Thursday, April 2, 2020

Breast Plate of Rigtheousness

 We read about the “armor of God” in Ephesians 6:10-18 with the breastplate of righteousness mentioned in verse 13: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

This piece of armor protects our heart....The vital organ that keeps us living.
As Proverbs 4:23 tells us: "Above all else guard your heart; for out of it are the issues of life
"The Word of God calls us to guard our hearts more than anything else and when it says heart
the actual reference is to the inner part of our minds. Indeed, what is in the inner part of our
minds, what is in our hearts, determines "the issues of life". No wonder, therefore, that it is
exactly this part at which Satan aims his darts. If his darts manage to pierce the heart i.e. the
inner part of our being, then this is exactly what he wants. Jesus’s perfect righteousness is
what covers our hearts, and that is what God sees when he looks at us. This means we must
choose to live God’s way...We will not be protected if we deliberately walk outside the ways
and will of God. We must make the decision every day to live a righteous life- not in our own
strength, but by the When we use the breastplate of righteousness, we must first come to
accept that righteousness doesn’t come from good works (Isaiah 64:6). It doesn’t matter how
often we attend church, how much community service we do, or how often we read the Bible.
If we don’t walk the path God has set before us to walk, our “good works” have no value. That being
said, once saved, God does give us the Holy Spirit to steer us in the way of righteousness, away
from sin.
Like all other pieces of the armor of God, they can only come from our Savior. We cannot somehow create the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, or the helmet of salvation, from our own volition. The breastplate of righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus in us. It protects our heart from any mortal wounds and assures us that the enemy can never destroy us because of sin. Righteousness, which is the perfect holiness of Christ, comes from God alone. Righteousness is to be right in God’s eyes. In essence, perfect living. To flee from the snares of temptation and sin Satan has set up and to follow God’s plan for our lives. Whenever we enter the battlefield, Satan will attempt to pierce our most vulnerable areas. Therefore, God arms us with the breastplate of righteousness to prevent Satan from delivering a fatal blow. For example, Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” This verse says if we harbor anger it is sin. The Breastplate focuses on the process of sanctification. Righteousness entails making a choice to regularly engage with scripture and spend time with God. Therefore, when we encounter temptations and doubts on the battlefield, we come fully equipped to combat them, with the armor of God. When we continually put on the breastplate of righteousness, we secure it with the belt of truth, to keep the breastplate in place. The belt of truth comes from God. We learn about Truth himself and ignore the half-truths of this world that come from Satan. Once we have the breastplate of righteousness in place, we can combat the snares Satan has set up for us that attempt to veers us away from the path of right living in God’s eyes. We can get right with God any time when we confess and repent of our sins. Do NOT let the enemy have any ground upon which he can accuse you. Choose to say, Lord, show me anything in me that is NOT right in your eyes so I can confess it because I want to live your way!
So we put on the breastplate of righteousness by doing three things daily:
1. Humbling ourselves
2. Discarding our fleshy achievements as dung
3. Looking at ourselves as nothing but extensions of God
With a proper perspective of our sinful state, while remaining connected to the Spirit of Christ, we can walk in his righteousness, and be protected from the jabs of the enemy. People can falsely accuse us, bring up our murky past, reject us, but it will never penetrate our souls because they’re hitting Christ—he’s taking the hits for us. Let’s put on the breastplate of righteousness. Once we have put on the breastplate of righteousness, we must be sure not to remove it. Ezekiel 33:13 shows that wearing righteousness is not a one-time event; rather, it requires a lifetime of action. So, we must walk in the armor so we can stand firm against the enemy, and become “ride or die” saints.
My Prayer for us is, Lord help me to put on the breastplate of righteousness that protects me from the enemy’s attacks. I know it is YOUR righteousness in me that protects me, but I also know I must not neglect to put on YOUR righteousness like a bulletproof vest by doing what is right in YOUR eyes. Reveal to me thought, attitudes and habit of my heart that are not pleasing to you. Show me what I have done, or am about to do, that does not glorify you. I want to see anything in me that violates your high standards for my life so I can confess it, turn away from it and be cleansed from all unrighteousness. In Jesus's name, I pray, Amen.

