You’ve felt it, you’ve said it. I feel like I’ve been here before, or I must have dreamed this. We say such things in casual conversation, and we even experience the sensation, but how many of us actually understand what’s happening when we experience what wikipedia defines as Déjà vu?

Wikipedia: Déjà vu  or promnesia, is the experience of feeling sure that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously (an individual feels as though an event has already happened or has happened in the recent past), although the exact circumstances of the previous encounter are uncertain. The experience of déjà vu is usually accompanied by a compelling sense of familiarity, and also a sense of “eeriness”, “strangeness”, or “weirdness”. The “previous” experience is most frequently attributed to a dream, although in some cases there is a firm sense that the experience “genuinely happened” in the past.

If I may, please allow me to break this down into scenarios, life applicable and Biblical explaination. First of all we must understand that many people dismiss such experiences. Sad but true, some people can not see past the logical and do not have much of a spiritual connection. For those you reading this blog, I pray that you have a teachable and receivable spirit concerning this subject. Now I don’t claim to be an expert on the topic, but I have studied, researched, prayed about and experienced some extreme spiritual situations. With that said, I pray that you be enlightened by this post and be able to better apply some knowledge in identifying certain situations.

Life applicable scenario: I’m driving down the road and suddenly become overwhelmed with the assumption that I have been here before knowing that I have never traveled this route. I just experienced déjà vu. (I have much more information concerning this type of encounter, but it would require a lot of explaination, I will save that for another blog post)

Life applicable scenario: I’m talking with someone I have not seen in years, I’m extremely comfortable and it seems like only yesterday we  spoke. The years between are nonexistent. Some people would not link this to déjà vu, but most likely a familiar spirit between two people.

Familiar spirits are linked to both good and evil. Take two prayer warriors for example. Neither one communicate with the other, but both spend much time in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are spiritually connected. On the other hand take someone who deals with sin in their life, let’s be specific. Put two people in the presence of one another that both deal with issues of lust. Most likely they will be drawn to one another, familiar spirits. Same as two people both dealing with rejection, most likely they will find they know just how the other one feels because of a familiar spirit shared.

This is how many affairs begin. Two people may be instantly attracted to one another, then upon conversation begin to find out how much they have in common. Ironically, the two begin to believe that fate must have brought them together, because their spouse just doesn’t make them “FEEL” this way. Therefore we often hear the term “SOULMATE” derive from the encounter. Now do you see the danger in this? It’s a lie straight from Hell. Jesus Christ didn’t bring these people together, demons did. Satan and his army has studied the human race for years. He knows your weakness, he knows your trails, he views your actions, and hears your words. What better way to detour someone than to lure them with appealing lies. If you are married, God is not going to put another person in your life. That’s not scriptural. On the other hand, Satan is not always to get credit for our wrong doing. Sometimes it’s nothing but our flesh desiring things that are not of God. All that said to make this point. That familiar feeling, sometimes kinda eerie, but interesting, is not of God. We must guard our hearts and stay renewed so we may not fall into the trap of the enemy or even give in to our own fleshly desires.

Many familiar spirits are evil. I believe déjà vu is not a God experience. I do not believe in ghosts, but I do believe demons can and do impersonate people of the past. (There is scripture to back this up, read my blogs on witchcraft for futher explaintion.) This is why we are instructed by the Bible to not communicate with the dead. (Necromancy: The blackest of all black magic, the ancient method of communication with the dead, attempting to raise the dead, and control their spirits. The Greek name meaning “dead” and divination”.) So therefore, why would we believe that we should entertain even the spiritual aspect of that as well. We must stop speaking to dead things. We must stop digging up what has been covered by the blood. A great man of God once referenced the reflection of our mistakes and regrets as “Spiritual Necromancy”.  So if we identify a bond between ourselves and another that we know does not line up with scripture, perhaps we should pray about the ungodly soul tie we have allowed to be formed.

I am not saying that all of these emotions and experiences are bad, I am simply pointing out the ones that can be. Dan Fogelberg sang a song “ Same Old Lang Syne” about an old friend from school. Meeting up after years apart, feeling that old similar feeling once again, and experiencing the pain upon departure. Dan was quoted at one time speaking about his song and how many people had told him that his lyrics was very applicable to their own life. Yes, we all have these stories, don’t we?  Seems like yesterday, you may look different, but you haven’t changed a bit. What a lie! Truth be known, we have changed, all of us. Those that believe otherwise is only viewing (experiencing) that familiar spirit from yesteryear. Maybe you feel young again, maybe you can recapture innocence, maybe if,  just maybe…

I love to reminisce of great times I had as a child, a teenager, with friends, my family, and there is nothing wrong with that. But how easy it is to get caught up in the past. We must be careful.

