The Believers Big "C"

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set  us free (emphasis added) from the law of sin and death.

Oh how many of us read this verse and never truly understand how free we really are from the law of sin.
The enemy of our souls wraps us up  in lies of inadequacy and and guilt because we do not fully understand  the freedom we have  in Jesus.

When Christ Jesus went to the Cross to die in our place, we, you and I, who accept His gift of Salvation, were set free. Sin no longer has reign over us,  but many of us do not completely understand this. Because most of us do not know exactly what Scripture says.  When the Son sets you free, you are truly free...it is for freedom that Christ set us free...Gal. 5:1

Dear, precious, child of God, do you feel free?  If you have accepted Jesus into your heart you are free of condemnation of the law of sin.  The Word of God says so. God the Father loves us, "and as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions...sins...from us...Psalms 103:12

Yet you say, I'm a sinner, I sin everyday!  Yes we do, and yes we will, until we are finally in our heavenly home, but the penalty for each and every sin is already paid.  Paid for dearly in the precious blood of our loving Savior.  Our Savior who loved us so much He chose to take our place on that Cross so we could be free, each of  us who accepts the gift He freely gave.

I am only now coming to really understand it isn't anything I have done, am doing, or will do.  It is what Jesus has already done.  And if I will accept His gift and do my best  to follow Him, learn His ways and walk as closely, intimately with Him as I can , I will be free in Him and Him alone.  Jesus is all!  There is no condemnation when we are His, only love and hope and help.

Most of us think we have to clean ourselves up before we can come to God, again a lie of the enemy.  We can not "clean" ourselves up---human self effort will never do the job. But Jesus can "clean" us and set us free from the bondage sin has had over us.

The Word of God has so much to offer us if we would just read it and seek out the God of heaven an d His Son who gives us new life if we choose it.

Read Gods Word and find out for yourself.  He's waiting to meet with you.

Sowing & Reaping

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy"...Psalms 126:5.....weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning...Psalms 30:5


Sowing in tears.  For days now that is exactly what I've been doing.  Someone very close to me whom I love  
dearly has made a very unwise choice in their life and is now going to have to deal with the serious consequences of this choice   Oh how my heart grieves and breaks for them and for those of us closest to them.  We who love them.  For days now I have been crying out to the Lord, Why?  Why did You let this happen? You are all powerful, all mighty You could have stopped it.  Scripture says You control all things.  Why didn't You?  Why didn't You?  Pain grips my heart, tears fill my eyes and I feel as if my God, my Lord, whom I love has abandoned my to my heartache.

Then that sweet soft voice I am learning to listen to in my heart says to me,  Beloved, all mankind has to have choice. Without it they can never love Me or choose Me as their heavenly Father.  I could have controlled this situation; I am controlling it.  Do you not see My hand at work even now?   I have a purpose and a plan in this Beloved, and I will bring it about.  Yes, it is very painful right now.  I do some of my best work in the sorrows of regretful tears.  Trust me!  You will yet see the goodness of the Lord.

Oh Jesus, I am so grateful for Your presence.  For the comfort Your love brings me.  Even in the midst of this vise gripping pain, deep within, I know that things will be okay.  That I will be okay---"yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, You are with me"...Psalms 23:4  You have promised never to leave  me nor forsake me and You keep your promises.  I will hold fast to Your word Lord. You are here walking right beside me, and You won't let me fall.  Nothing touches me without Your allowing it.

I started this blog with the Scripture about sowing in tears.  That we actually sow with our tears, seeds of trust and hope if we come and bring them to You.  You know all about weeping for those who choose wrong.  You wept over and died for a people who didn't recognize who You are.  A people who rejected You, crucified You, and all because You loved them so much You wanted to give them new life.

Dear Lord I am so very grateful for the Scriptures.  They tell us Your ways are not our ways, Your thoughts not our thoughts, but never leave us with out hope for a new morning that can and will bring us joy.  You are our joy, our peace in times of trouble. Whether I walk with You on earth or when I come home I can, and will have the joy of all you have promised...because You are faithful and true.  I love you Lord, because You love me so much.  I await the morning, knowing You are beside me in the night.