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Belt of Truth

 

So here is the start of the study on the armor of God. I hope it blesses you.
Ephesians 6:14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.
    When we think of essential battle equipment, belts don’t necessarily come first to mind. Vital to every soldier was this belt from which all tools of battle hung. This belt also held the soldier's robe together. To the Christian soldier, a belt of truth means that we are surrounded by "honesty," "truthfulness," "integrity," and "sincerity" that every part of our life is governed by truth. Dishonesty brings defeat! If we are not belted, if our life is not held in by truth, any type of dishonesty will bring defeat to our lives. But then again, we may think of belts in terms of a modern-day belt, a device used to hold up pants. So let’s think of a weight lifter...and the belt they wear to help give them strength and support so they don’t hurt the core part of their body. The support that the belt of truth gives us is to help give us strength in our spiritual core. This means we must surround ourselves with truth and not allow anything other than the truth to enter our thinking on situations. We must ask God to keep us undeceived that we never allow deception to take root within us. Knowing truth liberates us from all possibility of deception and illuminates any darkness in our lives.
    There is a difference between knowing the truth and living in truth. The only truth that sets us free is God’s truth. John 8:31-32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” When we choose to wear or wrap God’s truth around us, it protects us by strengthening our spiritual core being. To secure the belt around our waist, we must come to the source of truth: Jesus. After all, God describes himself as the way, the truth, and the life John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.. We must ask God to equip us and regularly spend time with him in Scripture and in prayer.
    Every day we must combat the lies of the enemy and we do this with God’s truth...binding it to our hearts and wrapping it around us like a belt. This piece of armor protects us against the lies and deceptions of the enemy. Scripture does call Satan the father of lies (John 8:44). The enemy uses lies to confuse people. When confusion begins to work it brings anxiety and fear with it. The enemy's lies completely mess up our thinking and weaken us if we believe them. 1 John 5:19-20 “We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” The belt of truth prevents us from falling prey to the devil’s lies. If we don’t have an understanding of the truth, the rest of the armor is useless. If we have the belt on crooked, we’ll have difficulty gripping the Sword of the Spirit (God’s word) in time, and risk having our more vital organs exposed.
What does truth have to do with a belt?
1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test all things; hold fast to what is good.” As Christians, we are to test all things and then hold on only to that which is good—the truth—discarding all else. We are to be like the Bereans who "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). If we are not convinced that our principles and beliefs are without exception 100 percent true, how can we expect to accomplish anything?
Proverbs 3:3-4 “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.” A belt encompasses the waist. Does our conviction to the truth encompass us? As the above scripture notes, the truth must be bound around us and written on our hearts—our conviction must reach beyond an outward show.
What other lessons can we learn from the biblical analogy of having our waist "girded" by a belt?
Luke 12:35-37
Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
Christ told us to always be watching and ready for His return.
1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ...” Peter used an interesting analogy: "Gird up the loins of your mind." This implies tucking in long garments to be ready to move quickly. The New International Version translates it as "prepare your minds for action."
What are the dangers of not wearing the belt?
Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

    The world we live in teaches that truth is what we make it—that good and bad are relative and that there are no absolutes, only equally valid opinions. But the Bible teaches that truth is God's Word—that good and bad are defined by Him and that there are eternal and unchangeable absolutes, uninfluenced by opinions. Paul wrote to the Romans telling them to "not be conformed to this world." Part of that means not buying into a system of belief that says absolute truth is a myth. As Christians, we know both that there is truth and that it is absolute. 2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
    Imagine a belt with a segment missing. No matter how tiny the sliver that isn't there, the belt is still useless. To do its job, it must be one continuous, unbroken piece. Now imagine living a way of life you don't completely agree with. Maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal—after all, what are a couple minor points that you're not sure about? They are everything. To try to live God's way without total belief in its validity is like trying to hold your sword up with a belt that isn't continuous. Neither will work. Our trust in God and His Word must be solid, without break, or else we will quickly find ourselves without a weapon. No matter how effective the rest of our armor is, we are useless without our sword. We need to be rightly dividing the word of truth—knowing what we believe, and why.

Truth - the Word of God.
Loins - the center and seat of life and the outflow of life.

The reason a lot of Christians are defeated, their minds are wandering, their hearts are divided, their concentration is broken, they have not girded up their spiritual loins to battle. They haven't yielded and focused and calculating the cost and said I'm going to discipline and bring myself under...I'm going to pursue righteousness with all that I am. As the truth of God penetrates your mind it attacks and demolishes the sin it confronts. John 17:17 was what Jesus told us, Mt. 4 He demonstrated it! Jesus said the way we become holy is through the Word

