Another New Year

I am thankful to God for allowing me to live to see the approaching of another new year. It has not come yet, but standing in God's grace that I will see it.
I stopped making resolutions and goals for some years now as I have found out for myself and from other's testimonies that it mostly doesn't work. So why do it?
Instead, I started to ask God to show me what He has in store for me. This new year, I ask Him to continue to teach me how to live for Him. To continue to mold me to His image. To keep me close to Him. I want to keep following His voice only in everything I do. Yes, I mean everything. This includes how I relate to those around me, and how to spend my time and money, my thoughts and my attitudes, my actions and conclusions. My motives for what I do and think, even if it is good and acceptable in Christianity.
I have been, and am learning to simply be His child and be obedient to Him. I see and experience His kingdom more and more.
The best I can do to make myself better is not acceptable to Him. He must be the One to make me and mold me, so when I boast, I boast about what He has done, and not what I accomplished. He truly gets the glory then.
Will you join me? Or will you just try to make your own self better? If you choose the latter, then you will keep trying for the rest of your life. But, if you allow God to make you and mold you, then you will become what He wants you to be, and an eternally better you.
Rom 10:3- For they are ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God while they try to establish their own, and they have not submitted to God’s means to attain righteousness.

Christmas Celebration

As Christmas time approaches, I have been thinking a lot about why I celebrate Christmas and how I do so, and why other Belizeans do the same. These thoughts enters my head most Christmas season.
This year, I have a little more excitement to create what Christmas celebrating would look like in our home. That excitement left some 10 years ago, and God has been faithful in healing and restoring me and flooding me with His grace to also be there for my family.
Feeling that excitement again feels good and I am encouraged that God's work in me is starting to produce more fruit.
Although surrounded with controversy, Christmas celebration was started to celebrate Christ's birth. I do that and make that my main focus.
As a Belizean,  I want my ham and a good meal for Christmas (I don't like turkey). I also desire to purchase gifts for my family.
Reality does not allow for all that to be realized as I want to.  Over the years I have been scaling back on the pressures I put on myself, and trying to keep up with cultural expectations. The main one being to buy everything new and do the once a year thorough cleaning.
I have figured out that thorough cleaning throughout the year makes it easier come Christmas.
I have also figured out that the brand new $60 curtain can be a clean one from the past, and new maaly and painting can wait and doesn't have to be done at Christmas time.
Only if I need a new stove or sofa set I will buy it.
My relationships became more important than how my house look.
And, I never forget that there are many who have nothing.
As Christmas approaches, let us keep in mind what really matters, not only now, but in eternity. Keep priorities straight. Enjoy God's physical blessings and share with others who lack.
As believers, I think first and foremost we should make sure that each person and family it's not lacking while we enjoy abundance.
Christ came as a baby, but He grew up to become a man. He is presently alive and with His Father in heaven. He is not this sweet baby anymore, He is the risen King of kings, and Lord of lords. As we celebrate His birth and remember all that happened around that time, let us do so with respect to who He is and has always been, and that we take thought to the fact that we must believe in Him to have eternal life.

So what should a person do when they want to give their lives to Christ?
If someone approaches you wanting to do this, in my observance so far of scripture, simply tell them of their need to repent, as John did, and of their need to believe in Christ as the Son of God, sent from heaven to die for our sins, so we can be connected with God again, and their need to confess their sins before Christ.
When viewing the scriptures together, they all point to this.
Putting someone on the spot to give their hearts to God now, with you, and leading them in a repeat after me prayer, and then telling them that because they said that prayer they are now saved and born again, from my observance of scripture, should not be done.
We are not born again because of a special prayer that is repeated. We are born again and enter in to God's kingdom when we repent and confess our sins, and believe in Christ Jesus who gave His life so we can have everlasting life.
Do we believe what Jesus said?
Joh 6:40 "This is the will of my Father who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
So, how does prayer fit in? Well, any conversation between us and God is prayer. We talk to Him and He talks to us. Prayer is not a one sided communication with God.
This is all I have read being preached: repent, confess, believe in Christ and you will be saved, or have everlasting life.
I think the same applies when sharing the word to a group or crowd, and the Holy Spirit prompts to call those present to repentance, then simply do so as John and Peter did, and share the need to repent, confess their sins, and believe (committing yourself fully) in Christ.
See, we need to trust God that that person was sincere in their repentance, confession, and believing in Christ. We can't see their hearts.
However, the fruit of repentance will be seen immediately if that person truely repented. (Matthew 3:8)
Then, after being born again, that person follows Christ through His word and the Holy Spirit leading. You can't just believe in Christ truely and not follow Him. Because the Apostles believe Christ,  they followed Him. (John 6: 68 & 69)
Another important thing that must follow accepting Christ is discipleship. We must make sure the new believer understand what happened to him/her, and be taught the requirements Christ has to follow Him.
May we walk as Christ teaches us to.

