A DEMON CALLED DOUBT
Heart to Heart
I surely know how it’s like to be hurt. I have been cheated on, betrayed, neglected, and lied to so many times in my life, by people who I thought loved me. I have been violated by those who were supposed to protect me.
I have all the excuse in this world to doubt people’s intentions, yet, if I choose to do so, I will not be able to build any relationship at all. If I choose to put up my wall so as not to be hurt again or deceived again, then I will also be preventing my heart from experiencing and even receiving love from others.
Doubt is a demon that was assigned by our enemy to torment you. It will rob you of your peace. It will steal your joy. It will cut off any future relationships from being built. It will destroy connections, even those connections that are Divine. Doubt is the opposite of faith. And since the Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6), then doubt displeases God for sure.
The big problem with doubt is that it is out to prove to you that it is right. When you start entertaining it, and even believing in it, you will be influenced to make that doubt happen. The very thing you doubt about will happen to you because you will make it happen. Let me explain this further. A woman who doubts that every man will cheat on her will set herself up for it. She will be pushing her man away by her doubts and suspicions and eventually he will choose another woman over her.
This cloud of doubt still comes to me every now and then but I choose to fight it and overcome. How do I overcome? I will teach you how.
First, I convince myself that this doubt is a lie. Then, I go back to the Word of God and speak truth over my doubt. One of my favorite Scriptures in overcoming doubt is 1 Corinthians 13:7 ... Love is ever ready to believe the best of every person. Next, I put my trust in Jesus and not on the person I have doubt about.
I am not saying that you should not be wise in your moves and that you should just trust everyone. In fact, the best way to overcome your doubt is to make sure that the person you are dealing with or the transaction you are getting into is from God. If you know that you are in God’s perfect will, then you can be assured that whatever happens, He has your back. You can check my video on “Being in God’s Perfect Will” for more teaching on this topic.
Another advice I can give you is do your research. Don’t just connect with someone or build a relationship with someone without checking on the person’s background. This way you will not be carrying your doubt with you all the time. It is not good to build any relationship on doubt.
If you are in doubt right now over a relationship, I strongly suggest that you throw that doubt out of the window. Stop blaming the other person for your doubt. He is not the one suffering but you. Speak words of faith over your situation. Proverbs 18:21 says: Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Finally, ask God to expose to you deep rooted issues on your doubt. Perhaps it is the abandonment you experienced from your parents. It may be your husband’s cheating, or a family member who molested you, or a friend who stole money from you. The list can go on and on. Your doubt is an indicator that there are unresolved issues within you that God wants to heal and deliver you from.
Again, ask God to expose your issues, and ask Him to heal and deliver you from this demon called doubt. Until you are delivered from it, you will be hindering yourself from experiencing love, joy, and peace to the fullest. You will also get in the way of Divine connections and appointments.
Don’t let the enemy steal from you any longer. Make a serious commitment to deal with that doubt issue by giving it to God, allowing Him to expose the issues within, obeying what He tells you about it, and following the advice I gave you.
It’s time to say good-bye to that doubt, for real!
~Lisa Maki~
I have all the excuse in this world to doubt people’s intentions, yet, if I choose to do so, I will not be able to build any relationship at all. If I choose to put up my wall so as not to be hurt again or deceived again, then I will also be preventing my heart from experiencing and even receiving love from others.
Doubt is a demon that was assigned by our enemy to torment you. It will rob you of your peace. It will steal your joy. It will cut off any future relationships from being built. It will destroy connections, even those connections that are Divine. Doubt is the opposite of faith. And since the Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6), then doubt displeases God for sure.
The big problem with doubt is that it is out to prove to you that it is right. When you start entertaining it, and even believing in it, you will be influenced to make that doubt happen. The very thing you doubt about will happen to you because you will make it happen. Let me explain this further. A woman who doubts that every man will cheat on her will set herself up for it. She will be pushing her man away by her doubts and suspicions and eventually he will choose another woman over her.
This cloud of doubt still comes to me every now and then but I choose to fight it and overcome. How do I overcome? I will teach you how.
First, I convince myself that this doubt is a lie. Then, I go back to the Word of God and speak truth over my doubt. One of my favorite Scriptures in overcoming doubt is 1 Corinthians 13:7 ... Love is ever ready to believe the best of every person. Next, I put my trust in Jesus and not on the person I have doubt about.
I am not saying that you should not be wise in your moves and that you should just trust everyone. In fact, the best way to overcome your doubt is to make sure that the person you are dealing with or the transaction you are getting into is from God. If you know that you are in God’s perfect will, then you can be assured that whatever happens, He has your back. You can check my video on “Being in God’s Perfect Will” for more teaching on this topic.
Another advice I can give you is do your research. Don’t just connect with someone or build a relationship with someone without checking on the person’s background. This way you will not be carrying your doubt with you all the time. It is not good to build any relationship on doubt.
If you are in doubt right now over a relationship, I strongly suggest that you throw that doubt out of the window. Stop blaming the other person for your doubt. He is not the one suffering but you. Speak words of faith over your situation. Proverbs 18:21 says: Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Finally, ask God to expose to you deep rooted issues on your doubt. Perhaps it is the abandonment you experienced from your parents. It may be your husband’s cheating, or a family member who molested you, or a friend who stole money from you. The list can go on and on. Your doubt is an indicator that there are unresolved issues within you that God wants to heal and deliver you from.
Again, ask God to expose your issues, and ask Him to heal and deliver you from this demon called doubt. Until you are delivered from it, you will be hindering yourself from experiencing love, joy, and peace to the fullest. You will also get in the way of Divine connections and appointments.
Don’t let the enemy steal from you any longer. Make a serious commitment to deal with that doubt issue by giving it to God, allowing Him to expose the issues within, obeying what He tells you about it, and following the advice I gave you.
It’s time to say good-bye to that doubt, for real!
~Lisa Maki~
THE NOT-SO-QUICK DIP
Health & Fitness
With summer coming to a close and fall on its way, many of us will shift our exercise routines back indoors or (heaven forbid) take the fall and winter off. No, no, no, you've been doing so well all summer, now is not the time to backslide. But if you do, take heart, you are not alone. As the days get shorter and darker, it is harder to be motivated to get out of the house and work out, especially if you try to do it alone. Isn't it much more fun to work out with a group, or a friend, than alone?
The other day, my sister was in town and since the weather wasn't too cool, we went for a swim. The lake water, on the other hand, was cool and we laughed and gasped as we jumped in and the cold water took our breath away. Brrrrr. I would never have gone swimming on this particular day, but I was motivated by my sister who for some reason wanted to go for a swim even though we could have just sat in the house and visited.
What should have been a quick dip, ended up being a 45 minute marathon swim/talk around the circumference of the lake. We breast stroked and side stroked and even did a little back stroke at a leisurely pace as we solved the problems of the world. We talked with so much excitement, lost in the moment, that our voices could be heard clear over to the other side of the lake as we paddled along. It was so much fun, we forgot how cold the water was (well, almost). We were transported back to our childhood when we would swim this very same lake as kids, laughing and scaring each other with stories of what lurked in the dark waters below. Those childhood fears of something grabbing us from within the lily pads still haunted my sister that day. There was no way I could get her to swim next to them where the water was warmer.
So, we didn't break any swim speed records on that windy, cloudy day, but we did burn a ton of calories just in keeping our core body temperature up. And we had a blast, making memories of a new day when we swam like we did as teens, and then froze as we rinsed off with the garden hose just like we did way back then. (I'll skip the part where we warmed up and talked another 20 minutes in the hot tub, a luxury we didn't have "way back then"!)
The point being, find someone to motivate you, or be the motivator for someone else. It's all about getting out there, staying as fit and limber as you can, for as long as you are able, so that you can enjoy the life that God created for you to the fullest. Like I said, we didn't work out at a break neck pace, but we did get some great exercise both physically and, just as importantly, emotionally. We ladies need that emotional outlet just as much as the physical. Amen?
"We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with joyful shouting...The Lord has done great things for us;
We are glad." Ps 126:1-3
Fill the remaining days of good weather with shouts of joy and laughter as you worship Him with a friend or in a group, on a walk, a bike ride, or a last cool dip in the lake.
Glory!
~Karla Hiers~
The other day, my sister was in town and since the weather wasn't too cool, we went for a swim. The lake water, on the other hand, was cool and we laughed and gasped as we jumped in and the cold water took our breath away. Brrrrr. I would never have gone swimming on this particular day, but I was motivated by my sister who for some reason wanted to go for a swim even though we could have just sat in the house and visited.
What should have been a quick dip, ended up being a 45 minute marathon swim/talk around the circumference of the lake. We breast stroked and side stroked and even did a little back stroke at a leisurely pace as we solved the problems of the world. We talked with so much excitement, lost in the moment, that our voices could be heard clear over to the other side of the lake as we paddled along. It was so much fun, we forgot how cold the water was (well, almost). We were transported back to our childhood when we would swim this very same lake as kids, laughing and scaring each other with stories of what lurked in the dark waters below. Those childhood fears of something grabbing us from within the lily pads still haunted my sister that day. There was no way I could get her to swim next to them where the water was warmer.
So, we didn't break any swim speed records on that windy, cloudy day, but we did burn a ton of calories just in keeping our core body temperature up. And we had a blast, making memories of a new day when we swam like we did as teens, and then froze as we rinsed off with the garden hose just like we did way back then. (I'll skip the part where we warmed up and talked another 20 minutes in the hot tub, a luxury we didn't have "way back then"!)
The point being, find someone to motivate you, or be the motivator for someone else. It's all about getting out there, staying as fit and limber as you can, for as long as you are able, so that you can enjoy the life that God created for you to the fullest. Like I said, we didn't work out at a break neck pace, but we did get some great exercise both physically and, just as importantly, emotionally. We ladies need that emotional outlet just as much as the physical. Amen?
"We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with joyful shouting...The Lord has done great things for us;
We are glad." Ps 126:1-3
Fill the remaining days of good weather with shouts of joy and laughter as you worship Him with a friend or in a group, on a walk, a bike ride, or a last cool dip in the lake.
Glory!
~Karla Hiers~
IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU
Marriage
I was praying one day, so hurt with what my husband said to me. I laid down my hurts and pains before the Lord and started asking Him a lot of “whys”. Then He said: “What about you?” to which I replied: “What do you mean?” And He said: “Let’s not talk about your husband. I will deal with him separately on that. Let’s talk about you and your role as a wife”. Oh my! I wanted to run away when I heard that. I felt that God was siding with my husband and that was the last thing I needed at that time.
“What about me” was what God wanted to deal with and not “what about my husband”. He wanted me to look at myself first and not at the other person. For as long as I am looking at my husband I will not be able to look at myself more closely. “But God” I said, and He replied, “I understand. But this is between me and you and has nothing to do with him”. That was when God started showing me Scriptures about my role as a wife. That was also the time I realized that this marriage is not about me or my rights but about my role as a wife and what God says in His Word.
You are in your marriage not for you to defend your rights but for you to give up your rights to God. You are in your marriage to serve God as you serve your husband and your children. You are in your marriage to grow in this walk and to be perfected just as God is perfect. You are in your marriage for sanctification. Your marriage is not about you but about God.
It doesn’t matter if our husbands are doing their part or not. As I’ve mentioned earlier, God is going to deal with them separately on that. Meanwhile, what matters to God is if we are doing our part.
The Bible has many Scriptures that talk about our part and role in our marriage.
1. Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)
2. In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,
When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him—to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband]. (1 Peter 3:1-2)
3. She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her. (Proverbs 31:12)
4. Her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust] (Proverbs 31:18).
Submit, adapt, subordinate, respect, revere, honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, adore, admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, enjoy, comfort, and encourage. These are some of our basic roles. Add to that “doing him only good as long as there is life within you”. And don’t forget to keep your lamp burning, meaning, you are to be the light in your house and it has to keep burning. This does not give way to a pitiful, anxious, fearful, or depressive spirit.
But my husband is not even doing his job as the leader of the house ... my husband drinks a lot ... my husband is addicted to porn ... my husband is rude to me ... my husband can’t even provide for us ... etc. etc. etc.
Let me bring you back to 1 Peter 3:1-2
In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,
When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband].
Whoever your husband is and no matter how bad he is, God expects you to do your part. Of course you are not to submit to him if he is telling you to sin. If he is asking you to watch porn with him then you are not expected to submit because it is against the Word of God. But don’t let his sin stop you from serving him, loving him, appreciating him, encouraging him, and all your other God-given duties.
It is not going to be easy more so if you have a husband who is not surrendered to Jesus. This is why Ephesians 5:22 emphasizes that our submission to our husbands is a service to the Lord. It is not for him but for God.
Look at your marriage as your ministry. Your role as a wife is your servitude to God. Fulfilling your role is pleasing to God. Fulfilling these roles despite the difficulties is a sacrifice to God. When you start doing your role, God will move on your behalf. Remember, obedience will release the miracle working power of God in your life.
~Lisa Maki~
“What about me” was what God wanted to deal with and not “what about my husband”. He wanted me to look at myself first and not at the other person. For as long as I am looking at my husband I will not be able to look at myself more closely. “But God” I said, and He replied, “I understand. But this is between me and you and has nothing to do with him”. That was when God started showing me Scriptures about my role as a wife. That was also the time I realized that this marriage is not about me or my rights but about my role as a wife and what God says in His Word.
You are in your marriage not for you to defend your rights but for you to give up your rights to God. You are in your marriage to serve God as you serve your husband and your children. You are in your marriage to grow in this walk and to be perfected just as God is perfect. You are in your marriage for sanctification. Your marriage is not about you but about God.
It doesn’t matter if our husbands are doing their part or not. As I’ve mentioned earlier, God is going to deal with them separately on that. Meanwhile, what matters to God is if we are doing our part.
The Bible has many Scriptures that talk about our part and role in our marriage.
1. Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)
2. In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,
When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him—to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband]. (1 Peter 3:1-2)
3. She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her. (Proverbs 31:12)
4. Her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust] (Proverbs 31:18).
Submit, adapt, subordinate, respect, revere, honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, adore, admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, enjoy, comfort, and encourage. These are some of our basic roles. Add to that “doing him only good as long as there is life within you”. And don’t forget to keep your lamp burning, meaning, you are to be the light in your house and it has to keep burning. This does not give way to a pitiful, anxious, fearful, or depressive spirit.
But my husband is not even doing his job as the leader of the house ... my husband drinks a lot ... my husband is addicted to porn ... my husband is rude to me ... my husband can’t even provide for us ... etc. etc. etc.
Let me bring you back to 1 Peter 3:1-2
In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,
When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband].
Whoever your husband is and no matter how bad he is, God expects you to do your part. Of course you are not to submit to him if he is telling you to sin. If he is asking you to watch porn with him then you are not expected to submit because it is against the Word of God. But don’t let his sin stop you from serving him, loving him, appreciating him, encouraging him, and all your other God-given duties.
It is not going to be easy more so if you have a husband who is not surrendered to Jesus. This is why Ephesians 5:22 emphasizes that our submission to our husbands is a service to the Lord. It is not for him but for God.
Look at your marriage as your ministry. Your role as a wife is your servitude to God. Fulfilling your role is pleasing to God. Fulfilling these roles despite the difficulties is a sacrifice to God. When you start doing your role, God will move on your behalf. Remember, obedience will release the miracle working power of God in your life.
~Lisa Maki~
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT
Marriage
One of the biggest barriers that wives have when it comes to submitting to their husbands is the lack of respect. Honestly, it is easy to submit to someone who you look up to, emulate, and admire. Take these away and submission will be very trying, if not impossible.
A wife starts losing respect for her husband when he continues to fail to provide for his family. Since she looks up to him as the head and the provider, he loses her respect in this area when he doesn’t fulfill this role. Other than this, a wife loses respect for a husband who does not live up to what he says he will do. A husband is the head of the marriage and the wife expects to lean on him for support and guidance. When he fails to do this, the wife loses trust in his capacity to lead her and be her stable pillar, and therefore he loses her respect once again. Another area where a wife can lose respect for her husband is when the husband cheats on her. This doesn’t have to be an actual cheating. It can be being overfriendly with other women, or viewing porn. A wife needs all the love she can get from her husband. This is the reason why God commanded the husband to love his wife. She gets security from this love; she feels beautiful when she is loved; and she operates at her best when she feels loved. This love is threatened when she senses that her husband is paying attention to other women. She will then move away from him and eventually her respect for him will also go away. Put all these together and we can sum up in two reasons why wives lose respect for their husbands: not fulfilling their God-given role in the marriage, and not being the husband who God designed them to be.