Yesterday’s gone and the future is awaiting. Déjà vu can stay where it belongs – the past. Been there, done that and no thanks don’t want it again. Guard you heart, renew your mind, enjoy your memories, live today and create your future!

Scripture Insight : “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ – Matthew 7:15-23

Your first kiss, your first love, driving fast, the thrill of the ride. Flying high, can you see me? High above looking at every detail. Gliding on a breath of air waiting for a gust of wind to lift me again. Time to think, to wonder, what if, how can? To be perfect, is there such a thing? Depressed, sorrow, sadness within. Reaching for a savior to make me alive again. A bottle, a needle, a passionate kiss, to fulfill desires if only to numb for a while. Living for the moment searching endlessly to feel a pulse. Only to awake more lonely than before. The torture of knowing what is wrong as your flesh screams for more. The soul cry is piercing. Peace is how you sleep when you lay down at night. Denying what you want for what you know is right! Battle, war, a raging fire inside, as two wolves tangle in the fight for your life. How could we possibly do what is right? We are created as flesh, bone and blood. The only remedy is his love. Taking on your curse, no more fighting no more lies. Would you lay down your life? Would you want to die? Persecuted, mocked, beaten and scorned. Could you make choices, had he not been born? Where does this leave us? Are we destined to receive? Or do we keep fighting as our empty souls bleed. We make it so hard when it’s ours to obtain. What good is lost love if only the world is to gain?

How much longer?  When will it end?  What more must I endure?  These are common questions I often ask myself when I feel like I’m at the end of my rope. I would say instead of focusing on the dread, I should most likely focus on the testing period. Things just don’t seem to function properly until everything is in order, yes? Well I suppose that explains it! It’s shakedown time. Wikipedia defines the word: A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational.

Now let’s assume we are the vessel. (I prefer to be the aircraft. I like to fly above to see what’s happening) OK, we have prepared our entire lives for the journey, waiting patiently for the ultimate ride, when sometimes it seems we no more than get our feet off the ground to be right back where we started. Why? I guess this would be a great time to toss out the phrase “going around the mountain again”. (The Israelites took 40 years to walk around the same mountain. This should have been an 11 day trip) Once we gain revelation of that, we proceed to cross into the promised land, but sometimes we may not get there as quickly as we would like too. Perhaps we’re in the middle of a shakedown.

Is everything in your life functioning properly? God will not bless a mess! We keep praying, wondering when He will answer. When the truth is, He already has. We many times hold up the manifestation of our blessing by not having everything in order. Sure our intentions are good, but intentions doesn’t get the job done.

Are you renewing your mind daily? Are you in the Word?  Is there that one little thing that keeps you in conviction and you just can’t seem to let it go? SHAKEDOWN TIME! Yes, we will continue to take our test flight until we get it right! Help us Jesus…

How do we deal with what God gives to us. Are you putting to good use the mysteries of God? We are to be Christlike, we are to fulfill the call. He has given this world all of the mysteries of His power, do not become offended by logic. When you get connected by the awesomness of God, humanity has a choice to make, they either embrace what God has to offer as He manifests himself in the worship of people, or they can turn a blind eye to to His presence. His manifestions will cease upon the catching away of the church. Many say his Spirit will leave the Earth. I disagree. Now let’s think about this. God is God, correct? Then so how can He be removed from what He has created? He can not, HE IS GOD. Therefore we are left knowing that He will cease the manifestion of Himself, reveling Himself to and within humanity. The time is now. You feel Him? You know Him? Are you living for Him?

What we don’t understand is sometimes as important as what we do understand. It’s one thing to obey when we understand, but when God speaks, and it goes against logic, it suddenly becomes more difficult to step out in faith. Ah ha, there is the key… FAITH! Would it be so if we completly understood it? Are we so nieve to believe that we think we have it all figured out?  In no way could stand the full exposer of God!

So many fall back into logical thinking, putting God in a box, wrapped up tightly in attempts to limit the All Mighty. Stop watering down the gospel! Walk in His fullness, seek unlimited expectations. The sky is not the limit, God has no limits. Don’t fall under condemnation for lack of knowledge. Pray and He will reveal to you in His time. Be faithful in your spiritual walk! All gifts are given according to your faith. Does your faith extend beyond logic?

If you are hungry you have to embrace the mysteries as well as the revelations. God must violate our logic to invite us away from relaying on the deception of our own reasoning. You don’t have to have faith to repent. Repentance is truly truning away from sin, renewing the mind daily. But as we mature in our spiritual walk, He will encourage us to search out His mysteries!

Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you shall find… that’s the Word.
Whoever does not recieve the kingdom as a little child will not enter. Food for thought, we need child like faith! I love mysteries and I love searching them out. Keep me creative Lord, expand my mind and invade my logic!

This blog was inspired by the notes taken from Pastor Jeff Phillips’ Message December 3, 2009

Falling with my eyes wide open and knowing my destiny without him would end in destruction. Hurting the ones I care for, loving the ones I long for.  Trying to find my way back to what I’ve once experienced. Like a child longing for that secret place, where only you can explain what’s inside my mind. Unexplainable circumstances. Broken hearts and empty souls. Searching and seeking for wholeness. Running after mirages, only to find them disappear when you think you may have arrived.

Truly what is our test? Is it our own selfishness? Never satisfied with our abundance of blessings? As the addict reaches for the needle one last time, hating what they are about to do, crying out as their vein’s engulf poison, flowing, corrupting. Are we so weak that running makes us strong? Only then to stop for a drink realizing that we are back where we started.

Broken, shattered and starved… reaching and clinging to likened vessels. Crying out silent screams that only those who love you really hear. Take your words and make them known. Take your words and make them my own. I long for peace and desire rest. Eyes turned hollow and aging fast, empty souls connecting and dying. Endless nights of sleep, afraid of being alone, when all the while you were never gone.

Just being close to you is not enough. Reaching but never can touch. Seeing only to look away. Crying inside, please stay. It’s raining. I can’t capture the water anymore. I’m am marred with a cut allowing anything fulfilling to just fall away. Heal me please, from the inside out this time. Surface mending is only temporary. Unconditional  love is so intoxicating. It is everlasting, never ending, and so sweetly subtle. Never is it in the earthquake or hurricane. It’s the water running over the rock, steady calm and ever flowing. Like the spring that never dries up.  Always there, always. After the fire, after the rain, after refining and all the pain. Who will be the one there for me? My soul longs for you, desires you.  The night closes in and I can feel your breath. I try to sleep and long for rest. I need you, I want you, and I cry out save me… dance with me, I feel your heatbeat.

You remind me of your love, you remind me it’s for real. You tell me it will always be. I’m running… don’t leave me. I love you. Forgive me. You won’t give up until you have it all, my heart is yours. Faithful friend, heir to riches and life of abundance. Means nothing without you!

I rest in your arms now, if only in my mind. Faith unexplainable, the evidence of things not seen. Emotions created, choices made, actions taken. I choose to love you. I gasp for air no longer, I will breathe.

Restless in bed and sleepless through the night, I longed for my lover. I wanted him desperately. His absence was painful. So I got up, went out and roved the city, hunting through streets and down alleys. I wanted my lover in the worst way! I looked high and low, and didn’t find him. And then the night watchmen found me as they patrolled the darkened city. ”Have you seen my dear lost love?” I asked. No sooner had I left them than I found him, found my dear lost love. I threw my arms around him and held him tight, wouldn’t let him go until I had him home again…

Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” – 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 The Message

Yesterday I was once again amazed as I witnesses my brothers and sisters  humbly share their testimonies. I stood in awe and thanksgiving as my heart beat so loudly overflowing with joy.  About thirty men and women stood before  approximately 300 people with simple pieces of cardboard, marked with a black sharpie, sharing what was and what is now. As “How He Loves Us” by Jesus Culture played, I watched one right after the other step up and slowly expose their sin and strife, then only to flip the board proclaiming victory through the power of Jesus Christ. Many cheers shared and many tears flowed as the congregation gasp in complete amazment and awareness of where God had actually brought these people from. 

Let me share some examples.

1. One gentleman stood with his piece of cardboard with the words written saying “Drug addict – living in a car” only to flip the board to read “Delivered by Jesus – own my own business”. This man now serves at our church,  is a great asset to the body and runs a very successful business.

2. Lady – “Murdered my first child through abortion” – “Both me and my child given a new life through God’s grace”.  This person is now a follower of Jesus Christ.

3. Lady – “Marriage falling apart in 2002″ – “Celebrating 11 years of marriage”. This person is in leadership at our church.

4. Man- ” Addicted to drugs” – “Addicted to Jesus”. This person just brought over 50 guests into the house of God over the past 6 weeks.

5. Lady – “Meth addict on highway to hell” –  ”Delivered by Jesus on the stairway to heaven”. This lady and her husband purchased their own brick home, living an abundant life through Christ.

6. Lady – “Co-dependant” – ” Now dependant on Christ”. This lady is teaching Bible Studies.

7. Man- ” Incarcerated over 60 times with 15 felonies”  – “Now free in Christ”. This man has an anointed worship ministry and is being used by God in a mighty way.

