Do it with love

1TI 1:5 NIV The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

When I do things out of love, I tend to do them well and effortlessly. On the contrary, when I do things begrudgingly or haphazardly, I don`t do a good job and the result is less than spectacular. God expects us to do our best in all that we do no matter the task. I think that is a mark of a godly Christian. Everything they touch is good and they excel even at things they may be inexperienced at as long as they do it from a place of love.

When we love the Lord we know that all we do is for him and we do it faithfully and to the best of our ability without grumbling, no matter the task or job however menial. This opens up ourhearts to be receptive and the Holy Spirit can guide us and help us. Often giving us supernatural results.

So take the menial, laborious task seriously and put your love into it. Watch it blossom into beautiful fruit and have faith that God will  reward you for a job well done. -- Sent from Fast notepad

Power of the Most High

The Holy Spirit is the power of the Most High. 

Many times in the Bible when God wants to do a miracle, the Holy Spirit is there and provides the substance of the miracle. In Luke we read that the Holy Spirit will cover Mary to create Jesus in her womb.

Luke 1:35 (NIV)

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

Also when our enemies pursue us, the Power of the Most High imbues us to be able to accomplish the will of God. This is seen in 1Kings when the power of the Lord came upon Elijah. Supernaturally Elijah was able to do what he needed to.

1 Kings 18:46 (NIV)

The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

So no matter what you come up against in life, the Holy Spirit is a powerful provision that Lord Jesus
requisitioned to have sent to us from the Father. The Holy Spirit is willing and able to help us through all situations if we only stay submitted to the will of God the Father. The power of the Most High God is available to us! Oh how wonderful is the powerful Spirit of the Most High God!

Thank you Most High God for making your Holy Spirit available to us. Let us never doubt that the Holy Spirit is here to lend us aid in all of our situations no matter how bleak they may look. Never underestimate what miracles the power of the Holy Spirit can do in our lives.

Back on the Holy Spirit - Reveal

Let's get back to the study of the Holy Spirit that we've been doing. 

Ephesians 1:17

¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Today I read that the Holy Spirit is wise beyond measure. He has divine wisdom and he is willing to impart that wisdom to us.

When we allow Jesus into our lives and accept him as our Lord and Savior and give our praise and worship to God the Father, one of the provisions, one of the gifts, that he gives is his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our adviser and counselor.  He wants us to be dependent upon him for the answers. And all we have to do is ask in a spirit of truth and humbleness for his direction and guidance.

1 Corinthians 2:10

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Holy Spirit thank you for making your wisdom available. How wonderful it is to have you as our adviser! Help us in all of our decisions with your divine guidance and direction.

The Cycle Continues

Check out this article on 5-ways-to-stop-being-lazy

Today I want to write about greatness. We are all capable of greatness with Jesus Christ. But greatness comes with a cost. If you want to live a life that is greater than mediocrity, you have to give the difference. Right now there is a gap between your potential and the level you are living at now. That gap, the effort it takes to jump that gap is what you have to pay and life demands you pay it upfront.

We all want to be greater than we have been. But most of us will never reach that goal. Why? Because to be greater than we are means we have to come out of our comfort zone and begin to live in that new space. It is uncomfortable and it takes a lot of effort and work.

I have been working hard the last 3 weeks, I've quit smoking cigarettes, started using schedules more and ensuring my goals are constantly in front of me. Then I made a mistake. I said "Wow, look at the progress I have made. Ooh, I'm tired and my muscles are sore, I should rest...".

Three days later...
See I wasn't wrong to think I needed or even deserved a rest. But there are things that I should have done to ensure my 'rest' didn't turn into slacking. Here is what I have learned for next time...

1. Set a limit before you take your rest. Saying I'm going to take a rest with out a limit can lead to disastrous effects and 3 days lost. So say for the next 6 hours I am going to rest and relax.

2. Make sure you have something important lined up to do or accomplish. This will give you extra motivation to get back up after your much deserved rest and relaxation.