Without this respect for the husband the wife will never be able to submit to him. In fact, she will end up filling up the vacuum, which she is very good at. In the absence of a leader, she takes over. In the absence of stability, she becomes the pillar. In the absence of love, she detaches herself.
Given all these realities about a woman, and a wife for that matter, does she have an excuse not to submit to her husband? Unfortunately, no ... she doesn’t have an excuse. God’s command to the wife to submit to her husband does not have conditions. It does not say, “submit only if he is worthy of respect”. In fact, every Scripture about submission points back to “as unto the Lord”, meaning, we have to do it as a service to God. It doesn’t have anything to do with the kind of husband you have but out of love and reverence for our God.
I know this is easier said than done because I am a wife myself and I have been in different situations where I lost respect for my husband. No matter how perfect your husband may be, there will always be something about him or an incident that will make you lose your respect for him. This is the devil’s tactic, actually. He knows that when we lose respect for our husbands, he can easily coax us into not submitting to them.
In understanding the true meaning of respect in the light of the Word of God, we will also learn that it is not very difficult to practice it even if the situation is challenging. Let us now look at the different definitions of the word “respect” and connect it to God’s Word and plan.
1. Respect means esteem for a sense of the worth or excellence of a person.
When you look at your husband for who God made him to be, you will begin to see from God’s eyes and not your eyes. Think of it this way ... Jesus died for your husband, which makes him so much worthy in God’s eyes. And how about you? Aren’t you worthy and precious in the eyes of God? So if He chose you as the wife for this man, you who are precious, then this man must be valuable for Him as well. For why will He give something precious to a man who doesn’t deserve your preciousness? This in itself should make you see the worthiness of your husband and esteem him for it.
Ask God to make you see your husband from His perspective at all times. In your prayer, let God reveal to you who your husband is the way He sees him.
2. Respect means deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone considered to have certain rights or privileges.
“Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3)
God placed the man above the woman not for him to lord over her but for the sake of order. There can’t be two bosses in a marriage or there will be chaos. This is an order that God Himself has set and which we should obey without questions asked.
When you realize this Divine order, you can now give due respect to the role of your husband in your marriage. Submitting to him is not so much submission to his personality but to the order that God instituted.
So the next time you can’t submit to your husband because of feelings of disrespect, go back to the Divine order and give God His due respect.
3. Respect means proper acceptance or courtesy.
Obedience to God starts by believing and accepting that His Word is infallible and should be our only standard. If He says something, then it is. If He commands something, then we should obey because it’s what He says. When we look at His Word this way, then respecting our husbands come easy. Again, it is not so much for our husbands but for God, out of our love and reverence for Him.
Respecting our husbands is more of obedience to God than anything else. It is also a matter of putting our full trust in Him and not on our own understanding. Think about it ... if it is so easy to respect our husbands, then where is the effort there? Just as it is easy to love a loveable person but not an un-loveable person, it is also easy to respect a respectable person than someone who is not respectable. Yet, it is in loving the un-loveable and respecting the unrespectable that we truly love and respect. As Jesus Himself said, “You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate”. (Matthew 7:13)
~Lisa Maki~
A wife starts losing respect for her husband when he continues to fail to provide for his family. Since she looks up to him as the head and the provider, he loses her respect in this area when he doesn’t fulfill this role. Other than this, a wife loses respect for a husband who does not live up to what he says he will do. A husband is the head of the marriage and the wife expects to lean on him for support and guidance. When he fails to do this, the wife loses trust in his capacity to lead her and be her stable pillar, and therefore he loses her respect once again. Another area where a wife can lose respect for her husband is when the husband cheats on her. This doesn’t have to be an actual cheating. It can be being overfriendly with other women, or viewing porn. A wife needs all the love she can get from her husband. This is the reason why God commanded the husband to love his wife. She gets security from this love; she feels beautiful when she is loved; and she operates at her best when she feels loved. This love is threatened when she senses that her husband is paying attention to other women. She will then move away from him and eventually her respect for him will also go away. Put all these together and we can sum up in two reasons why wives lose respect for their husbands: not fulfilling their God-given role in the marriage, and not being the husband who God designed them to be.
Without this respect for the husband the wife will never be able to submit to him. In fact, she will end up filling up the vacuum, which she is very good at. In the absence of a leader, she takes over. In the absence of stability, she becomes the pillar. In the absence of love, she detaches herself.
Given all these realities about a woman, and a wife for that matter, does she have an excuse not to submit to her husband? Unfortunately, no ... she doesn’t have an excuse. God’s command to the wife to submit to her husband does not have conditions. It does not say, “submit only if he is worthy of respect”. In fact, every Scripture about submission points back to “as unto the Lord”, meaning, we have to do it as a service to God. It doesn’t have anything to do with the kind of husband you have but out of love and reverence for our God.
I know this is easier said than done because I am a wife myself and I have been in different situations where I lost respect for my husband. No matter how perfect your husband may be, there will always be something about him or an incident that will make you lose your respect for him. This is the devil’s tactic, actually. He knows that when we lose respect for our husbands, he can easily coax us into not submitting to them.
In understanding the true meaning of respect in the light of the Word of God, we will also learn that it is not very difficult to practice it even if the situation is challenging. Let us now look at the different definitions of the word “respect” and connect it to God’s Word and plan.
1. Respect means esteem for a sense of the worth or excellence of a person.
When you look at your husband for who God made him to be, you will begin to see from God’s eyes and not your eyes. Think of it this way ... Jesus died for your husband, which makes him so much worthy in God’s eyes. And how about you? Aren’t you worthy and precious in the eyes of God? So if He chose you as the wife for this man, you who are precious, then this man must be valuable for Him as well. For why will He give something precious to a man who doesn’t deserve your preciousness? This in itself should make you see the worthiness of your husband and esteem him for it.
Ask God to make you see your husband from His perspective at all times. In your prayer, let God reveal to you who your husband is the way He sees him.
2. Respect means deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone considered to have certain rights or privileges.
“Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3)
God placed the man above the woman not for him to lord over her but for the sake of order. There can’t be two bosses in a marriage or there will be chaos. This is an order that God Himself has set and which we should obey without questions asked.
When you realize this Divine order, you can now give due respect to the role of your husband in your marriage. Submitting to him is not so much submission to his personality but to the order that God instituted.
So the next time you can’t submit to your husband because of feelings of disrespect, go back to the Divine order and give God His due respect.
3. Respect means proper acceptance or courtesy.
Obedience to God starts by believing and accepting that His Word is infallible and should be our only standard. If He says something, then it is. If He commands something, then we should obey because it’s what He says. When we look at His Word this way, then respecting our husbands come easy. Again, it is not so much for our husbands but for God, out of our love and reverence for Him.
Respecting our husbands is more of obedience to God than anything else. It is also a matter of putting our full trust in Him and not on our own understanding. Think about it ... if it is so easy to respect our husbands, then where is the effort there? Just as it is easy to love a loveable person but not an un-loveable person, it is also easy to respect a respectable person than someone who is not respectable. Yet, it is in loving the un-loveable and respecting the unrespectable that we truly love and respect. As Jesus Himself said, “You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate”. (Matthew 7:13)
~Lisa Maki~
I TOLD YOU SO
Marriage
I don’t know anymore how many times I have told my husband something and he didn’t listen to me, only to prove later on that I was right. In almost all those occasions I have tried to bite my lip, but instead I said, “I told you so”. This is one of the biggest “don’ts” for wives that I have learned from other married women of God. You never tell your husband, “I told you so”.
A friend and sister in the Lord told me that husbands have a listening problem. It sounds funny but it’s true and I am sure that you will agree with me. Another sister in the Lord shared with me an incident when her husband all of a sudden told her that he just had a revelation from the Holy Spirit. When she asked what it was he shared about something that she has been telling him for the past months but which he wasn’t hearing at all. She said, “Finally, the Holy Spirit opened your ears to hear what I have been telling you all along”.
I don’t think our husbands deliberately refuse to listen to us. I believe that their being the head of our marriage and family make them so sure of what they know. Anything else outside of what they think is right will not make sense for them, most especially if it’s from their wives. I am realizing now, more than ever, that there are certain things that men will only hear from other men.
Another revelation I’ve had on why men have a listening problem when it comes to their wives is not so much for them but for us. God wants us to bring up the matter to Him so He will be the one to talk to our husbands and deal with them. This actually reminds me of a conversation I’ve had with a Pastor’s wife a few years ago. They’ve been married for over 20 years and I was just on the 2nd year of my marriage then, so I thought a godly advice from her will be very beneficial to me. So I asked her, “What advice can you give me on how I can better communicate with my husband”? She answered, “Don’t communicate”. I thought I heard her wrong so I asked her, “What do you mean”? She said, “Don’t communicate. He won’t hear you. Bring everything before the Lord and let Him speak to him. It will make your job easier”.
Though I received what she told me at that time, I still didn’t fully understand it until I experienced the frustration for myself on trying to communicate with my husband, and of course the never ending “I told you so” when I proved myself right, which happened most of the time. Over time I’ve learned to follow the advice of that Pastor’s wife and God has proven Himself so faithful in this area. There were so many incidents when my husband told me, “God revealed to me that ... “, and it was the same prayer I have been praying to God to make known to my husband.
Actually, my conversations with God opened the door to a better communication between me and my husband. My husband is getting better at listening to me and in considering and respecting my advices.
While I became an expert in bringing my concerns about my husband to the Lord, I remained an amateur in the “I told you so” part. It was actually during one conversation with my husband when I realized how these “I told you so” affect him. Of course there I was again telling him, “I told you that a few days ago” or “I remember telling you that”, and he finally said to me, “How come you always tell me that you told me?”, and I said “Coz I really told you but you didn’t listen to me”. Then he said, “How come you seem like you know everything”? That was all I needed to hear. A revelation came to me. I was projecting a Miss Know-It-All image to my husband, a prideful spirit, someone who wants to make him see that I am right and he is wrong. In a way I was belittling my husband by telling him “I told you so”, and this is not good. The best way a man can be destroyed is by telling him that he is not good enough or he is no good.
After this revelation, I made a commitment not to ever say “I told you so” to my husband again. I am still in the process but I am getting better. As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”.
~Lisa Maki~
A friend and sister in the Lord told me that husbands have a listening problem. It sounds funny but it’s true and I am sure that you will agree with me. Another sister in the Lord shared with me an incident when her husband all of a sudden told her that he just had a revelation from the Holy Spirit. When she asked what it was he shared about something that she has been telling him for the past months but which he wasn’t hearing at all. She said, “Finally, the Holy Spirit opened your ears to hear what I have been telling you all along”.
I don’t think our husbands deliberately refuse to listen to us. I believe that their being the head of our marriage and family make them so sure of what they know. Anything else outside of what they think is right will not make sense for them, most especially if it’s from their wives. I am realizing now, more than ever, that there are certain things that men will only hear from other men.
Another revelation I’ve had on why men have a listening problem when it comes to their wives is not so much for them but for us. God wants us to bring up the matter to Him so He will be the one to talk to our husbands and deal with them. This actually reminds me of a conversation I’ve had with a Pastor’s wife a few years ago. They’ve been married for over 20 years and I was just on the 2nd year of my marriage then, so I thought a godly advice from her will be very beneficial to me. So I asked her, “What advice can you give me on how I can better communicate with my husband”? She answered, “Don’t communicate”. I thought I heard her wrong so I asked her, “What do you mean”? She said, “Don’t communicate. He won’t hear you. Bring everything before the Lord and let Him speak to him. It will make your job easier”.
Though I received what she told me at that time, I still didn’t fully understand it until I experienced the frustration for myself on trying to communicate with my husband, and of course the never ending “I told you so” when I proved myself right, which happened most of the time. Over time I’ve learned to follow the advice of that Pastor’s wife and God has proven Himself so faithful in this area. There were so many incidents when my husband told me, “God revealed to me that ... “, and it was the same prayer I have been praying to God to make known to my husband.
Actually, my conversations with God opened the door to a better communication between me and my husband. My husband is getting better at listening to me and in considering and respecting my advices.
While I became an expert in bringing my concerns about my husband to the Lord, I remained an amateur in the “I told you so” part. It was actually during one conversation with my husband when I realized how these “I told you so” affect him. Of course there I was again telling him, “I told you that a few days ago” or “I remember telling you that”, and he finally said to me, “How come you always tell me that you told me?”, and I said “Coz I really told you but you didn’t listen to me”. Then he said, “How come you seem like you know everything”? That was all I needed to hear. A revelation came to me. I was projecting a Miss Know-It-All image to my husband, a prideful spirit, someone who wants to make him see that I am right and he is wrong. In a way I was belittling my husband by telling him “I told you so”, and this is not good. The best way a man can be destroyed is by telling him that he is not good enough or he is no good.
After this revelation, I made a commitment not to ever say “I told you so” to my husband again. I am still in the process but I am getting better. As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”.
~Lisa Maki~
CHERISH THE LITTLE THINGS
Marriage
It was just another regular, lazy weekend. My husband and I headed to the grocery store and felt silly and decided to play fight and chase each other around the store like kids. Although we may have gotten a few stares, it felt great. I took in that moment and wanted it to last forever. Then we headed on home and just cuddled together on the couch and watched 24. That moment was something I will cherish always.
When you get married and have a family, every day life can become monotonous. Life just flies by. By the time we know it, our babies are starting school, or graduating, and you’re left saying, “Where has time gone?”
Then I came across this quote by Robert Brault. “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” My husband probably didn’t think twice of our silly horseplay, but for me it was a big thing. It was a reminder of who we were. We had always been silly like that with one another. But things happened. Life happened—and somewhere in the shuffle of dual-diaper duty and kissing boo boos we forgot about us. I hadn’t noticed the just plain, happiness had been eaten away by a locust named REAL LIFE.
This is something that happens to so many of us. We speed through life instead of slowing down to take in all of God’s beautiful creations, especially the ones right next to us. It’s time we get back what we had. The trials we go through in life will come and go, but keep in mind that as husband and wife you are a team. You are allies.
“And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” – Joel 2:25
Finances, work, school, arguments, even raising children can also take it’s toll on a marriage. The good news is that God has promised to restore us from all our troubles, the struggles from defeat, and the frustrations of our lives. And that promise is true for our marriage, when we continue to keep Him in the center of it.
So from this day forward, I promise to do my part in restoring what the troubles of life have eaten. Even the smallest things will not go unnoticed. It’s those little things—those little moments of laughter, and joy with your hubby that’s evident of God’s promise. God restores our wasted years, He brings forth in us supernatural joy, revelation, peace and victory, far beyond our human abilities!
Cherish every moment, even the smallest. Don’t let the joy, laughter, and silly souls go away with the years. Hold onto them—grasp them in your hands and heart. Grab her hand, and kiss her forehead just because. Grab him and dance with him with no music on but the rhythmic beat of your hearts. And always, always, cherish the little things.
~Carmen Miller~
For more of Carmen’s articles, visit her blog at ...
http://thoughtsofachristiangirl.tumblr.com/
When you get married and have a family, every day life can become monotonous. Life just flies by. By the time we know it, our babies are starting school, or graduating, and you’re left saying, “Where has time gone?”
Then I came across this quote by Robert Brault. “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” My husband probably didn’t think twice of our silly horseplay, but for me it was a big thing. It was a reminder of who we were. We had always been silly like that with one another. But things happened. Life happened—and somewhere in the shuffle of dual-diaper duty and kissing boo boos we forgot about us. I hadn’t noticed the just plain, happiness had been eaten away by a locust named REAL LIFE.
This is something that happens to so many of us. We speed through life instead of slowing down to take in all of God’s beautiful creations, especially the ones right next to us. It’s time we get back what we had. The trials we go through in life will come and go, but keep in mind that as husband and wife you are a team. You are allies.
“And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” – Joel 2:25
Finances, work, school, arguments, even raising children can also take it’s toll on a marriage. The good news is that God has promised to restore us from all our troubles, the struggles from defeat, and the frustrations of our lives. And that promise is true for our marriage, when we continue to keep Him in the center of it.