Listening That We May Live

Then a voice came out of the cloud saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One, listen to Him." ....
 [Luke 9:35]

I do not know about you, but if I heard a voice coming out of a cloud saying anything, I would either stop to hear exactly what was being said, or would find myself so scared by whats happening, I would run the opposite direction in fright.

Reading  these words from Scripture, I tried imaging how God's voice might sound.  Was it loud and booming like a clap of thunder? Or did it sound soft and quiet like a gentle whisper?  To myself  I thought," it must be more like thunder, loud and booming", like nature when it roars.Yet this verse does not tell us how God sounded here, only what He said.

Does it say God spoke? Yes.  And tells us exactly what He said.  "Listen to My Son, My Chosen One". For those who say the Bible is hard to read and understand, this sounds pretty clear to me. Listen to His Son and that's what I've been leaning to do, as I continue to spend time in Gods Word each morning. Learning that God has been speaking to us since the time He created us... [Isaiah 55:3]. Learning, He desires to speak to me, His daughter, personally, if I let Him..

Over and over as I  read, I see the words "listen", "hear Me" "God says"; throughout Scripture  these definitely sounds like He God is speaking.and wants me to hear.  And as I read His words, I am trying diligently to listen to what It says.  Why?  Because His words are life!... "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edge sword....able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. [Heb. 4:11] Scripture tell's me how to live the way God planned for me to.  It tells me, He created me and knows me better than anyone else.  His Words tell me He loves me and wants the best for me. So I try to listen with open "ears" and an open heart, because in my heart I know this is true.

 In the Old Testament ,God spoke His commandments through Moses. Using them to tell His people how they should live, on a day to day, basis with Him and why they should do so.We know these words as the "Ten Commandments". The Law of the the Old Covenant ...[Deut. 6]

In the New Testament, Jesus says He came to speak a new covenant a new Way.  What the Law was unable to do, help us to know and do the Will of God, He did by living His life in obedience to His Father. He brought to us the new covenant of Gods love & grace and through His life, showed us how we should live in this new way.  Jesus, the Son of God, is our example, of the new life we can have when we have a personal relationship with Him. A life of becoming like Christ.

The Word says, when we know the Son, we know the Father....only the Son has seen the Father...He, Jesus explains the Father. [John1:18]  That is why we are to listen.  Jesus brings new life. True life! Free life!

The words of the Gospels tells us, He, Jesus, came and died, that we may have life and have it abundantly "....[John10:10].
 Isn't that what we all want? An abundant life?  Not just financial wealth, which is what most of us think of when we think of abundant living, but a life filled with contentment, peace, and joy which we all desire in our hearts, God given desires which we all have.  Desires that can only be fulfilled in having a personal, intimate relationship with the Lover of our souls, Jesus Christ.  And not just fulfilled desires, but a new Life!  Life the way God  intended for us before sin entered the world. God has a purpose and a plan for every life He created. Every life!  We only have to be listening to what He says to learn what that life is and how to live it..."My sheep hear My voice... and they follow Me "[John 10:27].

My challenge to both myself and those of you reading my blog, is to spend time reading in the Word everyday. Reading the Gospels---Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which tell all about Jesus, who He is, how He wants to help us live,. Reading the Psalms and Proverbs full of insight and wisdom.  Gods Word most importantly tells us how much He loves us; so much He was willing to die in our place for our sins, that we might truly have life. What love! The whole Bible is a love letter from God to His children.

Read God's word for yourself. Actively listen (seek)  what Jesus has to say to you.  Ask yourself, "what do I hear Hims saying"?  If you are a child of God He has promised to reveal what He wants us to know. Reading Scripture is how we learn to Know God.  It is where we can find Him and the perfect plan He has for our life.

Oh Lord how little any of us truly understand this precious, precious gift only You have given us. Thank You that You promise to be with us and lead us in Your paths of righteousness.  Show us what real living is, walking with You daily Lord.  May all of us have "ears to hear and eyes to see" the life You offer.

Anger....Righteous or Unrighteous?

