FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 22)

FRESH START TODAY – Humble Yourself?

1 Peter 5:6-9, Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. NIV

The topics have been a humbling experience for me in that I do not feel worthy!  When I begin to write I never know what thoughts are coming out of my head.  Yesterday at church I heard a wonderful sermon by the Senior Pastor where we are attending and then I became very depressed afterwards. We are going to be leaving for the summer to be Campground Hosts in Northern Arizona and I will truly miss the church.  We will not be able to attend church for the next seven months due to the fact that we work every weekend.  Marty told me yesterday that we are no longer church leaders and he encouraged me to accept this transformation in our life.  My heart tells me that as long as we are alive we will be given opportunities to serve the Lord and love His people.  The roaring lion is keeping us inactive, but is He really?  Do I need to humble my heart more under God’s mighty hand?    Maybe you have had some of these same feelings?  I know that they do not honor the Lord Jesus Christ, but are self serving! We need to cast

all our anxiety on Him because He care for us.  We are to be self-controlled and alert!

My greatest gift is being able to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  I will be reading my Bible, praying for you, my friends, and talking with people that the Lord may bring to the campground that needs encouragement.  Jesus did tell us to go into the entire world and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We will be on mission with Jesus.  The roaring lion attacked me yesterday and now I know that he did.  We owe Jesus Christ everything!  I will pray for the wonderful believers at the church as we leave and I am asking for God’s blessings and protection.

When I read the Psalms of king David I am reminded that he often was frustrated when he began a Psalm and then at the end he was praising the Lord. His heart was human and needing the gentle guidance of a loving God.  When you cry out to God He knows what our heart needs in times of weakness.  (Psalm 142)

The part of the Scripture that I am encouraged by is that God will lift you up in due time.  We will find joy in the presence of a Holy God and how He lifts you up is His choice.  You know that it is the activity of God when a blessing comes that is unexpected.  You cannot out give what the Holy Spirit wants to do through your life.  When He is in control then you witness the power of Jesus Christ, because He is the ONLY one that changes a heart.  I have been praying for my son’s heart to change and his estranged wife, so now I will sit back to watch the activity of the Holy Spirit.  Right now it does not seem that there is an answer coming, but it has to be God’s timing.  Do you have a loved one that is suffering?  Pray for them first to be reconciled to God and then to change the circumstances just enough that they will know that God’s Holy Spirit is real to them in their life.

My personal prayer is that Marty and I will be able to continue to serve the Lord according to God’s will and plan.  I miss my husband’s preaching, but I have tapes that I can listen to and still be blessed.  He is awesome, but maybe it is because I love him.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 21) Partial author is Marty Nordloh

FRESH START TODAY…  What is being in Need really mean?

Yesterday my husband and I were casually talking about the Scripture for this week when he said that it might be interesting to talk about the living conditions the writer of these Scriptures experienced in his daily life.  What was it like in the best of living conditions or the worst of living conditions in the time he lived? 

Consider Paul’s comments about living in plenty and living in want.  In the height of his plenty he may have lived in a palace, he may have lived in a house of the time, he probably lived in one of the tents he made, and lastly we know that he did live in prison a few times.

Think about a palace; you have probably seen on TV and/or in the movies the great palaces of the Roman Empire and other opulent royalty as well.  Beautiful polished stonewalls, sometimes draped with magnificent curtains, drapes, or banners.  Huge fireplaces and elegant furniture strategically placed around about.  Brilliantly polished marble floors and large open windows looking down upon the streets below.   Allow your imagination to work for a few moments.

Think about a house; the houses of Paul’s day were made of bricks made of mud and straw.  The floors were dirt that had been smoothed, sprinkled with water, trampled smooth with bare feet, then covered or not, with furs or rugs.  The furniture was simple in nature and each usually served many purposes.  The windows were openings that were covered with curtains that could be opened during the day and drawn closed at night.  The roof was usually made of long poles with long reed grass woven into a ceiling/roof.   There would have been a fireplace built into the wall that provided heat and a place for cooking.  Again let your imagination work for a few moments.  