So from this day forward, I promise to do my part in restoring what the troubles of life have eaten. Even the smallest things will not go unnoticed. It’s those little things—those little moments of laughter, and joy with your hubby that’s evident of God’s promise. God restores our wasted years, He brings forth in us supernatural joy, revelation, peace and victory, far beyond our human abilities!
Cherish every moment, even the smallest. Don’t let the joy, laughter, and silly souls go away with the years. Hold onto them—grasp them in your hands and heart. Grab her hand, and kiss her forehead just because. Grab him and dance with him with no music on but the rhythmic beat of your hearts. And always, always, cherish the little things.
~Carmen Miller~
For more of Carmen’s articles, visit her blog at ...
http://thoughtsofachristiangirl.tumblr.com/
SISTER TIME
Relationships
There are few bonds more special than the one between sisters in Christ. There’s just something really wonderful about having a sister who will be there to support you, pray for you, and walk with you through the good and bad times. As women, we can tend to get so busy with our other obligations as wives, mothers, employees, ministry leaders, etc. that often times we neglect the relationships with the women in our lives that God has blessed us to walk with. Nurturing our relationships with our sisters is very important, because not only do they provide a great support system, they also provide a way for us to be refreshed and encouraged through fellowship with each other and reminded of God’s wonderful plans and purposes for our lives. Here are a few ideas on ways to nurture the sisterhood in your life:
1. Start a Bible Study – Walking through God’s Word with our sisters is a great way to study the Bible. Not only is it a great way to learn, it also will oftentimes open the door for discussions on current challenges and victories that your girlfriends might be experiencing. Having the Bible right there is a great way to reinforce God’s promises for each of us, as well as encourage one another as we continue to grow in our faith.
2. Have a Girl’s Night In – Plan a girl’s only night at someone’s home, complete with good food, good conversation, and good times. Everyone can bring their favorite dish and come prepared to let your hair down and have a good time simply enjoying each other’s company.
3. Take a Trip – Plan an overnight trip with some of your sisters. Pick a location that’s close enough to drive to, leave out on a Friday afternoon and plan to stay overnight. Spend all day Saturday enjoying the local attractions, people, and food and head on back home Saturday evening (in time for church on Sunday morning of course ).
4. Have Prayer Calls – Schedule regular prayer calls with one or several of your girlfriends. Take prayer requests and spend several minutes to an hour just lifting one another up in prayer and interceding on each other’s behalf for whatever the current need might be.
5. Grab a Bite – Step away from your daytime duties for about an hour and make time to have lunch with your friends. Pick a new spot or an old favorite and just spend some time connecting and catching up on the latest developments in each other’s lives.
6. Work it Out – When it comes to getting and/or staying in shape, there’s definitely some truth in the old adage, “there’s strength in numbers”. Working out with your girlfriends not only makes working out more fun, it also provides support, accountability, and the much needed encouragement to help you reach your fitness goals.
7. Serve Together – On any given weekend, there are typically a number of organizations in need of volunteers. Spend a Girls Only Saturday serving in your local community with your sisters. It’s a great way to share the love with someone else in need.
~Kimberly Vandiver~
http://thertyone.com/sister-time/
1. Start a Bible Study – Walking through God’s Word with our sisters is a great way to study the Bible. Not only is it a great way to learn, it also will oftentimes open the door for discussions on current challenges and victories that your girlfriends might be experiencing. Having the Bible right there is a great way to reinforce God’s promises for each of us, as well as encourage one another as we continue to grow in our faith.
2. Have a Girl’s Night In – Plan a girl’s only night at someone’s home, complete with good food, good conversation, and good times. Everyone can bring their favorite dish and come prepared to let your hair down and have a good time simply enjoying each other’s company.
3. Take a Trip – Plan an overnight trip with some of your sisters. Pick a location that’s close enough to drive to, leave out on a Friday afternoon and plan to stay overnight. Spend all day Saturday enjoying the local attractions, people, and food and head on back home Saturday evening (in time for church on Sunday morning of course ).
4. Have Prayer Calls – Schedule regular prayer calls with one or several of your girlfriends. Take prayer requests and spend several minutes to an hour just lifting one another up in prayer and interceding on each other’s behalf for whatever the current need might be.
5. Grab a Bite – Step away from your daytime duties for about an hour and make time to have lunch with your friends. Pick a new spot or an old favorite and just spend some time connecting and catching up on the latest developments in each other’s lives.
6. Work it Out – When it comes to getting and/or staying in shape, there’s definitely some truth in the old adage, “there’s strength in numbers”. Working out with your girlfriends not only makes working out more fun, it also provides support, accountability, and the much needed encouragement to help you reach your fitness goals.
7. Serve Together – On any given weekend, there are typically a number of organizations in need of volunteers. Spend a Girls Only Saturday serving in your local community with your sisters. It’s a great way to share the love with someone else in need.
~Kimberly Vandiver~
http://thertyone.com/sister-time/
BAD GIRL VS. GOOD GIRL
Teens
It was summer and I was 12 years old. I joined the volleyball team in our village and I was so overwhelmed with all the fun and all the guys. I remember seeing this group of 18 year old girls in their short shorts and puffing their cigarettes, while all the guys were drooling over them. I thought the girls were so cool! That was when I decided to be like them.
The next day I came to our volleyball practice in my shortest shorts. Our coach approached me and said, “Why are you dressed like that”? I said, “What’s the problem with this? All the other girls out there are wearing the same thing”. And then he said,“But you are not like them”. I didn’t understand it then. I ignored him and continued to act like those older, cooler girls.
It was then that guys started paying more attention to me and even fighting over me. I thought it was a good thing. It felt good, that’s for sure ... but not for long. Soon I met this guy who became my first biggest crush. He was older and was really good with girls. Since I was so confident at that time, I knew he would like me. I began to flirt with him and he returned the gesture. Not long after that, he befriended my parents and he won their hearts. He then became a constant guest in our house, almost like a family member.
Though I was acting way beyond my age at that time, I was still every inch a kid. I didn’t know anything about kissing, let alone making out. This guy, my crush, probably didn’t know how innocent I was. What he saw was a girl giving him all the signals. So one day, while I was in my bedroom reading my fairytale book, he sneaked in my room and kissed me with his tongue. I thought it was gross but I just played along. Days later he came to our house at night, and when my parents were finally asleep, he started doing things to me that I knew nothing about. I felt something was wrong but I enjoyed the attention he was giving me. I didn’t even know what he did to me until a guy friend of mine called me towards him one day and said, “Do you know that David (not his real name) has been spreading news about you”? So I asked what the news was about and my friend said, “He is telling everyone that he got to 3rd base with you”. He just didn’t use the term 3rd base but the actual thing he did to me. I was so shocked because as I’ve said, I didn’t even know what he did to me. I was also very embarrassed and felt very much violated.
More guys wanted to be with me after that news spread in our village. People started gossiping about me too. That’s when I realized that this was not the kind of attention I was looking for.
Those summer memories never left me but continued to haunt me. I wanted to get away from that bad reputation that I created for myself and the mess I got myself into. You know what? It took years before I was able to prove to men that I was not the kind of girl they thought I was.
Girls, I want you to realize something. It is true that guys pay more attention to girls who are hotter or those labeled as the bad girls. If you’re trying to be a good girl, more so if you are obeying God’s Word, you will surely be challenged. One young Christian girl told me that she is trying so hard but it seems that every guy she meets prefers the bad girl type.
Guess what? My husband who used to love women and who have been with so many of these bad girl types told me that guys would still prefer a modest girl for someone to take seriously. I asked him, “so what about those good girls who nobody is paying attention to? Isn’t that a lot of pressure for them?” He said, “they don’t need the attention of guys...their bodies are for their future husbands to see, and not for every other guy to see”.
See that, girls? That’s straight from the mouth of a guy who has had his share of so many girls in his past. If you will bear in mind that God designed you to be somebody else’s wife someday, and that you should preserve your body for your future husband and prince charming, then what the heck if no guy pays attention to you now. You don’t have to act like those bad girls and get the kind of attention I got when I was a teenager.
Besides, a guy who only wants you for your body doesn’t deserve you in the first place. He is one of those cheap guys who don’t even know what they want. Don’t waste your time on such a loser.
Believe me, that incident I had with that guy who molested me remained with me for a long time, affecting even my relationships. It distorted a lot of things in my mind and made me very distrustful of men and even of love.
It doesn’t have to happen to you. And if it has already happened to you, Jesus can heal you, restore you, and make you whole. But this time around, follow His instructions for you. He wants you to preserve yourself for the man He has designed for you, your future husband. Save that beautiful present for him.
And one last thing, bad girls are a dime in a dozen. Be the rare and precious woman that God called you to be, not just like every other girl out there.
~Lisa Maki~
The next day I came to our volleyball practice in my shortest shorts. Our coach approached me and said, “Why are you dressed like that”? I said, “What’s the problem with this? All the other girls out there are wearing the same thing”. And then he said,“But you are not like them”. I didn’t understand it then. I ignored him and continued to act like those older, cooler girls.
It was then that guys started paying more attention to me and even fighting over me. I thought it was a good thing. It felt good, that’s for sure ... but not for long. Soon I met this guy who became my first biggest crush. He was older and was really good with girls. Since I was so confident at that time, I knew he would like me. I began to flirt with him and he returned the gesture. Not long after that, he befriended my parents and he won their hearts. He then became a constant guest in our house, almost like a family member.
Though I was acting way beyond my age at that time, I was still every inch a kid. I didn’t know anything about kissing, let alone making out. This guy, my crush, probably didn’t know how innocent I was. What he saw was a girl giving him all the signals. So one day, while I was in my bedroom reading my fairytale book, he sneaked in my room and kissed me with his tongue. I thought it was gross but I just played along. Days later he came to our house at night, and when my parents were finally asleep, he started doing things to me that I knew nothing about. I felt something was wrong but I enjoyed the attention he was giving me. I didn’t even know what he did to me until a guy friend of mine called me towards him one day and said, “Do you know that David (not his real name) has been spreading news about you”? So I asked what the news was about and my friend said, “He is telling everyone that he got to 3rd base with you”. He just didn’t use the term 3rd base but the actual thing he did to me. I was so shocked because as I’ve said, I didn’t even know what he did to me. I was also very embarrassed and felt very much violated.
More guys wanted to be with me after that news spread in our village. People started gossiping about me too. That’s when I realized that this was not the kind of attention I was looking for.
Those summer memories never left me but continued to haunt me. I wanted to get away from that bad reputation that I created for myself and the mess I got myself into. You know what? It took years before I was able to prove to men that I was not the kind of girl they thought I was.
Girls, I want you to realize something. It is true that guys pay more attention to girls who are hotter or those labeled as the bad girls. If you’re trying to be a good girl, more so if you are obeying God’s Word, you will surely be challenged. One young Christian girl told me that she is trying so hard but it seems that every guy she meets prefers the bad girl type.
Guess what? My husband who used to love women and who have been with so many of these bad girl types told me that guys would still prefer a modest girl for someone to take seriously. I asked him, “so what about those good girls who nobody is paying attention to? Isn’t that a lot of pressure for them?” He said, “they don’t need the attention of guys...their bodies are for their future husbands to see, and not for every other guy to see”.
See that, girls? That’s straight from the mouth of a guy who has had his share of so many girls in his past. If you will bear in mind that God designed you to be somebody else’s wife someday, and that you should preserve your body for your future husband and prince charming, then what the heck if no guy pays attention to you now. You don’t have to act like those bad girls and get the kind of attention I got when I was a teenager.
Besides, a guy who only wants you for your body doesn’t deserve you in the first place. He is one of those cheap guys who don’t even know what they want. Don’t waste your time on such a loser.
Believe me, that incident I had with that guy who molested me remained with me for a long time, affecting even my relationships. It distorted a lot of things in my mind and made me very distrustful of men and even of love.
It doesn’t have to happen to you. And if it has already happened to you, Jesus can heal you, restore you, and make you whole. But this time around, follow His instructions for you. He wants you to preserve yourself for the man He has designed for you, your future husband. Save that beautiful present for him.
And one last thing, bad girls are a dime in a dozen. Be the rare and precious woman that God called you to be, not just like every other girl out there.
~Lisa Maki~
WHY DO I LOVE TOO MUCH?
Teens
“Why do I love too much?” I heard one teen say. “It just breaks my heart but I can’t help it”. Can you relate to this? Are you one of those girls who fall in love so fast and so intense? Are you the type who will give everything to your boyfriend just because you love him? If you do, then this article is for you. If you don’t, then this is still for you as it may happen to you one day soon. You’ll never know until it hits you. And when it hits you, you won’t even know what hit you.
Love is a good thing. God created love. He Himself is love. Yet, it can be misplaced when it happens at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons. So you may ask, “What is the wrong reason for love”? “How can love be wrong”?
One thing you have to bear in mind is that love is a very powerful emotion. Since it is highly emotional, it can be very tricky. You may feel you are in love just because the person makes you feel good or accepted, and not because you really love him. In fact, you may say you love him because you know he loves you but he doesn’t really love you. So to answer the question, “why do I love too much” means to dig deeper into your issues on what you are looking for in “love”.
Perhaps you are hungry for a father’s love. Or you may be longing for attention because your parents don’t even praise you. It can also be that you desire to be accepted because you feel rejected by your own family. Whatever your issues are, these influence the way you feel towards people. Your issues are your most vulnerable spots. If your issue is “attention”, then you will be most vulnerable when a guy pays real attention to you. And when that happens, then your heart will start beating so fast and you are caught in that “love” feeling. It can grow more intense as the guy pays more attention to you and even when he stops paying attention to you. Since your heart is hungry for that attention, once it gets it, it will not want to let go of it. This is where love can even cross over to obsession.
And mind you, this “love” thing does not only happen to girls. It happens to guys too and it happened to my own son when he was only 14. He met this girl online and has never even seen her in person. He was drawn to her maturity (she was two years older, btw). I knew he was falling so hard for her because of the way he was, not only when talking to her but when talking about her. The relationship did not last long and my son got so hurt. I will go back to this “hurt” part in a while.
As I’ve said earlier, my son was drawn to that girl’s maturity. How can he not? I raised him as a single mom for 12 years. He had a mother figure as his father figure too. What drew him to that girl was the same attachment he had with me. Doesn’t that make a lot of sense? This is what I am trying to explain to you about “issues” behind your feeling “in love”.
The question “Why do I love too much” has nothing to do with loving much but with being hurt in effect. You love much because you are trying to fill a void that you have inside of you. You get hurt in return because the person can’t fill that void.
Nobody but Jesus can ever fill that void. And it is only through Jesus’ love where you can experience a sense of security that will keep you from looking for love elsewhere. Once you have found your true love in Jesus, you will be able to give real love to others.
Real love doesn’t mean having sex with your boyfriend just because you want to please him. It doesn’t mean losing peace over your relationship with him. It doesn’t mean allowing him to treat you badly and you can’t even say no to it. It doesn’t mean being scared to lose him. It doesn’t mean forcing him to stay with you if he doesn’t want to be with you anymore.
Real love means preserving your virginity for your future husband. It means having peace in a relationship no matter how difficult it can get. It means standing your ground as to how to be treated the way God wants you to be treated. It means letting go if it’s time to go.
Real love is being obedient to what God says in His Word. Anything outside of His Word is not love at all. So if you are doing something that is against the Word of God, it can’t be love.
So the next time you want to ask, “Why do I love too much”, better start reflecting about yourself first and the deeper issues you have that is causing you to feel so emotional over another person. Then tap into the true source of love, who is called love ... Jesus, our Yeshua.
~Lisa Maki~
Love is a good thing. God created love. He Himself is love. Yet, it can be misplaced when it happens at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons. So you may ask, “What is the wrong reason for love”? “How can love be wrong”?
One thing you have to bear in mind is that love is a very powerful emotion. Since it is highly emotional, it can be very tricky. You may feel you are in love just because the person makes you feel good or accepted, and not because you really love him. In fact, you may say you love him because you know he loves you but he doesn’t really love you. So to answer the question, “why do I love too much” means to dig deeper into your issues on what you are looking for in “love”.
Perhaps you are hungry for a father’s love. Or you may be longing for attention because your parents don’t even praise you. It can also be that you desire to be accepted because you feel rejected by your own family. Whatever your issues are, these influence the way you feel towards people. Your issues are your most vulnerable spots. If your issue is “attention”, then you will be most vulnerable when a guy pays real attention to you. And when that happens, then your heart will start beating so fast and you are caught in that “love” feeling. It can grow more intense as the guy pays more attention to you and even when he stops paying attention to you. Since your heart is hungry for that attention, once it gets it, it will not want to let go of it. This is where love can even cross over to obsession.
