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Comment by ALCEDES JONES on October 29, 2011 at 5:41pm

AMEN ,A SISTER SENT ME THIS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE

Reflective Thoughts of Spiritual Growth
By Karen Shields

The experiences we share as humans and Christians began early on whether we choose to admit it or not. From the very beginning, we were a twinkle in God’s eye and by no means an accident. Whatever your parents, foster parents or whoever raised you told you about being an accident isn’t true. God planned you on purpose for his purpose. I didn’t really grasp this concept until now. I realize now all along I was growing towards my very own spiritual maturity. One thing is that we never stop growing until the day He calls us “Home”.

Our role of becoming a disciple began even before the womb. We are to be made in the likeness of him and he nurtures us like a gardener in his garden. We must submit ourselves to him fully and humbly. We can’t go through life without him. We must accept him as our personal Lord and Savior first. It is a daily conscience effort to stay in his Word. We must treat this transformation as how we treat our lives. We feed our bodies to keep them healthy and strong and the same goes for our soul. We must feed that all throughout the day with prayer, reading the Bible and Thanksgiving in our hearts. It begins with a constant renewing of our minds. This requires intentional thinking. Our flesh is weak to the circumstances of the world and the battle begins in the minds of all humans. Our warfare is not carnal but spiritual. The carnal issues begin on the inside of us and continue outward. We won’t know how to fight without reading the Bible. The Bible clearly states all that is going on now and we leave the best book in the world in our cars, on the dining room table or on the book shelf. The best place for it to be is in your hands. This is the best knowledge to have during this time. We may not be able to heal the world all at one time, but God created us to teach his word to all nations. Even if it starts with one person at a time, this is what we must do. Begin with your family and friends closest to you. God allowed us to go through things to be a blessing or providing a kind word to others. Must the misery we endure be in vain? NO! Tell your testimony when you have the chance. Stop being ashamed, but be grateful God brought you through it and never left you. We may quickly think he left us, but the gift of the Holy Spirit is forever present within us. We must use the tools he gave us to tap into this. When two countries go to war, they meet and have a plan of attack before entering battle. This same principle holds true for each human daily. We are at war and need to have a plan to attack Satan from every angle. The Bible tells us exactly what we need to do to have the “Victory”. Many of us miss this concept. It’s really sad because we see this every day in the world today. This is why God wanted all of his people to be disciples to spread his greatest gift of all “Love” throughout all the nations. We need this now more than ever. We have so many issues of Mothers against their children, brothers against brothers, dads against daughters, we mistreat elderly, and yet we have come to think this is how the world is. We no longer uplift each other, manners are a thing of the past, violence is at an all- time high, children are being killed at the hands of their parents, and we continue to discuss God as if he doesn’t exist. How can we continue to ignore it? You look at the world today and see so many lost souls and it truly breaks my heart. We see scriptures in the Bible happening right before our eyes. It’s time to stop hiding behind the Bible and start telling about the Bible. We can tell about a good movie, a great restaurant, or quick to gossip about negative situations or people, but let God take you through something and bring you out……we aren’t so quick to spread the news. We must accept the fact that God put us all here for his sole purpose to bring the lost souls to salvation. In order for us to fight we must maintain a healthy prayer life. We must remain close with Jesus at all times and you may wonder how this can be done. It begins with a strong prayer life that doesn’t have to be like anyone else’s. This is not a comparable or I’m doing something wrong type of thing. This is talking directly to God and being open and honest at all times. We forget he knows all and knows what we are thinking and will do even before we do it. Let’s get real this is no time to sugar coat and really how can you….He’s God!! We grow spiritually through trial and tribulations. This is the time that brings us closer to him and we must continue to remain in him when things are good. We can quickly pray when things are bad but forget God when things are good. This is a sign of immaturity. We must pray daily and seek him for even the smallest things. Do you really think God is only there for the BIG things? You are missing out if so. God wants us in our entirety. I learned through this course the components of a rich prayer life. They are worship, confession, adoration, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, and requests. This is deep to realize how selfish we are when we pray at times. It’s not always about us. We must step outside the box and truly want to help and pray for others. Praise him in advance for just who he is. He is worthy of our praise at all times. We take life for granted so quickly but in a blink of an eye we could be gone. Prayers work and if you don’t think so just try it. Just like we pick up a phone to call our loved ones to check on them, we need to call on Jesus just to say “Thank You!”

We need to continue to uplift each other, speak life into each other, admit our own faults, love each other, guard our minds and cast out negative thinking, and establish a godly lifestyle that is visible and not just behind closed doors. We need to stand on the promises of God in the Bible and remain faithful. I finally saw how small a mustard seed was and realize that is all God is asking for, for us to have the faith the size of a mustard seed. “WOW!” What blows me away is how at times we can’t even do that. The amazing part is that he continues to love us despite of us. We fight over the wheel too much and need to sit back and let him drive. We are a work in progress and fail daily to sins of the world. The knowledge comes when we know better we begin to do better. Embrace the fact we are all different and strive for our own relationship with Jesus. We can’t judge others because they don’t act like us when it comes to Jesus. Jesus has his own special relationship with everyone. He knows how they learn and what will get their attention. Just don’t be too blind not to see when he is trying to get your attention or gently tapping you on the shoulder.