3. Tell somebody! If you are like me you have an additive personality and even sleep can become an addiction. Let you spouse, friend counselor, anybody know. Ask them to call you in the morning to make sure you are up and back on your grind.

We can all achieve greatness, but it takes work! It takes work that continues on and on. It is a life long commitment.

And don't worry about failures like these, when you sleep away 3 days or get Halo'ed out for the weekend. Forgive yourself, figure out what you could have done better, apply it and get back on your grind.

This failure shows me that there was more to learn from this frequent failing. Learning from this shows me that this particular issue will soon be one of the past. #Learning #Wisdom

Loved

Today I continued my investigation into the Holy Spirit. He has so many divine qualities and his nature is so great, the Holy Spirit is such an interesting part of the Trinity.  So far I have learned that he is the component of God that is here with us now, sent by Jesus, to lead us onto straight paths. He is good and holy. He is also loving.

His love is pure and complete and no matter what I do or what I am going through, I can always depend on the love of the Holy Spirit. Though friends may abandon me and family turn their backs, the Holy Spirit will always be there even when I turn my back on him. His love is unfailing. It is the complete and wonderful love of the living God. If we let go and let the Holy Spirit lead us we never have to worry, for his path is always paved with and leads to Love.

Rom 15:30
I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,
(ESV)

Thank you God for your Holy Spirit that you sent here through the prayer of Jesus to keep us and comfort us.

Switch Up - Praise

Today I want to switch it up from the normal routine since I am feeling tired and needed some energy this morning. I was listening to Derek Prince Ministries, as I do most mornings and he suggested praise as a means to access GOD. So I decided that I would praise GOD.

But as I begin to open my mouth I realized that I don't really know how to praise GOD. I know how to sing songs of worship. Is that like praise? How do I praise GOD?

I did a quick search to see if the internet knew how to praise GOD and it comes up with these long lists or foreign words. So I was disappointed to say the least. I guess I'm just gonna have to look it up.

First, lets define what praise is. Many times I find that by just defining something we can learn all we need to know. Praise as stated in Merriam-Webster is to say or write good things about, express approval, thanks or love for.

Could it really be so simple? Yeah probably! Man loves to complicate things, like all those resources I found in the internet. If you want to praise GOD, just say something good about GOD. 

'Lord, you are so kind and merciful, your love endures forever.'

Write a poem that expresses your love for Jesus or say aloud how you are thankful for the leading of the Holy Spirit.

If you absolutely cannot think of anything, then read some of the verses of praise from the Bible.

Psalm 48:1 Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

Psalm 47:2

For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth.

 Simply praise is an expression of happiness, thanksgiving, approval and love given to GOD. It is pretty amazing because he sees it as a sacrifice. But this simple sacrifice brings with it such wonderful bounty. For me today it brought much needed energy and motivation.

Hebrews 13:15

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

So when you are feeling down and need a lift or are feeling happy and elated, offer your sacrifice of praise and discover for yourself what a difference a little praise offering can make. And remember praise and thanksgiving are the only ways to access GOD.

Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Some more Holy Spirit

Today I read that the Holy Spirit is Holy.  What does holy even mean? I looked it up.

Holy - sacred, devoted to the service of God, inspiring awe and fear, connected to God

The Holy Spirit is a part of God that is committed to providing service to God's people for the glory of God. He is the component that is here with each and every one of us.

An eternal, ever-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, good and holy part od God exists in each one of us. Let this part lead you and take care of you. Trust in the Holy Spirit.  He is good and holy, sent here by Jesus to help those that believe.

What is there to worry about when you have God here next to you?

More on the Holy Spirit

Today I am reading that the Holy Spirit is good. He leads us to level ground.

Everything he does is good and for our good. The Holy Spirit is the nudging that urges you to do the things that you need to get done when you need to get it done.
So not only does the Holy Spirit do good, he is good and he aids you in being and doing good. Its all good!

You can rest assured and put your faith and trust in the Holy Spirit. He is your advocate and comfort. Let your cares down, relax and just enjoy the day. You are wraped in the power of the spirit of God and it is good!

