Breathe & Be Blessed

We all get tangled up in our feelings sometimes and yet as followers of Jesus Christ our goal should not be to remain there. This morning all manner of things were going wrong and I felt overwhelmed by the notifications on my phone going off, the things I had to do for the day, and all the things that went wrong yesterday and how I might get around to correcting some of them today. But then I reached for the light and found Him faithful to see me through.

In Michah 7:8 we are given one of God’s many promises that I think worthwhile for us all to take some time to stand on today.

“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” – Mic 7:8

The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10) and like a lion he is always looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8) but we are to hold onto our faith that God’s light outshines, interrupts, and defeats all traces of darkness in our hearts, in our minds, and in our lives.

Today may be a day where you feel the darkness closing around you but the Lord calls on you to rest in, to run to, and rejoice in Him and take delight in Him so His light can expel any overwhelming shadows.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸ We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— ¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-11)

Rejoice and rise up. You who have been sunk down low. It’s time to lift your head up and take another step. You may have fallen but you are not beaten down. You may have slipped through the cracks but God calls you back.

The enemy is rejoicing, but reach out for the light. He is always there to catch you. He is right there by your side. Breathe and be blessed.

Walk Like A Christian

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in very nature God,    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing    by taking the very nature of a servant,    being made in human likeness.8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself    by becoming obedient to death—  even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:1-8)My

Brothers and sisters in Christ in life we imitate who we appreciate. Little boys look up to their fathers and want to be like him courageous, strong, and powerful. Little girls look up to their mothers and want to be like them. They may put on makeup if they see their mothers doing it, or have baby dolls and pretend they are a mother.

These things happen every day. As Christians our Father is in heaven and as we come to know Him, to love Him, and to appreciate Him it’s only natural that we want to become like Him.It’s important to remember though that when He humbled Himself bringing Heaven down to earth in the form of man He became like a child Himself demonstrating full reliance on His Father in Heaven.

2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:2-5)

Christ we have to remember was tempted but He did not sin because His gaze was always on Heaven and He had to be a spotless vessel in order to be the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. He took on all of our sins willingly and died for them. We are now called this very day to die to them, so His Spirit may come alive in us and come upon us fully.

Christians live by and are called to consistently and habitually walk in the Spirit. These next verses show what the fruit of that looks like. We are not left alone here.

Jesus told His disciples in John 14:18 ” I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

We have to remember that we serve a RISEN KING!!!! Our Savior is NOT dead yet we live as dried corpses. Jesus left us with His Holy Spirit and so today we can and we must live in it!!!!!

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”(Galatians 5:13-26)

When we walk in the Spirit good fruit is sown and good fruit will show. Remember again we imitate who we appreciate.

In Matthew 4:23 Jesus healed the sick.

23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.”

In Matthew 10:1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”

And in Matthew 10:8

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

And let’s not forget Jesus’s call to all of us.

17 “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:17-18)

12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)

In the book of Acts the apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit and we see the fruit of their walk in the Spirit:

15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” ( Acts 5:15-16)

In Lystra and Derbe

8 “In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.” (Acts 14:8-10)
 

“When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.” (Acts 8:6-7)

36″ In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.” (Acts 9:36-41)

So what is the point? The point is that there has to be a time when we not only claim to serve a living God but we begin to be lead by Him and to Live in Him.Jesus said that the disciples would do greater works than He did and they did exactly that by sending the gospel out to all the nation’s and reaching the gentiles in the name of Jesus. They took Him for His word and we have to as well.

We all have different anointings and yet and this is for me first my brothers and sisters because Christ wrote this through me and for me heaven knows. I was asking our Lord why don’t I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit strongly as once I had and I realize that I have grown slack. Have you?

Let us take the words of Jesus as solid truth. Now we may not be called to raise the dead but if we walk in the Spirit we may be led to and would you question it? 

Remember Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

If He called us to do greater works than He did why are we stuck? Are our bodies living sacrifices to Him? Are we clean and willing vessels surrendered entirely to His will? Think on it my friends but I encourage us all to habitually walk in the Spirit. To walk in fact, like a Christian.