8. Man- “Conformed to the world” – “Transformed by Christ”. This man is enrolled in Bible College and teaching Sunday school.

9. Teen – “Daughter of a drug addict” – “I got my daddy back”. This teen is active in our youth and her dad is in leadership at our church.

10. Lady – “My son had 40% of living due to cancer” – “Now my whole family is alive in Christ”. This lady is a dedicated member of our church and has served in our music ministry.

Friends, these are only a few examples of what I viewed yesterday. It was a powerful display of God’s love and grace. My mind was quickened to the verse I shared with you at the beginning of this blog as I stood there tearfully rejoicing, my heart cried out saying “Just look at what the Lord has done!” I am a blessed woman, not only to be covered by such a gracious heavenly father, but to be blessed with a great church family that truly loves and appreciates the Lord. I pray all of you that read share the same. 

Thank you Jesus for bringing us out of our sin and drawing us closer to you. Only You Lord could take what the world tosses aside and raise up mighty warriors for Your army. From the poverty stricken, beat down and rejected, only You can provide abundance, restore and accept us unconditionally when we surrender all to You!

We are the righteousness of Christ, purchased by His blood, free from the bondage of sin, but born into the slavery of righteousness. What exactly does this mean?

It’s that constant reminder, some would say it to be our conscience, but that it’s so much more than that. It’s the Holy Spirit, guiding, convicting, leading, and comforting us as we walk though our daily tasks. It expands so much further than just right from wrong. For instance, children may not fully understand the consequences of their actions, but more often than not know right from wrong. So, we as mature Christians surly would not battle the application of good moral values, right?

Let’s just say thank you to Apostle Paul as he instructed us to “renew” our minds daily. Yes, our most eventful battles are played out in our minds. Before sin becomes sin it starts as a thought. Heard of the old saying, “flirting with disaster”? Don’t we all, at one time or another think we can handle it? Or maybe we become so self righteousness that we proclaim the very words we often must eat, “Oh, I would never do that!”

Now I will go as so far to say that even when the enemy throws those fiery darts, I do know that they are there. But ultimately it’s up to me to press the delete button, or act on them. We must recognize it, rebuke it, and move forward. I once heard a man say that one step away from God is a step toward demon possession. That’s pretty straight forward, yes?

Could I sin? Most certainly, we all could and we all do. That’s why I am so grateful for the blood of Jesus Christ to cover my shortcomings. Now can I continue to live in sin on a daily bases? Absolutely not. Oh maybe for a season, but I am now a slave to the righteousness. If my flesh cries out “YES”, then my Holy Ghost says “NO”. Crucify the flesh so the soul may live. Deny yourself and gain eternal life through Jesus. Do not conform to the ways of this world but be transformed by the renewing of the mind.

What are you feeding your mind? Do you meditate on the things of God, are you in the Word, do you sing new songs to Him? Stay in His presence, focus on the harvest and exactly why you are here. When you are overwhelmed with the desire to do or say something that is not pleasing to our Savior, be quick to repent, seek out holiness. Don’t ever think you can handle it.

Sin is more often than not a silent killer, like a cancer. Slow growing but all consuming. Just as our soul weighs in the balance of our free will, what do you feed, your spirit or your flesh? Sooner or later, one will overtake the other and it will be the one that is nurtured that becomes dominate.

Be careful what you allow to grow in your thoughts. Be quick to turn and look to Jesus. Our flesh is never stronger than the spirit that drives it. Make sure your spiritual guidance is righteous. Otherwise you will decay right along with your flesh.

The only eternal hope is Christ, put your faith in Him. Let your light shine for the glory of God and show that world that you are proud to be “a slave to righteousness”.

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in to righteousness leading to holiness. – Romans 6:17-19

Lord thank You for your grace and guidance. Keep my thoughts and actions pure. Thank you for covering my short comings by your precious blood as I renew my mind and seek Your face. Praying that opportunity be opened to those that my not know you. Please use me as witness for your kingdom. In Jesus Name, Amen

Dictionary: cult 1. a) A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. b) The followers of such a religion or sect. 2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual. 3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual. 4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease. 5. a) Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing. b) The object of such devotion. 6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

PEOPLES TEMPLE – Reverend Jim Jones started the Peoples Temple to help homeless, jobless and sick people of all races, but former members claimed widespread abuse within the group. To remove his group from further scrutiny, Jones started a colony in the jungles of Guyana, where he hoped to build a tropical utopia. When a congressman visited the commune with three journalists to investigate the abuse claims, they were shot and killed when trying to leave. 913 commune members – including hundreds of children – drank poisoned cyanide-laced Flavor Aid in a mass suicide shortly after Peoples Temple guards gunned down a governer and journalists visiting their colony.