Psa 143:10
Teach me to do thy will;
for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

http://olivetree.com/b3/Psa.143.10.KJV

Monday Morning Motivation

Make your good morning a great morning by taking one, two or better yet all three of these simple steps.

1. Write your top five goals. This helps to keep your eyes on the prize and builds your motivation for today and excitement for the future.

2. Write a list of thanksgiving. Remeber how blessed you are! Keep away from the trap of 'poor me' thinking which de-motivates and focus on the good in your life and how you can make it better.

3. Listen to some motivational, inspiring, uplifting audio. Zig Zigler is my personal favorite but there are so many motivational speakers whose positivity and excitement are contagious. Get some!

Also I find that grace teachers/preachers are great to listen to especially in the morning when you need a boost to get going. I personally enjoy Joseph Prince and Joel Osteen. Give 'em a try!

Try it now. Take 3 minutes to write your goals or your thanksgiving list. And throughout your day today take a few mintues to find some motivational audios.  If you're interested check out my G+ page for a free listen to some of my favorites.

All Knowing...more on the Holy Spirit

Today I read that the Holy Spirit is all knowing. 1 Corinthians 2:11 says For who knows a persons thoughts except their own spirit. No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

So since God knows all, the Holy Spirit knows it as well. What a Great advocate we have!

If ever you feel the accusations of the devil remember that our great advocate knows more than our accuser. Lean on the knowledge and understanding and leading of the all knowing Holy Spirit.

Ever Present - more on the Holy Spirit

Continuing on about the Holy Spirit...

Today I learned that the Holy Spirit is ever-present. In Psalms 139 the psalmist considers, where can I hide from your Spirit? If I go up to the heavens you are there and if I hide in the depths still you are there.

And if I rise on the wings of dawn and settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me.

What a beautiful illustration of the ever presence of God. No matter where we run, no matter where we have wondered off to the Holy Spirit is there and he will lead us back to Jesus. What a wonderful caretaker Jesus has sent us.

Thank you Jesus for asking God to send us a comforter in your absence. How great He is, how great you are, how great the Father still...

The Holy Spirit

Often I have difficulty wrapping my mind around the trinity. Especially when it comes to the Holy Spirit. Who is he? What is the role that he plays in my life? I know that he is and has been and will be just like the other 2 figures of the God-head.

Today I read that he is eternal. In John 14:16 Jesus says he will ask the Father to send another advocate, a comforter to be with us forever. This is the Holy Spirit! How wonderful that Jesus cares so much he prayed for another part of God be sent to help us. And how great must the Holy Spirit must be if he is to be the advocate for all of us sinners...Forever!

The Holy Spirit will always be there for God's children so you can rest assured that no matter what is going on, Jesus has already made provisions for us through the eternal presence of the Holy Spirit here with us now. Thank you Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Have you met Jesus? A page from my book!

Have you met the person of Jesus? I heard the story of Derek Prince's meeting with Jesus and I begin to wonder, have I ever met Jesus?

I have heard his voice. When my husband and I were traveling through Canada and begin to get extremely low on funds. We still had a long way to drive and needed the money for gas and food. I was praying in my heart and refused to get upset or worried over the situation. I said to myself God will provide.

Our cell phones didn't work in Canada and I needed to call my bank. We drove to a gas station to make a fill up with the last few dollars we had. Right there on the side was a pay phone. I don't know about Canada but in the USA, payphones are few and far between these days. God provides!

I made a phone call to my bank. The woman who answered the call was very helpful and sympathetic. Money that I didn't think would be cleared yet was in the account already and she helped me transfer the money so that we would be able to use it. I was quite pleased and felt truly blessed. Thank you God!

At the end of the call I heard a males' voice through the line say 'your welcome'. It was as clear as day! I had put my faith in Jesus that all would turn out right on this trip that I didn't particularly want to take. I was already frustrated with things that occurred up to and during our trip through Canada to Alaska. But God was faithful and as he had promised, he provided everything we needed to make it safely to the final frontier.