Sinner's Prayer/Altar Call; Is it Biblical?

I have been thinking a lot lately about the practice of 'sinner's prayer' and 'altar call'.
I have read some history,  and found out that it was a practice developed in the church to facilitate people becoming born again.
I have also been seeing in scripture that it was never so.
When Jesus met the Samaritan woman, she believed in Him. Simply. She believed who Christ told her He is. Simply. No songs, sinner's prayer, nor an alter call. She called people from her village,  and they believed in Christ too. Simply. No sinner's prayer.
The villagers begged Jesus to stay with them, and He did for 2 days. Even more believed in Him. Simply. No alter call, no sinner's prayer.
(Read John chapter 4)
When Jesus taught the thousands of people, He did no altar call. He didn't play music and asked who all wanted to believe in Him to come forward or repeat a sinner's prayer. He taught them. Simply. The people choose to believe in Him. They choose to receive His words.
Whenever I think of a person giving their lives to Christ, automatically I think of sinner's prayer. That I will have to lead them in it, or check if they prayed it. That prayer has become the way to verify that a person is truely born again. Again, from scripture, it was not so.
In Acts, when Peter gave his first sermon, this was the response,  and his response:
Act 2:37& 38& 41 'Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.
The receiving of God's word, and the believing in God's word is the door to being born again.
We hear God's word, we are convicted, we confess sins and repent of them, and we believe in and receive Christ.
Joh 1:12, 'But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:'
Do we truely believe this? This is God's word. Are we going to hold on to religious traditions and practices, or are we going to believe God's word and obey and follow Him.
(To be continued. ....)

Repentant Life

Repentance is not just confessing of sin and turning from our sinful life, it requires bearing fruit that repentance has happen. My life must show after repentance that I have repented, otherwise repentance didn't truely happen.
Most of us confess, and turn away from our sinful life, as should be done:
Pro 28:13 (NHEB) says: 'He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.'
But, where is the fruit? How does your life now, after repenting, shows that you have repented?
Mat 3:6 (NHEB) 'and they were baptized by him ( John) in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.
3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
3:8 Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance,'
Mat 3:8 (NET) 'Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance,'
Repentance must be proven, it must show.
There is this story in Luke 11:24-26 about this man that was freed from the possession of demons. However, after the demons wondered around looking for another person to possess, and finding none, returned to the same man and found him all free and cleaned up. So they call some more demons and promptly took up residence again.
Forsaking our sinful live is not enough, we must produce fruit/proof that we repented. To do that, we must replace that life we once lived with Christ's life. Otherwise, not knowing how to now live, we will revert back to what we are use to, and it will be worse than before.
It is Christ that saved us and died for us, we must therefore now learn how to live His way. That is the only way we can produce fruit/proof of our repentance.
Being religious like the Pharisees is missing the mark completely. Making rules and guidelines for ourselves is also missing it.
We must learn from Christ Himself.
Who are you following to learn how to live a repentant life daily? Doctrine? Manuals? Rules?
Let us follow Christ.

His Resurrected Life!

*[[Gal 2:20]] NET* "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
The Holy Spirit has been bringing new meaning to this verse in my heart and life, to the point where I can confidently say with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ"
Over the pass weeks I have been learning from Christ how to implement 'being crucified' in my daily life. In each daily doings and situations and moments and relationships.
I read John 11:26 from a devotional I read this morning, and, just when I thought that I got all of what He is telling me, BOOM! More truth. Confirming truth.
*[[Joh 11:26]] NET* "and the one who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
The question jumped out at me and was pointed out in the devotional that as Jesus was asking Martha this, He now ask me.
"Do I believe this?"
I browsed through the previous verses as this was right in the middle of a conversation.
*[[Joh 11:23-25]] NET* Jesus replied, “Your brother will come back to life again.”
Martha said, “I know that he will come back to life again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies,"
From Jesus's response in verse 25, it became clear to me that He was not talking about last day resurrection as Martha believed (verse 24). The resurrection life He was talking about is for now.  This is also pointed in the devotional I read.
"The one who lives and believes in Me..." is referring to me (verse 26). My new life in Christ, with all the embodiment of who Christ is the same resurrected life that I will have because I believe in Christ. As long as I remain in Him, stay connected to Him, keep submitting to His Lordship and His way of living,  that's the life I live. Christ resurrected life in all its power and glory.
Now I understand why mighty men/women of God  (not popular ones), are praised by men as good. It is Christ in them. The same glory Paul talks about. A glory that exalts Christ because it is from Him.
Are you one of those who are living and believes in Christ?
Are you one of those who have been crucified with Christ? Only then can you live His resurrected life.

