When we ponder the complexities of His creation, we are in awe, of the vastness of what we see and what we cannot see. From the deeps of the ocean to the infinite skies, we are amazed with His purposeful design. With all that we have discovered, there is so much yet to be discovered.
Yet, with all that lies before us, all that we can see; we are the most complex of all of His creation. We are the reflection of the One who has formed us. How exciting is it, that we have been created in the very image of our invisible God? We reflect an attribute of our God.
When I think on this I understand David when he said, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it." Psalm 139:6
A gift that He has given us is the ability to communicate; language.
There are two kinds of languages; earthy and heavenly.
Earthly is the language that we have learned from our mothers, depending where we were born; English, Spanish, Amharic, French, Arabic, etc...
We even have the ability to learn other languages from other lands. This gives us the ability to communicate with each other. Sometimes we use this gift for good and sometimes we use it for bad.
Knowingly, and/or unknowingly, we use our words to build up or destroy. There is much power in the words that we say. In the Bible, James likens the tongue to a small rudder that is able to turn large ships. See James 3
When we speak in our own language we speak with limited understanding. Many relationships have been destroyed from our lack of understanding.
"Words are potent weapons for all causes, good or bad." - Manly P. Hall
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue." - Proverbs 18:21
Heavenly language is what we receive from our Heavenly Father through His Holy Spirit. Through this tongue we are able to transcend all understanding and languages. This language carries us to the throne room of God, articulating beyond our own understanding, and speaks clearly and perfectly into the spirit.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. - Romans 8:26,27
See also James 4:2,3
The gift of tongues comes through the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Through this baptism we will receive the power to be witness for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8)
When we open our mouths to speak, the power of His Spirit will accomplish what He has spoken, with clarity and precision. With the signs and wonders that flow from the throne room, people will say, "surely, God is with them."
My friends, let our words be used to edify, to build up and bring unity. Let us be ever mindful of the power that our words carry. Also, let us yield to the Holy Spirit and follow His direction, and may we all seek to have the mind of Christ.
Be Free & Stay Free
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Dirty Mirrors
Hand a little girl a mirror after telling her how beautiful she is and she will see a princess peering at her through her own reflection. Years later, hand her a mirror and she may see something entirely different. What she sees in the present moment is a reflection of her past. Our mental ability to recreate images from the past enables us to reinterpret them. If the image is distorted, our "view" will be distorted. Our reality is based on our own perception and it will be as looking into a carnival mirror if our perception is not based on Gods truth.
Most of us remember the childhood story of The Jungle Book, about a young boy, Mowgli, who was raised by wolves in the Indian Jungle. Through a series of events, Mowgli stumbles into a human village and is adopted by a human family. But, he has a hard time adapting to the "human life." Being raised by wolves, he did not see himself as a human boy, he saw himself as a wolf. He was a human that acted like a wolf. Living with the wolves did not change who he was, it changed who he thought he was.
Do you know who you are, or are you like Mowgli? Has the past, and/or your present circumstance, distorted your view of who you really are? Call a child a wolf long enough and he will begin to believe it and act like a wolf.
Dust your mirror off and shower yourself in His Word. If you want to know who you really are, you must know He is and who you are in Him.
You are so much more than what the human eye and mind can understand. You have been fearfully and wonderfully made; created with a purpose.
Praise Him, for you are fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are His works. Psalm 139:14
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine. Isaiah 43:1
Have you fallen into agreement with the lies that have been spoken over you? Perhaps you have even spoken those lies yourself? The power of life and death is in our words. Begin to speak His truth.
Separate yourself from who/what tears you down. It is OK to set boundaries. It is OK to love someone from a distance. Surround yourself with people who care about you and saturate yourself in His word. Release those that have hurt you, walk in forgiveness. I know this is not always easy, but it is for your good. Forgiveness does not right a wrong, but it will free you from the bondage that holds you .
You were created for so much more. Get out of the mud and let Him break the chains that keep you bound. Only through Him will you find healing. Only in Him will you find yourself. There is no substitution.
So, when those thoughts come in, when the lies try to invade, hold it up to the truth of His Word. Begin to say, "Thus say the Lord...."
Then when you look in the mirror, you will not see the distorted image as in a carnival, you will see Him. You will see His reflection in you and you will marvel how beautiful is His creation and His creation is you.
You are His beloved.
Be Free & Stay Free
Monday, July 21, 2014
Deception
For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape." 1 Thessalonians 5:3
Take heed that no one deceives you! Click here
Does it seem that everywhere you turn you are running into a wall? You try to do the "right thing," but your best is never quite good enough? People let you down, your wallet has a hole in it, for every two steps forward you feel that you have been pushed a step back. Have you lost your peace amidst the storm and now you just want a way out?