Mans(woman's) anger does not bring about the righteousness of God....James 1:20


A major crisis has abruptly changed my whole life, and I am now  trying with all my heart, to listen to God, as to how I am to handle the the painful emotions that have arisen within me because of what has happened.  I am  filled with painful anger which has resulted due to the behavior of someone else and also anger at myself for how I responded in return. I have been continually lifting  these overwhelming hurting feelings, up to the Lord asking Him for His help in dealing with the intensity of my emotions because they are beyond what I can manage by myself.

And, as if this isn't enough to cope with; there is also, the uncontrolled angry emotions of the other person in this situation,  which is the core issue of my crisis to begin with, that I am having to dealing with as well.  "Dear God, I pray, how I am to handle my anger, fears and doubts that are threatening to "swamp" me in waves of storming emotions? What does one do, when you are the focus of another persons hurtful, undeserved anger?  When they verbally and emotionally assault you, because of their inability to handle their anger in a healthy way?

My answer was to run straight into the loving arms of Jesus; asking Him to hide me in the shadow of His wings; asking Him to be my strength and my shield, my strong fortress in this time of trouble, These were very words my devotional reading had spoken to me this morning.  And that's exactly what He did. He gathered me into the shadow of His wings and with His love He calmed my hurt and anger. He did so because He says in His Word  (Psalms 17:8) that's what He will do; and He does exactly what He says in His Word He will do. I  know I can trust Him to be my refuge, my strength, when I am weak.  Because He has been my strength and my shield, and "a strong tower in trouble," over and over again. The success for this to work though, is that I run to Him with whatever I am dealing with.  Times of anger, times of sadness, times of joy! That I take everything to Him in prayer.

 As a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I know I am not to handle my anger in the same way as someone who does not know Him would. Scripture tell me, as His child, I am to respond as as the Word teaches, and that  is to bring my emotions to Him, confess any sin on my part and let the Holy Spirit enable me to forgive, both the other person and myself.  Anger--any ones-- will not bring about God's righteousness, James 1:20 tells us. So, I  must deal with my anger.

Ephesians 4:26 also addresses the subject of anger and helps  me to see that the anger itself is not sin, but what I do with the anger, how I respond that becomes sinful. This verse tells us how to respond God's way, "Be angry, but do not let the sun go down on my anger." I am to deal with it before the day is over.  Only recently have I come realized that I have been letting the sun go down on much unresolved anger and resentment , which had turned into a root of bitterness that I had been unwilling to face. Now as God has revealed it to me I have run to His Word,  my source of truth and guidance, for living a holy life, to learn from Him, what I must do with these feelings.  While anger isn't a sin, bitterness is, and God says we must get rid of it because it is a poison to our souls.

 As I sat with these thoughts, the above Scripture came to my mind. Only the problem was, as sometimes happens to me, I couldn't remember where it was located, so I went searching for a reference in my  Bible concordance, trying to find the exact verse. I looked under specific words used in the verse as I was remembering it: anger, righteousness, man, and God. One after the other, but  was not finding what I was looking for.

So I continued to search the Scriptures. And as I searched I prayed, "Lord why can't I find this Scripture reference? Is there something else here I am missing.  Holy Spirit You know exactly where it is, would You lead me to where God's words are; not what I think He is saying, but exactly what He says?   And on I searched.

Well, as you can tell from my reference verse, I did find it and several other verses God wanted me to meditate on as well.  The verse that spoke to me the most was Ephesians 4:26.  I like so many consider anger to be a sin, but that's not what God says. This verse says "be angry",  but what I'm not to do is let the sun go down on my anger.  That has been my problem in dealing with anger most of my life I realized.

Now for clarity, what I'm not saying here, is that every argument or angry situation can be resolved in the same day.  What I am saying, is  the Lord was speaking to me here about my feelings and that I bring them to Him, confess any sin on my part and put the situation into His hands, then wait for Him to show me what to do; obey Him.

 I'd like to tell you that my crisis is resolved as I am writing this blog, but that's not happened.  What I can tell you, is that God has taken something the enemy meant for evil in my life and has used it for good and ultimately for His glory, by revealing a deep rooted bondage that I needed to be set free from and cleansed my heart with His loving forgiveness. I no longer am filled with bitterness and resentment, but much sadness for the pain this has caused everyone involved. He has set me free to respond with His love and grace. Could anything be better than His goodness?