Think about a tent; Paul was a tent maker by trade and most likely lived in a tent for several years of his life.  Tent living of that day was not like tent living today.  The tents were considerably larger and more spacious than what we think about when we go camping.  They were more like the military tents of this day.  Living inside a tent was very much like living inside a house of the day with the exception that the walls were made of fabric or skins of some sort.  Furniture was rare.  You most likely sat on a skin or a rug on the floor propped up by a pillow of sorts.   Imagination time again. 

Think about a prison; Marty and I lived in Brindisi, Italy for 2 ½ years during the earlier years of our marriage when he was in the United States Air Force.  We visited Venice, Rome, Naples. Pompei, Bari, Brindisi and toured the backcountry in many places of this ancient country.  When we were in Rome we were able to go into many places in the Coliseum that now they have stopped the tourism due to the deterioration.  On one tour that we took we actually went down into one of the dudgeons that they state that Paul had been imprisoned in.  We climbed down a wooden pole ladder through a hole in the ground floor of a building that was about 2 feet in diameter, into a dark, damp, smelly room that was roughly circular in shape.  Around the outer edge of the room was a ledge that was used to set and/or sleep upon.  There were chains anchored into the wall that were used to shackle both feet and hands.  There were no lights, save little indentations with candles.  The guide told us that Paul wrote some of the letters to the churches here in this prison.  It was musty, dark and a person that may be 6 feet tall would have to bend over to walk around in it.

In none of these places was there fresh running water to drink.  There were no water heaters to provide for a hot shower or bath.  There were no gas stoves and skillets to fry the chicken or a steak upon.  The beds they slept in were not Tempur Pedic, Sleep Number, or Serta.  There were no forced air furnaces to keep you warm, or air conditioners to keep you cool.  Think about what you consider living in plenty or living in want today means.

Take a few moments to stop and thank God for what you do have, because what you do have today that you probably consider tough would very probably compare to the plenty that Paul was thinking about when he wrote the words of today’s Scripture.  

Phil 4:11-13,  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. NIV

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 20)

FRESH START TODAY… Does Jesus strengthens you in the good times?

Philippians 4:11-13, Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:  I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. NKJV

Do you believe that God can strengthen you in the good times, or do you just call on Him when you are weak?  I am asking myself that same question.  The Word is talking about our physical circumstances that we face through our lifetime.  Jesus Christ is the only one who can give us strength through the struggles and jubilation times in our life!  Why would we want Jesus Christ to give us strength in times of great joy when are experiencing being well fed?  Do we tend to forget the loving Savior when are experiencing great joy?  Do we say, “Oh, look what I have done?”  God gave the gift of life to us and all good things come from Him as believers. 

I remember when we owned a beautiful home in Las Vegas, NV and we had just had it remodeled.  I would sit in what I called my prayer chair and praise the Lord for what we had been given.  My eyes would roam across the room and see a beautiful room of pictures, flowers on the walls and the new furniture we had just purchased.  I finally had the china hutch I had always dreamed of having one day.  I praised Him on a daily basis, but I always stated that He meant more to me than these material blessings.  Marty and I decided to sell our home and furniture to buy a 5^th wheel and travel.  This was a dream that we wanted.  We traveled for about 10 months, and then Marty was called to be the pastor of a small church in Nash, OK.  We knew that God wanted us there even though it might be for a short time.  We received many blessings, but also struggled with not being totally accepted in the community.  In the eyes of some people we were considered outsiders from “Sin City” who had invaded the area, so we left after 3 years of ministry.  I look back now and know that the lives we touched were God’s plan of healing some hearts.  We left part of our hearts with those we grew to love in the Lord.  May the Lord continue to bless these special people!  The two books that have been published came from the time we lived in Nash.  Was my relationship with Jesus more than gold to me?

When we are given much then much is required as stated in this next scripture.  (Luke 12:48, From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. NIV)

We need the strength and wisdom of Jesus Christ during the times of jubilation, so that we do not fall into the snare and temptation of the devil.  Pride is a human downfall and we sometimes forget to praise and honor the Lord when we experience great wealth and honor.  Let us never forget to draw on the strength of Jesus Christ in all situations in our lifetime.  The Lord may never ask you to give up your materials blessings.

The fresh start today message is not to be prideful of the blessings that you receive, but be thankful for the relationship that you have with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who will give you strength in all that you do. The Scriptures say, “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.”

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 19)

FRESH START TODAY... Are you at peace in any situation?