And mind you, this “love” thing does not only happen to girls. It happens to guys too and it happened to my own son when he was only 14. He met this girl online and has never even seen her in person. He was drawn to her maturity (she was two years older, btw). I knew he was falling so hard for her because of the way he was, not only when talking to her but when talking about her. The relationship did not last long and my son got so hurt. I will go back to this “hurt” part in a while.
As I’ve said earlier, my son was drawn to that girl’s maturity. How can he not? I raised him as a single mom for 12 years. He had a mother figure as his father figure too. What drew him to that girl was the same attachment he had with me. Doesn’t that make a lot of sense? This is what I am trying to explain to you about “issues” behind your feeling “in love”.
The question “Why do I love too much” has nothing to do with loving much but with being hurt in effect. You love much because you are trying to fill a void that you have inside of you. You get hurt in return because the person can’t fill that void.
Nobody but Jesus can ever fill that void. And it is only through Jesus’ love where you can experience a sense of security that will keep you from looking for love elsewhere. Once you have found your true love in Jesus, you will be able to give real love to others.
Real love doesn’t mean having sex with your boyfriend just because you want to please him. It doesn’t mean losing peace over your relationship with him. It doesn’t mean allowing him to treat you badly and you can’t even say no to it. It doesn’t mean being scared to lose him. It doesn’t mean forcing him to stay with you if he doesn’t want to be with you anymore.
Real love means preserving your virginity for your future husband. It means having peace in a relationship no matter how difficult it can get. It means standing your ground as to how to be treated the way God wants you to be treated. It means letting go if it’s time to go.
Real love is being obedient to what God says in His Word. Anything outside of His Word is not love at all. So if you are doing something that is against the Word of God, it can’t be love.
So the next time you want to ask, “Why do I love too much”, better start reflecting about yourself first and the deeper issues you have that is causing you to feel so emotional over another person. Then tap into the true source of love, who is called love ... Jesus, our Yeshua.
~Lisa Maki~
A RESUME THAT WILL GET YOU THAT JOB
Business & Work
A Résumé is not just a list of job history and qualifications but something that represents who you are. It is your sales kit, your portfolio, your image, and your reputation. Just as a salesman’s first few statements can make or break her sale, the first few words in your Résumé can also make or break you.
You have to remember that there are hundreds or even thousands of people who are probably applying for the same job you are applying for. So, the chances for the recruiter to even go through your Résumé are very small. With this in mind, your Résumé should immediately catch the attention of the recruiter or whoever is responsible for reviewing Résumés. This means that your layout and even choice of colors should be catchy.
Résumés of today are not as rigid as Résumés of yesterday. Gone are the traditional layouts and designs, unless you are applying for jobs that have strict requirements such as a lot of federal jobs and some teaching jobs. Other than those companies that have strict guidelines on Résumé layouts, you are free to be creative in the physical appearance of your Résumé. Just be sure that your style matches the kind of job you are applying for.
Other than a catchy layout and design, the first portions of your Résumé should be a summary of what is on your entire Résumé. This way, if the recruiter will not have time to go through your whole Résumé, she will still be able to get a gist of who you are and what you can offer. This is why the first parts of your Résumé should be the Objective and the Profile or Summary of Qualifications.
The Profile or Summary of Qualifications should include not only your skills but character traits that are relevant to the job you are applying for. There are employers who are more concerned with your soft skills which are your attitudes, rather than your hard skills which are your skills and knowledge.
Your Professional History follows the Objective and Profile part. Avoid writing job descriptions that are so obvious and those which the recruiter will be clueless about. The best way to write your job description is to include your accomplishments and achievements. An example would be, “Exceeded the company’s sales quota by 50%” instead of “Responsible for bringing in sales for the company”. Also make it a point to use past tense when the job is already a thing of the past and present tense if you are still on that job.
Your Résumé should always reflect your professionalism. A carelessly written Résumé will send the signal to the recruiter that you don’t care about your job. A professionally written Résumé follows the proper syntax and spelling. It is also consistently written. This means that when you use a verb as your first word for your job description, everything else has to be a verb.
Here is an example of inconsistency.
· Designed training programs for the sales staff.
· Responsible for recruitment and selection.
Here is a consistent way of writing it.
· Designed training programs for the sales staff.
· Performed recruitment and selection tasks.
One major thing that you should avoid in your Résumé is redundancy of words. If you need to use the same word, look for a synonym for it.
Another tip I can give you for a more effective Résumé is to expound on certain character traits instead of just using a noun or an adjective-noun combined. For instance, instead of just writing “multi-tasker”, it is better to write, “multi-tasker with a proven reputation on handling different projects simultaneously”.
Finally, the kind of Résumé that will get the attention of the recruiter is one that is well-organized. It flows smoothly, it is easy to read, and it is easy to understand.
Unless you can do all these and unless you have the gift of writing and organization, I highly suggest that you let a professional Résumé writer write your Résumé for you. This is the best investment you can make for your future career. Once you have a format, then it is easier for you to edit it on your own, as the need arises.
For more information about my Résumé writing services, visit my website at
http://lisamaki.webs.com/
~Lisa Maki~
You have to remember that there are hundreds or even thousands of people who are probably applying for the same job you are applying for. So, the chances for the recruiter to even go through your Résumé are very small. With this in mind, your Résumé should immediately catch the attention of the recruiter or whoever is responsible for reviewing Résumés. This means that your layout and even choice of colors should be catchy.
Résumés of today are not as rigid as Résumés of yesterday. Gone are the traditional layouts and designs, unless you are applying for jobs that have strict requirements such as a lot of federal jobs and some teaching jobs. Other than those companies that have strict guidelines on Résumé layouts, you are free to be creative in the physical appearance of your Résumé. Just be sure that your style matches the kind of job you are applying for.
Other than a catchy layout and design, the first portions of your Résumé should be a summary of what is on your entire Résumé. This way, if the recruiter will not have time to go through your whole Résumé, she will still be able to get a gist of who you are and what you can offer. This is why the first parts of your Résumé should be the Objective and the Profile or Summary of Qualifications.
The Profile or Summary of Qualifications should include not only your skills but character traits that are relevant to the job you are applying for. There are employers who are more concerned with your soft skills which are your attitudes, rather than your hard skills which are your skills and knowledge.
Your Professional History follows the Objective and Profile part. Avoid writing job descriptions that are so obvious and those which the recruiter will be clueless about. The best way to write your job description is to include your accomplishments and achievements. An example would be, “Exceeded the company’s sales quota by 50%” instead of “Responsible for bringing in sales for the company”. Also make it a point to use past tense when the job is already a thing of the past and present tense if you are still on that job.
Your Résumé should always reflect your professionalism. A carelessly written Résumé will send the signal to the recruiter that you don’t care about your job. A professionally written Résumé follows the proper syntax and spelling. It is also consistently written. This means that when you use a verb as your first word for your job description, everything else has to be a verb.
Here is an example of inconsistency.
· Designed training programs for the sales staff.
· Responsible for recruitment and selection.
Here is a consistent way of writing it.
· Designed training programs for the sales staff.
· Performed recruitment and selection tasks.
One major thing that you should avoid in your Résumé is redundancy of words. If you need to use the same word, look for a synonym for it.
Another tip I can give you for a more effective Résumé is to expound on certain character traits instead of just using a noun or an adjective-noun combined. For instance, instead of just writing “multi-tasker”, it is better to write, “multi-tasker with a proven reputation on handling different projects simultaneously”.
Finally, the kind of Résumé that will get the attention of the recruiter is one that is well-organized. It flows smoothly, it is easy to read, and it is easy to understand.
Unless you can do all these and unless you have the gift of writing and organization, I highly suggest that you let a professional Résumé writer write your Résumé for you. This is the best investment you can make for your future career. Once you have a format, then it is easier for you to edit it on your own, as the need arises.
For more information about my Résumé writing services, visit my website at
http://lisamaki.webs.com/
~Lisa Maki~
ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS
Business & Work
Have you ever read an article, a write-up, or any written document that made you say, “Okay, what is she trying to say here”? Have you ever listened to somebody talk and it just jumps from one topic to the next that you don’t know anymore what she wants to relay to you? This happens all the time and it is a lack of organization in one’s thoughts. My husband calls it “scatter-brain” and he is right.
Imagine a room full of stuff everywhere ... clothes on the floor, papers on the dresser, plastic bags with candies on the bed, caps and hats on different places, and so much more. If you have a room like this, I don’t know how you can stand it. I am just being honest with you. I can’t stand clutter. Don’t get me wrong. I am not the neatest person and I can stand some mess every now and then. What I can’t stand is, not knowing where my stuff is just because it is not in the right place.
I have separate drawers for my things and I make sure that what belongs to each drawer goes back there. I have a rack for my shades and I make sure that I put them back there at the end of the day. It makes my life easier knowing that I can just grab them easily when I need them. Doesn’t this make sense?
This is exactly the same concept when it comes to organizing your thoughts. There has to be a specific drawer or compartment for related thoughts. You don’t mix them all together or you wouldn’t be able to sort it out quick. If you want to talk or write about “Creative Evangelism”, don’t put baptism, discipleship, preaching, or prophecy in the mix. You have to stay focused on your topic or the objective of your speech or writing. If you want to include other topics, be sure that they are related to your main topic.
Whether you are writing or delivering a message verbally, it will help to make an outline that you can follow. Start with your main topic. Try to make your topic as specific as possible. Avoid general topics such as salvation or evangelism, unless you have a specific target topic in mind. Otherwise, you will have so many sub-topics that may overwhelm your audience or reader. If salvation is your topic, ask yourself this question: What about salvation do I want to talk about? Do you want to talk about how to avoid backsliding? Do you want to talk about how to win a person to Jesus? Do you want to talk about how to receive salvation? The more narrowed down your topic is, the easier it will be for you, and the more focused you will be. If you choose “How to win a person to Jesus” as the main focus of your topic on salvation, then think about the sub-topics that should go under that.
Below are sample sub-topics for the topic, “How to Win a Person to Jesus”.
· Preparing to lead a person to Jesus
· Signs to watch out for
· Steps in leading a person to Jesus
· What if the person rejects your message
· Getting to the sinner’s prayer
· Other things to tell a newly reborn person
With this outline and guide, it will be so much easier for you to develop your talk or your write-up. It also keeps your thoughts very organized and easy to follow.
When your thoughts are organized, your message becomes clearer, and those who are hearing or reading your message will be able to receive it better. Don’t forget that your main objective for communicating is not only to relay a message or to have an audience but to make others understand your message. This should be your main goal. If you can’t make them understand, then don’t waste your time, and most especially God’s time.
~Lisa Maki~
Imagine a room full of stuff everywhere ... clothes on the floor, papers on the dresser, plastic bags with candies on the bed, caps and hats on different places, and so much more. If you have a room like this, I don’t know how you can stand it. I am just being honest with you. I can’t stand clutter. Don’t get me wrong. I am not the neatest person and I can stand some mess every now and then. What I can’t stand is, not knowing where my stuff is just because it is not in the right place.
I have separate drawers for my things and I make sure that what belongs to each drawer goes back there. I have a rack for my shades and I make sure that I put them back there at the end of the day. It makes my life easier knowing that I can just grab them easily when I need them. Doesn’t this make sense?
This is exactly the same concept when it comes to organizing your thoughts. There has to be a specific drawer or compartment for related thoughts. You don’t mix them all together or you wouldn’t be able to sort it out quick. If you want to talk or write about “Creative Evangelism”, don’t put baptism, discipleship, preaching, or prophecy in the mix. You have to stay focused on your topic or the objective of your speech or writing. If you want to include other topics, be sure that they are related to your main topic.
Whether you are writing or delivering a message verbally, it will help to make an outline that you can follow. Start with your main topic. Try to make your topic as specific as possible. Avoid general topics such as salvation or evangelism, unless you have a specific target topic in mind. Otherwise, you will have so many sub-topics that may overwhelm your audience or reader. If salvation is your topic, ask yourself this question: What about salvation do I want to talk about? Do you want to talk about how to avoid backsliding? Do you want to talk about how to win a person to Jesus? Do you want to talk about how to receive salvation? The more narrowed down your topic is, the easier it will be for you, and the more focused you will be. If you choose “How to win a person to Jesus” as the main focus of your topic on salvation, then think about the sub-topics that should go under that.
Below are sample sub-topics for the topic, “How to Win a Person to Jesus”.
· Preparing to lead a person to Jesus
· Signs to watch out for
· Steps in leading a person to Jesus
· What if the person rejects your message
· Getting to the sinner’s prayer
· Other things to tell a newly reborn person
With this outline and guide, it will be so much easier for you to develop your talk or your write-up. It also keeps your thoughts very organized and easy to follow.
When your thoughts are organized, your message becomes clearer, and those who are hearing or reading your message will be able to receive it better. Don’t forget that your main objective for communicating is not only to relay a message or to have an audience but to make others understand your message. This should be your main goal. If you can’t make them understand, then don’t waste your time, and most especially God’s time.
~Lisa Maki~
PASTELS
Beauty & Fashion
My two latest obsessions are pale pink lipstick and a great light green nail color. Here’s why these are fabulous ... everyone loves a great nail color and a great lip color. These tend to accentuate any outfit. Now just like the hot pink and tangerine, these colors are not for everyone. If you’re not an outgoing, bold person you won’t feel confident pulling these looks off. You will get looks for sure but you will have fun!
At first when I took my hot pink for a spin I kept making sure it looked ok. Now it’s like one of my favorite shades and this is out of my comfort zone. My polish ... I’m more adventurous with. Now the green is such a great shade! It’s fun and with summer coming to a close it’s a good one to sneak in before we slide into fall.
You know me ... why not go out with a bang? Summer flew by for me! Almost time to put away the sandals and pull out the boots! Hope everyone has had a safe and wonderful summer. Let’s enjoy the rest and most importantly keep it fabulous! XO
~Joy Norman~
At first when I took my hot pink for a spin I kept making sure it looked ok. Now it’s like one of my favorite shades and this is out of my comfort zone. My polish ... I’m more adventurous with. Now the green is such a great shade! It’s fun and with summer coming to a close it’s a good one to sneak in before we slide into fall.
You know me ... why not go out with a bang? Summer flew by for me! Almost time to put away the sandals and pull out the boots! Hope everyone has had a safe and wonderful summer. Let’s enjoy the rest and most importantly keep it fabulous! XO
~Joy Norman~
EVERYDAY OILS
Beauty & Fashion
The majority of my favorite beauty products usually tend to contain mostly natural ingredients. I believe that you don’t have to look very far in nature to find out how richly God has supplied us with the finest of formulas. Over the past few years, I’ve discovered so many natural oils with an array of uses. Here’s a list of my top five favorite oils and their recommended uses:
1. Emu Oil – An oil obtained from the fat of the Emu, a bird native to Australia. High in essential fatty acids, emu oil is absorbed easily into the skin and hair and can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as healing cuts and burns, moisturizing parched skin, treating eczema and psoriasis, and even as a natural sunscreen. It’s great for moisturizing hair and some claim that it even helps to regrow it. I love it because a little goes a long way and you start to see results almost immediately. I’ve even used it as a lip and under-eye treatment and saw noticeable results.
2. Tea Tree Oil – Derived from the leaves of the tea tree, it is one of the absolute best antiseptics in nature or anywhere else (in my opinion). I love the fresh, spicy scent and the tingly feeling that it leaves skin with. It use it on breakouts, in shampoo, and even as a mouthwash. It is a potent, bacteria-killing formula, so you definitely have to be cautious when using it. It’s recommended that you always dilute it with water or another oil prior to use or else it can be damaging to skin. It shouldn’t be ingested and the eye area should definitely be avoided when using it.
3. Olive Oil – High in antioxidants, olive oil isn’t just great on food it’s also amazing on skin and hair. By now, most women know about the beauty benefits of using olive oil. I love using it as a hot oil/scalp treatment for my hair, mixing it in with my conditioner, as well as a leave-in oil. I also think it works great as an after-shower moisturizer.