Citizen of Heaven

I was re-thinking my title for this post, because it sounds too lofty and spiritual. Lol. I feared people might be turn off by that. But the truth is that, when we were born again, God took us out of the kingdom of darkness and put in His kingdom. His kingdom is heavenly and spiritual, so the title remains.
Satan has no more power over us. Oh he will try. He will whisper lies or remind us of our past life, but we must cling to the truth that we are now in God's kingdom.
We must actively pursue God so He teaches us what that should look like in our lives.
We must never forget where we are and whose we are. It will not automatically happen.
See, when we are born again, and God relocated us, we must now learn how to live in His kingdom. It is different rules, and different life. This means that all of my old life I must die to, stop living, and now live Christ way. I am a citizen of heaven. Hey!
BUT.....
We must have repented from sins and old life, confess our sins to God (not the priest)-by this we know that as God sees the sincere heart, He will rebirth us. And now, we deliberately learn how to go be a citizen of heaven.
It is more than going to go church, it is more than saying a few prayers, God sees the heart, and even acts like those can be done with a wrong motivated heart and God will not accept us.
I challenge you to become His disciple and accept His conditions to following Him in Matthew 16:24
"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."
Will you truely follow Him?

Christ in Me?

Another new thing that came into our lives when we repented and confess our sins and became born again is that:
2. Christ lives in us. But wait, I knew that. You knew that, right? We were told that Christ lives in our hearts. But what does that mean?
Christ did not change who He is when He came to live in us. He is the same Jesus who died for us and resurrected and ascended. He is the same Son of God who we say we live for, who we say we love,  who we say we believe in.
So why is it that a lot of the time our lives does not reflect that truth? Why is it that we seem to endlessly struggle to make that a reality in our lives. Then, sadly, we have come to the point of justifying this struggle. We say, "I am only human" or "Everyone makes mistakes" or "God understands, He made me and loves me".
All those statements are true. But, do we see Christ like that? When Christ came to live in us, He came in all of who He is. He didn't adjust to our imperfection.
Gal 2:20 says, 'I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.'
Our old life/self/nature died when Christ died on the cross. That same Christ lives in us when we were born again.
We shouldn't be struggling to live for God, because Christ in all His glory and victory lives in us, and He runs things. Well He supposed to. If we are still struggling,  then He is not in control.
Let us ask God to teach us to deny ourselves and follow Him. To learn what it means for the old me, my self, to have died with Him on the cross. May He open our eyes to see our new life in Him and that we allow Him to mold us and conform us so we live a life that reflects that He lives in us. Always. Not just sometimes. Not struggling, but in Christ complete victory.

All Things New...

So, 2 Corinthians 5:17 continues with 'behold, all things have become new'.
God accepted me as the creature/person I use to be, and through His Son Jesus Christ, I am a new creation/creature/person. Awesome!
For the first time in my life, in the past few months, I learned what all is included in the 'new things' the scripture talks about.
1. I have a brand new heart
I no longer have a heart that is hopelessly bent towards evil, selfish, fleshy living anymore. (Yeah, that got me too. The Bible clear states that all actions and thoughts that are not of Him is evil.)
God took away that heart through Jesus Christ, made me born again, and gave me a heart that is able to freely walk in obedience to Him.
Awesome!
How does that play out in my life?
I want to do what God wants me to do now. I no longer want my way, even if I might find it hard and challenging to let go of my way. In Christ,  I am able to not only be obedient,  but desire to be obedient.
Ezekiel 36:26 puts it well, (Message) I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed.
I have a heart that is God-willed. Whoop!
All of this happened when I confess my need for Christ, confessed my sins, and repented. God did the rest.
I must say that if you are still acting like you used to before you gave your heart to God, then I encourage you to check if you truely repented. God always meet a repentant heart with forgiveness and mercy.
My life now, as I choose daily to walk in obedience to God, will reflect that I have a new heart and that I truly repented.
Did you know all this? Let us walk as if we have a new heart. Let us produce fruit that shows we have repented. Let us ask God daily to teach us to walk accordingly.
Amen.

They are gone....

In the booklet I referred to two posts ago, there was a key truth about the 'old things' mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:17:
'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.'
THEY ARE PASSED AWAY. Alleluia!
1. I am no longer under Satan's control.
2. I am no longer in the kingdom of darkness where Satan dwells.
3. I am no longer under God's judgement.
4. I am now able to please God.
The last one ministered to me the most. I can now please God when I became born again. I don't have to try, I am able to. How?
Well through the Holy Spirit.
I just wanted to take a whole post to just revel in the joy and peace and rest at knowing what all have passed away. What is no longer a part of me. What I am not.
In my next post, I want to share what I learned about the new creature that I am become. I like how the bible put it 'all things are become new'. It is a continuous and completed event.
So you repented yet? You gave Christ your heart and life yet? What are you waiting for? You have no control over your tomorrow.  Plan all you want. We all need Christ in our daily lives and in every area of our lives. Call out to Him today.