I am now waiting on the Lord to show me the next steps to take.  I know in my heart He will, because He only does what's good and right and prefect. What He wants is for me to lean on Him.  And that's what I am doing.

Dear Lord, thank You that the truth of Your Word is always available to us.  Thank You that You care and love us so much that You want us to know Your truth and by able to apply it through the power of Your Spirit indwelling us. Your Word truly  is alight unto our path and a lamp to our feet...Ps. 119:105 and You use it to speak  to each of us intimately and personally.  Thank You! Thank You, precious Lord Jesus.

Classroom of Suffering and Patience

Gods Word says:  "As an example of suffering and patience, we are to take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord....James 5:10

Following Jesus means suffering for what He says is truth. The prophets of the Old Testament knew this.

Suffering, pain, anguish and trials are times when believers can learn lessons only God can teach. They are "classrooms" in His hands.  Places where He provides a wealth of knowledge about who He is and how He operates, if we are willing to turn to Him,  actively seeking from His mighty and awesome Word, what He says as the way to handle them.

The prophets and apostles learned valuable lessons in the what I'm calling "godly classrooms".  All  of them listened to Gods voice and yet they suffered anyway, the above verse tells us. And if you read about each one specific experiences you will see how they also learned patience in the midst each ones times of suffering.

Scripture says, "Gods ways are not our ways".  We in our humanity  see adversity as something to stop, something to run from,  something to fix quickly. Yet over and over Scripture tells of the suffering and trials that Gods people went through, book after book. I am learning through my own struggles, that God wants me to see these times of adversity as one of His choicest tools for refining me and making me more like Jesus.  Adversity drives me to Him; to His voice...His Word. Nothing else comforts me more in my suffering than hearing what the Lord has to say to me from His Word.  Telling me how much He loves me, telling me He is with me; He will be my strength and my shield.  Comforting me with the comfort I can then comfort others with because I know their pain and can point them to Him to help them through the dark valley.

Adversity gets our attention, if we let it. It leads us to examine our inner self.  If, as today's verse says, the lesson in our suffering is learned--which is to follow the examples of the prophets and learn patience in our circumstances, this learned lesson effectively make changes our behavior. We can have His peace and to still praise Him even when we suffer. Endure with spiritual patience, which is what I believe the prophets knew.

Jesus suffered. Godly men and women written of in Scripture suffered.  Christ told His followers they--we--would suffer in this world, but not to be afraid, because He has overcome the world....John 16:33  So we will also suffer.  For us it is what we choose to do with the suffering.  Christ gives us the answer.  His strength, His Word, His Spirit sent to help us.  There is no other true way.

I am learning if I let Him, my Lord Jesus, will help me overcome all my adversities, trials and difficulties. and in the midst of  them  give me His patience and peace.  His Voice --the Word-- tells me how I can do so, and my part is to listen  and do what He says. God speaks to us through His holy Word,  His holy Spirit, and the godly counsel of His holy people.  He has something to say to each of His children in every situation we face.  We are the ones who have to decide we want to hear what He says.  His Word is where we must go first. As our Father He knows exactly what we need and longs to help us.  But we must accept His way of doing so and only learn through His Word.

How about you,  whens the last time you had a moment of listening? Reading Gods Word is how we listen to   God.  If we seek Him, He promises He will be found.

Listening....Hearing

I had someone ask me recently, how do I know God is "speaking to me, personally". Why would He speak to any of us personally?"  These are very good questions.  I  remember replying at the time, "Because I hear His voice in my heart.  Not an audible voice like some that claim to hear voices in the head, but in the whisper in my heart: when remembered Scripture reveals itself to my mind. That's when I know He is speaking to me When I hear His Words with in.

Many people ask,  " Is God speaking today?"  My reply to this is, oh yes He is definitely speaking. The real question is, are we listening?.  I am just now beginning to get a glimmer of understanding as to what it really means to listen. How can I know what He has to say, if I do not go to the source of His voice, His Word.? The Word of God is how He is speaking to us, His creation, today.

Scripture says: " God is not man that He should lie...Has He said and then not done; spoken and not made good? [Numbers 23:19]...."My word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path." [Psalms 119:105}
Light shining in darkness, [another blog maybe]. Isn't this, His Words speaking to us? He says," I the Lord your God... I will... listen to what I say?"