Little Seeds of Peace

Let’s face it folks many people are suffering and yet many people are out there giving. I read an article today that moved my heart and convicted me at the same time. Then I read scripture that as the Lord does by the power of His Holy Spirit confirmed that conviction, until a change took place.

In the article I read, a woman from a borough in New York had passed away and her family was in other states and the funeral home wanted to know if anyone would like to contribute to the funeral in any way.

I was so thankful to come across this article and to hear that so many people provided for this family especially towards the honor of someone they didn’t even know. The questions that came to my mind were are these people Christians? As a Christian would I have been so willing? And if not what’s the deal?

I began to think back to a situation I had just last night. A brother in Christ from an undeveloped country had asked me for money and after being asked on numerous occasions I had had about enough and my mind went racing out of control.

“What if he’s a scammer?”, “When does he ever speak about God?”, “Why doesn’t he ask other people for help?”, “I’m not a bank!”

As I write this I feel a sense of guilt and shame at my responses. When I began to reflect as well on how I told him I had no money to give to him, (not because I didn’t but because I had donated money to other causes and felt that I had done “enough”) and of all the articles I sent to him in the name of assisting him (in some non monetary manner), on organizations that have been sending his country financial help and assistance, I thank the Lord that I am not Ananias or Sapphira from the book of Acts. God could have killed me right there and His action would have been just. Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace.

The book of Acts is where I was led to by God this very morning. The exact verses where the believers are sharing among one another and then Ananias and Sapphira under the appearance that they were true disciples giving all they had to give and keeping no portion for themselves dropped dead after lying before God.

³² Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one [of them] claimed that anything belonging to him was [exclusively] his own, but everything was common property and for the use of all. ³³ And with great ability and power the apostles were continuously testifying to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace [God’s remarkable lovingkindness and favor and goodwill] rested richly upon them all. ³⁴ There was not a needy person among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them, and bringing the proceeds of the sales ³⁵ and placing the money down at the apostles’ feet. Then it was distributed to each as anyone had need.

³⁶ Now Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), ³⁷ sold a field belonging to him and brought the money and set it at the apostles’ feet.

Fate of Ananias and Sapphira

5 Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, ² and with his wife’s full knowledge [and complicity] he kept back some of the proceeds, bringing only a portion of it, and set it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and [secretly] keep back for yourself some of the proceeds [from the sale] of the land? ⁴ As long as it remained [unsold], did it not remain your own [to do with as you pleased]? And after it was sold, was the money not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this act [of hypocrisy and deceit] in your heart? You have not [simply] lied to people, but to God.” ⁵ And hearing these words, Ananias fell down suddenly and died; and great fear and awe gripped those who heard of it. ⁶ And the young men [in the congregation] got up and wrapped up the body, and carried it out and buried it.

⁷ Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter asked her, “Tell me whether you sold your land for so much?” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” ⁹ Then Peter said to her, “How could you two have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” ¹⁰ And at once she fell down at his feet and died; and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ And great fear and awe gripped the whole church, and all who heard about these things.” (Acts 4:32-5:11)

In these verses we see that the believers who called on the name of the Lord Jesus were together, of one Spirit working to help one another and in the act of giving without holding anything back. We also see that Joseph was renamed Barnabas as a sign to us that we all should be encouraged to give so generously and so freely.

My sin was the same as Ananias’ and Sapphira’s, in that I was giving God less credit than He deserved and less faith in His ability to care for my needs and to provide me with His divine discernment through the power of His Holy Spirit. My plan as well was to keep to myself what was and is rightfully the Lord’s under the guise of doing something “righteous” and “helpful”.

My decision this day was to seek God’s forgiveness, to apologise to my brother for my less than ideal behavior, to give praise to God for his allowing me to live and to turn away from my sin, and for helping me to be blessed with something to give.

So today I encourage you to pray, to give, and to rely on the Lord’s fulfillment of your needs. Also I pray that as in Acts 5:11 we too (myself first and foremost) will continue to look on the fate of Ananias and Sapphira with “fear and “awe” in Jesus name. Amen.

It is true that today we live in a world where scammers are a multitude, times are hard for everyone, and money is scarce. Understandable. But I know from my own experience (this one and others), that we all have something to give that we think may not be much, but to someone else it will be the world.