Delivered through Christ

In my last post, I shared how after many years I am just understanding fully what it means to be born again. I now continue sharing the other things I learned.
A next truth I learned was what are the old things that pass away that's mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:17, 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold all things are become new'.
I knew I was a sinner under God's judgement. I was was a slave to sin. The new truth I realized was that I was a sinner not only because I committed sinful acts, but I was born a sinner and completely helpless to make myself right before God. Also, because I was born a sinner, I couldn't help but commit sinful acts. It was my nature. This is true of every human being.
That was a hard pill to swallow. Although I should have gotten this truth from reading about Adam and Eve sin in Genesis, I didn't. Not that specific one. I generally thought I am a sinner because of what I did and how I lived. I also generally thought that even though I gave my heart and life to Christ, and repented of my sins, that I will always be struggling with my old nature, and never be free of it, as Paul declares in Romans 7:24&25.
'Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.'
I don't have to be struggling. ..... I am delivered through Christ. Whoop.
When I was born again, I was delivered from the hold that sin and its consequences had on me. I now belong to Christ. I don't have to live according to the flesh anymore, once I remain in Christ.
Rom 8:9, 'You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.
Are you born again? Are you in Christ? If yes, then your sinful nature has no hold over you. You belong to Christ. 
In my next post I will share more truths I learned.
Be blessed and learn from Christ.

Now I Know!

Recently I have been reading and then studying a booklet that explains, using scripture, what happens to anyone when we become born again. My first response was, "I am finally getting all the answers I had when I first gave my heart to Christ". That was followed by great excitement. My eyes were opened to where I was before Christ and where I am after I was born again. The details of what took place in my life. I had no more reason to doubt and wonder over certain things.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature  (creation): old things have passed away; behold all things are become new'
Three main things to point out regarding our life with Christ.
1. New Creatures/Creations
2. Old things passed away
3. All things are become new
The first one I always knew. I am a new creation, I am brand new. However, I wasn't completely sure what all that meant. How does that play out in my life? And, unfortunately, I didn't received any specific information on the topic. The years passed, and I began to feel stupid for even thinking about my questions, much less ask them.
"I am supposed to be a mature Christian by now", I told myself. I can't entertain these questions. And so the years passed.....
Reading this booklet explained all that for me, and although it wasn't completely new information, I realized that had I known this, it would have affected my life differently, and the things that I struggled with would have been eliminated.
Being in Christ means the life I use to live before is gone, done. No matter how good it seemed in my eyes and the eyes of others, I live that life no more.
I CANNOT be in Christ and still live how I use to live before I was born again. The two CANNOT be mixed. I MUST now live the life Christ calls me to. I MUST learn from Christ how I am to live now. I CANNOT rely on my way, my thinking, my reasoning. I MUST follow Christ and learn from Him, and obey always and in everything.
Has the old life you used to live before you gave your heart to Christ passed away? Fully?
If you are still struggling with living your old life, you are not doomed, there is hope. You must, however, truly repent of that life before God who knows your heart, and ask Him to teach you how to live as a new creation.

Missing in Action

It has been about a month I think since I last posted. From an amazing conference with OCC, to being sick for a week (still recovering), and all the work I had to catch up on in between, my days have been very occupied.
God's faithfulness in leading and molding me never ceased, and my love for Him deepens each passing day.
His commitment to correcting wrong mind sets, and wrong or distorted doctrine, and traditions that have taken the glory from Him, is very consistent and real.
I walk more freer because of this. I walk more sure and confident in what He has called me to do, and having the grace and strength not to give into traditional pressures, or just simply what others think. It is especially hard when it comes from fellow Christians. I am also seeing more and more that being a Christian is simply walking according to the Holy Spirit leading in EVERYTHING. The Holy Spirit is not just the power of God, He is our guide in every moment of everyday. He is the One who reveals and explains and points out the truth about Christ and our heavenly Father.
When I truly walk according to His leading, and as I learn to do so with each passing day, certain scripture like Galatians 5: 22&23 becomes more and more real in my life. A scripture that I memorized in my childhood.
Whose guidance are we walking by? Our own? Facebook? Others?
To really be the Christian God called us to be, we must be guided ALWAYS by the Holy Spirit.
Let's check our hearts, and ask God to reveal anything that is not of Him. ANYTHING. You might be surprised.  I pray for God’s grace to walk in obedience to Him when He shows you your heart.
Be blessed.