The older I am the more I can finally appreciate my past. We ask God, “Why me?” so many times. Since I was young I was different and I never accepted that. I always wanted to be like someone else. It took years and now at 36, I can honestly say I finally “Love me.” This has happened because I realized God loves me just for me and not what I do. We make so many mistakes but despite ourselves he loves us unconditionally. I am truly thankful for my family that has been there for me all my life. When I think of how good God has been to me all of my life, I just can help but to praise him. I was a victim of domestic violence, feelings of unworthiness, disease (MRSA), thought love was only demonstrated through sex, laid off my job, people think down on me because I didn’t finish college, oldest son didn’t want to get baptized, lost friends, talked about, lied on, adultery, abortions, and the list could go on. People look at me today and wonder why am I happy, all I can say it is nothing but the grace of God. I know through it all I have been healed. You never know a person until you talk to them. We tend to judge a person by their outward appearance rather than actually getting to know them. If someone looked at me they wouldn’t have a clue as to what I have been through. We need to take time to get to know a person. We may not be able to see the end results but we can plant a seed and someone else will nurture it. It is a reason for us all to be here and a season for us to be in someone’s life. We then need to practice the principle of letting go and let God handle it. Everything is not for us to do. He is the potter and we are the clay. Sometimes we need to be broken and put back together for this to work.

I am still broken but healed. He is working on me daily. The thought of me interfering in his work is dead. I would be like the Israelites going around the same mountain for 40 years and it was an 11 day journey. I am tired but thankful to finally be more aware of God in my life. To have a more intimate relationship with him and not be ashamed of it. I understand we will never be perfect for we are human and fall short of his glory each day. You’re more conscience of what you do and say to others, what you watch on television, the music you listen to and your immediate surroundings. The worship times mean so much to me now. To feel and embrace his presence and know he will never leave me nor forsake me…..moves me to tears. Right now I’m in his safety preparing to move out like a butterfly to continue to fulfill his purpose for me. I am ready to be used wholly by you God!! Submitting to his will is forever a blessing in disguise.

At the end of the day, all I want to hear God say is “Well done, my good and faithful servant!!”

Comment by The pilgrim on October 29, 2011 at 4:40am

My brothers, and sisters .....Can we say, as Paul does, “God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”? If our reply “Yes!” then let us honor that call! Let us turn our life in the heavenward direction with such single-minded devotion. Let us live on earth as a stranger intent on reaching our real home in heaven! We are not alone on this journey. Ephesians emphasizes that we travel together as the family of God, which is Christ’s “body” or “church.” Our Faithful Lord is always with us. May God help each and everyone of us!!! Amen!!!

Comment by Ruth McD on October 28, 2011 at 7:45am

Joshua 1:1-9  This is My command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go

In a span of several verses, God used powerful words to build courage into Joshua’s heart: “Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you” (Joshua 1:3); “No one will be able to stand against you” (Joshua 1:5); “I will be with you . . . I will not fail you or abandon you” (Joshua 1:5); “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6); “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

What was Joshua’s response to God’s promise of His abiding presence and blessing? He chose to follow diligently God’s words and to believe that He would strengthen, guard, and protect him (Joshua 1:10-11).

As believers in Jesus, we’re called to do things that can be difficult (talking to our neighbors about Jesus), risky (ministering to the marginalized), and even potentially dangerous (taking the gospel to unreached people groups) out of obedience to God. As God promised Joshua, He has promised to be with us (Hebrews 13:5). Let’s boldly obey His Word and declare His truth.

How has God moved you from the cramped space of fear to the open space of courage and obedience? What risky or dangerous thing is He calling you to do out of obedience to Him and His Word?

Comment by Ruth McD on October 24, 2011 at 8:22am

1 Timothy 4:7-8 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; vs 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

As christians, we can know that we should be godly and that godliness doesn't just happen--it's something we need to work on. It's also true that we can know what to do but not do it because we lack the discipline.

Isn't it ironic that people will watch what they eat, follow an exercise routine and avoid the things that will hurt them physically, but fail to apply the same discipline to their spiritual lives? Just as physical conditioning doesn't simply happen, neither does spiritual fitness.

Comment by Dearheart on October 18, 2011 at 8:09am

The future is seen in the Bible, this knowledge with us God has shared, by faith we can see the invisible, the glory that He has prepared. The promise of heaven is our eternal hope.

Comment by MYu on October 18, 2011 at 7:31am

Thank you Alcedes... Indeed the Lord Almighty moved me  to put my thoughts into writing as I reflected on HIS word and my life. It does not happen often that I get inspired to do so and I'm grateful to HIM that my thoughts made sense to someone else. Ha ha... God bless you and all those who continue to seek the TRUTH.

Comment by Christopher Kendall on October 18, 2011 at 3:53am

The believing hope and prospect of eternal life, should make us steady and constant in our Christian course. There is difference of gifts and graces, yet, being renewed by the same Spirit, we are brethren. To stand fast in the Lord, is to stand fast in his strength, and by his grace.

Comment by ALCEDES JONES on October 17, 2011 at 9:00pm

Today's Prayer

God, please show us how you want us to use the skills, spiritual gifts, resources you have given us and the relationships you have allowed us to have to prepare for the great harvest You have planned. I pray that we will be a tool in your hands to draw people to you. With that in mind, I ask you to please forgive us of our sins, sins that stand in the way of a closer fellowship with you and that would be a hindrance to our living testimony. Please help us start fresh and new again right now. Thank you and bless you, Lord.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Comment by The pilgrim on October 17, 2011 at 2:12pm

The joy which has the Lord for its object, and comes from HIM, is the cause of renewing spiritual strength, so as to run and not be weary, walk and not faint, in the ways of God. A cheerful heart is not only a continual feast, but also a continual medicine. There for Rejoice in the Lord Always!!!

Comment by Ruth McD on October 16, 2011 at 9:28am

For He who promised is faithful—God is faithful to what He has said, to what He has done, and to what He has promised. He is faithful to meet all your needs. He is faithful to keep you and present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. He is faithful to His promises because of His holiness, He cannot lie! He will not let you down. (Psalm 89:35)

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