There are seven benefits of wearing His truth:
GOD CLOTHES US WITH PROSPERITY JOSHUA 1:8 [Think of taking the reins from perhaps the greatest leader who ever lived. A man, who could talk to God face to face, led 3 million people for 40 years, a judge, prophet, and priest. What is the prescription to follow such a monumental man? Meditate on the Word!
GOD CLOTHES US WITH FRUITFULNESS PSALM 1:2 [At the front door of the longest book of the Bible is a secret recipe for spiritual success. God wants us to prosper and bear fruit. How? Meditation!
GOD CLOTHES US WITH PEACEFULNESS IN TRIALS PSALM 35:28 No one in scripture has more of their life laid bare than David. His affair, family problems, job stress, people problems, enemies, Satanic attack, and more. Meditate on the Word!
GOD CLOTHES US WITH STABILITY IN ROUGH SEAS PSALM 37:30 Is your boat rocking? Starting to list, sink? What is the sure-fire way to stabilize things? Meditate on the Word!
GOD CLOTHES US WITH REFRESHING WORSHIP IN DRY TIMES PSALM 63:6 Are you running fast and thin? Do your nights and days run together? How many times have you wished for a quiet day at a mountain, seaside, or forest retreat with just your Bible and a cup of coffee? God says, the coffees are on and I’m waiting at every turn of your life. Turn your car, bus, sink, computer workstation, desk, or whatever into an altar. How? By meditating on the Word!
GOD CLOTHES US WITH A LIFELONG TESTIMONY TO GOD’S FAITHFULNESS AS OLD AGE COMES PSALM 71:24 Ever want to end up as sweet as some of the precious saints you know. They die serenely, enduring those last long and pain-filled days Page 13 with strength and peace that only comes from God. Where did they get that in life and into the shadow of death? By meditating on the Word!
GOD CLOTHES US WITH COMFORT IN ADVERSITY PSALM 77:12 Do you feel it is too hard to even go on? Does the enemy seem to be winning? Are the problems multiplying like weeds? God has a solution and it is simple and powerful. What/ Meditating on his Word!
Truth is the way God's saints serve: Josh. 24:14; 1 Sam. 12:24; Truth is written on the hearts of God's saints: Prov. 3:3. Truth is the way God's saints worship: John 4:24, Truth sanctifies God's saints: John 17:17,19. Truth is obeyed by God's saints: Rom. 2:8; Gal. 3:1. Truth rejoices God's saints: 1 Cor. 13:6; Truth is manifested by God's saints: 2 Cor. 4:2. Truth approves God's saints: 2 Cor. 6:7,8. Truth is the language of God's saints: Eph. 4:25; Truth grows as a fruit in God's saints: Eph. 5:9 Truth guards God's saints: Eph. 6:14. Truth is what God's saints meditate upon Phil. 4:8; Truth is loved by God's saints: 2 Thess. 2:10. Truth accompanies God's saints: Tit. 1:1. Truth purifies God's saints: 1 Pet. 1:22. Truth Abides continually with saints, 2 John 2.
    So in closing, Truth is to hold us up, hold us in, and protect us from falling. This belt of truth is much like the restraints we strap around us when we get into one of those dangerous, high-speed twistings, turning roller coaster ride at some amusement park. The belt and bars that hold us are designed to keep us safe no matter how fast the car spins, twists or drops. We are held in. Truth holds us in. God wants us to know the content of truth and live the integrity of truthfulness. Truth means we have the readiness to obey; we have the integrity of commitment to truth; and we are opposed to all deception, dishonesty. We have no loose ends of our life that dangle and trip us up. We are girded, belted, strapped in by truth. Wearing his truth! Well, that's the first piece of armor. And I'll tell you what, each one of them gets better.
Heavenly Father, I know that the truth will set me free. Show me how to gird up the core of my being with YOUR TRUTH so that I don’t fall into deception of any kind. Teach me to not only know the truth but live in it. I pray that you remind me of your truth, when the devil prowls every day, seeking to devour believers and unbelievers with half-truths and deceptions. I pray that you remind me of who you are and the truth of you and of your plan for our lives and world when the world tries to convince me otherwise. Help me to redirect other believers back to the truth, in love, and to accept their direction when they try to help me when I stumble away from the truth. Please help keep the belt of truth fastened around my waist today, so I may be prepared for whatever attacks the devil has for me on the battlefield. Amen.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Armor of God Introduction

 So I decided to start a series of teaching on the armor of God with you ladies. I was blessed as I took the time to learn about it during my quiet time devotions, so I wanted to share it with you. The Armor of God is something we hear about a lot...but let’s keep an open mind and dig deeper together on what the Bible says about it.

Over the next few days, we will be really diving into Ephesians 6:10-18 and looking into each piece in depth. But as we do, I want to share a few things to wet your appetite!
As prayer warriors and believers in Christ, God doesn’t want us to carry anything that is unnecessary because it will weigh us down and hinder what He has called us to do. We must not go into battle without the things we need in order to win. Our battle is spiritual and what we accomplish in the spirit realm is as important as what the highly trained, prepared, and equipped soldier does in the physical. We must know our weapons and be highly skilled in using them. We must put on the armor of God in order to stand against the enemy.

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” vs. 13 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” THIS IS NOT A SUGGESTION IT IS A COMMAND! To “stand against” literally means to stand in front of and in opposition to the forces and plans of evil. It means to be the one standing after the battle. It also means standing in preparation for the next battle.