After that call and hearing the voice of the Lord I was motivated and the rest of the journey was like cake. Sweet and delicious. Even when we broke down we were able to quickly get back on the road and resume our drive and the repair only costs us $10 in parts, a little gas and half an hour.

It was not the money being there when I needed fuel for my car, it was the confirmation of his faithfulness that provided me with the mental and emotional fuel to not just keep going, but to enjoy the going!

Meeting Jesus may come in many forms. Maybe its a voice you hear, or words that seem to stream from nowhere. Either way, you know when you have met Jesus because your life begins to change. Has your life began to change? Have challenges and opportunities popped up? Have you accepted them? Have you stepped up to the plate of life determined to hit it out of the park?

God is not an abstract thought or an impersonal God who stands back and watches you flail. If you ask and believe, he will answer you! And when you thank him with your heart, he will reward you for your faithfulness. How awesome is He!

So never shy away from challenges, obstacles or opportunities. Stand firm and trust in God. Even if things are not resolved the way you would like or even if you fail, know that He is there and will provide. Find the lesson and resolve to learn from it. That is wisdom!

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, those who gain understanding. Proverbs 3:13.

Remember, it doesn't matter how many times you strike out only that you keep stepping up to the plate to try it again!

Faith

According to your faith it is done unto you. I have deep faith that the Lord is working in my life. Though often I feel like I am failing, I also know that I am succeeding because I am not giving up.

Every day once I am up and out of the bed I set my mind to do as much as I can in the right direction until I fall again. Then I get up and keep walking forward.

I do often get sad about my failure but then I look toward Jesus, my personal Lord and Savior. He lets me know that he still loves me. I ask for his forgiveness and sing his praises. I offer my thanksgiving and proclaim what he has done in my life.
His divine word gives me inspiration and sets my heart a fire.

You're the reason Lord

Lord you are the reson for my joy and happiness.  I sing your praise for you give me all I need. The reason I rise in the morning and when I lie down to sleep I am at ease. You have set me free. I enter you gates with thanksgiving and your courts with praise. Your name is holy above all. You are my reason for doing my best even in the small things. May I be found acceptable in your sight.

Remember if you are having a bad day or a good one give him praise for he is great and kind. Think on how great your GOD is. Remember he loves you and you are his child. Praising Jesus can put everything in perspective.

Failed again

Though we fail today if we still breathe we have a chance to repent and start anew. So do not be dismayed when you have failed for success is a series of failing and learning from the failure.

Perhaps today we did not achieve anything but realize that we are foolish and unwise. Ask GOD for wisdom and beleive in faith that he will provide understanding.

So find the way that GOD has provided and walk. Don't look back. If you trip again, stand up again and continue to walk. It will be daunting to keep seeing yourself fail but keep faith and keep hope with you at all times.

Many times we forgive others when they have failed but forget to forgive ourselves when we do.  Forgive yourself. It is okay. You are not too far gone that GOD  can't save you. He loves you and wants you to be his children.

Do not be scared of his discipline.  A good father always disciplines his beloved child.

Pray, today I have fallen Lord. Forgive me. Teach me the better way to live. You are so wonderful. Your love endures forever. Amen.

The story

I believe that once upon a time I said to GOD that life didn't make a very good story. Where was the magic? The fantasy? The steampunk and the romance? Where was the waking up to all your dreams coming true?

For the longest time I hated my life. I self medicated in every aspect to escape the hell that was Jwana's life. For as much as I had going for me, I had an equal amount of the opposites.

But I don't feel the same anymore. My opposition has become my opportunities.  My weaknesses have become my strength. The things that brought me down have become my stepping stones.

This is typical of the love of GOD and how he works in a pitiful life. The way I found Him may not be typical of others but I found Him nonetheless. It is in this knowledge that I have come to let GOD out of the box that we typically put Him in.

Every relationship with Him will be different and unique. None more important or more valuable than another. He is no respector of persons. He loves us all.

My point? Let go. Let go of the rules and regulations.  He says repent, believe, confess and overcome sin. Love the Lord your GOD above all. GOD will change your life, if you let Him do it his way.