My burden vs Christ burden

In Matthew 11: 30, Christ talks about His burden that is light. Sounds like an oxymoron to me. How can a burden be light?
God stamped this truth in my mind and heart as I was teaching it a couple days ago. It has been a while since I taught His word to an audience /congregation /gathering, and I have always loved doing so. But this time, I got to experience Jesus's light burden before I was able to put it into words.
This time I literally taught as the Holy Spirit guided me word by word. I was just His child, His disciple, being obedient to God. I wasn't worried about how biblically sound I was, or if I am saying the right thing, or if the people are understanding or receiving what I was saying. Obeying God this time was a light burden, just like Jesus promised.
Jesus's burden is truly light. It does bring rest to my soul when I simply walk in obedience to Him. Rest from my worries and fears and concerns. Jesus takes care of the rest when I just simply obey Him.
Is your walk with God a heavy burden? Then you are still carrying your own burden, even though you have come to Him. If your burden is not light, then it is not His burden you carry, it is yours.
Is your life weighing you down? Is it a heavy burden?
Come to Jesus, become yoked with Him, and learn from Him. You will find rest for your souls. His burden is light.

Trustworthy God!

When God shows me new truth, or another aspect to it, or taking it deeper, the initial outlook is usually promising. Why? Because I have already identified in my head what I think I should change or do to embrace it.
Thing is, God ALWAYS includes way more than I could ever think about. And when He does, it's like "wait, wait, you mean that too?"
I smile right now, but it never feels great at the moment. But, I can smile, because I can't hide nothing from God, and He knows what He is doing and He has proven countless times that He is absolutely trustworthy.
When I feel like things are being scattered and my 'known reality" is at stake, the only thing that allows me to think pass that and surrender to Him is that He is trustworthy.
He loves me, and even though He will never lower His standards and requirements for me, He will never harm me or hurt me or steer me wrong. Why would He, the right way is His way.
The only other challenge I face besides letting go, is the accusing lies of the Enemy. See, they are not the easy ones to recognize. No, no. He comes with the subtle ones that question your heart motives. Yeah, those ones that hit to the core. I thank God for the godly people He has placed in my life who help me wade through the lies.

I move forward knowing this truth:

  "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

Bran! Bran! New!

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, 'Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.'
My old, previous, former, natural way of thinking, responding, processing, perceiving, believing, doing, saying, looking, has passed away. Not 'is passing' or 'will pass' but 'has passed'.  Full stop. Done.
Being born again is something that happens in our life, it is not a process. Learning from Christ is a life long process.
I thank God I am His. Are you?

But, I don't want to....I can't!

There have been so many truths from God that I have had a hard time embracing and applying to my life. Usually it is because of my life experience that puts me in the situation of thinking and saying, "but I don't want to", or "I can't".
Forgiving was one of them. Oh how hard that was sometimes. And depends on the situation, it is still a challenge now.
Looking back I wondered how I got pass that. How did I move from "I can't" to "I will". Some situations are blurry in my head because I deliberately push the experience aside, not wanting to remember, because I didn't want to do it.
Or, I don't want to remember the situation because it was too painful and it was one of those times I said "but I can't".
Getting to "I will" was simple, but definately not easy.
How was it simple? Well, throughout God's word, it is written that it is only through the grace and strength/enabling of God that we can do/obey/apply truth. Especially the hard ones.
2Co 12:9: 'He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Our weakness is manifested in our "I can'ts" and our "I don't want tos". I have found out, and I am finding out, that God most definately keeps His word ALWAYS! So when He says, "My power is made perfect in your weakness", He means it.
Only through the grace of God that we can embrace and live His truths, even the ones that seems impossible. 
Go to Him, He will heal you, change you,  and teach you how to live according to His truths.

Asking Questions? ?????

I have had many questions throughout my life about God and Christianity. As a child and teenager, I was afraid to ask them. As an adult, I saw it prudent not to ask as I wasn't sure of the responses, and Christians can be quite harsh.
The general response to those whom I took the risk in asking, was one of "you should just accept it". Not that I didn't want to accept God's word, but I just had questions. I realized recently, as I have been wrestling to understand and apply God's truth, that I wanted to fully understand so that I had no questions to the back of my head when telling someone else, or when telling my own self. Lol.
I also began to see the importance of asking the questions and seeking to fully understand. When I understand completely,  I am more confident in my walk with God. I am more at peace living His truths and living His truths becomes embedded in my soul and affects every area of my life.
I also see that His truths become real in its entirety. Not partially, or to a point, or with buts, but completely. I then experience all of what He promised- peace, rest, joy... I experience His love more deeply and fully.
I am glad I now feel free to ask my questions. I now tell my children and others, "ask your questions". God will not strike you down.
He was faithful in answering the disciples questions,  and Moses and Abraham and He knows our hearts and is faithful to us too.
Come and learn His truths. Learn to live each one.  Ask your questions,  make sure you understand. Experience His abundant life completely.