Philippians 4:11-13, I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. NIV

The Scripture this week comes from a letter addressed to the church of Philippi, written by Paul.  It seems that Paul used to get himself in all kinds of situations as he traveled to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Before his encounter with Christ, he came from a rich family; he was a zealous Pharisee attempting to destroy the new church that came out of faith from the crucified and resurrected Christ Jesus.  Then he had a personal encounter with the Savior that changed the direction he was taking in his life.  An encounter with the Savior changes the directions of every believer’s life. The journey will be challenging, but very rewarding.  A word picture that describes this is like trying to get a child to ride a pony. This could scare them at first, but the pony ride becomes fun!  Just get on the ride with Jesus and you will be blessed.

Can you identify with Paul?  Have you taken chances when serving the Lord?  Have you been knocked down?  Have you had what seemed to be unanswered prayers?  Have you been hungry?  Have you lost a job?  Has a friend turned on you?  Have you had times when there has been money in your pocket to burn?  Have you been blessed by people recognizing that you have a gift that has encouraged them?  Life is definitely full of ups and downs isn’t it?  What has been your attitude?  Paul tells us about his attitude. WOW! How do we get to have an attitude like Paul?  He said that he had learned to be content in every situation.  This is hard to do!  He said that there is a secret and then he states the secret!  “I CAN DO EVERYTHING THROUGH HIM (JESUS) WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.”  This strength comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit’s that lives in every true believer.  Are you a believer? You are the only one that can answer that question.

We worry, fight with people, we get hurt feelings, we feel neglected, we feel life has been unfair to us, so we react to these situations. To tell you truth, I really did not want to write about this subject.  This is an area where I am weak.  If you do not struggle with these shortcomings, then I congratulate you for your wonderful attitude and I praise the Lord for giving you His absolute peace!  Maybe you have not reacted to every situation well, but just a few of them? You know that I am just trying to make a point that we all are human in nature and struggle.  The wisdom that He wants to give to us is for our taking if we mentally and spiritually crawl up in His gentle caring lap.  I will join you to repent of my weakness asking for His strength.

I know when I read of the encounter that Jesus faced during His mock trial, knowing he was facing death; I marvel at the gentle turning away that Jesus had for his own life.  He knew the bigger picture, because He was God in the flesh.  He looked down through time at every face that would accept His love and He made an unselfish decision for you and me.  He loves us and I know that I do not deserve this unconditional love.  I have done nothing nor will I do anything that would merit this kind of sacrifice and love.  Choose today to start fresh with the attitude of being content in all situations.  You now know the secret to being content.  Start fresh today to draw on the strength that only the Holy Spirit gives us as we face each new day.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 18)

FRESH START TODAY – The proactive decision to be transformed

You need to decide today to not surrender to the selfishness that the world encourages.  I am reminded this morning about the temptation that Jesus encountered with Satan during the 40 days in the desert.  The devil tempted Jesus when he was extremely hungry and physically weak during those 40 days with promises that an average person could not resist.  When we get desperate we tend to grip and hold on to things that could be harmful to us.  This study on the topic of FRESH START TODAY is intended to encourage you to ‘Let Go and Let God”.

The first temptation asked of Jesus was to turn a stone to bread if He was truly the Son of God. (Matthew 4:4, Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’.” NIV) The devil took Jesus next to holy city and they stood on the highest point of the temple saying if you are the Son of God throw yourself down. (Matthew 4:7, Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’.” NIV) The devil then showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offered them to Jesus if He would bow down and worship him?  (Matthew 4:10, Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!  For it is written:  “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’.” NIV) Then the devil left Jesus immediately!

Did you notice that Jesus won this battle with the devil over the promises that seem to be part of what the world offers? (Romans 12:2, Do not any longer conform to patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV) Did the battle that Jesus experienced and His words tell you how and what we, as believers, should be doing?  Jesus clearly stated that we are to devour the Word of God, we are not to test God for unreasonable requests and we are to Worship God only!  We do not do it, because we get busy doing what the world wants us to do. (Bent Under Satan’s Yoke.) This acronym is not my original quote.

I received a phone call the first thing this morning from our son regarding serious circumstances that he is facing right now.  I could not handle the phone call, so I turned the call over to his dad.  It was the best thing I could have done because during their conversation a call interrupted their conversation that relieved the current situation.  The activity of the Holy Spirit took over and now I praise the Lord for His intervention. 