4. Coconut Oil – Offering a variety of benefits, coconut oil is also known for its healing properties. Of course it tastes great in food and I tend to cook with it pretty regularly. For some reason, as a leave-in oil it tends to dry my hair out a bit, but as a pre-shampoo treatment it works perfectly for helping my hair and scalp retain moisture. Like olive oil, I also love using coconut oil as an after-shower moisturizer. It does a great job of locking in moisture and helping out those areas that tend to get a little drier than others.
5. Jojoba Oil – A botanical extract derived from the jojoba seed, this has to be my absolute favorite hair oil. I’ve yet to find another oil that helps my hair retain moisture the way this one does. I like to mix it in with my conditioner (along with olive and coconut oils), as well as add a little to my hair while it’s still wet prior to styling. It’s lightweight, so it doesn’t weigh my hair down or leave it feeling greasy. It’s also great on skin!
~Kimberly Vandiver~
http://thertyone.com/oil/
1. Emu Oil – An oil obtained from the fat of the Emu, a bird native to Australia. High in essential fatty acids, emu oil is absorbed easily into the skin and hair and can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as healing cuts and burns, moisturizing parched skin, treating eczema and psoriasis, and even as a natural sunscreen. It’s great for moisturizing hair and some claim that it even helps to regrow it. I love it because a little goes a long way and you start to see results almost immediately. I’ve even used it as a lip and under-eye treatment and saw noticeable results.
2. Tea Tree Oil – Derived from the leaves of the tea tree, it is one of the absolute best antiseptics in nature or anywhere else (in my opinion). I love the fresh, spicy scent and the tingly feeling that it leaves skin with. It use it on breakouts, in shampoo, and even as a mouthwash. It is a potent, bacteria-killing formula, so you definitely have to be cautious when using it. It’s recommended that you always dilute it with water or another oil prior to use or else it can be damaging to skin. It shouldn’t be ingested and the eye area should definitely be avoided when using it.
3. Olive Oil – High in antioxidants, olive oil isn’t just great on food it’s also amazing on skin and hair. By now, most women know about the beauty benefits of using olive oil. I love using it as a hot oil/scalp treatment for my hair, mixing it in with my conditioner, as well as a leave-in oil. I also think it works great as an after-shower moisturizer.
4. Coconut Oil – Offering a variety of benefits, coconut oil is also known for its healing properties. Of course it tastes great in food and I tend to cook with it pretty regularly. For some reason, as a leave-in oil it tends to dry my hair out a bit, but as a pre-shampoo treatment it works perfectly for helping my hair and scalp retain moisture. Like olive oil, I also love using coconut oil as an after-shower moisturizer. It does a great job of locking in moisture and helping out those areas that tend to get a little drier than others.
5. Jojoba Oil – A botanical extract derived from the jojoba seed, this has to be my absolute favorite hair oil. I’ve yet to find another oil that helps my hair retain moisture the way this one does. I like to mix it in with my conditioner (along with olive and coconut oils), as well as add a little to my hair while it’s still wet prior to styling. It’s lightweight, so it doesn’t weigh my hair down or leave it feeling greasy. It’s also great on skin!
~Kimberly Vandiver~
http://thertyone.com/oil/
CART RACE
Joy of the Lord
So my son & I were at Walmart & there was this older lady in one of those motorized sit & shop carts right next to me. It had been a GOOD day, I was in a great mood, full of the JOY of the Lord, & feeling goofy. I don't know what came over me, but, without even thinking, I looked over at her & playfully asked her if she wanted to race. The second I said it, I took a closer look & noticed that the woman looked sickly & like she had been going through chemo. She stared at me condescendingly with her eyes opened wide & eyebrows raised. My heart dropped as I began to attempt to pull my foot out of my mouth. When, all of a sudden, she revved her cart up to full throttle & began racing down the isle, laughing hysterically & uproariously as she went. Much to my teenage son's horror, I found myself running alongside her trying to keep up. He quickly ran the other way, completely mortified. (LOL)
We carried on like this for a few rows & even had some fans cheering us on as they moved their carts out of our way. I'm not sure who won because we were both laughing so hard, we could barely breath! The lady then turned to me and said "Well at least somebody has a sense of humor in this place!" This opened up an opportunity for us to have a really nice conversation about prayer & God & we figured out that she had been one of my math teachers back in high school. She was going through chemo & had recently broken her leg due to the cancer weakening her bones. It turned out that this woman really needed someone to talk to. She also really needed to laugh. I’m thankful for God’s Presence in my life & how crazy GOOD His JOY is not just to me, but the people around me as well!
~Tara Lee Fulkerson~
We carried on like this for a few rows & even had some fans cheering us on as they moved their carts out of our way. I'm not sure who won because we were both laughing so hard, we could barely breath! The lady then turned to me and said "Well at least somebody has a sense of humor in this place!" This opened up an opportunity for us to have a really nice conversation about prayer & God & we figured out that she had been one of my math teachers back in high school. She was going through chemo & had recently broken her leg due to the cancer weakening her bones. It turned out that this woman really needed someone to talk to. She also really needed to laugh. I’m thankful for God’s Presence in my life & how crazy GOOD His JOY is not just to me, but the people around me as well!
~Tara Lee Fulkerson~
THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH
Joy of the Lord
So my back went out at work today, making it next to impossible for me to stand up. I was putting truck away, so I decided it was a good time to show the new kid how to do it instead. (good call huh??:) He said something funny that made me laugh, which of course made my back hurt even worse. But I couldn't stop & the more I laughed, the worse it got. I reached a point where I had to choose between laughing & collapsing in pain or gaining some composure. I chose to laugh & a few moments later I was on the floor laughing because it hurt so bad to laugh, which made me laugh even more, & I couldn't stop laughing, so I was literally stuck & unable to get up off the floor. This in return caused my coworkers to laugh so hard that they ended up on the floor. I LOVE HOW CONTAGIOUS LAUGHTER IS!!!
No matter what is going on with me or around me, I CHOOSE JOY! HIS JOY IS MY STRENGTH! Sometimes it's the only way I can make it through my day, & all the other times. IT'S THE ONLY WAY I WANT TO MAKE IT THROUGH MY DAY (& who knows, some people might need my JOY just to make it through their day ... I am sure there are people out there who count on the smile Jesus puts on my face!!!)
I pray for an ability to return to JOY, even when things aren't going so well. I ask God for a light heartedness that sets us FREE from worry & allows us to be at ease & trust in what the Lord is doing. May we ENJOY our life through its ups & downs, helping us to see things with GOD's PERSPECTIVE (He's got a way better view!!!)
Lord Help us to lean not on our own understanding, but on YOURS & show us how to apply it in every circumstance & change our attitudes in the midst of storms, so that we can easily find our way back to JOY & live life ABUNDANTLY in the name of Jesus!!!! Amen! (oh ya, I almost forgot: my back needs healing as well!!! Thank You Jesus & so B it!)
~Tara Lee Fulkerson~
No matter what is going on with me or around me, I CHOOSE JOY! HIS JOY IS MY STRENGTH! Sometimes it's the only way I can make it through my day, & all the other times. IT'S THE ONLY WAY I WANT TO MAKE IT THROUGH MY DAY (& who knows, some people might need my JOY just to make it through their day ... I am sure there are people out there who count on the smile Jesus puts on my face!!!)
I pray for an ability to return to JOY, even when things aren't going so well. I ask God for a light heartedness that sets us FREE from worry & allows us to be at ease & trust in what the Lord is doing. May we ENJOY our life through its ups & downs, helping us to see things with GOD's PERSPECTIVE (He's got a way better view!!!)
Lord Help us to lean not on our own understanding, but on YOURS & show us how to apply it in every circumstance & change our attitudes in the midst of storms, so that we can easily find our way back to JOY & live life ABUNDANTLY in the name of Jesus!!!! Amen! (oh ya, I almost forgot: my back needs healing as well!!! Thank You Jesus & so B it!)
~Tara Lee Fulkerson~
SAYING NO TO FEAR
Inspirational
I swear being a contributor is not something I ever thought I would do. It’s such a release and I definitely had to get rid of a lot of my own fears and insecurities when writing my book and being a contributor. You feel overwhelmed and insecure by what people will think about your writing.
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV says: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.
How many times has fear prevented you from obtaining the blessings God has in store for you? I have missed out on several blessings because I allowed my fear to consume me. My book took twice as long to actually publish because my fear convinced me it wasn’t ready. Fear of being alone also prevented me from leaving a loveless union when I knew it was over. Fear prevented me from going to school. Fear prevented me from applying for jobs that I so desperately wanted.
How do you stop being afraid? You trust whole-heartedly that God’s plan and purpose for your life is real. You stand on those promises and wait for those blessings. You have to ask those things you desire and speak them into existence. It’s all about trust. If you ask God to bless you with something, you must know that He will bless you with what you need. Trust that He will provide you with what you need.
God wants us happy, healthy and blessed. I know I deserve to have the utmost blessings ... do you? Claim it in Jesus name!
~Joy Norman~
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV says: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.
How many times has fear prevented you from obtaining the blessings God has in store for you? I have missed out on several blessings because I allowed my fear to consume me. My book took twice as long to actually publish because my fear convinced me it wasn’t ready. Fear of being alone also prevented me from leaving a loveless union when I knew it was over. Fear prevented me from going to school. Fear prevented me from applying for jobs that I so desperately wanted.
How do you stop being afraid? You trust whole-heartedly that God’s plan and purpose for your life is real. You stand on those promises and wait for those blessings. You have to ask those things you desire and speak them into existence. It’s all about trust. If you ask God to bless you with something, you must know that He will bless you with what you need. Trust that He will provide you with what you need.
God wants us happy, healthy and blessed. I know I deserve to have the utmost blessings ... do you? Claim it in Jesus name!
~Joy Norman~
GOSSIP GIRL: A Confession
Inspirational
“The women likewise must be worthy of respect and serious, not gossipers, but temperate and self-controlled, trustworthy in all things.” – 1 Tim. 3:11
After a long, yet fun-filled and very productive, day of working with my family on a new production, as I was finally preparing for bed that evening I noticed that I had this really heavy feeling. Perhaps you know the feeling that I’m talking about. You know that pressing feeling where you can tell that the Holy Spirit is in the process of convicting you of some things and it’s weighing on you until it’s revealed and dealt with through His counsel. As I went back over the events of the day in my mind, I found myself wondering what it could possibly be. Then it came to me. Gossip. Yep, that’s right. That nasty habit of talking about others in a way that’s less than uplifting and sometimes just downright demeaning. Had I really been guilty of gossiping that day? Very aware of the fact that Jesus Christ taught that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk. 6:45) and “on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Mt. 12:36), I try to use discernment and caution in the things that I choose to talk about and the ways in which I choose to speak about them. However, as I replayed my conversations that day, I had to confess that much of my conversation had been tainted with gossip. Sure, in the moment, it didn’t seem that bad at all. In fact the conversations seemed pretty harmless. I n the moment it didn’t really feel like I was speaking of people and situations in a less than uplifting way. It just felt like good ol’ conversation with friends. We talked, we joked, we laughed and had an all around “good” time. However, as is oftentimes the case with sin, what might feel good in the moment always has consequences in the end. People can get hurt, friendships can get ruined, modified versions of a story start to spread, and so forth and so on. I had to be honest with myself and realize that I’d partaken in my fair share of gossip that day and If I’m being completely honest, I realized that in spite of my efforts, I find myself engaging in those types of conversations all too often. Two words. Not. Cool.
Gossip can be a tricky little thing. You might start off simply wanting to relay a bit of truth that you recently heard about someone you know (or don’t know for that matter). Sometimes your sharing with others even feels like it’s coming from a genuine place of concern for another person. Maybe it’s something you can pray in agreement about. There are times where someone might ask you a seemingly innocent question about another person and your initial goal is to give a straightforward answer. Before you know it, what seemed like just a regular conversation has quickly down-spiraled into a straight gossip fest. And let’s be totally honest here. There are also those occasions when we have that thing about someone else that we feel like we just “have to get off our chest”. We know we shouldn’t say it. The person we’re sharing with knows we shouldn’t say it. Yet and still, we proceed. As the Bible says, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
If the Word says that “no human being can tame the tongue” (Jm. 3:8), how in the world are we to keep ourselves from gossiping? The truth of the matter is that we can’t keep ourselves from it. What we can do is pray and ask God to, through the awesome power of His Holy Spirit, tame our tongues for us that the words of our mouths and meditations of our hearts might be pleasing to Him (Ps. 19:14). God knows that we are made up of flesh and prone to sin. That’s why, for believers in Jesus Christ, He’s given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to lead us into ALL truth. We know that on the list of fruits of the Spirit are love and self-control. The Spirit will help us to speak only words that come from a place of love and equip us with the self-control that it takes to keep from saying things that are contrary to that. Our role is to surrender to the guidance of the Spirit and to pay attention to that “still, small Voice” that tells us when we’re approaching gossip territory (or any other territory we shouldn’t be in). As I continued to think about it, I’d heard that “still, small Voice” that day and chose to ignore it. As I prayed that night, I asked the Lord for forgiveness and asked Him to help me to speak only on those things which are pleasing and glorifying to Him. I’m so grateful for His grace and His mercies that are new every morning. I woke up the next morning with a renewed focus on speaking only life-giving words. I trust that He’ll continue to help me walk that out each day and that He’ll continue to love me even in those times that I fall short. God is so awesome!
Kimberly Vandiver
http://thertyone.com/gossip-girl/
After a long, yet fun-filled and very productive, day of working with my family on a new production, as I was finally preparing for bed that evening I noticed that I had this really heavy feeling. Perhaps you know the feeling that I’m talking about. You know that pressing feeling where you can tell that the Holy Spirit is in the process of convicting you of some things and it’s weighing on you until it’s revealed and dealt with through His counsel. As I went back over the events of the day in my mind, I found myself wondering what it could possibly be. Then it came to me. Gossip. Yep, that’s right. That nasty habit of talking about others in a way that’s less than uplifting and sometimes just downright demeaning. Had I really been guilty of gossiping that day? Very aware of the fact that Jesus Christ taught that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk. 6:45) and “on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Mt. 12:36), I try to use discernment and caution in the things that I choose to talk about and the ways in which I choose to speak about them. However, as I replayed my conversations that day, I had to confess that much of my conversation had been tainted with gossip. Sure, in the moment, it didn’t seem that bad at all. In fact the conversations seemed pretty harmless. I n the moment it didn’t really feel like I was speaking of people and situations in a less than uplifting way. It just felt like good ol’ conversation with friends. We talked, we joked, we laughed and had an all around “good” time. However, as is oftentimes the case with sin, what might feel good in the moment always has consequences in the end. People can get hurt, friendships can get ruined, modified versions of a story start to spread, and so forth and so on. I had to be honest with myself and realize that I’d partaken in my fair share of gossip that day and If I’m being completely honest, I realized that in spite of my efforts, I find myself engaging in those types of conversations all too often. Two words. Not. Cool.
Gossip can be a tricky little thing. You might start off simply wanting to relay a bit of truth that you recently heard about someone you know (or don’t know for that matter). Sometimes your sharing with others even feels like it’s coming from a genuine place of concern for another person. Maybe it’s something you can pray in agreement about. There are times where someone might ask you a seemingly innocent question about another person and your initial goal is to give a straightforward answer. Before you know it, what seemed like just a regular conversation has quickly down-spiraled into a straight gossip fest. And let’s be totally honest here. There are also those occasions when we have that thing about someone else that we feel like we just “have to get off our chest”. We know we shouldn’t say it. The person we’re sharing with knows we shouldn’t say it. Yet and still, we proceed. As the Bible says, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
If the Word says that “no human being can tame the tongue” (Jm. 3:8), how in the world are we to keep ourselves from gossiping? The truth of the matter is that we can’t keep ourselves from it. What we can do is pray and ask God to, through the awesome power of His Holy Spirit, tame our tongues for us that the words of our mouths and meditations of our hearts might be pleasing to Him (Ps. 19:14). God knows that we are made up of flesh and prone to sin. That’s why, for believers in Jesus Christ, He’s given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to lead us into ALL truth. We know that on the list of fruits of the Spirit are love and self-control. The Spirit will help us to speak only words that come from a place of love and equip us with the self-control that it takes to keep from saying things that are contrary to that. Our role is to surrender to the guidance of the Spirit and to pay attention to that “still, small Voice” that tells us when we’re approaching gossip territory (or any other territory we shouldn’t be in). As I continued to think about it, I’d heard that “still, small Voice” that day and chose to ignore it. As I prayed that night, I asked the Lord for forgiveness and asked Him to help me to speak only on those things which are pleasing and glorifying to Him. I’m so grateful for His grace and His mercies that are new every morning. I woke up the next morning with a renewed focus on speaking only life-giving words. I trust that He’ll continue to help me walk that out each day and that He’ll continue to love me even in those times that I fall short. God is so awesome!