Sinking in...

When I am confronted with new truth about God and His ways, the hit varies in intensity - from a stern look to a ton of bricks. I don't have to tell you which ones I prefer. Either way I find that as I choose to embrace and apply His truth, His promised peace and rest flows.
I am also being transformed into His image each time I embrace His truth. I don't recognize myself anymore(I posted on that before).
It is strange and exciting and humbling, and overwhelming all wrapped up in one.
I also like that God does stuff in my life on a need to know basis. Yeah, it can be frustrating not knowing what's next,  but if He hit me with all I needed to change one lick, I wouldn't be able to handle it.
This invitation continues, to come to Christ. Have you gone to Him yet? And if you have, did you also take His yoke of discipleship and have been learning from Him? It is a life transformation worth living.
Matthew 11 : 28 & 29

Not The Me I Know

This journey of becoming like Christ has revealed things in me that I never expected and I find myself doing things that I wouldn't normally do.
The more Christ teach me to live His way, I see less and less of what I thought was undeniable me, and more and more of who I am supposed to be. It is not easy to recognize that new me, and there are times the process is very painful, and misunderstood.
I worry less and less how I will explain changes in me, and more and more I see myself, with courage that can only come from God, allowing God to just have His way and proudly saying "it is God in me".
I use to worry that others would think of me that I am trying to be more spiritual and holier than they. I would worry that they would respond in mild disgust that I am mentioning God again.
However, no more. I like this new me. More courageous to live for God and represent Him, but not being arrogant at what God accomplishes through me. How can I! It is His work in me.
I don't have to worry about becoming arrogant,  because my focus is on Him, and He is in me, and He opposes the proud.
The new me surprises me daily, and I like it. Keep doing your work in me God. I like what you are creating.
What is God creating in you?

Building Tents

Matthew 17: 1-5 tells the experience Peter, James, and John experienced on top of a mountain when Jesus was transfiguration before them, and Moses and Elijah joined Him and were talking with Him.
I recently read this scripture,  and I realized, after all these years, that I have 'made tents' like Peter suggested in verse four. What initially came to mind was that many leaders of ministries and organizations today have built these same tents and shift focus from what God was saying. But, as I thought more on the verse, the word became personal. God told me that I have built tents sometimes over the years. It didn't result in mega ministry or organization or even a big church, but it was tents none the less. In verse five came God's response to Peter's suggestion:
Mat 17:5- 'While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them. And suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
Peter didn't even get his idea pitched to completion when God interrupted it and spoke what He wanted. God wants us to listen to His beloved Son. When we get a revelation or experience a glimpse of heaven, we are not to build tents to capture the moment and stay there, we should instead enjoy and then keep listening to 'God's beloved Son, Jesus'
These days I am learning to keep focus on God and not get distracted even with promises fulfilled, or victories won. I also am learning that building tents can be good ideas, and meet the need- good things. But God is interested in our obedience,  not our good deeds.
What are you focused on? God or what He has done for you? Or the gifts He has given you? He wants us to focus on Him. Why run off with one fulfilled promise, or stay (build a tent) with one victory or gift, when we can be connected to the source of all this 24/7.
God offers Himself. We must stay with Him, not what He gives, to experience Him and keep receiving what He gives.

Remaining Close

John 15:4
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.
Watching God work things out in my life is quite an amazing experience. Of course I must make sure I don't interfere, rushing in to do things my way, or saying what I would normally say, or responding selfishly.
That is usually hard for me. However, as He changes me and I learn to live life His way, I see the fruit He talks about that we will produce.
It comes so naturally as long as I 'remain in Him' or ' stay yoked with Him' and always being obedient to what He is saying.
It is a challenging path to walk, but the rewards are great. And I am not only talking of heaven when I die. I am talking now- the peace, rest, comfort, joy, love, security, stability and the list goes on. I only get that when I remain in Him.
You can experience this too. Walk with Him. Choose His way now.

Christ's Church

Mat 16:18 says, 'I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.'
Christ church that He is building is not limited to our small church fellowship that we meet with weekly and are so devoted to. The church Christ is building is inclusive of the entire body of Christ around the world. The church, His church, that Christ is building is made up of His disciples.  The ones that stay close to Him and learn from Him.
That church, Christ's church, the gates of hell cannot prevail against.
Are you a part of Christ's church? Are you His disciple, staying close to Him and learning from Him? Make sure today!

Changing...

