't have time to be thankful. Too many problems to figure out."

The Deceiver is crafty and will stop at nothing to keep us from thanksgiving. Do you know why? Because God Almighty inhabits the praise of His people ~ just praise Him now for all He has done and see that He is there. There is no greater power than the presence of God. Don't let the Deceiver rob you! Lock the back doors of your mind and keep your mind set on things above. He is an uninvited guest! Instead Shout your praises from the hilltops, because God deserves our praises. A thankful heart is a happy heart!

 Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I BURST out in songs of thanksgiving.

 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Overcoming~ Is not "self will" ~it is "dying to self"

I want to lay down my pride and live in humility because I know how I have tried:
 
- to fix
- to control
- to figure out 

This leads to frustration, anger which equals "loss of peace". 

Jesus came so we may have peace abundantly and overflowing. The power of the cross that saved me is the same power available to me to overcome difficult situations, people and circumstances that I have no control over. By trusting in God whose word is truth...I know He cares for me. He cares about everything I face in this world. He knows my heart seeks after Him - To be like Him. So when my actions are in opposition to my hearts desire, I am on the wrong track and I cry out to the Lord, "Help me." 

I understand what Paul said in the Bible, paraphrased, "I do the very thing I don't want to do." Well I use to think in terms of big bad things- but Paul hungered after righteousness. He was just like us, who are believers in Jesus, who long to do the right thing,  but fail. For example I become inpatient or irritated by someone else's actions that effect me. I sometimes fail to see my part in the scenario and irritation grows into anger and anger leads to bitterness and resentment when it is fed. This is where God is helping me to see my choice: 

- to react or to trust in Him
- to worry or to trust and pray to Him
- to control or to let go and let Him
- to force a solution or to take it easy 

Everyday many things occur that are out of our control and we do not have to behave as we always have, we have choices. God is right there ready to lift you up and through the situation every single time! To be aware of our choices we must not focus on the problem, because that will lie to us every time! I have been experiencing lately as I seek after God more deeply in this area that the problem does not disappear, but it miraculously, suddenly, supernaturally losses it's power over me. It is beyond me, because I can still be pretty worked up~ and I stop and thank God! Yea, I have been known to get it stirred up again by simply talking about it, because the problem is still there. But God knows I hunger after Him and want my heart pure and I believe He intervenes supernaturally and helps me to let it go! Again and again...if need. 

I give the praise to God, for I am SO thankful. He has guided and led me patiently along this path, as I have followed Him. Not perfect have I been, but faithful and longing always for a deeper walk, that I could not do on my own. Sometimes it is possible to appear and act politically correct, but if my heart is not right then it is to no avail. Because the heart is deceitful above all else and pride is the root of all evil. Jesus is the only one who can cleanse a heart and make it pure. This is where I am...many people don't know the struggles and "crosses we carry" but God knows. 

I pray now too as Hope prays often, "Lord, give me a new heart, cleanse my heart." My precious girl, she knows too her heart is not pure without Jesus. 

Thank you Jesus for a clean heart! Help me as I walk through this day after You!


Verses: 
Luke 9:23, Proverbs 22:4, John 14:26-27, 1Corinthians 1:18, Romans 7:15-25, Matthew 5:6, Romans3:10,Titus 3:5, 1Petet 5:7, Philippians 4:6,7,13,Matthew 6:25-27, Psalms 121:1-2, Proverbs 3:5-6, 1Corinthians 10:13, Ephesians 4:2-3, Hebrews 12:14-15, Isaiah 55:8-9, James 3:13-18, Proverbs 11:2, 1 Corinthians 13:4, Jeremiah 17:9, Psalms 51:10, Matthew 5:8, John 5:30, Hebrews 4:15-16