Have you quit going to church because you leave feeling just as empty as when you went in? Have you quit praying because you feel that your prayers are no longer heard and you struggle to find strength to just be still? Do you have questions and the cliché "religious" answers are just not cutting it anymore? Is your faith wavering and you are walking the tightrope and teetering on unbelief?
My friend, your struggle is not something new click here. You must remember that you are in a very real battle click here. As a follower of Christ, you have become a target for the enemy. He has sent his soldiers after you to not just cripple you (although that would please him), but to kill you.
Remember, you do have the weapons needed for this kind of warfare click here. You are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens you.
What is the greatest temptation that you are facing right now?
It should come as no surprise that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. The meaning of Christianity is not about religion, but to be a follower of Christ; to be a true imitator of Jesus, in word and in deed. It is about relationship with the One who has created you and called you by name. As your relationship with Christ strengthens and you are being conformed into His image, you will carry His light into a very dark world and the world will not like that light, because it will expose the darkness, the agenda of the enemy. It will cause discomfort for those who want to stay in the comfort of their denial and ignorance.
The enemy is clever and his attack is strategically subtle. First, he will try to seduce you and lure you into his trap of complacency. Eventually you may find yourself compromising and making excuse. You will begin to become numb in the spirit and the lies that you hear, (which by the way... half truths are still lies) will start to make sense to you. Confusion will set in. You will start to fall into agreement with the world when it says, "surely, God is a God of love and He wants you to be happy, so if it feels good, do it." You begin to remain silent for fear that you will appear "judgmental" or "intolerant." Even though you know inside that it is wrong, you pacify that conviction with the thought "if they like me they will listen to me." You mistakenly believe that building a relationship with the world will give you some kind of credibility to speak to them. You wait for that perfect time to share the truth with them and before you even realize it, you have forgotten what the truth really is.
You will begin to let your defenses down and expose yourself to more attack. Now the attack is getting real and you are not even aware, that like the world, the light that you once carried is now making you uncomfortable. So you seek out someone who preaches their version of the "good news" and not the true Gospel. You think you will find rest in the ear tickle words of people who are saying peace when there is no peace. These people will distort the message of grace. They will tell you to be happy, because they do not understand that there is a difference between happiness and joy.
Happiness is based on circumstance, joy is the knowing that Christ is with you, it is hope.
Many find the truth offensive. Strange, in a world of hostility and assault, we should shrug off the truth in the name of (false) peace.
We should not be surprised when we see the falling away. Yet, I marvel when I see how someone so on fire for the Lord being lulled away by erroneous teaching because their message makes them feel good. I do not say this lightly and one thing I have learned is to never say never. I pray that like Peter, I will always say "Lord, where else could I go but to you?"
Still, here we are and we have to ask, how have we, as a church, fallen so far? Where have we lost it? Where have our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and children gone?
What are we to do? How are we able to withstand? click here
It is not difficult, know this, God will not be mocked, nor will His Spirit be conjured up, for we know that we are all His creation, but not all of us are His children. We were created for Him, for relationship with Him, and when that fellowship with Him was broken through sin, He made a way through His Son on the cross to reconcile us to Him.
Hell was not intended for us, but it is real. It is the heart of God that none shall perish but all shall have everlasting life. Do not fall for the lie that there is no heaven, there is no hell, or we are all going to heaven, or just as bad there is nothing after this life. My friends, we will all face eternity, it is just a matter as to where.
You will live in your fathers house. You must choose who your father is. It is a choice. God has already chosen you and now you must choose. Do not harden your heart.
The day is coming where we will all have to give account, every single one of us, and there will be no escape when that day comes. So put away your mental list of what you have done, because when you stand before Him the only thing that matters is "are you His." A stranger does not enter the Fathers house, His children enter His house.
What must you do? Repent! Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. Romans 10:9
When you receive salvation through Jesus, He will give you a Helper, a Comforter, a Teacher, and He will lead you in the way of truth. So, when you hear the fancy and charismatic words of false teachers, you will know to run from them. When the world calls good evil and evil good, you will know to run.
Do not be afraid and do not partner with the world. Even if you feel you are standing alone, He has promised that you are never alone because He will never leave you. The Lord always has His remnant, take your place in His family. You are a warrior, but the battle is not yours. Trust in Him to deliver you. Stay in His presence. Be the light in a dark world, walk in His love.