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine posted on Facebook a song by 'Mercy Me' called 'Wishful Thinking'. The song describes the realization that the way God intended for me to live my life was different from what I use to think and believe.
It wasn't all wrong, just that I had to shift my main focus on Him, rather than being focus on 'how to be a good Christian'.
I first had to learn how to be His child first and foremost. This never ends. Being His child meant I had to be discipled by Him. I had to learn how to be God's child.
Being His child means more than reading my bible, and praying everyday, and going to church. I have been doing that, and still my focus was not completely on Him.
Being His child meant I had to want to be with Him, 24/7. Not just knowing He is with me, but me being with Him. The difference is the focus. When I know He is with me and I am content with that, I don't always focus on Him and what He is saying and teaching me. However, when I am with Him, my complete self-heart, mind, and soul is focus 100% on Him and what He is saying.
I use to think I can only accomplish that in worship times, or in church services, conferences etc. Or a good quiet time. Outside of that, I am doing what I read in the bible, and what I was taught on how to be a good Christian.
But now, when I surrendered how I think, and how I feel, and my right to make my decisions etc, and become yoked with Him, I can't run off to do things my way, or how I think it to be right, because that means coming from inside the yoke. That means that I am no longer with Him.
Being with Him brings change to every little and large area of my life. It is simply amazing and peaceful and restful. 
Being with Him means I wait for His say so to do, think, feel, say, live. I always wait for His leading, for His instructions,  for Him to show me how.  I am always content with just being with Him.
Sounds iresponsible? Lazy? No faith?
I know. I felt those same things too. Still do. I am learning how to deal with all that. It is even worse when you get questioned. The embarrassment, not understanding. .. My comfort is a lot didn't understand Jesus either, and I am yoked with Him, so.... And just check who didn't understand Jesus!
I remain yoked with Him.
Will you?

Dwindling fears....

Remaining yoked with Christ, I notice that I am not as fearful any more. Whenever fear threatens to overcome me, I just remain focus on Christ and relax in His presence. Then peace and rest flows.
My fears were many, as I found out when I journaled them. 
Fear of not being the woman, leader, wife, friend, sister or mother I am supposed to be. I wanted to be the best and a shinning example, only to find out that God just wants me to remain in Him and be obedient to Him.
I also feared that people would find out that I wanted a break from being the best and shinning example. A really long break.
Now, I don't fear it so much. As long as I am where God wants me, I need not fear anything. No matter who understood or not, it doesn't change how God views me.
The thoughts of impending embarrassment from people seeing my fears doesn't plague me anymore. His peace and rest reigns.
And although, sometimes, I wish others would understand, and the pain of not getting that understanding threatens to overcome me, I still remain in God's peace and rest and ever close to Him.
Are you as close as He wants you to be?

All or Nothing.

As I ponder the life Jesus calls me to live with Him, I remember this scripture in Revelations 3:14-20. In verse 15 it says:
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot."
The words in bold stood out to me. Jesus desires all of us. He doesn't want a part time relationship, He desires full time, 24/7 relationship.
He does not like part time relationships, as stated in the first part of the verse, and it makes Him sick as stated in verse 16, when He said He wants to vomit them out.
In verse 17, the first part, He says why that church is neither cold nor hot and therefore in part time or lukewarm relationship with God:
" Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;"
For some of us, the mind set that 'I must pursue riches, so that I am in need of nothing, and don't have to depend on anyone', also makes us lukewarm. Clearly how we view ourselves and how God views us can be vastly different,  and it would benifit us to line up our view with His.
The second part of verse 17 is very sobering as it shows how God sees those of us who insists on being lukewarm and having part time relationship with Him.
Verses 18-20, God's solution is outlined:
18: "I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.
19: As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
20: Look, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me."
In verse 18, the bold words is significant in that God will not force us to change from part time relationship to full time. It also highlights the fact that we must make the decision to go to Him.
In verse 19, God tells why He is saying these things. He loves us and desire to teach us how He wants us to live, which I, and many, others have proven to be the most peacful, restful and successful way to live.
The whole of verse 20 is very important. It summarizes where He stands no matter our position, and it also states what He desires to do with us once we open up to Him, and have a full time relationship with Him.
Question is 'what is your position?'

The invitation. ...

Remaining God's child and disciple is harder than I think most times.
Why?
I have to keep deliberately choosing to stop doing things my way, and learn to do things God's way.
How?
I intially accepted His invitation to go to go Him and receive His rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Now, I have accepted the invitation that takes me deeper, taking on His yoke and learning from Him.
(Matthew 11: 29)
Going to Him, believing in Him, confessing my sins, being born again, receiving His rest was easy enough for me. Becoming yoked with Him and learning from Him is a deeper, deeper matter. It can be painful, uncomfortable and down right impossible at times.
However, unless I am willing to let go of how I do things, and being willing to learn how God does things, in every situation, in every moment, I will not live the abundant, restful, peaceful, joyful, successful life He promised.
Are you tired of making life work on your own?
Are you tired of struggling at everything?
Are you worried that you will make it?
Are you just tired?
Accept Christ invitation now, not when you feel ready, because you will never feel ready. He will accept you now.