I encourage you my brothers and sisters to give without holding back and without considering anything your own. If you have a smile albeit toothless, give it freely. If you have a talent, a word of encouragement, a voice to pray, praise or sing, if you have a dollar or a hundred, or a few pennies whatever, give without thinking too much about what you may be losing.

There are people who need you today. There is someone out there who will see your little as millions of moments of joy in their lives. Let us share amongst one another and seek out the needs of our brothers and sisters and all those in the world who have needs. We cannot help all the world, but let us through our giving begin to plant, little seeds of peace. They may just be the breath of life, someone else is needing.

Nowhere Worthy

Wandering You found me Lord.

Lost out in a desert,

I once called home.

You saw through to the heart of me.

I collapsed, weakened to my knees.

With You, I am never alone.

I called You King.

I called You Mighty.

I said all manner of words, I did not know.

You saw me wandering,

You saw me lonely,

I could not turn back.

Where would I go?

Torn apart You found me Lord.

Holding on tightly.

To a blade of grass caught, up, in a strong wind.

You looked down into me, from the heavens.

Your hand held out large enough, to shelter me in.

You calmed the winds, right there with a whisper.

I held onto Your pinky, with a trembling grip.

I called You King.

I called You Mighty.

I said all manner of words, I did not know.

You saw me shaking and battered,

You saw me all alone,

I could not turn back.

Where would I go?

Filthy, smelling, and soiled with sin,

You saw me Lord.

Hiding away from You in the octopus ink, of dark.

Your eyes met mine with a smile,

Enflaming my soul to dance, in Your arms of feather, and stone.

Chilled down to my core,

You held onto me tightly.

As Your strong voice, sang me, sweetly home.

I called You Savior.

I called You Redeemer.

I called You all manner of names,

I at once, came to know.

You saw my sin.

You called me home.

Not looking back now.

Nowhere worthy, of You to go.

You saw my sin.

You still called me home.

No turning back now.
Nowhere else worthy, of You to go.

The University of Christ

Through the power of the Holy Spirit I have compiled a list of three foundations so to speak that we believers stand on in our walk of faith and have included bible verses to share with all of you to help you in your own walk. These verses are some of those that have helped me to get through the dark moments in my life and the struggles that we all may face in some of the seasons of our walk with Christ. My prayer is that they will be helpful to you as well or that you might share them with a new believer in Christ or a seasoned believer that is struggling. God’s grace and peace be with you all. In Jesus name. Amen.

I. God is the Foundation of My Life.

• Wisdom & Understanding (Job 28:28)
• Building on A Solid Foundation (Matthew 7:25-27)
• Taking Thoughts Captive (2 Corinthians 10:5)
• Praying in Private (Matthew 6:5-6)
• Living As Children of The Light (Ephesians 4:17-32)
• Living In The Light (Ephesians 5:1-20)
• The Whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)
• I Am Saved (Romans 10:9-10)
• Press Toward The Goal (Philippians 3:13-14)
• Don’t Worry (Philippians 4:6-7)
• Fix Your Thoughts (Philippians 4:8-9)
• Living By the Spirits Power (Galatians 5:22-26)
• The Narrow Gate (Matthew 7:13-14)
• Jesus is the Way (John 1:1-9, Acts 4:12, John 14:6, John 6:22-59)
• For My Good (Romans 8:28)
• My Faith is in Christ (Romans 10:9,10)
• Victory in Christ (Romans 8: 26-39)
• Christ Lives in Me (Galatians 2:20)
• Christ Died For Me (John 3:16)
• God’s Love For Me is Eternal (Romans 8:31-39)
• I Am Precious To God (Psalm 139)

II. Love for Others

• Love is the Greatest (1 Corinthians 13)
• Do Not Judge Others (Matthew 7:1-6)
• The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12)
• Judge Correctly (John 7:24)
• When Angry (Matthew 5:21-26, James 3:5-12)
• God is love (1 John 4:7-20)
• Love Fulfills The Law (Romans 13:8)
• Value Others Above Yourself (Philippians 2:3)
• Love Them All (Matthew 5:43-48)