The devil is active, but Jesus has already won this battle for believers a long time ago.  My first thought was not to write a blog today, but I just could not allow God’s enemy to win.  My reasonable service to the Lord is to write out of obedience to Him.  People need to know that we should not surrender to the lies that are thrown at us, as believers.  The power of the Holy Spirit in us is our strength.  Do not surrender to the world and what it throws at you!  Surrender only to the Savior who has our backs covered.  You first must proactively confess your previous rebellion against God and trust in what Jesus has already done for you.  Problems happen to test our faith in the love Jesus totally provided for us on the cross, so praise Him in these times that seem to be out of control. (Psalms 145:1-3) 

What would happen if every believer in the world today would completely surrender to the power that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ?  Humanity alone cannot do anything without Him!  Our best performance alone is useless.  Decide today to be proactive to understand and grasp the mind of Christ.  Read the Word of God, pray and believe it!

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 17)

FRESH START TODAY…  What is on Your Mind today?

Our mind is the fastest and most unique computer that has ever been created!  Some people remember everybody’s birthday in their families and friends.  Have you ever noticed that some people will repeat an offense to you over and over again?  I have had people tell me about an offense repeatedly, because they really do not know how to let it go. If you were to say, “Let it Go” to the person it may just paralyze the mind and they may withdraw from the conversation.  Pray that the peace and words of the Holy Spirit reach the heart of the person to help them find resolution.  Our job is not to fix a person, but just to listen at times. The Holy Spirit may give you the words of wisdom that could help lift the burden that they are carrying when it is given in genuine love. Jesus wants to carry it for them.

What you place in your mind is your choice, but do those thoughts lift you up or keep you in bondage?  People talk negatively to their selves and it is not good.  I know that it has not been good for me.  My suggestion is that you refer back to Philippians 4:8.   Do you worry?  Jesus gave us an answer that is found in the book of Matthew.

Matt 6:25-27,  "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? NIV

All right, here are my thoughts for today!  I remember when I was a little girl I worried about dad living long enough for me to grow up, because I felt safe when he was around.  You may ask, “Why”?  He was 54 years old when I was born.  Do you understand now?  He was the shining light in my world as a child, but not so much to my older siblings.  He was a different dad to them, I have learned, getting closer to them, as we all have grown older.  There are many years that span our ages.  My oldest brother was 26 years older and another brother is 4 years younger than I am.  All this to say is that being in the arms of my dad brought me peace and security.  I knew that I would have food to eat, a home to live in and a warm bed to sleep in at night.  I did not have to pay for any of these luxuries, either.  I trusted in the love that I received from both my mom and dad.  I know that some of you may not have had a positive life, but today you can have a fresh start.  Come into the world of the most loving family there is and that is the family of God.  Make a choice today to accept the love and security of a Heavenly Father that loves you today!  Place in your mind the words that are spoken through His love letters to you that are found in the Bible.  Jesus is the God-man that understands your worries, your bondage and your rebellion.  He has said to come to Him!  You can begin to renew your mind by surrendering to the truth of God’s words.  Do not conform to this world any longer, but be transformed into a new person in the arms of Jesus. (Romans 12:2)  To renew your mind takes time, but it can happen.  You just need to start to re-program this great computer by inputting the correct data.

My pray is that the Lord Jesus Christ gives you His peace and His freedom that releases you from bondage.  The Cross of Jesus does that for you as you surrender in faith to His powerful message of passion that He has for you.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 16)

FRESH START TODAY - Renewing your mind will change your heart’s condition

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV

This week’s verse will be challenging, but the FRESH START TODAY study has been preparing you to begin to really focus on renewing your mind.  If you have been memorizing the previous week’s scriptures, or at least re-reading them every day, you are in the beginning stages of changing your attitude.  God has a plan for you and the only way you will recognize it is by no longer conforming or accepting the patterns of this world.  We do live in the world, as believers, but we can choose not to believe the lies that are thrown at us every day.  You may have been a believer for a long time or just a short time, but at sometime you realize that we live in a dark world.  It is spurred on by information from the current media, which does not include the negative conversations we hear from people every day.  The people in the world and the negative activity can bring us down emotionally, physically and spiritually.  What do you really want to put in your mind? 

