2 Timothy 4:3-5 (THE MESSAGE)
3-5”You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you're doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God's servant.”
Like most people if they were honest, we love junk food. A diet of potato chips, candy and soda can be so appetizing when you are not taking care of yourself. Ice cream and frozen yogurt tastes so absolutely wonderful, if it wasn’t for the fat content and the sugar content, I would eat it all the time. This is true junk food, that is so very yummy. But how many of us are surviving on spiritual junk food.
In 2 Timothy 4, Paul talks about people having no stomach for solid teaching, because they are surviving on spiritual junk food, with catchy phrases, (no meat and vegetables to make a complete meal). You know the feel good sermons that you don't need to pick up your bible to read and confirm for yourself. They sound good and they make you feel good. In other words, it is not taking care of your true needs. Living off junk food will not keep you healthy; no more living off spiritual junk food will keep you right with the Lord.
Yes, if I tell truth, I am guilty of it too. Sometimes, it seems so easy just to listen to the preacher lead us in worship and not read the bible for myself. But the truth is, I need to read and understand for myself, so I can have spiritual diet that covers everything. How do you know what you believe and why you believe, if you have never taken the time to read the bible for yourself? I know I spend a lot of time on stuff like Facebook, gaming on the computer and television. Making time for the Lord has been a priority that I have to keep in check. Sometimes, I like survive on spiritual junk food, instead of complete meal.
When I slack off and allow the world to get in the way of the Lord’s time, my armor falls off. I leave myself open to the enemy.
Ephesians 6:11-12 (NIV)
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
So I am putting my full armor on and never taking it off. Nowhere in the bible does it say to take it off and put it to the side. Nope, I am keeping it on forever. For me, this has been a process that I have come to understand and to forgive myself. Because for a long time, I felt that God could only use me if I had a “normal” mind. With the help of the Lord using my sister and a friend, I totally understand God can use “my normal flawed” mind as it is.
My goal now is now 2 Timothy 2: 15 (KJV) ”Study to shew thyself approved unto God” So in the end, when all is said and done, I will be able to show the Lord that I have studied and show myself to be a servant to Lord.
With my armor on, I can face tomorrow. With my armor on, I can go through any storm. With my armor on, I know who holds tomorrow. No more spiritual junk food, I want a complete meal.
Okay, this has been my testimony for this week. I am going to start doing one thing, which I feel is necessary.
And if anyone is reading this and you would like to know Jesus as your personal savior.
Please read this verse:
Romans 10:9 (NKJV) – “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
If you would confess with whole heart and believe with that Jesus Christ is Lord, you are saved. This is just the beginning. And I welcome you as Christian Brother or sister. I ask that you would seek out a “Bible Believing Christian Church.”
Be Blessed
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Celebrating 54 With My God
Have you ever seen a real uncut, unpolished and rough around the edges diamond? A diamond is one God’s most expensive gemstones. The diamond is the hardest natural mineral known to man. It can withstand the greatest amount of heat at 7362 F. It takes a special diamond cutter or laser to cut a diamond. The perfect diamond is flawless and without blemishes.
With this comparison, I look at myself, this is me. I am God’s uncut, unpolished and rough around the edges diamond. I am strong-willed and determined. I am one of God’s diamonds in the making, with many flaws and plenty blemishes.
God has allowed me to go through many rough times. There were times when my situation felt like I was in the middle of the frying pan. These are the times when God has held me closer to protect me from the hot flames. God has had to use his special kind of love on me, only known to come from God just cut me.
Celebrating my 54th year I truly understand how God has continued to polish me, cut me and shape me into becoming the person that I am today. I am so glad to be celebrating my 54th year with all my flaws and blemishes. I still have my bad days when I am just not feeling it. But that is okay, because God is making me into his perfect diamond – flaws and all. And remember God always wins.
This is the verse that I always lean on, whenever the fire gets too hot.
Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
As long as I know God got this and his son, my savior Jesus Christ is watching over me, I am safe.
Be Blessed and Happy Resurrection Day!!!
With this comparison, I look at myself, this is me. I am God’s uncut, unpolished and rough around the edges diamond. I am strong-willed and determined. I am one of God’s diamonds in the making, with many flaws and plenty blemishes.
God has allowed me to go through many rough times. There were times when my situation felt like I was in the middle of the frying pan. These are the times when God has held me closer to protect me from the hot flames. God has had to use his special kind of love on me, only known to come from God just cut me.
Celebrating my 54th year I truly understand how God has continued to polish me, cut me and shape me into becoming the person that I am today. I am so glad to be celebrating my 54th year with all my flaws and blemishes. I still have my bad days when I am just not feeling it. But that is okay, because God is making me into his perfect diamond – flaws and all. And remember God always wins.
This is the verse that I always lean on, whenever the fire gets too hot.
Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
As long as I know God got this and his son, my savior Jesus Christ is watching over me, I am safe.
Be Blessed and Happy Resurrection Day!!!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Surrender All
Okay I get it now. I surrender. I am done running and so tired of hiding behind my mental illness. These past few weeks, I have been wrestling with God. And you know that is not an easy feat. God always wins all his battles. God has placed certain people in my life who have not allowed me to continue to run.
I really thought that I could continue to hide and slowly (very slowly) re-start my ministry, WHEN I was ready. You see, I have not been actively active in my church, since I was diagnosed as being Bipolar Disorder. I felt that I was not able or worthy of speaking about anything regarding my faith in God. I felt that God had let me down in some ways. I guess in a lot of ways I was angry and disappointed that God would allow this to happen to me. I was supposed to be this strong women and my mind was not reliable. It didn’t help that my father said that this was just a demonic spirit that was in me.
But you know what, if God can use a donkey to speak to Balaam as in the book of Numbers 22, than surely the Lord can use me. I had to re-learn that God is love and that God loved me just the way that I am. I had to learn I have to humble myself, and allow the Lord to use me according to his ways. And always remember that our ways are not God’s ways. What we see as imperfection, God sees as a blessing.
This past week the following verses have truly spoken to me:
2 Chronicles 7: 14 (NIV) “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Jonah 1:3 (NIV) ”But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.”
Psalm 139:7 (NIV) “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”
After meditating on these verses and reading the book of Job, who am I to say is imperfect. God made me, just as God made you.
John 16:27 (NLT) “for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me believe that I came from God.
So effective immediately, as the old hymn says “All to Jesus, I surrender, I surrender all.” And all means all.
I really thought that I could continue to hide and slowly (very slowly) re-start my ministry, WHEN I was ready. You see, I have not been actively active in my church, since I was diagnosed as being Bipolar Disorder. I felt that I was not able or worthy of speaking about anything regarding my faith in God. I felt that God had let me down in some ways. I guess in a lot of ways I was angry and disappointed that God would allow this to happen to me. I was supposed to be this strong women and my mind was not reliable. It didn’t help that my father said that this was just a demonic spirit that was in me.
But you know what, if God can use a donkey to speak to Balaam as in the book of Numbers 22, than surely the Lord can use me. I had to re-learn that God is love and that God loved me just the way that I am. I had to learn I have to humble myself, and allow the Lord to use me according to his ways. And always remember that our ways are not God’s ways. What we see as imperfection, God sees as a blessing.
This past week the following verses have truly spoken to me:
2 Chronicles 7: 14 (NIV) “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Jonah 1:3 (NIV) ”But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.”
Psalm 139:7 (NIV) “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”
After meditating on these verses and reading the book of Job, who am I to say is imperfect. God made me, just as God made you.
John 16:27 (NLT) “for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me believe that I came from God.
So effective immediately, as the old hymn says “All to Jesus, I surrender, I surrender all.” And all means all.
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