Kimberly Vandiver
http://thertyone.com/gossip-girl/
ALWAYS
Inspirational
“I love the words always and never. They hold so much hope! I would like to think that I could always be happy and that life would never fail me. But reality says that I won’t always be happy and that the things I hope would never happen just might. So, as good as these words sound, they struggle to live up to their potential—unless you are thinking about the promise of Jesus’ presence.”
Our Daily Bread, August 3, 2012
That was just a little part of today’s devotional I read in Our Daily Bread. So I decided to share my thoughts today with you guys.
I will always love you.
I will never leave you.
I will always be here.
I will never leave you.
I can’t even remember how many times, I have heard every single one of those phrases above. And you’re probably saying the same thing too. I believe every one of us will hear one or even all of those (sometimes more) phrases in our lifetime. because, yes they do hold so much hope for us. And, after all isn’t that what we all want? To have hope for the future,
Okay, so now looking back at that hot football player in high school that told you, “I will always love you”, or the prettiest girl in school that vowed, “I will never leave you.” Let me guess, they are no longer part of your life, right? That’s because as mere humans we can’t promise such hope to one another. We can’t always be there for someone. We won’t always live. We never know what tomorrow will bring us.
That’s where God comes in. Only He can make such promises of hope for all of us, because honestly he was always been there and has never left us. Jesus not only tells us, but promises that He’s always with us. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. And even better, He promises we will one day abide in His presence and live with Him for all eternity. Now I don’t know about you, but that’s a pretty amazing promise!
When you dive into God’s Word, you will find all the many times He promises us of a future of eternal hope. 1 Thesslonians tells us: “We shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (4:17-18).
I know there are times when I’m feeling weary and discouraged about what’s ahead for my family and I, but then I’m reminded of Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And I know that Christ alone is the ONLY one that can make such promises, because He will never let us down.
People will always come and go from our lives, but Jesus is always here, and always has been. He promises us all an eternal future full of love, hope, health and so much more as long as we have faith and trust that He will come through for us. So no matter what is going on in your life today, take comfort in knowing God’s promise to us.
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. - Hebrews 13:5-6
~Carmen Miller~
http://thoughtsofachristiangirl.tumblr.com/
Our Daily Bread, August 3, 2012
That was just a little part of today’s devotional I read in Our Daily Bread. So I decided to share my thoughts today with you guys.
I will always love you.
I will never leave you.
I will always be here.
I will never leave you.
I can’t even remember how many times, I have heard every single one of those phrases above. And you’re probably saying the same thing too. I believe every one of us will hear one or even all of those (sometimes more) phrases in our lifetime. because, yes they do hold so much hope for us. And, after all isn’t that what we all want? To have hope for the future,
Okay, so now looking back at that hot football player in high school that told you, “I will always love you”, or the prettiest girl in school that vowed, “I will never leave you.” Let me guess, they are no longer part of your life, right? That’s because as mere humans we can’t promise such hope to one another. We can’t always be there for someone. We won’t always live. We never know what tomorrow will bring us.
That’s where God comes in. Only He can make such promises of hope for all of us, because honestly he was always been there and has never left us. Jesus not only tells us, but promises that He’s always with us. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. And even better, He promises we will one day abide in His presence and live with Him for all eternity. Now I don’t know about you, but that’s a pretty amazing promise!
When you dive into God’s Word, you will find all the many times He promises us of a future of eternal hope. 1 Thesslonians tells us: “We shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (4:17-18).
I know there are times when I’m feeling weary and discouraged about what’s ahead for my family and I, but then I’m reminded of Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And I know that Christ alone is the ONLY one that can make such promises, because He will never let us down.
People will always come and go from our lives, but Jesus is always here, and always has been. He promises us all an eternal future full of love, hope, health and so much more as long as we have faith and trust that He will come through for us. So no matter what is going on in your life today, take comfort in knowing God’s promise to us.
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. - Hebrews 13:5-6
~Carmen Miller~
http://thoughtsofachristiangirl.tumblr.com/
HURRY UP AND WAIT
Inspirational
The layoff process is complete. I am officially an unemployed full-time stay-home mom. I am at acceptance – ready for whatever comes.
The business venture of my husband’s vision and calling has been officially launched. We are moving forward in multiple aspects of this venture.
I am wrestling with the temptation to bring my old nature over into this new life God is calling me/us to live. I am so accustomed to doing things the old way. It is not easy allowing that old way to remain buried so that God can bring forth His new way of living in me.
The most difficult aspect of this new way of living is waiting on God. I am struggling with finding the middle between two extremes.
At one extreme is living life seeing God as Consultant or just Savior. In that extreme, I make all the decisions and move forth in the direction I see fit until I get derailed and am forced by God Himself to call upon Him for guidance and deliverance from the circumstances I created. Once God gets me back on track, I proceed in repeating the same cycle – moving forward without initially consulting Him, getting derailed, calling on Him to fix my mess.
The other extreme is shifting to cruise control under the misguided belief that it is entirely up to God to take my life in the right direction. I’m just along for the ride. In this extreme, I wait passively for God to conform my life in accordance with His will. When nothing happens or opportunities are missed, I then feel justified in blaming God, taking no responsibility or ownership for myself.
The middle ground in between these two extremes is partnering and co-laboring with God in living out His purpose and plan for my life. I’m still floored over the personal revelation that God is actually looking for me to actively participate in this process.
In moving towards this middle ground of co-laboring with God, He is actively engaging my trust issues with Him. I know in my mind that He is God – all powerful, all knowing, and sovereign. I know that He sees things I can’t. His timing is perfect. All these things I know in my mind.
God is challenging me in this season of life to move what I know in my head into the state of permanent residency in my heart. I am in a place in which I am waiting on God. God’s response to all my questions as to why we aren’t progressing, advancing or moving forward as I feel we should is: Not yet. Wait. Trust me.
So I am wrestling with the restlessness in me that makes it difficult for me to wait patiently and in peace.
This wrestling plays out as I bring my fears into dialogue with God’s love.
My fear: “What if my inaction causes me to miss a window of opportunity?”
God’s Love: “I AM loving and powerful enough to hold the window open long enough for you to realize THIS is the way, walk ye in it. And, as My ways are not your ways and My understanding beyond your comprehension, what you perceive as a Me holding the window open for you or even a second chance is merely Me moving both you and the window of opportunity into the perfect alignment I already pre-ordained.”
My fear: “What if I do something to mess this up? Say the wrong thing? Make a mistake?”
God’s Love: “I AM so wise and omnipotent that My plan has already assessed and compensated for your humanity and the humanity of all those who have a role to play in this.”
My fear: “What if I miss You? What if You speak and I miss it because I don’t recognize it’s You?”
God’s Love: “My sheep know My voice and answer. You are My sheep. You know My voice. I AM the Good Shepherd. I know how to get you moving and when it’s time to move. I know how to perfectly steer you in the direction you ought to go.”
My fear: “What if our resources run out? What if we don’t have the resources we need when the time is right?”
God’s Love: “Look at all the examples of My provision to My people in My Word. Look at all the ways in which I have provided for you throughout your life. I change not. I AM Jehovah Jireh, your provider. I AM constant in that.”
My fear: “What if when all this happens I won’t be able to enjoy it?”
God’s Love: “That’s why we are going through it this way. If you shoulder this yourself, you will always be focused on drumming up your strength to sustain this. If you allow Me to do this My way, you can rest in My strength which is limitless, My power which is eternal. You will have My peace which surpasses all understanding. You will have My joy which is unspeakable. I will get all the glory. Everyone will see this as a reflection of Me, not of you. The pressure to sustain this will all be on Me. I am fully capable of handling that pressure. You are not!”
So, what do I do while I wait?
I confess that I am a fully enculturated member of American society, manifested in my inability to wait. I am also saddened to see this flaw not only existent but at times celebrated in the Body of Christ.
I heard it as commentary on a Christian radio station the other day. Believers complained about how inconsiderate it is for service providers to keep them waiting past the appointed time designated for the paid provider to commence services. They were saying in essence, “I’m paying good money for their services. Don’t they know my time is valuable? They should at least have the decency to start rendering the services I paid them for on time. When they make me wait, they are wasting my valuable time and devaluing the importance of my life.”
Is that what I am saying to God when I complain and groan out of my impatience in waiting on Him to move? Am I saying that, since I put my time in towards obedience to His Word and ministry in service to Him as required, God is now obligated NOT to make me wait? After all, I did my part – what a good Christian was supposed to do! Step up Lord! Come on with it! My time is valuable!
That is entitlement at its core. Seen for what it really is, it’s ugly! How dare I hold such an attitude towards the God of the universe!
I don’t like seeing that in myself. I definitely don’t like seeing that in my children. After ALL I’ve done for them – all the blessings I have bestowed upon them, many of which I never received myself as a child – they can wait 5 minutes without complaining about how “haaaarrrrd” it is to wait. In fact, any commentary they might have about waiting for any blessings I am preparing to grant them is completely unacceptable.
Oh, how I love it when God dramatically unveils truth about my relationship with Him by pointing out the same dynamic in my relationship with my children! Forgive me Lord! Forgive me.
So, what do I do while I wait? The same things I expect of my children to do while they wait:
•Complete any assignments already issued (for me, writing this article).
•Reflect on God’s goodness and all His blessings thus far.
•Thank and praise God in advance, showing appreciation for the blessing He is about to bestow.
•Get into and remain in a spirit of anticipation and excitement about the blessing about to be bestowed.
As I am seeing in my children, attitude is a choice. I choose to either wait positively in expected anticipation or negatively in frustrated impatience. I have no control over being in a position to wait or the duration of the waiting period. I DO have control over my state of mind as I wait.
Most importantly, the state of mind I choose determines how I receive the blessing on the other side of this waiting period. If I choose to wait negatively, I will not fully enjoy the blessing to come.
With my children, I find that I enjoy blessing them more so when they receive the blessing with joy, excitement and gratitude. Matthew 7:11 – “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” However I determine to wait, the blessing WILL come. God is true to His word.
This waiting is God giving me an opportunity to posture my heart rightly so that I will receive the blessing with the fullness of joy in which He desires me to experience it.
God is manifesting His love towards me by making me wait.
~Ilayna Utley~
http://thertyone.com/hurry-wait-ilayna-utley/
The business venture of my husband’s vision and calling has been officially launched. We are moving forward in multiple aspects of this venture.
I am wrestling with the temptation to bring my old nature over into this new life God is calling me/us to live. I am so accustomed to doing things the old way. It is not easy allowing that old way to remain buried so that God can bring forth His new way of living in me.
The most difficult aspect of this new way of living is waiting on God. I am struggling with finding the middle between two extremes.
At one extreme is living life seeing God as Consultant or just Savior. In that extreme, I make all the decisions and move forth in the direction I see fit until I get derailed and am forced by God Himself to call upon Him for guidance and deliverance from the circumstances I created. Once God gets me back on track, I proceed in repeating the same cycle – moving forward without initially consulting Him, getting derailed, calling on Him to fix my mess.
The other extreme is shifting to cruise control under the misguided belief that it is entirely up to God to take my life in the right direction. I’m just along for the ride. In this extreme, I wait passively for God to conform my life in accordance with His will. When nothing happens or opportunities are missed, I then feel justified in blaming God, taking no responsibility or ownership for myself.
The middle ground in between these two extremes is partnering and co-laboring with God in living out His purpose and plan for my life. I’m still floored over the personal revelation that God is actually looking for me to actively participate in this process.
In moving towards this middle ground of co-laboring with God, He is actively engaging my trust issues with Him. I know in my mind that He is God – all powerful, all knowing, and sovereign. I know that He sees things I can’t. His timing is perfect. All these things I know in my mind.
God is challenging me in this season of life to move what I know in my head into the state of permanent residency in my heart. I am in a place in which I am waiting on God. God’s response to all my questions as to why we aren’t progressing, advancing or moving forward as I feel we should is: Not yet. Wait. Trust me.
So I am wrestling with the restlessness in me that makes it difficult for me to wait patiently and in peace.
This wrestling plays out as I bring my fears into dialogue with God’s love.
My fear: “What if my inaction causes me to miss a window of opportunity?”
God’s Love: “I AM loving and powerful enough to hold the window open long enough for you to realize THIS is the way, walk ye in it. And, as My ways are not your ways and My understanding beyond your comprehension, what you perceive as a Me holding the window open for you or even a second chance is merely Me moving both you and the window of opportunity into the perfect alignment I already pre-ordained.”
My fear: “What if I do something to mess this up? Say the wrong thing? Make a mistake?”
God’s Love: “I AM so wise and omnipotent that My plan has already assessed and compensated for your humanity and the humanity of all those who have a role to play in this.”
My fear: “What if I miss You? What if You speak and I miss it because I don’t recognize it’s You?”
God’s Love: “My sheep know My voice and answer. You are My sheep. You know My voice. I AM the Good Shepherd. I know how to get you moving and when it’s time to move. I know how to perfectly steer you in the direction you ought to go.”
My fear: “What if our resources run out? What if we don’t have the resources we need when the time is right?”
God’s Love: “Look at all the examples of My provision to My people in My Word. Look at all the ways in which I have provided for you throughout your life. I change not. I AM Jehovah Jireh, your provider. I AM constant in that.”
My fear: “What if when all this happens I won’t be able to enjoy it?”
God’s Love: “That’s why we are going through it this way. If you shoulder this yourself, you will always be focused on drumming up your strength to sustain this. If you allow Me to do this My way, you can rest in My strength which is limitless, My power which is eternal. You will have My peace which surpasses all understanding. You will have My joy which is unspeakable. I will get all the glory. Everyone will see this as a reflection of Me, not of you. The pressure to sustain this will all be on Me. I am fully capable of handling that pressure. You are not!”
So, what do I do while I wait?
I confess that I am a fully enculturated member of American society, manifested in my inability to wait. I am also saddened to see this flaw not only existent but at times celebrated in the Body of Christ.
I heard it as commentary on a Christian radio station the other day. Believers complained about how inconsiderate it is for service providers to keep them waiting past the appointed time designated for the paid provider to commence services. They were saying in essence, “I’m paying good money for their services. Don’t they know my time is valuable? They should at least have the decency to start rendering the services I paid them for on time. When they make me wait, they are wasting my valuable time and devaluing the importance of my life.”
Is that what I am saying to God when I complain and groan out of my impatience in waiting on Him to move? Am I saying that, since I put my time in towards obedience to His Word and ministry in service to Him as required, God is now obligated NOT to make me wait? After all, I did my part – what a good Christian was supposed to do! Step up Lord! Come on with it! My time is valuable!
That is entitlement at its core. Seen for what it really is, it’s ugly! How dare I hold such an attitude towards the God of the universe!
I don’t like seeing that in myself. I definitely don’t like seeing that in my children. After ALL I’ve done for them – all the blessings I have bestowed upon them, many of which I never received myself as a child – they can wait 5 minutes without complaining about how “haaaarrrrd” it is to wait. In fact, any commentary they might have about waiting for any blessings I am preparing to grant them is completely unacceptable.
Oh, how I love it when God dramatically unveils truth about my relationship with Him by pointing out the same dynamic in my relationship with my children! Forgive me Lord! Forgive me.
So, what do I do while I wait? The same things I expect of my children to do while they wait:
•Complete any assignments already issued (for me, writing this article).
•Reflect on God’s goodness and all His blessings thus far.
•Thank and praise God in advance, showing appreciation for the blessing He is about to bestow.
•Get into and remain in a spirit of anticipation and excitement about the blessing about to be bestowed.
As I am seeing in my children, attitude is a choice. I choose to either wait positively in expected anticipation or negatively in frustrated impatience. I have no control over being in a position to wait or the duration of the waiting period. I DO have control over my state of mind as I wait.
Most importantly, the state of mind I choose determines how I receive the blessing on the other side of this waiting period. If I choose to wait negatively, I will not fully enjoy the blessing to come.
With my children, I find that I enjoy blessing them more so when they receive the blessing with joy, excitement and gratitude. Matthew 7:11 – “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” However I determine to wait, the blessing WILL come. God is true to His word.