Where do you find your friends?  Most of us, as believers, find our friends in school, at work and/or at church.  What are they sharing with you?  Do they encourage your walk with the Lord?  Do they bring you down?  What do they see in you?  How many of them share their thoughts with you after reading the Bible?  How often do you share with friends your thoughts after you read Scripture? No? You do not share any thoughts regarding the scriptures that you read? No? You do not read Scripture?  I am sorry to say this, but you are still conforming to the ways of the world!

My pastor husband has said that some people are so “heavenly minded that they are of no earthy value”.  There needs to be a balance, because we do live in this world, but it is not our permanent home.  We do not need to become so religious that we cannot reach out to others that are just beginning or do not, understand the truth of God’s Word.  People stumble and fall, but need a helping hand to stand again, both physically and spiritually.

I am asking that you allow the Holy Spirit of God to renew your mind and this begins by focusing on the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit prepares our hearts for the truth to be accepted.  My great grandfather, Rev Braxton McCord Roberts, was a preacher in the mid 1800’s and here is what he preached one time. The title of the sermon was “The Adaptability of the Gospel to the Conditions of the Human Mind”. (Quoted by J.M. Maple in a book called “Missouri Baptist Biography”)  “He compared the human mind to a great temple having many compartments.  The Gospel of Christ must be heard, the understanding must be opened, and into all the various rooms and recesses, the truth must move until the will was reached and the conflict begun, and action resulted in receiving or rejecting the proffered blessings.”   This understanding comes only through the power of God’s Holy Spirit that is allowed to reach all those mental compartments.

Do you want to gain the wisdom of knowing and understanding the will of God? 

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 15)

FRESH START TODAY – Past experiences that helped you to grow!

I have been talking about not allowing the negative experiences control your thoughts that would leave you in spiritual, emotional and mental bondage!  I want to address the positive memories that have helped in your spiritual journey.  The “Experiencing God, Knowing and Doing the Will of God” study talks about you taking a spiritual vacation that marked the activity of God through your past experiences.  I have taken that kind of spiritual journey in the two books that I have written and the blessed people that have had an influence on me seeing God at work. 

My daughter and I have had some conversations about the books, both negative and positive.  We have now come to the agreement that no matter what we have done to serve the Lord does not compare to the work and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  We work and serve the Lord to Glorify Him, but that is too shallow a statement.  Why would a believer want to just Glorify God?  I used to make that statement, but in my heart I wanted to be noticed. Yes, this is a confession!  My heart continues to change from “What about me?” to “Hey, people what about Jesus?”  The knowledge through studying what GRACE has already given me began the transformation.  When I began reading the Old Testament this last year I realized that the life of an individual is only short lived compared to eternity.  (Note: Even if a person lives to be 100 years old) God is eternal and has been here from the beginning and He will be here until the end.  Jesus is the Alpha and Omega as stated in Revelation.

Revelation 22:12-13,  "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. NIV

I praise and marvel at the Lord in how He works through people that have surrendered their life to serving and caring for the people of God.  We are given spiritual gifts to build up the body of believers and to witness to those that still do not know the redemptive power of the Cross of Jesus.  We go through the power of justification when we accept, by faith, the works of Jesus Christ on the cross.  We must confess and pray that we have rebelled against the Holy God, and ask that Jesus Christ come into our heart, which will make Him Lord of our life.  The Holy Spirit will confirm our salvation by giving us His peace.  This step of faith is the activity of justification (just-as-if we-have never-sinned).  God does not see our past sin anymore.  We will then begin our sanctification from that moment forward.  Another way of saying this is that we begin our growth and relationship with a fair and powerful Savior.

Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus Christ will never remember our sins of the past anymore, so why should we, as believers?  Do you remember when you first heard about Jesus Christ?  Was it ever made clear that you are a sinner?  Your thoughts were never on God, were they?  That is because you had not been introduced to Him!  I would like you to know my friend Jesus Christ and how special He is to me.