The story can be amazing. It may not be how you think it should be or when. But He will make it wonderful.

Torment

My mind torments me
A deep hurt I cannot see
Unceasingly, it beats me down

Down under the dark cloud
No reason to be proud
Cowardly, covered in a shroud

Shrouded in turmoil
Wasting away in toil
Drudgery, in a snakes coil

Coil destroyed by the breath of the son
Confess that you are the only one
Thankfully, it has already been done

Done and ready to put away sin
Resisting the devil who is within
Courageously, proclaiming it is written

We all fall...

My how the lowly have fallen. It has been a tough couple of months.  With the move to Alaska and all that entails I have tried to be my best but more often than not, my best isn't enough. As soon as I think I have it all together I fall apart.

And not just fall apart, I completely crash down. It hurts. I don't want to move. Life feels to heavy to go on. I don't want to live my life. I don't want to be who I am. Why am I me?  I question my purpose and the purpose 9f GOD for making such a miserable life.

I fell hard again and over the same things. I realize that it was a test. One that I failed and have failed again. But in my failure I find strength.  I find a way out for the next test. I find that I was relying too much on my own strength , when I should have been relying on GOD'S.
So I made my confession to him and set my mind to his word. I know that in realizing I failed, I can begin again and start a new. Today is a new day and filled with his mercy and grace.

So in essence, I have not failed but grown.  However small the growth is still growth.  So I give thanks for the lesson. Even though it hurts I can find joy in knowing these things. In knowing He loves me, He gives me grace daily and I can grow from this.

So no matter what you are going through, no matter what causes you to fall, get up hold fast to you confession and proclaim him as your Lord and Savior.  He will respond.

What's a believer to do?

It is so difficult to find a good true preacher! One who is not shunned to give the whole truth and nothing but the true, unadulterated, never watered down version of the truth.

I was pondering the idea of taking the whole next month to research and blog about different teachings concerning Spiritual Warfare, since I have been having such a difficult time on the battlefield. But my concern is of myriad of preachers, teacher, pastors and theologians flooding the information super highway with stuff. Noise, crap, rumors, finger pointing and lies. Stuff!

I just want a good preacher, who teaches the word, fully whole, not watered down and filtered and not super concentrated and full of damnation either. Is it really too much to ask?

It really sucks. In the last five years I have liked many teachers for a moment, then listed to their words and found them wanting.

What is a young believer supposed to do? These are the ministers that the World shows us! I fear for the Christians who follow them. My heart burns with pain for them. How can we help them distinguish good teachings from wrong ones? How can we show them to pick up their swords and cut through the mire of bad teachings and find real truth? How do I know that I even know how to do the same?

Matt 7:20 Thus by their fruit you will recognize them.

We must match what they say to the words in the Bible and the faith in our hearts. How they hold themselves, what their lives look like and all of the other clues, show us the word they are preaching. 

Supposed church leaders that have lavish wealth while their congregation goes hungry, who never say a word concerning sin and only teach prosperity, who are overweight and don't take car of their temples and  who just plain contradict the word, these are the false prophets that we need to shield our friends, family and other believers from.

But how? Telling people that the pastor they put their trust in is an antichrist doesn't seem like a very effective method. Are these followers just too blind and will not be able to be helped or can we apply healing to their eyes and let them see?

Such is are the concerns of those who desire to follow the one true God. What is a believer to do?

Bible Study - 1 Timothy 6:1-2

This is my first time truly sitting down and studying Timothy. From what I know he is the overseer of the Ephesian church. Paul was writing to praise and encourage them to continue in the way of the LORD.

1 Timothy 6

1 Timothy 6 (NIV)

1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.

² Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.

Paul speaks of those still under the yoke of slavery, I believe he is talking to those who have not properly adjusted the LORD's yoke firmly upon their shoulders. I say this because through out the New Testament, JESUS speaks of his true followers as friends, brothers and sisters. 

The general idea is that we start out in our journey with CHRIST as slaves. As we progress we grow into different roles for GOD. We graduate from the begrudged slave to one who understands that their part is important even when their role is a minor one.