This waiting is God giving me an opportunity to posture my heart rightly so that I will receive the blessing with the fullness of joy in which He desires me to experience it.
God is manifesting His love towards me by making me wait.
~Ilayna Utley~
http://thertyone.com/hurry-wait-ilayna-utley/
JESUS OUR FOUNDATION
Inspirational
I was looking out the window as my husband and sons came driving up to the front of the house. My oldest 2 daughters were playing behind me but I’m not even sure where the baby was at that very moment. As I’m watching the van drive up it suddenly started to spin around in circles. I figured I better tell them to stop that and headed for the door. As I opened the door, a massive, strong wind began to push against it. Very quickly this storm began to wrap itself around the house and I got this feeling in my stomach as if we were being lifted. I screamed for the girls to come grab my hand, but we just weren’t able to reach each other at this point… Oh and the baby! Where is the baby!? That is when I woke up! Immediately the parable popped in my mind about the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7.
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
I am reminded that Jesus is our rock. We need Him as the foundation in our homes.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:9-11
~Nancy Wall~
http://www.splashoflivingwater.com/
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
I am reminded that Jesus is our rock. We need Him as the foundation in our homes.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:9-11
~Nancy Wall~
http://www.splashoflivingwater.com/
A LIFE RESTORED
Testimony
My upbringing was filled with mental, verbal and physical abuse; all which came from the one person in the world I thought was supposed to protect me…my mother. The household I was brought up in had no spiritual foundation whatsoever.
While growing up, my siblings and I had front row seats to her addiction to heroin. We would also witness her being beaten by an alcoholic boyfriend who would have fits of rage whenever he drank. Turns out he was a Vietnam Veteran and drinking was his way of coping with all the trauma he had endured in the war. My mother was an addict up until I had reached mid-adulthood; which almost resulted in her losing her life due to an overdose.
There were many visits to the emergency room due to the severity of the beatings I got. I have third degree burns from being put into a tub of scolding hot water when I was 6 or 7 years old. After that, I had to be hospitalized for a few weeks where I had to undergo painful skin graphs. I believe it was around the age of 9 when I was molested by a neighbor, who happened to be a friend of the family.
My older sibling; who I didn’t have that close of a relationship with, would fondle me and try to force me to perform oral sex on him. When I refused, he literally urinated on me. From that moment on, he added even more hell to the one I was already living by tormenting me with my own fears. My mother would always remind us of how she could have given her children away. Actually, there were a few times when we were in the state’s custody due to her neglect.
My father…well, that’s a story in itself. I didn’t find out until I was in my early teens that the man I was told was my father, wasn’t. That thought alone has left me not only confused but devastated for years. I still don’t understand why I was lied to, and honestly, I don’t have clarity to this day. Anyway, the one who was supposed to be my birth father was known as a rolling stone.
To my recollection, I saw him two or three times in my life. To add insult to injury, the last time I saw him, he looked straight past me like I wasn’t there. What kind of person stands within 10 feet of their child and not even acknowledge him/her? It gets better. What could possibly ruin a perfect Thanksgiving? Being told by my mother that my father was living the down low life. Wow! Who does that?
There is a time and place for this kind of news…not at a holiday dinner table. Somehow I carried the burden of being the reason why he chose to not participate in my life. I was left with the feeling of not being lovable. From then on, my life consisted of one toxic relationship after another; with men who abused me sexually, physically and psychologically. I lost my virginity/got pregnant/had an abortion at age 15, was addicted to pornography; which I was exposed to at age 12, attempted suicide, experimented with drugs, getting into legal trouble, acted out by displaying high risk behavior and had no self esteem.
I was always looking for LOVE in all the wrong places. The problem with that is, I didn’t know what love looked like. I just needed to be wanted by somebody, even if it was for all the wrong reasons. God spoke to me when I was 17 years old during prayer and He continued to pursue me while I ran from Him. I was broken and tired but didn’t surrender until many years later.
I believe it was between 1998 and 2000 that I let God in. It has been a process but my life has never been the same. The events of my life could have completely destroyed me, but God had other plans. This is not to get people to have pity on me. I just want to be able to give people a hope that will bring about healing in their lives.
I strive everyday to live in wholeness and because of God’s love for me, I am complete. I’m a walking testimony that you can survive and how God can take a fragmented life and create something beautiful in you. I’m a woman who lives for Christ but I don’t claim to be perfect by any means. I have flaws and struggles just like the next person. Please know that.
But also know this, I’ve been redeemed and so can you. In order for you to be at peace, you have to forgive. It’s not for the benefit of those who hurt you but for your own recovery. Forgiveness doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s a process that leads to the restoration ofself. You were created in the likeness of God, your life has meaning and purpose.
You may have had a traumatic life, but there will never be a hole too deep for God’s arm to pull you out of.
By His Grace,
~Rhonda River Lewis~
“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.” ~1Peter 5:10-11
http://heartforums.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/mystory/
While growing up, my siblings and I had front row seats to her addiction to heroin. We would also witness her being beaten by an alcoholic boyfriend who would have fits of rage whenever he drank. Turns out he was a Vietnam Veteran and drinking was his way of coping with all the trauma he had endured in the war. My mother was an addict up until I had reached mid-adulthood; which almost resulted in her losing her life due to an overdose.
There were many visits to the emergency room due to the severity of the beatings I got. I have third degree burns from being put into a tub of scolding hot water when I was 6 or 7 years old. After that, I had to be hospitalized for a few weeks where I had to undergo painful skin graphs. I believe it was around the age of 9 when I was molested by a neighbor, who happened to be a friend of the family.
My older sibling; who I didn’t have that close of a relationship with, would fondle me and try to force me to perform oral sex on him. When I refused, he literally urinated on me. From that moment on, he added even more hell to the one I was already living by tormenting me with my own fears. My mother would always remind us of how she could have given her children away. Actually, there were a few times when we were in the state’s custody due to her neglect.
My father…well, that’s a story in itself. I didn’t find out until I was in my early teens that the man I was told was my father, wasn’t. That thought alone has left me not only confused but devastated for years. I still don’t understand why I was lied to, and honestly, I don’t have clarity to this day. Anyway, the one who was supposed to be my birth father was known as a rolling stone.
To my recollection, I saw him two or three times in my life. To add insult to injury, the last time I saw him, he looked straight past me like I wasn’t there. What kind of person stands within 10 feet of their child and not even acknowledge him/her? It gets better. What could possibly ruin a perfect Thanksgiving? Being told by my mother that my father was living the down low life. Wow! Who does that?
There is a time and place for this kind of news…not at a holiday dinner table. Somehow I carried the burden of being the reason why he chose to not participate in my life. I was left with the feeling of not being lovable. From then on, my life consisted of one toxic relationship after another; with men who abused me sexually, physically and psychologically. I lost my virginity/got pregnant/had an abortion at age 15, was addicted to pornography; which I was exposed to at age 12, attempted suicide, experimented with drugs, getting into legal trouble, acted out by displaying high risk behavior and had no self esteem.
I was always looking for LOVE in all the wrong places. The problem with that is, I didn’t know what love looked like. I just needed to be wanted by somebody, even if it was for all the wrong reasons. God spoke to me when I was 17 years old during prayer and He continued to pursue me while I ran from Him. I was broken and tired but didn’t surrender until many years later.
I believe it was between 1998 and 2000 that I let God in. It has been a process but my life has never been the same. The events of my life could have completely destroyed me, but God had other plans. This is not to get people to have pity on me. I just want to be able to give people a hope that will bring about healing in their lives.
I strive everyday to live in wholeness and because of God’s love for me, I am complete. I’m a walking testimony that you can survive and how God can take a fragmented life and create something beautiful in you. I’m a woman who lives for Christ but I don’t claim to be perfect by any means. I have flaws and struggles just like the next person. Please know that.
But also know this, I’ve been redeemed and so can you. In order for you to be at peace, you have to forgive. It’s not for the benefit of those who hurt you but for your own recovery. Forgiveness doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s a process that leads to the restoration ofself. You were created in the likeness of God, your life has meaning and purpose.
You may have had a traumatic life, but there will never be a hole too deep for God’s arm to pull you out of.
By His Grace,
~Rhonda River Lewis~
“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.” ~1Peter 5:10-11
http://heartforums.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/mystory/
GETTING TO KNOW YESHUA
Hebraic
Jesus has captivated my heart since the day that I got reborn. He drew me close to Him, made me so hungry for Him, made me so curious about Him, and made me want more of Him. It was this desire to know Him more intimately that opened my path towards discovering Jesus’ Jewish roots. I mean, how much more can you love someone than to try to understand where he comes from … his culture, how he was raised, his beliefs, his traditions. This is the best way you can know and really get close to someone.
It is amazing to know that Jesus’ birth was not only prophesied since Genesis but was also in the making from then. God wiping out the earth during the time of Noah was a cleansing process that was necessary to ensure that Jesus’ birth was not contaminated with any angelic being’s characteristics.
When men began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair, and they took wives of all they desired and chose (Genesis 6:1-2).
Had this happened, had the contamination happened, then it would have violated God’s command that man (and not half man half angel) shall take dominion over the earth. Remember, Jesus was the 2nd Adam. He had to undo what Adam did and do what he did not do. He had to come to earth as man.
From the time God prophesied about Jesus to the time of Mary’s immaculate conception, God ensured that Jesus’ lineage was preserved. Every law and command, every tradition, every way of life, the language, and the Jewish culture played a major part in Jesus’ preparation, upbringing, and teachings.
With this, it is pretty obvious that we can’t separate Jesus’ Jewish roots from who He is and from His teachings. Everything He taught about has a reference point in the Old Testament. He was brought up as a Jew which means that He probably started learning the Torah at the age of five or six, and after age ten begun to learn the Oral Torah, the rabbinic traditions handed down for interpreting the Written Torah. He must have continued studying throughout his teenage years at the synagogue.
We also can’t separate the feasts of the Lord from Jesus’ life. He celebrated all of God’s festivals just as all the Jews did. In fact, all the significant events in Jesus’ life here on earth and His second coming have its parallel in the Jewish festival.
Jesus’ last meal with His disciples was a Passover celebration. The body and blood that Jesus shed on the cross represent the lamb slain and the blood used during Passover. His body was buried during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Feast of Firstfruits is His resurrection. In fact, He is the First Fruit. The disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit during the Feast of Shavuot or Pentecost. The Feast of Trumpets will be the announcement of Jesus’ second coming. The Feast of Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement is Jesus’ second coming to earth. The Feast of Succoth or Tabernacles is the great celebration of Jesus and His bride, the church.
Honestly, how can we not see the connection here if we truly say that we love Jesus? How can we not want to go deeper into understanding His Jewish roots if we say that we want to know Him more?
And what about Scriptures that Jesus quoted in Matthew 5:17? Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”.
What law and prophets was Jesus talking about? The law is the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, and the prophets are the teachings of the prophets. The book of prophets is subdivided into the Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings; the Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel; and the Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakuk, Zephanaiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. This shows that Jesus came to fulfill what was written in the Old Testament.
The New Testament was written in reference to the Old Testament. In fact, the Old Testament is the foundation of the New Testament. We can’t separate the two from each other. This is why the Old Testament is as important, if not more important than the New Testament. Sad to say, most churches focus their teachings on the N.T. more than the O.T. Again, sad to say, there are Christians who don’t even know their Torah, more so the Ten Commandments. No wonder a lot of Christians do not even “know” Jesus.
To know Jesus is to understand His Hebraic roots, which was laid down in the Old Testament. To know Jesus is to understand the history of God’s people. To know Jesus is to understand the history of Christianity and how paganism got into the mix. To know Jesus is to understand that His real name is Yeshua Hamashiach.
I am just in the early phase of discovering the Hebraic roots of Yeshua. You too can start, in case you have not. You don’t have to make it complicated. You can start by reading the Torah and by researching and studying the Feasts of the Lord or Biblical Feasts. You can listen to preachings on Hebrew roots teachings such as those of Pastor Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries. (http://elshaddaiministries.us/)
The resources are endless. All it takes is a greater love for Yeshua and a deeper desire to know Him more.
~Lisa Maki~
It is amazing to know that Jesus’ birth was not only prophesied since Genesis but was also in the making from then. God wiping out the earth during the time of Noah was a cleansing process that was necessary to ensure that Jesus’ birth was not contaminated with any angelic being’s characteristics.
When men began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair, and they took wives of all they desired and chose (Genesis 6:1-2).
Had this happened, had the contamination happened, then it would have violated God’s command that man (and not half man half angel) shall take dominion over the earth. Remember, Jesus was the 2nd Adam. He had to undo what Adam did and do what he did not do. He had to come to earth as man.
From the time God prophesied about Jesus to the time of Mary’s immaculate conception, God ensured that Jesus’ lineage was preserved. Every law and command, every tradition, every way of life, the language, and the Jewish culture played a major part in Jesus’ preparation, upbringing, and teachings.
With this, it is pretty obvious that we can’t separate Jesus’ Jewish roots from who He is and from His teachings. Everything He taught about has a reference point in the Old Testament. He was brought up as a Jew which means that He probably started learning the Torah at the age of five or six, and after age ten begun to learn the Oral Torah, the rabbinic traditions handed down for interpreting the Written Torah. He must have continued studying throughout his teenage years at the synagogue.
We also can’t separate the feasts of the Lord from Jesus’ life. He celebrated all of God’s festivals just as all the Jews did. In fact, all the significant events in Jesus’ life here on earth and His second coming have its parallel in the Jewish festival.
Jesus’ last meal with His disciples was a Passover celebration. The body and blood that Jesus shed on the cross represent the lamb slain and the blood used during Passover. His body was buried during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Feast of Firstfruits is His resurrection. In fact, He is the First Fruit. The disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit during the Feast of Shavuot or Pentecost. The Feast of Trumpets will be the announcement of Jesus’ second coming. The Feast of Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement is Jesus’ second coming to earth. The Feast of Succoth or Tabernacles is the great celebration of Jesus and His bride, the church.
Honestly, how can we not see the connection here if we truly say that we love Jesus? How can we not want to go deeper into understanding His Jewish roots if we say that we want to know Him more?
And what about Scriptures that Jesus quoted in Matthew 5:17? Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”.
What law and prophets was Jesus talking about? The law is the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, and the prophets are the teachings of the prophets. The book of prophets is subdivided into the Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings; the Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel; and the Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakuk, Zephanaiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. This shows that Jesus came to fulfill what was written in the Old Testament.
The New Testament was written in reference to the Old Testament. In fact, the Old Testament is the foundation of the New Testament. We can’t separate the two from each other. This is why the Old Testament is as important, if not more important than the New Testament. Sad to say, most churches focus their teachings on the N.T. more than the O.T. Again, sad to say, there are Christians who don’t even know their Torah, more so the Ten Commandments. No wonder a lot of Christians do not even “know” Jesus.
To know Jesus is to understand His Hebraic roots, which was laid down in the Old Testament. To know Jesus is to understand the history of God’s people. To know Jesus is to understand the history of Christianity and how paganism got into the mix. To know Jesus is to understand that His real name is Yeshua Hamashiach.
I am just in the early phase of discovering the Hebraic roots of Yeshua. You too can start, in case you have not. You don’t have to make it complicated. You can start by reading the Torah and by researching and studying the Feasts of the Lord or Biblical Feasts. You can listen to preachings on Hebrew roots teachings such as those of Pastor Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries. (http://elshaddaiministries.us/)
The resources are endless. All it takes is a greater love for Yeshua and a deeper desire to know Him more.
~Lisa Maki~
ROSH HASHANA
Hebraic
Rosh Hashanah (head of the year) or Feast of Trumpets is the Jewish New Year. It starts on September 16 this year, at sundown, and is celebrated on the first two days of Tishrei*. This 5th feast of the Lord was instituted by Moses at Sinai approximately 3,500 years ago. On this awesome day, all accounts between YHVH-God and His covenant people are settled. It is also on this day that the jubilee year is announced.
The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the Shofar, the ram’s horn, which also represents the trumpet blast of the people’s coronation of their king. Other than this, the cry of the shofar is also a call to repentance. This feast serves as the first of the “Ten Days of Repentance” which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is during these ten days when God is calling His people to return to Him, their first love, and repent of their unfaithfulness. God is giving this chance, and it may not be here forever. For there will come a day when there will be no doors open for repentance anymore.