AUM SHINRIKYO – Founded some time in the mid-1980s, Aum Shinrikyo is famous for attacking Tokyo’s subway system with Sarin gas in 1995, killing 12 and injuring more than 5,000. The cult’s beliefs are often described as a hodge-podge of destructive aspects of various religions, and while many followers thought they would develop supernatural powers, others relished the chance to fight Japanese materialism.

HEAVEN’S GATE – Followers of the Heaven’s Gate cult, led primarily by Marshall Applewhite, thought Earth and everything on it were about to be “recycled” to a clean slate, and believed hitching a ride on comet Hale-Bopp in March 1997 could allow them to survive. Thirty-nine members (including Applewhite) poisoned themselves in shifts in a California mansion wearing Nike’s sneakers and armbands that read “Heaven’s Gate Away Team.” Leader Marshall Applewhite killed himself along with 38 others in hopes of escaping a “recycling” of planet Earth. Heaven’s Gate waited 22 years for Hale-Bopp.

MANSON FAMILY – Charles Manson, who learned to play guitar in prison, formed his infamous “Family” of criminals in 1968. Manson thought an apocalyptic race war between whites and blacks would occur in 1969, after which the commune would rule the new world. When it didn’t happen, he sent his followers on a string of murders to “show blacks how to do it,” but the victims Manson selected were those who had not helped him with his music career. Manson, obsessed with songs written by the Beatles, thought an apocalyptic race war would allow him and his “Family” to rule the world.

BRANCH DAVIDIANS – A split from Seventh-day Adventist Church, Branch Davidians are famous for a 1993 FBI raid on their Waco, Texas, compound that left 76 dead. The event more or less resulted in the disappearance of what many consider to be a cult, which believed in an imminent apocalypse. The Branch Davidian’s, led by David Koresh, was sieged by the FBI for 51 days. The government agency believed Koresh and his followers were storing illegal arms.

BHAGWAN SHREE RAJNEESH’S COMMUNITIES – Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh founded several cultist towns in Oregon through the 1980s – strangely, communities chock full of Rolls Royce cars. Shree allegedly poisoned hundreds in Dalles, Oregon, with Salmonella bacteria in 1984 to rig local elections in his cult’s favor. It’s considered the first bioterrorist attack in the United States.  

ORDER OF THE SOLAR TEMPLE – Luc Jouret, a Belgian religious leader and neo-Nazi, reportedly started the group in 1984 under Christian guises, namely the second coming of Christ and the Knights Templar. Jouret and other leaders in a Swiss village allegedly sacrificed a child they thought to be the antichrist in 1994, days later committing suicide with dozens of followers. The French consider the organization to be criminal today. The cult appeared to place great importance on the Sun – their fiery murder-suicides were meant to take members to a new world on the star ‘Sirius’. The Temple came to prominence when police found the charred bodies of 48 members in a farmhouse and three chalets in Switzerland, and several more in Canada. Not all the deaths were voluntary; some of the victims had been shot or asphyxiated. Jouret, 46, was amongst the dead. More Solar Temple deaths were discovered in 1995 and 1997.

VILLA BAVIERA – Also known as “Colonia Dignidad” (Dignidad Colony in English), Villa Baviera is a commune of German immigrants that was founded in 1961 by Paul Schäfer Schneider — a former Nazi party member. Human rights groups argue Chile’s secret police used the compound to torture and interrogate subjects, and former members have since issued apologies for molesting children as well.  

CARGO CULTS – If you’re an island native isolated from modern society, encountering an AM/FM radio – or a boat full of symbol-clad soldiers – can be quite a shock. Many societies form a cult-like obsession with the technologically advanced “cargo.” Some South Pacific islanders reportedly tote wooden guns and paint “USA” on their chests in rituals to attract more of the mysterious objects.  

 

RAëLIANS – The Raëlian Church believes UFOs spawned most religions, mind transfer is possible and cloning can lead to reincarnation. Started in France in the 1970s. A Raëlian follower made headlines in 2003 when she claimed to have conceived the first cloned human, but the event was later called a hoax.

As crazy as most of these cults seem, they do leave a sad trail of media posts ending in tragedy. There are all kinds of cults ranging from religious, commerical, self-help and counseling, and political. 