"Compared to JESUS, all of our parts are minor."

Everything we do is for CHRIST's sake. For his honor and glory and pleasure; so that everything we do, little or small, is done to the best of our abilities and with the utmost respect and confidence.

Things I ponder - The story

I love just sitting and thinking about the story and message of Jesus. I like to think about all the possible meanings and interpretations. I like to ponder which makes the best sense and which would seem like the best for everyone involved. I also love to imagine where I fit in the story. How could I make the best possible addition to the story ?

Good Read: New Way To Be Human

So I finally finished Charlie Peacock's New Way to Be Human (NW2BH). Okay I admit I ran through the first half and took my time finishing the last half. But I must say, this was the first Christian book that I have read in a long time that kept me interested in actually completing. Even more so than Rick Warrens' Purpose Driven Life (PDL), which is a book that instantly jolted me into confession.



When I first read PDL, I was in one of my depression states and really searching for something to lighten my load. I cannot tell you exactly what combination of words that did it for me but I remember taking the book from the common room in the barracks I was staying at for one of my missions in Germany, I started reading the book on the way back to our home base if I recall correctly, but whenever I actually started reading the book, by the weeks' end I was pounding into that book, sometimes wishing there was more to read for that day.


**For those who don't know, PDL is written in a 40-day devotional form, only one piece of the book is read each day.**

Soon though, I found myself have to put reading PDL on my to do list. It became a chore and a bore, kind of like the old Christian ways. I was feeling more and more depressed to where I never finished the book.

After I finished NW2BH, I began to wonder why I had been able to get through this book but not all the other Christian books and novels I had attempted to complete.

It is then that I made the observation that NW2BH jolted me in a different way. It opened up a line of communication to my heart and then added my mind to the conversation. It opened up the door to Jesus.

I thought about it and realized that though PDL is good for old Christians, it doesn't talk to the heart of the New Christian. Instead it slams the sense into you with theology then tries to speak to a part deep inside you; the invitation is less than inviting, it's scary. It was fear that jolted me to respond.

It is as the difference of 'you must' and 'will you'. Will You is a good friend. You Must is a tyrannical dictator.
For me and many of you like me, fear of something only motivates you so much! Jesus knows this. Time and time again Jesus tells us that he is a good friend not a tyrannical dictator.

Truth reads like a Good book!

New Way to Be Human

Charlie Peacock begins his invitation by giving us a place to start. A place we have all been as Christians and as Humans. All of us are or were Wilderness Prophets at one point or another. Frustrated and standing on the edge of belief and having half a mind to turn back.

Charlie says, I understand. And as great teachers always do, he leads you on a journey where some questions you are forced to ask yourself and some questions you choose to ask yourself. But in the asking you find the answers for yourself.

"...people are quicker to learn that the kingdom of God exists when it touches them, rubs off on them and makes its presence known." - Charlie Peacock, New Way to Be Human

Truth like Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Jesus holds Truth, remove the plank from your eye that you may see.

Its nothing new or gimmicky, he told a good story is all.

I vote it a Best Seller. If GOD ever needed a marketing script for Jesus here it is. LIFE for free....Come get some!

In honor of Holy week...Matthew 22:1-14

 Parable of the Wedding Banquet

 The parable of the wedding banquet symbolizes a joyous and festive occasion for the King's son. A first invitation is given and the original invited guest refuse to come. The King then sends out a 2nd invitation and makes it even more enticing. But the original invitees refuse, ignore and turn violent against the Kings men. This symbolizes the Jews refusal and ultimate murder of JESUS.
 
The King then sends armies to destroy them for their blatant refusal. This is the image of what is to come for those who refuse the LORD.

The King will not deny his son a wedding feast, so he opens up the invitation to all that would come, good or bad and soon the banquet hall was filled. GOD has opened up the invitation to the Kingdom of Heaven to anyone that will come to him and obey him. It doesn't matter what you have done before, whether you are good or bad, GOD will accept you if you accept the love of his son.