No, I do not question whether God is speaking. What I am learning is to question whether I am hearing. When I hear a voice whose speaking do I hear a , my own voice, telling  me to do  what I think and,feel is the right thing to do?.  Is it the worlds voice noisily, shouting out, loud contradictions to what God clearly says in Scripture?  Whose voice am I hearing?

I have learned if I do not go to the source of Gods Voice, His Word,  I can not expect to hear Him speak.  I can not know what He is saying. I can only hear what the other voices I am listening to say. The Bible is how I hear God speak to me.  And when  I 'am  hearing Him "speak to me" I now know it is His Voice,  the voice of His Words, usually telling me to listen.

A very wise, godly man and mentor, whom I greatly admire, frequently says, "Listen! Are you listening? , when he is sharing something important from Gods Word. Because He also says "The Bible has an answer for every circumstance and situation we face daily." If we do not read Gods Word,  is it  He's not speaking or are we not listening?

This is a question I ask myself daily as i spend time in the Word of God.  Am I listening to what He is saying? Do I hear Him?  And when the answer comes up "no" I'm not, as when I am fearful, full of doubts, not at peace in my inner self,  then I know I need to go to the Word, so I can listen because I haven't been hearing .  Each and every day, that I do not spend time with His Word,  my hearing His voice gets less and less clear.  It grows quieter and quieter.  I no longer hear what He says.

Whens the last time you picked up Gods Word and ask Him sincerely from your heart, to speak specifically to you. When you do, I can assure you, He will answer and  speak to your heart personally,  He promises to meet each one of us right where we each are. His Word tells us He will and that  He does exactly what He says.

Thank You precious Lord, that Scripture tells us, You are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. and You will speak to us because Your Word says you will. All we have to do is be willing to LISTEN.

Valley....Mountaintops...Gods Ways.

Scripture says: " In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight"...Proverbs 3:5

As read this verse I had actually been thinking about another subject.  The title of this message being the subject I had been thinking about. I even had a different Scripture in mind for this blog.  And as I sat listening the Lord spoke gently to my heart, in His sweet Voice and my heart heard.

"Beloved, My children experience adversity, anguish, trials, tribulations, and heartaches as the "valley experiences" of this life. These times, as much as they would like to avoid them, are necessary in order for them to grow and mature spiritually.  They are a part of My plan for their lives here on earth. These "valleys" are times, I seek for them to turn to Me, and listen to what I can tell them, as to how they can walk through the valley.  I KNOW the way.  I Am the way.."

"What I want my children to know, is that I am with them in the valley's as much as I am on the mountaintops.    and that I know it's hard for them to understand, in the pain of adversity, but I have a purpose and a plan for everything that touches their lives.  Yours too."

"It is hard, for some of My children to understand what I mean, when I'm saying, " My ways are not your ways, and My thoughts are not your thoughts".(Isaiah 55:8)  What they see as a calamity, I see as a time of teaching them to trust Me. To trust Me in all of life experiences. In their valleys, as well as on the mountaintops. I, who created them, have a specific plan for each and every child of Mine..."in My book were written all the days ordained for you, before one even came about." (Psalms 139:16)

Each valley, is a time for My child, who is in it, to come and seek Me. "To find Me while I may be found". (Isaiah 55:6). To seek Me in My Word and have a conversation in prayer with Me.  I invite them to come; " Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)  I want them to come"... "I love them with an everlasting love." (Jeremiah 31:3)

When I say, "In all your ways acknowledge Me, what I am saying is seek Me, listen to Me, and I will make your paths (ways) straight; both in the valley's, as well as on the mountaintops of life. Abba

And what I share with those who may be reading this post is, God is Faithful! He can be trusted!  I know From experiencing  many valley experiences of my own.  If you heart desires to know how to find a straight path through your valley and walk back up to the mountaintop, seek to meet with Him today in Scripture. There's no where higher. His ways and love are wonderful,  and yes at times, even hard to understand, But He has promised  He is always with us wherever we go.

Thank You Lord Jesus, that there is no where we can go that you are not with us, offering Your love, Your guidance, Your peace.  Praise the wonderful name of Jesus.