The reason we must put on the whole armor of God is to withstand evil. We don’t war against people, but against a spiritual hierarchy of invisible power. We are not only to use our armor to protect and defend ourselves from them-as important as that is-but also to go on the offensive against them as well. When we do that, we close doors to the enemy and open doors to the will of God to be done on earth. We advance God’s kingdom.
Prayer warriors need to put on the armor of God every day because the war is always going on. New battles continually need to be fought so that the evil will be driven back, the kingdom of God advanced, and the will of God be done. Our spiritual armor not only protects us from the enemy it gives us what we need in order to push against him.

Ephesians 6:14-18 (break down)
  • Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
  • with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
  • and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
  • take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
  • Take the helmet of salvation
  • and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
  • And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
  • be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Matthew 6:13 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17----yes the victory over the evil was accomplished on the cross but the enemy is still here.

When we get up every day, put on our protective armor. Don’t leave your day to chance. Take possession of it and surrender it to the Lord. Don’t let it get out of control and give the enemy an invitation to have input. You need this armor as mentioned in Eph 6:14-18 to stop any onslaught of the enemy’s destructive arrows into your life and the lives of those you care about-both now and in the future.
In closing, my prayer for us as we embark on this journey is Lord, help us to put on the full spiritual armor You have provided for us so that we can “stand against the wiles of the devil” every day. May we take this time to really break down your word and be open to hearing you and learning how to stand as the warrior you call us to be. In Jesus Name. Amen


Looking forward to tomorrow when we break down Eph 6:14.. and what the bible says about the “belt” of truth and how important it is to gird our waist with the truth.

Monday, December 30, 2019

Good Bye 2019

 Every year I have taken the time to write a blog reflecting on the year that is ending, so I plan to continue doing this a reminder to myself of God's goodness along the way of life's curveballs and chaotic moments. 

This year started out very...draining and emotional, to say the least. Let me back up a bit to 2018. 2018 was a year of my life. I never want to repeat it or wish it on my worst enemy. It was filled with betrayal, lies, malicious slander and so much more trauma for my family and me. It also was a year where I was shown just how strong I am and how much I can find the strength in Christ to stand and fight for my family despite the pain, vulnerability, and persecution I face. So as 2018 closed out, it caused the start of 2019 to be very overwhelming for me spiritually, emotionally and mentally. If I'm 100% honest the whole ordeal even took a physical toll on my body, I began to struggle with anxiety, physical pain and so much more. The damage from 2018 had me stuck, I couldn't move forward or backward. It was like I sat in a room in the middle of the floor staring at a filing cabinet that had just been emptied but every file and paper were scattered in no specific order around me piled high to my neck around the room and I was to sort it all out...


 It was somewhere around the end of June beginning of July when I got some devastating news that added more insult and injury to the damage that 2018 brought me. I call the year of 2018 The Kiss of Judas.  So fast forward to around maybe late August/September 2019 I began to get alone with God because I didn't like who I was becoming from all of this, nor did I want to stay in this place. My pastor had preached a message during this time that talked about our weapons of war and how we are to fight our battles....I have heard and applied this message a million times over my walk with God, however, this time as my pastor spoke I began to piece it together with what Daddy God had been speaking to me in my quiet times. I began to apply what I was hearing both from God and through my pastor. I started seeing changes! Changes not in others around me, not in those who kissed me with betrayal and caused me so much pain in 2018, no the changes started taking place in me! The anxiety left, the mental fog lifted, the spiritual paralyzation began to subside. I was able to start living again and heal. The journey that took place over these months was intense but in a good way. I was forced in a loving manner by God to confront somethings in my life that I wasn't aware of were "holding me back." How you ask? Well, he took me during my quiet time to Job 6:24 "Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray." and then God reminded me of His promise found in Philippians 1:6 "God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won't stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns." This is just one verse that became alive to me during this journey of healing. I was also reminded of Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!"
So every day I sat time aside to begin to fight this battle I was in according to what the Word of God says in Ephesians 6:12 "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Like I said I began to take what I had heard my pastor teaching on and apply it to this battle I was in. I began to use the "Godly" weapons instead of the ones that came time my mind to use. I also started pleading the blood of Jesus daily out loud over myself and my family. On the way to school, I prayed out loud for my kids, pleading the blood of Jesus over them and speaking blessings over their day.

I began to change my spiritual lifestyle by taking it deeper then what it was before the kiss of Judas.  I no longer cared who was with me, or against me. I knew that I had God sat he would see me through and give me the desires of my heart regarding my family and their healing from all of 2018 as well. I no longer was focused on making/forcing their healing on them...but rather focusing on mine. Here it is December 30th, 2019 and I can look back at 2019 and see at least 3 major places in my year where I truly tasted and seen God's goodness, favor, and breakthrough despite what I was walking through. Looking back I never lost my faith, my trust in God or my praise. I never lost the confidence that God is who he says he is and he would do what he says he will do. What I did loose during this time was my ability to look up and see where my help comes from during those difficult times. I got my eyes focused on the wrong things which led me down a rabbit hole of what I will just call as UGH (while rolling my eyes!) Giggles.