Be Free & Stay Free
Take heed that no one deceives you! Click here
Does it seem that everywhere you turn you are running into a wall? You try to do the "right thing," but your best is never quite good enough? People let you down, your wallet has a hole in it, for every two steps forward you feel that you have been pushed a step back. Have you lost your peace amidst the storm and now you just want a way out?
Have you quit going to church because you leave feeling just as empty as when you went in? Have you quit praying because you feel that your prayers are no longer heard and you struggle to find strength to just be still? Do you have questions and the cliché "religious" answers are just not cutting it anymore? Is your faith wavering and you are walking the tightrope and teetering on unbelief?
My friend, your struggle is not something new click here. You must remember that you are in a very real battle click here. As a follower of Christ, you have become a target for the enemy. He has sent his soldiers after you to not just cripple you (although that would please him), but to kill you.
Remember, you do have the weapons needed for this kind of warfare click here. You are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens you.
What is the greatest temptation that you are facing right now?
It should come as no surprise that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. The meaning of Christianity is not about religion, but to be a follower of Christ; to be a true imitator of Jesus, in word and in deed. It is about relationship with the One who has created you and called you by name. As your relationship with Christ strengthens and you are being conformed into His image, you will carry His light into a very dark world and the world will not like that light, because it will expose the darkness, the agenda of the enemy. It will cause discomfort for those who want to stay in the comfort of their denial and ignorance.
The enemy is clever and his attack is strategically subtle. First, he will try to seduce you and lure you into his trap of complacency. Eventually you may find yourself compromising and making excuse. You will begin to become numb in the spirit and the lies that you hear, (which by the way... half truths are still lies) will start to make sense to you. Confusion will set in. You will start to fall into agreement with the world when it says, "surely, God is a God of love and He wants you to be happy, so if it feels good, do it." You begin to remain silent for fear that you will appear "judgmental" or "intolerant." Even though you know inside that it is wrong, you pacify that conviction with the thought "if they like me they will listen to me." You mistakenly believe that building a relationship with the world will give you some kind of credibility to speak to them. You wait for that perfect time to share the truth with them and before you even realize it, you have forgotten what the truth really is.
You will begin to let your defenses down and expose yourself to more attack. Now the attack is getting real and you are not even aware, that like the world, the light that you once carried is now making you uncomfortable. So you seek out someone who preaches their version of the "good news" and not the true Gospel. You think you will find rest in the ear tickle words of people who are saying peace when there is no peace. These people will distort the message of grace. They will tell you to be happy, because they do not understand that there is a difference between happiness and joy.
Happiness is based on circumstance, joy is the knowing that Christ is with you, it is hope.
Many find the truth offensive. Strange, in a world of hostility and assault, we should shrug off the truth in the name of (false) peace.
We should not be surprised when we see the falling away. Yet, I marvel when I see how someone so on fire for the Lord being lulled away by erroneous teaching because their message makes them feel good. I do not say this lightly and one thing I have learned is to never say never. I pray that like Peter, I will always say "Lord, where else could I go but to you?"
Still, here we are and we have to ask, how have we, as a church, fallen so far? Where have we lost it? Where have our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and children gone?
What are we to do? How are we able to withstand? click here
It is not difficult, know this, God will not be mocked, nor will His Spirit be conjured up, for we know that we are all His creation, but not all of us are His children. We were created for Him, for relationship with Him, and when that fellowship with Him was broken through sin, He made a way through His Son on the cross to reconcile us to Him.
Hell was not intended for us, but it is real. It is the heart of God that none shall perish but all shall have everlasting life. Do not fall for the lie that there is no heaven, there is no hell, or we are all going to heaven, or just as bad there is nothing after this life. My friends, we will all face eternity, it is just a matter as to where.
You will live in your fathers house. You must choose who your father is. It is a choice. God has already chosen you and now you must choose. Do not harden your heart.
The day is coming where we will all have to give account, every single one of us, and there will be no escape when that day comes. So put away your mental list of what you have done, because when you stand before Him the only thing that matters is "are you His." A stranger does not enter the Fathers house, His children enter His house.
What must you do? Repent! Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. Romans 10:9
When you receive salvation through Jesus, He will give you a Helper, a Comforter, a Teacher, and He will lead you in the way of truth. So, when you hear the fancy and charismatic words of false teachers, you will know to run from them. When the world calls good evil and evil good, you will know to run.
Do not be afraid and do not partner with the world. Even if you feel you are standing alone, He has promised that you are never alone because He will never leave you. The Lord always has His remnant, take your place in His family. You are a warrior, but the battle is not yours. Trust in Him to deliver you. Stay in His presence. Be the light in a dark world, walk in His love.
Be Free & Stay Free
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