III. My Body is God’s Temple

• I Am a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• A Living Sacrifice (Romans 12)
• Eating & Drinking (1 Corinthians 10:31)
• Godliness (1 Timothy 4:8)
• The Lamp of the Body (Matthew 6:22-23)
• Christ Exalted (Philippians 1:20)
• The Attitude of Christ (Philippians 2:1-11)
• Discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
• The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

Lay Down Your Burden

16 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. ² They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. ³ They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. ⁴ I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, ⁵ but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ⁶ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. ⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸ When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin, because people do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; ¹¹ and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

¹⁶ Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

¹⁷ At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” ¹⁸ They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

¹⁹ Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? ²⁰ Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. ²¹ A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. ²² So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. ²³ In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ²⁴ Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

²⁵ “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. ²⁶ In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. ²⁷ No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. ²⁸ I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

²⁹ Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. ³⁰ Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

³¹ “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. ³² “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16)

Jesus came to this Earth from heaven to tell us like it is and to He has left His Holy Spirit with us to continue to tell us like it is.

In verse 16 of the book of John Jesus is speaking to his disciples but if we are indeed followers of Christ we too are His disciples and must listen to His words.

Jesus begins by telling the disciples that He is letting them know all of these things that would cause anyone to fall away so that they would not fall away. Things like excommunication from the synagogue which would effect the disciples economically as well as religiously and also persecution even to their death. This all sounds like doom and gloom until we remember that Jesus Himself is the light at the end of the tunnel.

The disciples were in sorrow, grief, and great distress and in their minds their was no hope for a time was coming when Jesus would no longer be with them. But then Jesus lets them know that He would not be leaving them alone but that they would have His Holy Spirit with them for all of their time here on earth. His Holy Spirit would comfort them, teach them and lead them into all truth while He is away, and advocate for them to the Father.

Jesus promised to the Disciples as He promises to you today that He is on your side and you are not left alone.

“I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.” (John 14:18)

If the world is heavy on your back and your arms are worn out from trying to hold it upright, look upwards and place it into the hands of the one who hasn’t promised that it would be easy to bare but the one who has promised to hold it up for you if you only believe and trust in Him to do so.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus lays on us all a light burden of laying all of our troubles down and trusting in Him to take them and to give us rest. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is release the world from our shoulders, from our hearts, and from our minds.

We hate the burden and yet we find comfort in the pain. Sometimes the thought of peace can in fact be a scary place. We see happiness as fleeting and the weight in our chest is something we have come to know all too well. It’s a welcome foe we can’t seem to shake.

Jesus understands and He is calling you to stumble to His side. He knows that your feet are weak but He also knows that His Holy Spirit within you is strong and willing no matter what you are facing. He has not left you alone. If you fall flat on your face today please make certain that its at the foot of the cross where He died for you so that you might have peace overflowing even today.

Let down your burden.

Lay it down to the ground.

Come to Jesus where there is peace, and hope to be found.

He is the joy when no one else can be found.

Let down your burden.

Let down your burden.

Come now to Jesus so His joy and peace may abound.

Be blessed my brothers and sisters.

God-Conscious

There’s a friend of mine who has struggled with self consciousness all of her life. She has battled with lies from the enemy like “I’m worthless & ugly.”, “Nobody likes me.”, “I’m a screw up & a failure.”, “I’m fat and refuse to go outside.” She has gone to many a pity party and even invited some people over to crash. If you said hey, “that sounds a lot like me.”, guess what? Me too because yeah I’m that friend.

You might see my picture up here and think: she looks happy and perhaps somewhat attractive but I have a secret to tell. That’s me alright, but more like me from two years ago.

Two years ago I was 5’3, 130lbs. Two years, too many hostess cupcakes, chocolate chip cookie dough ice creams, and extravagant 5 star Chinese takeout dinners later, I’m 5’3 250lbs.

So that picture you see has changed quite a lot. I keep it up for two reasons. The first being that after being self conscious for years even after being at a decent BMI it’s the only picture of me I have. The second being that through God I have a goal to not only get back to that weight through diet change and exercise, but to be healthy and be able to reach out to others in need without being unable to breathe and in need of help myself.