I can tell you this, during this time my children were watching me whether I knew it or not. In my good days and bad days, they were watching. They were learning...which now looking back makes me shake my head at some of my choices, thank God there is forgiveness and mercy and grace! I also know that I can now sit with them and share all this using it as a teaching time! I know they watched me because....ok hold on let me get kleenex, smiles! on 12/29/19 at church was a HUGE healing moment for one of my kids. A moment of hearing God, stepping out and confronting her own fears and issues attacking her by getting baptized. You see my 7-year-old has been putting on a brave face for people so they don't see how terrified of water she is due to a trauma she encountered with her bio mom. She has had many times to get baptized but never did. Today when it came time for baptizing she ran to me ( I was in back working a camera and she was sitting on the front row) and asked if she could get baptized. I at first was gonna say no, but the look on her face and the arresting of the Holy Spirit had me simply say yes..and we went back to the area where those waiting to be baptized were. I know this was a God moment for her because while we were not prepared with dry clothes, but there was a family in our church who happened to have an extra outfit for her to wear after being baptized! When my 7-year-old came up out of that water the look on her face.....said FEAR OF WATER WAS GONE, A DEEP HEALING HAD TAKEN PLACE INSIDE HER! 
It's AMAZING what takes place when we change our perspective and put our focus where it needs to be. Because of Jesus, my family is experiencing freedom from generational curses, bondage and more! 
My closing prayer: 
Daddy God, I praise You, for You say we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). This world is hard. It threatens to crush us in many ways. Mentally, we are bombarded and pulled at by unfiltered thoughts threatening to run away with our self-esteem on a daily basis. Spiritually, You promise us a battle in this life. John 10:10-11 reminds us, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Bring our hearts to focus on Your Truth at the start of each day, expecting a battle, but also deliverance.
Father, in overwhelming moments, help us to recall the truth of Psalm 32:7, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Remind us of the greats of faith that have gone before us in bravery, with courageous faith in Your protective hand of deliverance.
Daddy God, I'm reminded of when David defeated Goliath against all odds, and even after being on the run for his life from King Saul, he cried out to You in faith to deliver Him. Even after he made terrible mistakes, but You delivered David, loving him still. For Paul, who tortured and had other Christians killed, You never left him even in his own jail cell. What we don’t understand is how much You love us regardless of our faults and fears. Help us to believe and strengthen our faith in Your love, for the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
Galatians 5:1 calls us to action, to stand firm in our faith. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Help us turn from shame, make a way for kindness, and rise up for those who can’t speak for themselves and find a way to make sure those who are burdened by distorted thoughts of who they are. Equip us, through the lessons of our own deliverance, to become ambassadors for Your love. You assure us when we seek You, we will find You, when we seek You with all of our hearts. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Daddy, I am grateful that You hear us and care for us beyond our understanding. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” Psalms 34:17We prayerfully proclaim deliverance in our own lives, and in the lives of those suffering in our family, and around the world. We cry out to You in faith that You will deliver us from our physical pain and mental anguish. “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” Psalms 107:6
Help us to let go of our timeline and embrace Your process and Your perfect timing. We live in a “have to have it now” world, but Your ways surpass the convenience of free shipping and next day delivery. Give us the faith and patience to embrace Your process and purpose for our lives, remembering Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” When others mislabel us, give us the grace to pray for and empathize with them, but maintain the truth of what You say about us, and who You say we are. May we always remember to love others above all else (1 Peter 4:8) but have the inner strength to discount and discern lies from Your Truth. Kids aren’t the only ones that are bullied and teased. Tune our ears to Your voice of grace, love, and kindness, as we respond and react to the attacks of others. Heal our distorted thoughts and broken-down boundaries. Help us to shield our hearts from shame and separate our mistakes and missteps from our magnificent purpose in life. Grant us the courage to be brave and courageous as Jesus was when we walked this earth, yet kind and compassionate at the same time. Make the impossible possible in our lives as we seek Your will in our lives over our own vindication and defense mechanisms. Help us to remember this powerful truth: “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.” James 5:13  Deliver us, Father, from the everyday attacks on our conscious, health, relationships, and beyond. From what can see coming and would never expect, protect and deliver us from anything that threatens to throw us off Your course for our lives. Give us the strength to love people that are seemingly unlovable without compromising our character as Christians. Build confidence in us that is unstoppable and immovable but guard our hearts against pride. Deliver us from our distorted thoughts, sickness, debt, sadness, struggles, hunger, pain, fear, oppression, conflict, and unbelief, for we proclaim Your Peace over our lives through prayer, today. “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10 Help us to put on Your armor, daily, Father. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Forbid Them Not.....