One important thing to remember is that the Feast of Trumpets is the first of the three, yet to be fulfilled, Fall Feasts of Israel. These Fall Feasts relate to Kingdom issues rather than High Priestly matters that we saw Jesus/Yeshua fulfill in the spring feasts on His first coming 2,000 years ago.
On a future Rosh Hoshanah, on the new moon of Tishrei, the shofars will begin to sound on a day like no other. The ultimate epic future Feast of Trumpets will be erupting into holy history. This will be an awesome day of mixed celebration and alarm. All of God's covenant people will be 'called out' to solemn assembly. They will be "called out" into YHVH-God's new and updated 'ekklesia', His new 'congregation', His new 'church'.
On the future Rosh Hashanah, a series of Trumpet blasts are blown to announce the arrival of Yeshua, the King of all Kings, for judgment of the people of the earth. However, this judgment is not for all people, only for the righteous whose names are written in the Book of life. The righteous are sinless and blameless before God, because of the blood of the Lamb. Their judgment is then not a punishment judgment, but a reward judgment. The rest of the people will not be judged on Rosh Hashanah, but on the second judgment, which is on Yom Kippur.
*Although it is the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, Tishrei feels like the beginning of a new year. Tishrei is the month richest with Jewish holidays.
Read this article on Yom Kippur ... http://www.godzgurlz.com/yom-kippur.html
~Lisa Maki~
The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the Shofar, the ram’s horn, which also represents the trumpet blast of the people’s coronation of their king. Other than this, the cry of the shofar is also a call to repentance. This feast serves as the first of the “Ten Days of Repentance” which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is during these ten days when God is calling His people to return to Him, their first love, and repent of their unfaithfulness. God is giving this chance, and it may not be here forever. For there will come a day when there will be no doors open for repentance anymore.
One important thing to remember is that the Feast of Trumpets is the first of the three, yet to be fulfilled, Fall Feasts of Israel. These Fall Feasts relate to Kingdom issues rather than High Priestly matters that we saw Jesus/Yeshua fulfill in the spring feasts on His first coming 2,000 years ago.
On a future Rosh Hoshanah, on the new moon of Tishrei, the shofars will begin to sound on a day like no other. The ultimate epic future Feast of Trumpets will be erupting into holy history. This will be an awesome day of mixed celebration and alarm. All of God's covenant people will be 'called out' to solemn assembly. They will be "called out" into YHVH-God's new and updated 'ekklesia', His new 'congregation', His new 'church'.
On the future Rosh Hashanah, a series of Trumpet blasts are blown to announce the arrival of Yeshua, the King of all Kings, for judgment of the people of the earth. However, this judgment is not for all people, only for the righteous whose names are written in the Book of life. The righteous are sinless and blameless before God, because of the blood of the Lamb. Their judgment is then not a punishment judgment, but a reward judgment. The rest of the people will not be judged on Rosh Hashanah, but on the second judgment, which is on Yom Kippur.
*Although it is the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, Tishrei feels like the beginning of a new year. Tishrei is the month richest with Jewish holidays.
Read this article on Yom Kippur ... http://www.godzgurlz.com/yom-kippur.html
~Lisa Maki~
DAYS OF AWE
and its significance in our Christian walk
Hebraic
Rosh Hashanah (http://www.godzgurlz.com/rosh-hashana.html) for this year 2012 was celebrated on Sunday, September 16. The ten days starting with this day and ending with Yom Kippur (http://www.godzgurlz.com/yom-kippur.html) are commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance. This is a time of serious introspection and a time to consider the sins of the previous year and repent before Yom Kippur.
One of the ongoing premises of the Days of Awe is the concept that God has “books” where He writes our names in: those who will live and who will die; and who will have a good life and a bad life, for the next year. These books are written in on Rosh Hashanah, but our actions during the Days of Awe can alter God’s decree. These actions that change the decree include repentance. In Yom Kippur, these books get sealed.
More than the Jewish traditions, what I want to share with you is its relevance to our Christian faith. Everything that God established in the Old Testament is a pre-cursor to the New Testament. I will be talking more about these feasts on a special article on our October issue.
The Days of Awe has so much significance to the lives we are called to live as Christians. Repentance plays a major role in our salvation. In fact, it is the foundation of our salvation. There will be no salvation without repentance.
Repentance has to be a lifestyle for Christians. 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Sad to say, many Christians have abused this verse. Thinking that they can just confess their sins and be forgiven, they use this as an excuse to sin. With this, there is a great need to remind ourselves of the essence of repentance. It is not just asking God for forgiveness but turning away from our sins. It is not just saying sorry but mourning and grieving for what we have done against God. Back in the Old Testament days, they fast and put on sackcloth & ashes as a sign of repentance.
The Days of Awe should be a reminder for us to repent in the real sense of the word. It should be a shaking up for us ... a fresh reminder that we have a punishing God. We have always looked at God as merciful and forgiving, forgetting that He is just and will do what He said He will do, and that includes punishing those who reject Him and who turn away from Him. 2 Peter 3:9-11 says ...
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering (patient) toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
The Days of Awe is actually considered as the last chance for repentance. Prophetically, these days will be the days of tribulation where Jesus will give one last chance to those who want to repent and receive Him, after which the Judgment Day will come.
One thing is for sure, after the complete and final fulfillment of Yom Kippur (Atonement) takes place, apparently after the one thousand year millennial reign of Jesus, no one will have their name written in the 'Book of the Intermediates;' everyone will be in either the 'Book of Life' or the 'Book of Death.'
As Christians, we know that it is only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus that our names can be included into the 'Book of Life.' However, it is also crucial that each re-born Christian has come to true repentance for his sins.
On Trumpets or Rosh Hashana, the whole world stands in judgment before God and deserves to be found guilty. Only those whose sins have been forgiven through their previous acceptance of the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ are worthy to be found not guilty. This acquittal is not rendered because of their own righteousness or works, but because of the righteousness of Yeshua [i.e. Jesus] that has been applied to them.
So my dear brothers and sisters, let these Days of Awe be days of repentance before the Lord. Think about the things that have kept you bound all these years, or those that keep calling you back (drunkenness, fornication, adultery, pride, lust, slothfulness, envy, etc.). Grieve and mourn for your sins. Don’t take these sins lightly, thinking that God is merciful and forgiving. Cry out for forgiveness of your sins and even the generational sins of your forefathers. Beat your breasts in repentance. Turn away from your sins ... before it is too late.
http://www.godzgurlz.com/yom-kippur.html
~Lisa Maki~
One of the ongoing premises of the Days of Awe is the concept that God has “books” where He writes our names in: those who will live and who will die; and who will have a good life and a bad life, for the next year. These books are written in on Rosh Hashanah, but our actions during the Days of Awe can alter God’s decree. These actions that change the decree include repentance. In Yom Kippur, these books get sealed.
More than the Jewish traditions, what I want to share with you is its relevance to our Christian faith. Everything that God established in the Old Testament is a pre-cursor to the New Testament. I will be talking more about these feasts on a special article on our October issue.
The Days of Awe has so much significance to the lives we are called to live as Christians. Repentance plays a major role in our salvation. In fact, it is the foundation of our salvation. There will be no salvation without repentance.
Repentance has to be a lifestyle for Christians. 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Sad to say, many Christians have abused this verse. Thinking that they can just confess their sins and be forgiven, they use this as an excuse to sin. With this, there is a great need to remind ourselves of the essence of repentance. It is not just asking God for forgiveness but turning away from our sins. It is not just saying sorry but mourning and grieving for what we have done against God. Back in the Old Testament days, they fast and put on sackcloth & ashes as a sign of repentance.
The Days of Awe should be a reminder for us to repent in the real sense of the word. It should be a shaking up for us ... a fresh reminder that we have a punishing God. We have always looked at God as merciful and forgiving, forgetting that He is just and will do what He said He will do, and that includes punishing those who reject Him and who turn away from Him. 2 Peter 3:9-11 says ...
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering (patient) toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
The Days of Awe is actually considered as the last chance for repentance. Prophetically, these days will be the days of tribulation where Jesus will give one last chance to those who want to repent and receive Him, after which the Judgment Day will come.
One thing is for sure, after the complete and final fulfillment of Yom Kippur (Atonement) takes place, apparently after the one thousand year millennial reign of Jesus, no one will have their name written in the 'Book of the Intermediates;' everyone will be in either the 'Book of Life' or the 'Book of Death.'
As Christians, we know that it is only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus that our names can be included into the 'Book of Life.' However, it is also crucial that each re-born Christian has come to true repentance for his sins.
On Trumpets or Rosh Hashana, the whole world stands in judgment before God and deserves to be found guilty. Only those whose sins have been forgiven through their previous acceptance of the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ are worthy to be found not guilty. This acquittal is not rendered because of their own righteousness or works, but because of the righteousness of Yeshua [i.e. Jesus] that has been applied to them.
So my dear brothers and sisters, let these Days of Awe be days of repentance before the Lord. Think about the things that have kept you bound all these years, or those that keep calling you back (drunkenness, fornication, adultery, pride, lust, slothfulness, envy, etc.). Grieve and mourn for your sins. Don’t take these sins lightly, thinking that God is merciful and forgiving. Cry out for forgiveness of your sins and even the generational sins of your forefathers. Beat your breasts in repentance. Turn away from your sins ... before it is too late.
http://www.godzgurlz.com/yom-kippur.html
~Lisa Maki~
YOM KIPPUR
Hebraic
Yom Kippur (September 25, sundown) or Day of Atonement is the holiest day of the year. It is the time when Jews feel closest to God. Leviticus 16:30 says: For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before God.
In Leviticus 23:26-28, the Lord spoke to Moses saying:
Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
What had Moses to atone for?
Remember that while Moses was busy talking to God at Mt. Sinai, the people began to worship the Golden Calf in Moses' absence. Moses was enraged when he saw what happened. He smashed the tablets with the 10 Commandments on the ground, destroyed the golden calf, ground it to pieces, mixed it with water and made the impious drink it (Exodus 32:19-20).
Moses then returned to the mountain and persuaded God not to destroy His people, but to forgive them. When God did so, it became the first Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). With a second set of divine commandments, Moses again returned to his people from the Mountain-top.
Yom Kippur continues to be celebrated as the Day of Atonement, 8 days after the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana.
Yom Kippur is marked by a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer. Its central themes are atonement and repentance.
The Jews believe that God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year into a book, the Book of Life, on Rosh Hashanah, and waits until Yom Kippur to "seal" the verdict. During the day of repentance, a Jew tries to amend his or her behavior and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God and against other human beings. At the end of Yom Kippur, a Jew considers himself absolved by God.
Other than prayer and fasting, we Christians should also remember on this day what Yeshua did on the cross for the atonement of our sins. Chapters 8-10 of Hebrews point to Yeshua as the great High Priest. He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption," (Hebrews 9:11-12).
Prophetically, Yom Kippur is the long-awaited judgment, where Messiah will take the stick of Judah and the stick of Israel in His hand, will forgive their sins, and will make them one nation again forever. It is on this feast where the High Priest intercedes for the people before God in order that their sins might be forgiven. Yeshua is our High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. He will intercede for all the people left on earth after the terrible time of the Day of the Lord. After Yeshua judges Israel, He will then judge the rest of the people on earth. Yom Kippur will be that much-awaited day when Yeshua will rule and reign in Jerusalem.
~Lisa Maki~
In Leviticus 23:26-28, the Lord spoke to Moses saying:
Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
What had Moses to atone for?
Remember that while Moses was busy talking to God at Mt. Sinai, the people began to worship the Golden Calf in Moses' absence. Moses was enraged when he saw what happened. He smashed the tablets with the 10 Commandments on the ground, destroyed the golden calf, ground it to pieces, mixed it with water and made the impious drink it (Exodus 32:19-20).
Moses then returned to the mountain and persuaded God not to destroy His people, but to forgive them. When God did so, it became the first Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). With a second set of divine commandments, Moses again returned to his people from the Mountain-top.
Yom Kippur continues to be celebrated as the Day of Atonement, 8 days after the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana.
Yom Kippur is marked by a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer. Its central themes are atonement and repentance.
The Jews believe that God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year into a book, the Book of Life, on Rosh Hashanah, and waits until Yom Kippur to "seal" the verdict. During the day of repentance, a Jew tries to amend his or her behavior and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God and against other human beings. At the end of Yom Kippur, a Jew considers himself absolved by God.
Other than prayer and fasting, we Christians should also remember on this day what Yeshua did on the cross for the atonement of our sins. Chapters 8-10 of Hebrews point to Yeshua as the great High Priest. He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption," (Hebrews 9:11-12).
Prophetically, Yom Kippur is the long-awaited judgment, where Messiah will take the stick of Judah and the stick of Israel in His hand, will forgive their sins, and will make them one nation again forever. It is on this feast where the High Priest intercedes for the people before God in order that their sins might be forgiven. Yeshua is our High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. He will intercede for all the people left on earth after the terrible time of the Day of the Lord. After Yeshua judges Israel, He will then judge the rest of the people on earth. Yom Kippur will be that much-awaited day when Yeshua will rule and reign in Jerusalem.
~Lisa Maki~
PIZZA PIZZA
Delicioso
Pizza is the quintessential Friday Night food. And while no one can deny the convenience of having it delivered piping hot to your front door from your neighborhood pizza shop, nothing really beats the taste of a great homemade pizza. Quick, easy, and fun for the whole family, making (and eating) pizzas at home has the potential to become a weekend tradition that everyone will look forward to. Try these tips for making a delicious pizza at home!
1.Dough
Every great pizza starts with a great crust. If you opt for a pre-made crust such asPillsbury’s Pizza Crust, or a gluten-free ready-to-mix brand like Bob’s Red Mill’s GF Pizza Crust Mix, try adding a little extra flavor by sprinkling on herbs such as oregano, parsley, or thyme. If you have a little extra time on your hands, you can always make your own dough from scratch.
2. Sauce
The sauce you choose for your pizza is the key. For convenience, you can stick to a basic canned tomato sauce. Feel like spicing it up a bit? Try mixing in different flavors to your tomato sauce, such as BBQ sauce or curry. For some pies, such as white pizzas, skip the sauce all together.
3. Top it!
Have fun with your toppings! Experiment with different meats, cheeses, ethnic flavors, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. The combinations are truly endless.
4. Prep the Pan
Before rolling out the dough, make sure to brush your pizza pan with a bit of olive oil to prevent the crust from sticking when it’s time to slice and serve. Trust me, you won’t want to leave any pizza behind on the pan!
5. Make it Hot
For an even bake and a perfectly golden crust, make sure that your oven is set to 425 degrees. Be sure to place your pan in the center of the rack for best results.
Here are some links to a few delicious recipes for you to try at home!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/cpks-bbq-chicken-pizza/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/easy-white-pizza-recipe/index.html
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gourmet-thai-chicken-pizza/
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pepperoni-pizza-10000001227880/
Kimberly Vandiver
http://thertyone.com/pizza-pizza/
1.Dough
Every great pizza starts with a great crust. If you opt for a pre-made crust such asPillsbury’s Pizza Crust, or a gluten-free ready-to-mix brand like Bob’s Red Mill’s GF Pizza Crust Mix, try adding a little extra flavor by sprinkling on herbs such as oregano, parsley, or thyme. If you have a little extra time on your hands, you can always make your own dough from scratch.
2. Sauce
The sauce you choose for your pizza is the key. For convenience, you can stick to a basic canned tomato sauce. Feel like spicing it up a bit? Try mixing in different flavors to your tomato sauce, such as BBQ sauce or curry. For some pies, such as white pizzas, skip the sauce all together.
3. Top it!
Have fun with your toppings! Experiment with different meats, cheeses, ethnic flavors, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. The combinations are truly endless.
4. Prep the Pan
Before rolling out the dough, make sure to brush your pizza pan with a bit of olive oil to prevent the crust from sticking when it’s time to slice and serve. Trust me, you won’t want to leave any pizza behind on the pan!
5. Make it Hot
For an even bake and a perfectly golden crust, make sure that your oven is set to 425 degrees. Be sure to place your pan in the center of the rack for best results.
Here are some links to a few delicious recipes for you to try at home!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/cpks-bbq-chicken-pizza/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/easy-white-pizza-recipe/index.html
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gourmet-thai-chicken-pizza/
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pepperoni-pizza-10000001227880/
Kimberly Vandiver
http://thertyone.com/pizza-pizza/