When the King can to see the guest he noticed one that did not have on wedding attire. He asked the man, "Friend, how did you get in with out the proper attire?" The man was speechless and could not answer. The King had him bound and thrown out in to the darkness. This refers to the preparation that we all must undertake to be a part of the kingdom.

-true repentance for sin and faith in Christ, and then a commitment to love and obey the Lord as evidence of saving faith-

 There will be some who claim to be a part of the kingdom but will be rejected because they have no properly prepared themselves by submitting fully to the will of GOD. They too will be destroyed and sent to the depths of darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Indeed many are invited but few are chosen!

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

⁴ “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

References:
http://bible.org/seriespage/parable-wedding-banquet-matthew-221-14
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt%2022:1-14&version=NIV

In honor of Holy week...Matthew 21:33-46

The Parable of the Tenants

³³ “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.

³⁴ When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
³⁵ “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

³⁶ Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.

³⁷ Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
³⁸ “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’

³⁹ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
⁴¹ “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

⁴⁴ Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.  ⁴⁶ They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

 This parable illustrates what is to come. Those who disrespect the work of GOD, abuse and murder his faithful servants will come to a wretched end. They will be broken to pieces and utterly destroyed. GOD, like the landowner, put time and effort into his creation and rightly expects good fruit to be produced. Also he expects his portion of the harvest. A modest ten percent is all that he asks for to further build the kingdom and help others.

 For those who refuse to acknowledge the inheritance of his son, they will feel his son's wrath. His son may have been murdered but he conquered death and awaits his time to return to this world to pour out his vengeance on those who treat the good and right standing with hostility and contempt. Woe to the unjust and greedy! But for those who honor love above all he will make them kings and queens, rulers and authorities over his kingdom.

In Honor of Holy week... Matthew 21:28-32

The Parable of the Two Sons

²⁸ “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
²⁹ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
³⁰ “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
³¹ “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
³² For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Some times I wonder what sons am I in this parable. Am I being the first or the second son? Sometimes I say no I don't want to do this work; it is too much, too hard and end up doing it anyway because I think of what it means in the grand scheme of things. Other times I say I will go and end up not going for fear of loss, failure or pain.

The thing that makes the biggest difference is that I believe. Even though sometimes I am reluctant to hold fast because of my human frailties, I believe that every moment is a chance to change, to do better than the last moment. I think the first son also believed. He thought about what not going to the vineyard would mean. He realized that despite what he was feeling at the time he talked to his father. His principle of obedience was more important and so he submitted and went.


The second son though he said he would go, did not follow through. In the end he let whatever negativity that was in his mind about going to the vineyard overtake his integrity. Ultimately he was just saying what his father wanted to hear.

In life we need to have the highest of principles and hold true to them. We cannot let negativity about situations and things overtake our principles. One of the highest principle that humans should have is belief. We should believe in the good of people and ourselves. We should believe that love conquers all.

In honor of Holy week....Matthew 21:23-27

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

²³ Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
²⁴ Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The elders and cheif priests continued in their indignant way. They questioned JESUS of where his authority came. Who gives you this right to do these things they asked.

JESUS said that he would tell them if they answer but one question. John's baptism, where did its power come from?

They discussed it. They didnt want to anwer the question because either way they would be in the wrong. They did not belive John when he came to pave the way for JESUS and they did not want to incur the wrath of the people that belived John.

So JESUS says I wont tell you then.

The chief priest and elders were so entrenched in their way they could not fathom the power and authority that was in front of their faces. Though they wore the robes and cloths of the church they were men of the world concerned about their status and position. They were proud men who cared little for the people and the wonderful things JESUS was doing for them. JESUS felt no need to honor them with an answer for they couldn't even be honest with him. Today this is true as well. So many so called Christians are so high and mighty upon their soap box that they do not see the truth in front of their faces.

In honor of Holy week....Matthew 21:18-22

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree

¹⁸ Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.

¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
²⁰ When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

²¹ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.

²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Okay so I get it now. The fig tree is a symbol of the fruitless state of the Nation of Israel and that the judgement (curse) passed by JESUS on to the tree will be like the judgement onto Israel, swift and utter destruction for not bearing fruit. 