Teaching the World Changer Class at church on Wed nights has really been...fun, we just finished week 6 tonight and I have to say Tonight's lesson was my favorite. I say that each week, but so far tonight is by far my favorite.....giggles....Each week God always has something awesome for us to learn. As the teacher, I do not put myself above the kids...I learn with them even if the book is one I did back in 1996. For me as I teach, I am being reminded of Biblical Truth that can still be applied now and somethings I have forgotten along the way...so its like I am learning the stuff for the first time! Each week the class and I explore some everyday things we can do to grow in God...and its so cool to see the hunger the kids have for Godly things. Each one of the kids brings something unique and special to the class and they truly bless me by how they participate and engage in learning. I am so glad that when I was asked to help on Wed nights God immediately reminded me of a book on my bookshelf at home called 10 Challenges of a World Changer by Ron Luce. This book changed my life back in 1996 and again as I go through it with the kids is changing my life! I just pray that as God uses me to teach the things in this book to the kids it changes their lives and helps them see who they are in God and that even now at the age they are they can be World Changers for God......Each week gets better and better! I am seeing the kids in our church really growing in God and stepping out from time to time as the leaders God is calling them to be....I've heard the phrase "A Child shall lead them" but I also have heard this phrase......and it by far is my favorite....it was said by Jesus "Forbid them not to come unto me" So as far as I am concerned, those children who have a desire to draw close to God and Jesus.....I will personally see to it that no one stands in their way......because Jesus spoke saying "Forbid them not to come to me" this means He has a special interest in our kids.....so I am choosing to help them draw closer to God and Jesus! Will you? 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

A Child Shall Lead Them

Sophie, just hours old
It's been a while since I blogged about my niece, Sophia. It has been 2 years and a few months now so an update is due to you my readers!  My sister, her and my nephew are doing good! They live with our grandma just down the road from me. I get to see them every day if I want...and of course I do! Giggles!

Sophie, a few months old













 I even help watch the kids while my sister works in the mornings. My daughter and Sophia are like two peas in a pod....there is a very strong Godly bond between those two girls! Looking back to the bittersweet moments leading up to her birth, I realize how many times God had reached down and touched the situation. I realize now how much our family has grown closer to each other and to God through all this. Who would of thought......
Sophie Now!






A CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM...hmm, I have read those words somewhere before....oh yeah, in the Bible....God's word does NOT lie...and it DOES NOT RETURN VOID! 


Monday, June 23, 2014

Forgiven and Free

Friday night I had the privilege of going to minister in the Gen. County jail with a team from our church. This wasn't my first time going but it was the first time that I was put in a position to be ready in season and out of season without a clue on what I would even say.... Very seldom do I go into a place or situation with a prepared word from God for people. If I do I know those are ordained moments...I pray I have more, but Friday was not one of those prepared moments. I almost felt "guilty" for lack of better words til God whispered to me in the elevator and said.....be ready to speak when I say speak. Giggling and smiling I knew exactly what he meant.....so I stayed quiet and very somber and alert. We were on the 4th floor and both groups were men. I remember thinking "what could this black girl trapped in a white body who is Polish say to these men....that would leave them chewing on a sure word from God." Well we began to open with a few songs, and then Caroline began to break open a word she was given to share......then the Holy Spirit quickened Dana and she jumped in with a word. That's when I began to allow my eyes to scan the audience. I began to see them as God seen them and he shared their hearts with me.....my gaze landed on 2 specific men who God began to show me things about.....this happened so fast that I felt like time was standing still.....and as quick as I was shown these things is as quick as it was done....I remember that was when I asked Caroline if I could share something.....and so I did. It was on the power of forgiveness.....and how the Bible says we should forgive just as Christ forgave us....but God took me to a different place with it and had me share with the men the power of forgiving self......of course we were only given like 10-15 minutes each to speak so I had to water ski over a lot then but I don't here....so of course those who read to the end will get the whole revelation that was downloaded to me while sitting in jail on Friday! The first group session ended and the inmates were released to their cells. The 2nd group came in and of course we sang some songs and this time Larry was able to share the word God gave him.....it was on Love....and as he was speaking again God had me looking at the men....seeing into their hearts...This time was different...this time I knew he wanted me to share my testimony but it was so not related (in my opinion) to what Larry was speaking on....so, I sat silent....until my eyes caught glimpse of a man sitting in the back who based on appearance looked hard and callus and cold yet desperate to be set free.....God began to show me that the same message about the power of forgiveness and self forgiveness was needed to be spoken to this group as well. So I waited til the time to share it. As God began to speak through me I tried hard not to look in this mans direction so the enemy wouldn't whisper "she is condemning you" to him, but I couldn't help it....my eyes once again were cast into his direction....what I seen this time was NOT what I had expected....this man who appeared hard and callus was crying like a 5 year old. Tears were just dripping like a broken water faucet and he didn't care.....surrounded by men he was crying....and I have to admit, it choked me up...to see the power of God begin to hit the heart of this man......in jail. As I spoke my spirit thanked God for using me to pierce the heart of someone with the words of God needed to set one free. After this session the men came to the front and shook our hands. When his man came to me, he looked at me and said "thank you for the word, I am trying." what came out of my mouth even surprised me...here is what I said, "Trying is the first step, but don't give up, determine in your heart, mind and spirit to walk it out.....even if you have to walk it out like granny (slow and steady) walk forgiving yourself out all the way!" He looked at me and smiled and said "I will!" 
I left the jail the same way I came in....quiet only this time quiet because I was truly taking in the whole evening. We all go through things in our life that we wonder Why.....and at that moment I understood and seen the answer to that very question I have asked 1,000+ times.....I went through all I have in life for such a time as this....to set others free with the same revelation of God that I have learned, walked out and even am learning now...and applying.....so with the introduction over let's get to the meat of the revelation God gave me about Forgiveness and how we need to learn to forgive ourselves...... 
The Power of Forgiveness
Those of us who by faith have been redeemed by Christ are completely forgiven and declared “not guilty.” Yet many believers have a hard time letting go of their remorse. The truth is, a self-directed unforgiving spirit is just as detrimental and destructive as holding a grudge against someone else.
If you look in the mirror and look yourself in the eyes but you don't like the person you see, then you need to forgive yourself and learn how to love the person that God has made in you! This is what we call a stronghold, or an incorrect thinking pattern that needs to be torn down in your mind. If you have repented of your sins, and taken them before the Lord, then you are forgiven... and now you need to come to realize the power of that. You need to stop associating your failures with your "new creation" image, for God's Word says...
2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Can you honestly look in the mirror and tell yourself, "I love you" and mean it with your heart? I'm not talking about a prideful way, but a humble means of accepting who God has formed in you. We need to love and accept the person that Christ has made in us, and forgive ourselves as Christ has forgiven us!