Key points to look for when identifing a cult could include: Deception – Esclusivism – Fear and Intimidation – Love Bombing and Relationship Control – Information Control – Reporting Structure – Time Control – Mind Control Techniques – Pressure Selling. Any group or organization that believes and teaches that you must belong to their organization in order to be “saved” is almost certainly a cult. It is not for us to judge, the Word judges. We must always make sure that the teachings we embrace line up with Scripture.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. – 2 Timothy 4:2-4

Jesus Christ came for us to have a life more abundant. He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. He made that very clear. He also made things very simple for us…

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Matthew 22:37-40

Everyone wants acceptance and love. Christians are instructed to portray the righteousness of Christ. Unconditional love without manipulation, guilt and control is available to us all. The Holy Spirit is being poured out onto all mankind. You have the opportunity to receive it. Seek, and you shall find it!

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: Act 2:17

Lastly, do not be leary of a true move of God. Find a body of believers that share the heart of Christ. The Bible instructs us not to forsake ourselves fellowship with one another. Study the Bible and ask questions. Seek Godly Spiritual counsel. Remember that nothing is done in secret that will not be reveled. We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, none other. Pray without ceasing, rejoice in the Lord always, love one another, and make sure your drinking from the Living Water, Jesus Christ!

God created us to have free will and He desires for us to choose to love and live for Him. However, the reality of scripture reads that if we do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our fate will be sealed at death and our eternity would be an everlasting lake of fire. Many argue that hell does not exist, saying that hell is actually the grave. I will not get into an End Time time-line in this post, but at the Great White Throne Judgement, Satan will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.

Hell is a real place. I shared with our youth group last night about the reality of Hell and how there is no way we could describe it’s terrible environment. Hell is a place for Satan and his demons. It is not God’s will that ANYONE experience it’s depths.

The following video is a brief imagery of what the Hell represents. I am certain this is no where near the pain and torture awaiting those who enter, but it is an eye opener. This drives my desire to evangelize the gospel all the more. The thought of my family, friends or anyone without Christ in their life, having to endure Hell makes my heart cry out all the more. I pray that you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

The Dead Are Judged – Revelation 20:11-15

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in Him, so you can see and hear Him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without Him. When you come to Him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything. - Col 2:8  The Message

When we can truly get past all of the stuff that people deposit in us, then we can say that we worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. So many times people find themselves more passionate about their “religion” than their relationship with Jesus Christ. Can we all just get real? Can we dedicate, consecrate, and mediate of the good things of God? It’s time for a powerful move of God like we have never experienced before. Those connected know exactly what I’m talking about. So many people are talking about it, they not only feel it, they know it. Forget playing church and get busy doing what Christ instructed. Go, teach, baptize! Praise be to God, glory to Him most high. I’ve lost my religion and pray that I NEVER find it again!

Sharing my reading with you today…

You shouldn’t have any trouble understanding this, friends, for you know all the ins and outs of the law—how it works and how its power touches only the living. For instance, a wife is legally tied to her husband while he lives, but if he dies, she’s free. If she lives with another man while her husband is living, she’s obviously an adulteress. But if he dies, she is quite free to marry another man in good conscience, with no one’s disapproval.

So, my friends, this is something like what has taken place with you. When Christ died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free to “marry” a resurrection life and bear “offspring” of faith for God. For as long as we lived that old way of life, doing whatever we felt we could get away with, sin was calling most of the shots as the old law code hemmed us in. And this made us all the more rebellious. In the end, all we had to show for it was miscarriages and stillbirths. But now that we’re no longer shackled to that domineering mate of sin, and out from under all those oppressive regulations and fine print, we’re free to live a new life in the freedom of God.

But I can hear you say, “If the law code was as bad as all that, it’s no better than sin itself.” That’s certainly not true. The law code had a perfectly legitimate function. Without its clear guidelines for right and wrong, moral behavior would be mostly guesswork. Apart from the succinct, surgical command, “You shall not covet,” I could have dressed covetousness up to look like a virtue and ruined my life with it.

Don’t you remember how it was? I do, perfectly well. The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of “forbidden fruit” out of it. The law code, instead of being used to guide me, was used to seduce me. Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong. So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead. But the law code itself is God’s good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel.

I can already hear your next question: “Does that mean I can’t even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil?” No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God’s good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own.

I can anticipate the response that is coming: “I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.

But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

Romans 7 The Message

My Reading for today taken from The Message, I wanted to share!

James 2

The Royal Rule of Love 1-4 My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted? 5-7 Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. And here you are abusing these same citizens! Isn’t it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? Aren’t they the ones who scorn the new name—”Christian”—used in your baptisms? 8-11 You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: “Love others as you love yourself.” But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it. You can’t pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God’s law and ignoring others. The same God who said, “Don’t commit adultery,” also said, “Don’t murder.” If you don’t commit adultery but go ahead and murder, do you think your non-adultery will cancel out your murder? No, you’re a murderer, period. 12-13 Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time. Faith in Action 14-17Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? 18 I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.” Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove. 19-20 Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands? 21-24 Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham “made right with God by works” when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? Isn’t it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are “works of faith”? The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works? 25-26 The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God? The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.