I had been asking myself why he cursed the tree and found some explanations here and here. The disciples didn't ask why he did what he did because they had knowledge of the fig tree (unlike me), they knew that if it had leaves it should have small pre-fruit on it. So it wasn't some impulsive move by JESUS but a prelude of what was to come for those who produce no good fruit.


Always good to ask about and look up those things you don't know. Usually I would just skip over the things I didn't understand, because I thought it would take too much time. But that is not the way to becoming more knowledgeable. Better to take a little time to get the information than to always be in the dark about an issue. There is nothing wrong with asking questions. In fact his disciples did it all the time and in doing so, they learned how to move mountains.

In honor of the Holy week...Matthew 21:1-17

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

The donkey in this passage symbolizes peace as well as humility.

21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,

² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.

³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵ “Say to Daughter Zion,
    ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.

⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.

Supposedly the branches they used were palms.

⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

¹¹ The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

The King came in peace this time, but next time her will not be lowly and peaceful. He will spill his wrath upon the Earth and the Unbelievers.

I'm sure it was more dramatic but can't blame a girl for trying!

Jesus at the Temple

¹² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.

Jesus was not passive with them and ask kindly. He drove them out and knocked over their stuff! This was his house and not the time to be mild and meek.

¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Then he basically tells those people that they were detestable and that they were not safe from the flames of Hell! If you read Jeremiah 7, in verse 16, the words of the LORD through the Prophet Jeremiah are, 'Do not pray for these  people, nor offer any plea or petition for them, do not plead with me (for their sake) for I will not listen.' He basically damns these people to Hell. He was pissed off no doubt!

¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.

¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
¹⁶ “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants
    you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

¹⁷ And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

I had never really read this part of the Gospels in depth. It used to make me sad I didnt want to hear it. Now though, I feel victorious in this triumphant part of Christ's time in service upon the Earth. It really is an amazing story of victory!

So hopefully I will be back soon with the rest of this chapter! 

Sunday Devotional - Keep Moving!

GOD knows what is in our hearts and what we desire most. It is not shocking or foreign to him. It does not matter what our dreams our, only that we surrender them completely to the will of GOD. When we let go of our wants, GOD purifies them and makes them His.

What is so wonderful about this is that, GOD gives our dreams back to us. What a surprise it is, to find that our surrendered dreams now include more than we could have imagined for ourselves. 


GOD has a deep and never failing love for us. GOD does not want us to be miserable in our work for him. He gives us tasks He knows in the end we will enjoy and they will fulfill us. When we enjoy our work and have fulfillment, we do the tasks required of us with love, respect and dedication, which produces sublime results.

But first, we must surrender, and surrendering can be difficult. We must fight through the mire of our self and our history. Many times this is where Professing Christians get stuck. They get bogged down with the pain and pleasure of letting go and accepting forgiveness.

An Authentic Christian is one that continues to move and work through the pain and pleasure of letting go. The pain reminds them to be dedicated and determined. The pleasure of being able to let go of the past fuels them with energy and passion. They keep going! They show courage and a humbled boldness in their work for the LORD.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV)

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.  
¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 
¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 
¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Jeremiah 29:11-14 are the words that GOD sent to His exiled people. His words inspire hope and courage to continue through the mire and prosper while doing it. His words are a promise of reward for those who are fruitful and multiply faithfully. GOD shows understanding of their situation. He knows they will be susceptible to being depressed, bored, lonely and sad by their status and place.

But GOD reassures His people that he has great plans for their lives. Plans of prosperity and hope! For those who do not stay stuck in the mire and call upon His name, he promises to listen. For those who seek him with passion and dedication, he promises they will find him and lead them back home.


Our Father, Thank you for your words of blessing! With your words, You have laid wreaths of prosperity upon our heads. You have blessed us beyond our wildest dreams and given us hope and joy. Now we can walk in faith knowing that no matter where life scatters your people, You will gather us up and bring us back! Let us walk in humbled boldness as we bow before the throne of your Son.