The importance of forgiving yourself
 If you don't forgive yourself for the mistakes you've made, you won't experience the breakthrough that you need to be totally set free. I believe it is clear that failing to forgive ourselves from our past mistakes is denying the work of the cross and the shed Blood of Christ in our live. When God's Word tells us that we've been washed clean with the Blood of Christ, and our sins are removed through the atoning work that Jesus did for us... yet we still "could kick ourselves" for our mistakes, then we are basically saying, "I don't care what the Blood of Jesus has done, I still hate myself for what I've done!" It's stagging to think such a thing, but that is what really happens when we refuse to forgive ourselves.
If you don't see yourself as a new creature in Christ, then you have a serious problem. You will be hindered and held back from freely and confidently living out who you really are in Christ! You will be hesitant and feel unworthy to approach your Heavenly Father, because you feel you're a failure and unworthy... this is why it is vital for your conscience to be cleansed of dead works (your past failures)...

Hebrews 9:14, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Failing to forgive yourself will put blinders on your spiritual eyesight quickly. It will cause you to see things through the eyes of guilt, shame and condemnation. It will ruin your faith, and cause you to go blind spiritually:
2 Peter 1:9, "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."

In the following verse, we are told to forgive one another, but did you know that the root word for the phrase "one another" actually includes yourself? The Greek root word Heautou refers not only to others, but also to ourselves!
Colossians 3:13, "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

Unforgiveness is a known door opener to torment from demonic spirits. Matthew 18:23-35 tells us how the unforgiving person is turned over into the hands of tormentors (that is, tormenting spirits). If we are unforgiving towards our self, we open that door for tormenting spirits to come against us because we are not really accepting the work that Christ did for us on the cross. Another key to the demonic is bitterness, and when we become bitter with ourselves, we become defiled spiritually:
Hebrews 12:15, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."

God's Word tells us that Jesus purged (that is, removed) our sin (Hebrews 1:3, "...when he had by himself purged our sins..."), but if we fail to forgive ourselves, we are in essence, calling God's Word a liar! We are saying, "I hate myself because I did that sin... I won't forgive myself of it!" when God's Word tells us that the sin has been PURGED or REMOVED from us... who are we to say that it is still part of our past? We are in essence, calling God's Word a LIE!

Why won’t we forgive ourselves?
In order to overcome self-condemnation, we must learn to understand why we have this problem. What has motivated us to punish ourselves by clinging to guilt?
Unbelief---The primary cause is unbelief—prioritizing feelings and human reasoning above the truth of God’s Word. Scripture says Jesus bore the penalty for our transgressions (Rom. 3:23-26). But those who hold onto guilt are basically saying, “No, my sin needs further punishment. I must suffer for it until I feel I can forgive myself.” Aren't you glad God doesn't place such a terrible expectation on us? When Christ died on the cross, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). No further payment is required. How we feel has nothing to do with the reality of what He accomplished for us.