Through God I have also, believe it or not developed an even more worthwhile goal than those. To love myself in the skin God gave me no matter what the size or shape I’m in. That my friends I’m finding is the best place to be, and without God’s strength and even at times I have to admit it, with God’s strength, I am finding it the hardest shoes to fill. But little by little as my friends I’m sure will tell, I’m becoming less and less self conscious because my heart is turning to a place of God consciousness.

Turning to God-consciousness is realizing that God loves you no matter what the world thinks of you or sees on the outside.

⁷ “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Being God conscious is learning that God’s thoughts about you are precious and that it doesn’t matter what anyone says about you, no matter what thoughts are in your head telling you that you need to look a certain way or be a certain thing, or what their Instagram selfies or LinkedIn profiles are like, you are worth so much more to the very creator of the universe who calls everything He made “good”.

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.” (Psalm 139:17-18)

“So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31)

“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31)

God consciousness removes our shame of being who we are. We begin to see that God loves us and accepts us for who we are, and we begin to take refuge in that until it becomes the only thing that matters and makes a difference.

God sees your tears and loves you. God hears your fears and loves you. God sees your love handles, your struggles with binging, your struggle with eating, God sees your scars, sees your sins, sees your weaknesses, sees your doubts, sees your frustrations, sees your fears, sees your hopes, and all of your daydreams that never came to pass and guess what? He still loves you and accepts you as you are.

I opened myself up just now to let you in on some of my own struggles and I have said it before they may not be yours but hey, who are we kidding? We all have something we’re struggling with.

You can share with me your struggles and I can pray for you. God wants us you to be God conscious and come to Him where you are, how you are.

Whether you’re a seasoned believer or a hesitant convert it doesn’t make a difference to God because He loves you and is waiting and that will never change.

We can all get caught up in ourselves but there is hope in Christ. Trust in Him and find peace in being God conscious.

Being God-reliant and God- conscious takes the focus off of ourselves so we can pour out our hearts for others instead of comparing ourselves to them or getting lost in the lack of our own circumstances.

“So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working with clay at the wheel. ⁴ He was making a pot from clay. But there was something wrong with the pot. So the potter used that clay to make another pot. With his hands he shaped the pot the way he wanted it to be.

⁵ Then this message from the Lord came to me: ⁶ “Family of Israel, you know that I can do the same thing with you. You are like the clay in the potter’s hands, and I am the potter.” (Jeremiah 18: 3-6)

Join me in being God conscious. I’m on the way there and I am finding it free because I get the chance to let go and let God, form me into the person He always meant me to be.

The Peace He Brings

Life is throwing us for loops every single day. There are ups, there are downs, there are triumphs and victories, there are moments of tears and deserts of despair.

The word of God says in Proverbs 14:30 “a calm and peaceful and tranquil heart is life and health to the body.”

It may seem you have nothing left to give my friend but in Christ who fed the 5,000 on the grass with more than enough food left over for days (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-34, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-15) you have more than enough.

Our worries and our concerns do nothing but make us sick, tired, depressed, and weakened. We are to find our sense of calm and peace in Christ.

When Jesus faced affliction, mockery, and death He was quiet. He had full reliance on God and was given life.

Quench your thirst on the fountain of life. Jesus calls you to drink. (John 14:14)

Feed from the bread of life. Jesus calls you to eat. (John 6:35)

²⁷ “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Be blessed to be a blessing today my friend and may you lead, live, and love in His peace. In Jesus name. Amen.

Comment Below: What is making it difficult right now for you to live in peace and where do you find peace when you have none?

The Way. The Truth. The Life.

People are telling you to believe in Jesus and to trust in Jesus and you are asking yourself why?

People are calling you to watch church sermons and listen to worship songs and you pass them right on by.

I was there once upon a time myself. To be honest there have been times even though I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior where my feelings are just not in it. So yeah, I get it.

I have been blessed with Borderline Personality Disorder and if you do some research online not many people who live with it or have friends who have it would call it a blessing. But I do. Because I have found my true identity in the Lord.

Relationships are difficult for me. I go through times when I don’t want to get out of bed or leave the house because I get depressed.

Sometimes I start tasks and don’t finish them and sometimes I get anxiety to reach out and contact someone or pick up the phone. So as you can imagine my relationship with God is sometimes on the fence and difficult for me to maintain.

