Whoa!

It's amazing how emotionally unhealthy and unstable the body of Christ is- Steve Eden, Pastor of Grace Church. 

February 12, 2015

GraceGirls Spartanburg

February 12 at 7:34am · 

Do you REALLY believe what the Scriptures say? Are you living from this truth?

John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” -Said Jesus, BEFORE the cross!

1 John 4:4
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:5
Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

You are a victor because Victory lives in you.
You are an overcomer because THE Overcomer lives in you.

Hormones

Being almost 45 means my hormones are starting to play havoc with my body. 

So, boiling up some herbs to make some tea. 

Controversy Stirring- aka DRAMA

GraceGirls Spartanburg

Just now · 

I read something that caused a thought in me. Before I knew it that thought has took me down a spiraling pit from lying thoughts and emotions to a root of bitterness- with anger.

Finally after whirling around in the pit awhile- with my body having a physical reaction to what was going on in my emotions- the Lord spoke to me-

"Every time you turn to your own thoughts you are closing the abiding door and opening the door of defeat. Again you have let others controversy stirring to cause you to NOT allow Me to be your Rest and your Truth. You turned from My way of thinking to yours."

Isaiah 55
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Thank You, Father, for bringing my lying thoughts and emotions back to You so that You can again speak Truth into me and I can LET IT GO.

Matthew 11
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

No Desire

In the last year or so I have often thought,   "Why don't I desire more?"

I don't desire- writing a book or bible studies. 

I don't desire being a part of a ministry or having a great blog. 

I don't desire any of those things. 

I can't seem to talk myself into it or even to want to desire those things. 

I'm ok being me.  I'm ok with being an unsuccessful Christian - in others viewpoint. I'm ok with being simple. 

I do have some desires though. 

I desire deeper intimacy with God. To know and be known. I desire for all of His fullness and riches and fruit- to be real and evident in me and through me. 

I desire to share Him and His truth wherever and whenever and however to whomever He chooses to bring in my life. 

I desire to be enveloped by Him and His truth wherever and whenever and however by whomever He chooses to reveal Himself through to me. 

My greatest desire is, simply, Him. 

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in The Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. 

Someday

Someday, unless the Lord returns, my (future) grandchildren, great grands and etc will open all of their Grandmothers journals and read- they will read about my struggles.  And they will read about when I became a true believer in Jesus Christ.  Then they will read about the day God began an extraordinary journey in Him.  There was a span of 8 years between receiving Jesus and knowing that He lived in me.

From then on- they will read about this Great and Magnificent God who loved their Grandmother so endlessly and unfailingly- and she loved Him.  Her greatest desire was to live in intimacy in Him- and He live His life through her.

Why me?

Sometimes I ask the Lord, "Why me? Why have You filled my life with such beautiful things?  A great husband and 4 great kids.  Loving family.  Wonderful friends.  Brothers and sisters in Christ that bless me- daily.  Even two sweet dogs.  A warm home.  Bills paid.  Jobs.  Cars that do what is they are needed to do.  A body that can work.  Oh Lord, so much.  Why me?"

He Really Is

Jesus- More Than Enough for any and all trials, tribulations, circumstances and situations in your life.

Trustworthy. Dependable. Loving. Caring.

Allow Him to be Who He is- in you and your moments.

Sisterly Love

ADT Marriage 2/2/15

Heard this from Sandy Witherspoon last week:

 Your spouse may be the best person for God to accomplish His desires in you. God's desire for you?

To be conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29) ***

Which leads to intimacy and dependence with God (Jesus lived in total intimacy and dependence with the Father).

Which allows us, you, me the freedom to:
1) Trust God fully
2) Hold everything loosely (what I hold too tightly leaves me in bondage)
3) Stay in the moment (not looking behind or looking to the future)

And this is- Abundant Life.

***By the way, this word: "conformed" in the original Greek (4832 summorphos) means having the same INNER form as another, jointly formed, "sharing the same inner essence-identity- showing similar behavior from have the same essential inner nature". In other words, your old sinful inner man has been crucified and now your new inner man shares the same essential identity of the One that gave you your new inner man, Christ! Galatians 2:20)

One of my favorite words in the Bible:

One of my favorite words in the Bible is this:

WERE

Romans 6:17

1 Corinthians 1:5,9

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Ephesians 1:13

Ephesians 5:8

Colossians 1:21

Colossians 2: 11-14

Colossians 3:5-11

In God's Image by Thomas L. Neely

In October of 2006 Allison and I went on a youth girls retreat (with our church) to a beautiful home in Ridgecrest, NC.  We stayed in the wonderful home of Dr. Thomas Neely and his lovely wife Audrey.  Dr. Neely's son and family attend the church I attend.  They lived in the back end of the house- nice and oh so cozy!  The rest of the house was used for retreats.

On the final night of our stay Dr. Neely and Audrey ate with us- shared about their life, sang a song to us:
We claim the blood of Jesus over us today
We bind the enemy forces along the way
In the name of Jesus we conquer every foe
Let Your angels guard us everywhere we go

There was something special about the Neely's.  I couldn't name it, but I "felt" it.

Then they gave the youth leaders a book Dr. Neely originally wrote, and self-published in 1970 (my birth year!).  "In God's Image", it had been published again in 2005 with a new cover.

In God's Image is a very small book.  6 chapters, 100 pages.  As a reader I thought, "This will be an easy read."

But later when I picked up the book it was like I had a mental block.  I couldn't really UNDERSTAND what was in it.  It was all good stuff, but it had- deeper stuff that I just couldn't grasp.  So, I put it up.

During the next two years my whole Christian way of understanding- was, I guess the best way to describe it is- all shook up.  Truths began to be taught that it was so hard to- grasp.  I tried so hard in my mind to understand what was being taught but my emotions were so confused.  My emotions quite frequently won the battle over the mind's understanding.

Then two years to the month of receiving the little book, In God's Image, God flipped my world upside down.  Not my physical world.  Not my material world.  He flipped my inner world- in my inner man- inside out and upside down.  He shook me up and shook me hard.

And like sand shook up in a bottle of water, truth began to settle and become evident.

God, Himself, began to reveal to me- unblinded eyes and unstopped ears- the Truth of Who He is and who I am because of Him.

In February of 2009 I came across this little book again.  I took it to Kentucky with me.  On the ride back home to SC I read the whole little book.

Lo and behold, I UNDERSTOOD it.  It was everything God had been revealing to me.

WOW! I HAD to see Dr. Neely again!  So I contacted the Neely's to see if I could come up- and they said yes.  Nick and I went up to visit and Dr. Neely was in such poor health but he did spend some time talking with me- as Audrey shared their story.  I also bought a few more of the books and others he wrote.  Dr. Neely also prayed for me.  I cherish that time together.  That was the last time I saw him.  He beheld Jesus face to face on December 23, 2010.

In 2006, Dr. Neely signed my book- "I hope you enjoy this little book."  Oh, Dr. Neely you have NO idea how much I do.  I cherish it!  Thank you for being a branch.  For abiding, trusting and resting in Christ.  For simply stating the truths of Who God is and who we are because of Him.

Discipleship Counseling

So- I've started discipleship counseling another young woman!

Father,
I cannot do this unless you enable me.
Amen

Not I, but Christ.