Staying Close

Remaining in Christ and staying yoked with Him can be so hard, yet so rewarding.  I am always being pulled back to living how I am used to. And then the Holy Spirit is always faithful to remind me to stay focus on His truth, on His work in me.
My heart would be silently screaming " You sure You got this?" "Cause if not then I am screwed."
Then, I just choose to trust Him. Every moment as it comes. His peace and rest flows like a river.
I record these events so I can look back and remember what happened while going through the valley or a storm. It can get crazy though. The outcome is uncertain, and I can only hang onto God and trust that He knows what He is doing and won't leave me by myself.
Scriptures like 'He will never leave me nor forsake me' or ' He won't give me more than I can handle' fills my mind in these times.
So here I am. In Your yoke. Getting rest for my soul.
Is your soul at rest? If not, then Christ asks that you come to Him. Go now.

Catching Up

It has been a while since I posted anything. I have either been busy or not well or both at times.
God's faithfulness never stopped and I am so thankful that I can trust and rely on him.
Even though He allows things in my life that I don't understand, I have learned that He always knows the big picture and that He is working even when I see nothing.
This long weekend let us reflect on where we are at with God. Not what you do for Him or if you believe He exists, but in your heart, in your life, where is God?
He desires to show you His abundant life. It is a peaceful and restful life.
Choose to embrace all of God. He is faithful to show you, if your heart is sincere.

Going Deeper

A few days ago God showed me on a deeper level what happens when someone is born again.
It was a glorious reminder for me, and it enabled me to share that awesome experience more fully. It was closer to what Jesus had in His heart and mind when He said it years ago to Nicodemus. (John 3)
The only condition to being born again of God's Spirit is to confess sins and believe in Him.
1Jn 1:9 says it clearly: 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'
The birth must happen to enter or even see His kingdom. (John 3: 3&5.) That cannot be avoided.
When we confess and believe, His commitment to us being His children kicks in, and in high gear. God is not half hearted about what He does in us at re-birth. He doesn't ponder how long we took to confess and believe. He simply and immediately forgives and cleanses and make us His.
Have you done it yet? Are you His? If you are, take time to be reminded of your re-birth.
If not, I strongly encourage you to do so.

Moments of Change

Everytime I am faced with the nudge of the Holy Spirit to embrace new truth, or let go of something, or give something to Him, I go through this process in my mind and heart that is now surprising me. Why each time I am flooded by this process still eludes me, but it happens evertime. I am thinking that surely by now I would eagerly be obedient,  but instead this process happens that goes like this.
I would be in the middle of deciding to respond to the nudge of the Holy Spirit and in comes a tsunami of emotions, and fears, and disappointments that I didn't really want to admit nor deal with. I rock back and forth with each wave that crashes over me, until I finally just speak out my decision to embrace the truth, or give Him that area of my life He ask for, or let go of what He ask me to. Immediately following is the admitting of the fears, and reluctance,  and all else that was plaguing me, and keeping me from focusing on what God was saying to me and keeping me from making my decision. The relief comes slowly after, but it comes. Everytime I would expect it to come immediately,  but it never happens. I don't know if that expectation will ever stop in me. Now I can focus on what I am supposed to be doing again, for what was plaguing me is in God's hands.
I know and trust His faithfulness to keep His word. I must, by His grace, keep focus on Him, remain in Him and in His yoke.

Remaining God's Child

Remaining a child of God and enjoying all He has to offer is a life long journey. When we receive Him, confessing our sins, He makes us His children. We are forgiven, and we are adoted as His child, and our life long journey begins with being discipled by Him.
Being His disciple is a life long event. Every moment, every day.
God does use people who have been discipled and are being discipled by Him to disciple us and point us to Him. He gave that command in Matthew 28:19 to His first disciples,  'Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,'
In verse 20 of that same chapter, it tells us what discipleship is. 'Teaching them'
Who is disciplining you? Who has God brought alongside you to learn about Him? Don't close your heart to what God wants to do.
Remain in Him, remain blessed.

Becoming His Child

God loves each and every one of us. His love is unconditional.  However, we are not all His children. Jesus says in John 1: 12 that He gives the right to become children of God to those who believe in Him and receives Him. Not those who pray the sinners prayer, or those who resolve to try and be good people or good Christians, or even who go to church. It is important to pray and to go to church, but it will not make us children of God.
One of my post back in December I talked about God's invitation to each of us. He wants us to receive Him. He wants us to walk with Him, He wants to make us His children.
Are you one of His children? Walking with him, obeying Him, learning from Him every moment of everyday how to live his way.
I again challenge you to become His child. Receive Him, and all that He has will be yours.
Have a blessed week.