Hebrews 8:12, For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.  NIV

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 14)

 FRESH START TODAY – You cannot change the Past

I began praying this morning and the Lord reminded me quickly that many people have traumatic experiences in their lives that keep them in emotional and spiritual bondage.  Those memories could include the loss of a child, a parent, being a victim of a crime, being abused or our military in a war zone.  The trauma brings them to the memory over and over again.  These kinds of past memories are very hard to let go of without professional help.  There is a saying that time heals everything, but that is not always true.  Why am I bringing up these possible memories?  Let me say up front, I am NOT a professional counselor and I respect those people that have been trained.  My blog is meant to help, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to view another way of looking at the past spiritually.  We all have some negative memories that we have not let go of that can be healed by viewing the traumatic experience of Jesus. His passion for us is not just that He died on a cross, but it goes deeper than these simple words.

There are two books that I have read, that began my journey on the message on the cross of Jesus Christ.  Max Lucado was the author of both of these books.  I keep one with me called “He Chose the Nails”, and the other one is called “The Grip of Grace”.  In the book called “He Chose the Nails”, the author goes through the details of the death of Jesus, the mocking of the crowd, the decision of death, the torture, the cross, the crown of thorns, the nails, the garments taken by the soldiers, the wine-soaked sponge, the two other crosses on either side of Him and the burial cloth.  Jesus Christ did all of this for you.  You may ask, “Did He really choose this extreme trauma for me?  Why?”  This is called the GRACE of Jesus Christ.  He was fully man and fully God, but He died as a man.  What was in this powerful, gracious, wonderful and loving man’s heart?  The heart of God who loves His people!  He understands any trauma you may experience.

Many of us will trust a person who may have experienced the same disappointments that we have had and survived to tell you that healing is possible.  This is why we have professional counselors and people with the wisdom that comes from God.  When we rise above our past memories it is much like being lifted out of a dark pit into the light.  We cannot change our past, but we can choose to have a fresh start today with God’s help.  We can find His Wisdom in the Word of God. (Philippians 3:13-14)

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” NIV

Yes, He has taken hold of your heart and God sees the heart of all that belong to Him!  May I encourage you to look deeper into the cross of Jesus, and then you will gain more wisdom about the heart of God.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 13)

The title for this week’s topic is “YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR PAST, but you can choose to have a FRESH START!

The scripture to focus on this week is found in Philippians 3:12-14, Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  (NIV).

 The fresh start of your spiritual relationship with God truly begins here at this point.  Our mind and heart need to be ready for today only, because it is very difficult to go forward if you are carrying any kind of past baggage.  The past memories can be full of wonderful events in your life that you do not want to forget, though.  My dad once said to me that if you have 51 ups and 49 downs then your life is successful. This statement can be very difficult to grasp if it seems your life is on a downward spiral.  On the other side of the coin, if you feel blessed and encouraged, it is not hard to understand.  Did you notice that we seem to understand and focus better when we are feeling blessed?  What causes the downward spiral?  Could it be sin, which is rebellion against God, or maybe wrong decisions or the enemies’ whispered lies? You decide for yourself the reason.

I sometimes feel like “Maverick” when he used to say “My pappy once said,” but here it goes again.  My dad would listen to me about difficult choices that I had made and he would just ask me, “What did you learn from this?” and waited for my answer.  When he approved of my reflection or solution he would say, “Now remember what you have concluded and move forward.”  We have all been given the ability to find the answers we need by God’s unique creation in mankind. We have even a greater gift of wisdom in the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, as believers.

We are all on a journey in this world and none of us really can obtain perfection.  The Scripture tells to take hold of Jesus the way He has taken hold of us.  My recommendation is that part of our way of taking hold of Jesus is through prayer and the reading of the Scriptures.  By doing this we are keeping in touch with our greatest friend we will ever have in this world.  Decide for yourself to forget the mistakes of your past and start fresh today with a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. If you have asked for God’s forgiveness then let it go!

FRESH START TODAY - (12th Blog)

Our computer has not been working for the last few days, so I have not be able to write a blog. My thoughts are being drawn to the scripture for this past week, which is found in Colossians 3:12-14, Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (NIV) 

I had a friend of mine tell me that it was boring for me to tell you what the scripture means, so I will allow the Holy Spirit to open your heart to His Wisdom!  This week I have attempted to read the scripture daily.  I wanted to be open to the Holy Spirit's heartfelt desire to teach what He wants me to understand.  These words of Wisdom has gotten me through some rough times and has blessed me. 