If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it 1,000 times this week…”Momma, why didn’t we go to FL on Spring Break vacation. Why can’t we go somewhere fun?” I know it’s hard for my kids to understand at times why we have not taken a family vacation for some time now, but there is a reason.

I made the decision several years ago to stop working so I could be more available for my children. God has blessed my husband with a job that allowed me to do so, but in that there were also sacrifices, such as a week long vacations. I am perfectly fine with that, but the kids on the other hand aren’t quite as understanding.

I try to make things special for them. I take them out to eat, we catch a movie, sometimes just get out of the house for a drive and talk. Yes, this may seem minor to them and maybe to many of you reading this post, but to me it’s special.

I am so thankful that I am able to take to my kids to school in the mornings, be close by if they need to call, and then pick them up in the afternoon.

Dawson has a routine, he loves to “chill” out after a long day at school. Usually a snack and a tree climb does him good. Ashley is awesome about her household chores (she is like a little adult), she is responsible and often keeps me in line. Soon after arriving home in the afternoons, she is quick to get right on her homework and then snuggle in with a book.  I am so very happy that my kids are able to be with me every day. I worked for years outside of the home and Canaan, now 18, missed out on a lot of special time we could have had. He was always well adjusted and went with the flow. Many of his afternoons were spent at the shop with me or riding the bus home to be here alone. I regret not being able to be here for him like I am the other two.

I understand that in today’s economy it usually takes duel incomes to to make ends meet. For all you working mother’s out there…YOU SHOULD BE APPRECIATED! Taking care of business at home as well as bringing home a paycheck. What an awesome sacrifice for your family. If anyone deserves a vacation it would be you.

Now in saying all of that, I ask myself, would I rather take off for a week with the family or would I rather be able to be here for them all the time? No question, home is where my heart is.

This Spring Break we have been able to sleep in, eat out, go to the movies, take a country drive, and see Todd perform at the RiverPark Center playing his fiddle. The kids have also tried different cuisine including some Greek food and Sushi. They actually visited a coffee shop for the first time and ordered their very own speciality drink. Dawson loved the Whipped Chocolate Chilled and Ashley enjoyed the Coconut Chiller.

There will be a day we will load up the family vehicle and head south, but until then, I hope to create lasting memories for my kids. I pray that they grow up remembering the little things they were able to do with Mom.

Last night I had a dream. A dear friend of mine sent me an invitation to meet them on Broadway. I remember the excitement and exhilaration I felt as I opened the personal invite to accompany a friend to the Big Apple. Bright lights, city life…ah, love the thought of it.

This is funny since I live in a small town in Western KY. I think the “Green Acres” theme song was written about myself and my husband. Yeap, he’s a country boy inside and out. He loves the outdoors, plays bluegrass on his fiddle and drives a loud tractor for entertainment. How can it be that we ended up together? This is most contrary to the norm. On the other hand, I despise hot weather, flying insects, dusty roads, and all of the lovely smells that local farms seem to fragrance the air with. (which always made me wonder where the saying “good ol’ country air” came from)

I have been told that country life is where it’s at. I have no comparison since I live only 3 miles from where I grew up. Bean field in front of me and a corn field on the right. I dream of the day I can live in the convenience of a city. (guess I watched too much TV in my younger years)

Wouldn’t be just too neat to meet your “FRIENDS” at the local cafe’ for a Carmel Mocha Frappe to chat about your day? Or how about a walk in Central Park? I could always dine at the sidewalk Bistro just down the street, or call for Chinese take out whenever I want. Not to mention fabulous shows and theater that would be a my disposal. Finally some real art galleries and musical symphonies! Yes, to me that would be just awesome.

Knowing my desire to live life as an uptown girl may make this post seem somewhat amusing. As I reveal this to those that read, I share with you some great revelation the Lord spoke to me as I slept.

God has me right where he wants me. The moment I awoke from dreaming, I knew what He was speaking to me. Reminded of my excitement and overwhelming sense of satisfaction at the thought of arriving at Broadway, it was strictly fleshy fulfillment. God quicken my mind to Matthew 7.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. – Matthew 7: 12-14

So could it be that I remain a country gal so I can fulfill a call? Would the glam and glitter of city life detour me from doing what God would have me to do?  Not likely, but it is something to think about. I believe that God was showing me just that. My invitation to Broadway could very well have led me off the narrow path. Yes, I am blessed. I have my family, my home, my church and my relationship with Jesus all right here… in a small little country town. Now, what will I do to make a difference for Him? I’m a work in progress:)