However, every day His mercies are renewed and when I cling to Him I find strength I never had. Also I am finding that as I continue to feed my relationship with Him all the others fall into place as all things fall into place when you find Him.

Maybe you don’t have a mental illness and are living the life. That’s great but my friend you are still in need of a Savior.

“All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Sinning means to fall short of the mark of a close relationship with God. But Christ came so that our relationship with God the Father can be restored.

When I found Christ I was in an abusive relationship, looking for satisfaction in drugs, and on what seemed like a never ending search for love in all the wrong people, places, and things.

Then Jesus found me. He saved me from the enemies in my mind and He continues to shower me with His love, His grace, and His mercy. In Him I have found life, peace, and joy. I now know that there is no love greater than the love He has shown me and that’s how I know His love is ready and waiting for you.

His love is a free gift that is satisfying and constant. This is why I can call my illness a blessing today because I know that in Christ I can help someone who maybe is having a difficult time themselves, because I have been there, and because I know the power of the grace of God that has saved me and set me free.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Jesus is the way to our Heavenly Father through His death on the cross and through His resurrection from the dead.

Jesus is the truth and the revelation of God for He is the word and His Holy Spirit is a gift that leads us into all truth.

Jesus is the life that we need that fulfills us when darkness is the only thing that we see and their is a void within us that only He can fill. (John 14:6)

“So while it is said, TODAY [while there is still opportunity] IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART.” (Hebrews 3: 15 Amplified Bible)

Jesus died on the cross for you and shed His blood so you could have eternal life coursing through your veins and find everlasting fulfillment in Him today and ever after even until after you take your last breath.

“And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” (1 John 2:17)

We are all facing a battle and a hard time right now. There is darkness all around us and you may have found there was darkness in your life even before the coronavirus hit us.

Maybe this is the first time you’re realizing how quickly life can change and how precious are the moments we have to spend with one another, and how the things of this life can be given to us quickly then be taken away just as fast.

There is one thing that can never be removed and that is the love that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“For God so [greatly] loved you and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten son that when you believe and trust in Him [as Savior] you shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

The wages of sin is death. And that is eternal separation from God forever.

God is calling you to have a relationship with Him. I have learned that all relationships get better through Him for He is love and showers us with His love so we are fulfilled and so we can love others better.

I invite you to accept the challenge of inviting Jesus into your life.

Do you want life? Do you need healing? Do you need light to shine in your darkness? Do you have a void in your soul that nothing in this world is managing to fill?

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life who is all things and has come to give you life in abundance (John 10:10)

All you have to do is “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

For, “In Him was the life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].” (John 1: 5 Amplified Bible)

Who doesn’t need light in their life? I know I do and I have found it through Jesus Christ.

Why not accept the challenge and take the plunge? Trust in Him not in me and you will never be the same again. You will never be disappointed and in Him you will find rest for your weariness and peace for your soul.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me [following me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST (renewal, blessed quiet) FOR YOUR SOULS. For My Yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29 AMP)

Come to Him.

He waits.

Stuck By The Water

Jesus Heals a Lame Man

5 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. ² Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. ³ Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. ⁵ One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

⁷ “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

⁸ Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

Immediately the man was healed and recovered his strength and picked up his mat and walked.” (John 5:1-9)

The lame man in these verses was stuck by the water that could bring his legs healing for 38 years and yet he couldn’t get there to be healed. So Jesus came to him and reversed all of that.

Today you may be feeling like this man did: stuck. You may be looking for healing for your friends, your family, your coworkers, yourself, or the world. But Jesus is right there with you.

Let your heart run to Him today even if there is no strength in your legs left to walk and ask Him for the healing only He can bring.

The one question Jesus asked of the man was, “do you want to be well?” If Jesus asked you the same question what would your reply be?

Sometimes we can get stuck and get comfortable being where we are but my friend Jesus wants you to remain encouraged for just as He was the God of healing then, He is the same God of healing now.

If you find yourself stuck by the waters let it not be for 38 minutes let alone 38 years. Be encouraged and run to Jesus for surely your lips will sing His praises again when He tells you to pick up your mat and walk up and out, of the waters.