Performance---Perhaps the failure to live up to our own expectations is what causes us to berate ourselves. However, when we are so disappointed that we can’t forgive ourselves, we've set up a standard based on performance. This is called legalism. The Lord gives only one qualification for receiving His forgiveness: faith in Christ. To say, “What I did was so bad that I cannot forgive myself,” is to live under law, not under grace. God’s forgiveness is not distributed on the basis of a rating system for sins, and ours shouldn't be either.

Acceptance---Tragically, after living under self-condemnation for a long time, believers can begin to see that as a normal way of life. But it’s not. Christ promised us freedom from guilt along with the abundant life that accompanies a cleansed conscience. To refuse this is to remain in a prison of our own making. Penal institutions have a word for inmates who have become so acclimated to prison life that they’re afraid of trying to function outside: they are described as having become institutionalized. That’s exactly what happens to believers who won’t release their guilt. They huddle in their cell, even though Christ has thrown open the door and invited them to step out into the freedom He purchased for them.

How do I forgive myself?
Hopefully, by now we all realize that struggling under self-condemnation is not the way God wants us to live. But how can we change this habit?

Step #1, be honest with yourself
Realize that down deep inside, you're not happy with the person of your past. If you are in denial, then forget trying to treat the root of your problem. You need to see the problem before you can apply the solution. It might even be helpful to list all of the things that you hate about your past, and one-by-one, give them to the Lord and release yourself from each failure.

Step #2, you need to realize that your debt has been PAID
The only way that you can beat yourself up, after Jesus has paid your debt, is if you aren't accepting the gift that He has given you. If He's paid the debt, and you keep denying that fact, then you are rejecting the very gift that God has given you! You need to accept what Jesus has done for you by faith.
Galatians 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
The blood of Jesus was shed for the payment of your sins:
Matthew 26:28, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Because of the powerful work that Christ did for us on the cross, God's Word tells us to come boldly unto the throne of grace, so that we can obtain mercy:
Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
The price for your redemption has been paid in full. It's up to you receive it and realize that the blood of Jesus actually removes the sin from your record. Now you need to see yourself as being forgiven and justified (which means, "just as if you've never sinned").
In Luke 7, Jesus took a very sinful woman (likely a prostitute) and freely washed her clean without hesitation...
Luke 7:47, "Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little."
The above verse is just one example of how freely Jesus would forgive a person of their sins. It is true that if we take our sin to Jesus, He will freely forgive us without hesitation:
Romans 3:24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
There is also no sin that you can take to Jesus, which He will not forgive... for the Bible tells us that He is prepared to cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness if we will turn to Him with our failures!
1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Step #3, allow the Holy Spirit to heal your soul
You need to let God heal you... as long as you keep holding something against yourself, you are blocking the Holy Spirit's power from entering and healing that area of your mind and life! You need to open up your heart, and allow the light of Christ to shine into the darkness of your soul.

Step #4, begin to see the "new creature" of Christ within you
You are not seeing yourself as you really are. If you've repented of your past, and sought God's forgiveness, then you are forgiven or justified (which means "just as if I've never sinned"). It's not that you should try to forget what happened (don't remind yourself of it either though), but the important key is to see your past through the Blood of Jesus. You need to see your past as "paid in full" by the work that Christ did for you on the cross! Seeing things with this perspective changes everything!You need to begin seeing yourself through the blood of Jesus.
One day, when the enemy was trying to beat me up over my past, the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me and said, "You need to KNOW that you're clean... your faith depends upon it!"

Step #4, Acknowledge: The first step is to recognize that you have not forgiven yourself. Face up to this fact, and begin to deal with the issue.

Step #5, Repent: Tell the Lord that you realize your self-condemnation is a sin. Then accept and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Step #6, Believe God: Reaffirm your trust in the truth of Scripture. God says He has removed your transgressions as far as the east is from the west.

Step #8 Choose Forgiveness: On the basis of the Bible, by an act of your will, in faith, choose to forgive yourself.
Please notice that feelings aren’t mentioned anywhere in these steps. Each one is a choice based on truth, not emotions. Stop replaying in your mind the old recording of your sin, which stirs up guilt, but instead replay the truths of God’s Word. Freedom from the prison of guilt and regret is only a choice away. Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18). As you take hold of His forgiveness and release your guilt, you’ll walk out of that jail of self-condemnation into the joy of abundant life.

My prayer for you is that you begin to see the need for forgiveness and learn to accept it for yourself and give it to yourself. There is great healing that comes from forgiving....even in forgiving yourself. I pray that as you look in the mirror you can see a reflection forgiven and free looking back at you and be able to walk in that freedom so that you can help others be free through Christ and forgiveness....