This was written by Melissa Phillips, I enjoyed it so I wanted you share with my readers. Check Melissa’s daily blog out at melissaphillipsministries.com

It has been really funny lately in just about every dream I have had for the last few weeks, either someone else or I am washing clothes.  My friends have also dreamed of washing clothes.  Here are some interpretations I got:

Washing may represent inner cleansing. It is getting rid of old attitudes, habits and emotional reactions. It also may symbolize an improvement in the way you present yourself to the world. Having a dream about washing clothes is a sign of a change for the better in life, but at the same time, it is a warning, which tells you to live up to look alive.  To dream that your clothes are soiled and you are trying to clean them signifies your attempts to change something about your character. You may need to change your old habits and old ways of thinking.

So, I feel as though we all need to do laundry on a daily basis.  The Word of God tells us to be renewed in our mind. 

Romans 12:1-2 Dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.  Let them be a living sacrifice, holy, the kind He can accept.  When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think.  Be renewed in your mind daily.

 

Once we have professed Jesus Christ and are born again, it doesn’t stop there.  Our flesh is always being controlled by our mind.  Your body does what your mind tells it to do. You mind controls your thoughts. It tells your mouth what words to speak. It tells your eyes what to look at. It tells your ears what things to pay attention to and what things to tune out. It tells your brain what to think about. To renew your mind is letting that born again believer work at getting new holy attitudes, ideals, opinions, desires, and goals.  What happens in most people’s life, they come to church, get saved but stop growing or renewing their mind.  Their mind only gets nourished on church days and the rest of the week it is check out time and back to the old way of stinking thinking.  

Some people believe once they are saved, the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ are going to keep them out of sin.  But the truth is, the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ are both there to help but they will only help and assist if your mind will let them. God doesn’t force Himself on anyone.  He lets you choose. This is why so many believers continue to commit the same old sins and have the same old shortcomings that they had before they were saved, not because they really didn’t repent but because their mindset is still the same. God isn’t suddenly going to show up and magically change a person into a non-sinning happy and contented believer. People are still going to have a temper problem and still get angry.  They will continue to succumb to the lure of alcohol, drugs or sex.  Temptations do not cease just because a person goes to church.  It is also hard to renew the mind if sinful activities continue to be a part of the environment or lifestyle.  The Holy Spirit is there to give you a way out, but you must choose that way out.  The sad truth is that many people who are born again still live in misery. Still are depressed. Still have thoughts of suicide. Still curse people out. Still beat up the kids. Still drink too much. So many born again Christians have to put on fake identities so that it appears to the world that they are happy sinless Christian followers of Jesus Christ all because they do not “wash clothes on a daily basis”.When a person repents it is telling God that you really and truly want to change your life around and that you are going to do everything in your power to change. It is here that God gives you a new heart, but that new heart is not enough. It is still vitally important for you to change the way you think about your inner man.   When you combine the new heart with a new mindset that is when the change takes place.  It is when you make up your mind to fully surrender to Jesus Christ, giving your all.  It is not an easy task at first and it takes work and effort but God will help you through.  Washing your clothes puts you on the path to spiritual growth and spiritual maturity. Remember that your mind is the thing that has control over every single one of your actions. If you don’t renew your mind, your flesh is still going to control you because your mind is influenced by worldly things and not of holiness.  Until you are willing to put your born again experience into daily, minute by minute practice by changing the way your mind looks at everything, you will see little if any improvement in your physical or spiritual lives. It takes a daily commitment to turn your back on sin,  you have to keep on doing this until your mind no longer wants your body to commit that sin. And you do the same thing not only with each sin, but you must do it with each bad memory, each depressing feeling, each and every thing that takes your focus off of God and places it on you and your problems. See what I mean about the hard work and all the effort that it takes to renew your mind? It is certainly not easy to renew one’s mind. As you can easily see, renewing your mind is not a one-time event but rather it is a life long process. It’s a lifestyle. Just like washing clothes, we can’t continue to wear the same outfit day after day without washing it.  We would be not only an unattractive sight but also stink in ways unimaginable.  That is why the renewing of a person’s mind, is only possible for a believer who sincerely wants to live a Godly life. Renewing of the mind is only for the believer who truly wants to surrender their life completely and fully over to Jesus Christ. Renewing of the mind is only for that believer who truly loves change, but only if it is in harmony with the Word.  Renewing of the mind is not for the part time Christian or for the Christian who obeys God only when it suits him.

So the important thing when it comes to renewing your mind or to “wash your clothes” is to stay in a constant state of prayerful communication with Jesus Christ.  It is being consistant in keeping your focus on Jesus.  Don’t you think it is about time you wash your clothes?