There may not be very many people reading this blog, so to those who are reading this blog I want to share my heartbreak!  Our son who was recently married on October 23rd is experiencing separation and has received a signed petition for divorce from his young pregnant wife. I do not know what happened and I attempted to intervene to minister to this young wife.  I was wrong, because I do not know her nor do I know the spiritual condition of her heart.  Our son, on the other hand, I do know and he is angry at God for allowing this to happen.  There is nothing I can say that can change his bitter heart towards the God that I love.  He has grown up believing that God answers prayers that way He wants God to answer them.  He states that all he has ever wanted was a family and to be married the rest of his life to one woman. This is his third marriage and possible divorce.  He keeps saying that God does not care about him and he is going to turn his back on God permanently if his prayers for reconcilation does not happen with this marriage.

I have been reading the scriptures and the Holy Spirit has given me a forgiving heart through this time.  I have been praying for both our son and daughter-in-law to first be senitive to God's touch of love and acceptance for each of them as individuals.  They both must realize that they both have rebelled against God and admit their wrong to Jesus Christ.  Maybe neither one of them are truly saved.  I do not know that, because I cannot look into their hearts like God can. I cannot tell them that, but the prompting of the Holy Spirit can and through the prayers of His HOLY and BELOVED people a miracle would be experienced.  As a believer I must trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to reach their hearts, before reconsilation can be possibly happen between these two people that are in disagreement with each other.  I am asking for your prayers.

We have real life experiences like this and Jesus told us that we would all have tribulations while we live in this dark world.  You may have experienced this kind of trouble, but the WISDOM of God gives us guidance.

In John 16 Jesus was speaking to His disciples about His coming death and the promise of sending the comforting Holy Spirit who would remind them of everything that He has shared while He was with them.  Jesus told them that He had much more to say to them, but at the end of the chapter He finalized this statement to the believers.  John 16:33, I have told you these things, so that you might have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (NIV)  We must accept this truth, as believers, by faith.  May God bless you and thank you for your prayers!

FRESH START TODAY - (11th Blog)

There is a saying that says 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life.'  So......Do you need a FRESH START?  I know that I do every day.  We can wake up deciding that we are going to have a positive relaxing attitude and be opened to encouraging others, or we can go the other direction.  What is your choice?  I decided to read the scripture for this week when I first awakened (Col 3:12-14) and it blessed me.  I guess the topic is to have compassion, be gentle, be humble and to have patience.  I am to forgive others as the Lord has forgiven me?  This is sometimes very hard to do if you have truly been hurt by the negative actions, attitude and words of another person.  We all can say, if we have lived very long, that this has happened to all of us, because it is the very nature of living in a dark world.  I would rather gravitate to the light for instruction rather than accept the dark ways of the world.

We sometimes dig into our emotional closets of the past and find memories of people's words that have hurt us.  Why do we really want to remember those experiences?  Do you realize that we remember the details of what we think was said rather then what was really said at times?  Marty and I had a conversation recently when I said something he said that he does not remember saying in the phrasing that I stated.  He stated what he really said in the context from which it came and it made clear sense to me, because I was NOT emotionally reacting to him when he repeated it.  Our emotions lie to us and the enemy of God takes advantage of our emotional status and words get misunderstood!  This happens frequently when we read the Bible.

Have you ever tried to justify something in your mind by quoting a scripture?  WARNING!  Do not just quote a scripture to make your point on a subject.  The scripture passage this week is an example of how rich the word of God really is in dealing with the need of our attitudes to be like Jesus Christ.  The book of Colissians is wonderful!  Chapter 3 starts out by saying "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God."  WOW!  I recommend that you read on through the entire chapter and then you will come across the focal passage that brightens the meaning of this powerful scripture!  You will see the bigger picture of God's Wisdom!  In fact, I recommend that go back and read the entire chapters of the focal passages of every scripture that I have asked you to read during the past three topics.  None of the focused scriptures are out of context of what has been said.  That is how you determine that it is truly from the Holy Spirit and NOT human interpretation

Surrender to the truth of God's Word and pray for understanding.  He will show His truth and help you through the changes that need to be made in your heart.  The Word of God is like a two-edged sword, which is found in:

Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (NIV)