Hearts and Love

I wonder how much of our lives are spent in an attempt to get others to love us, to accept us, to appreciate us? Do you think it's ten percent, fifty percent; more? If I had a dime for every time time I let someone get to me and take away my feelings of being valued and loved I'd be rich. If I had a dime for every time I allowed myself to become offended I'd have even more.

People talk about loving their families, but I don't know too many families that are very loving. I did not come from a particularly loving family and I certainly did not marry into one. But inside my heart I felt love, and I always seemed to have enough to give out. So this being the case, where did all my love come from?

We tend to associate love with the human heart, don't we? For the most part we believe that hearts are red. Red is also the color of spilled blood. We mostly think of spilled blood when one is hurt or wounded. When one is hurt or wounded is it generally because of an accident or incident, both of which lead us to believe that the spilling of blood is not good. So if all this is true then why do we associate the human heart, with being red, and with love?

There can only be one reason. Because God sent his son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us, to shed his red blood in forgiveness of our sins, because He loves us from His very big heart.

If you are not loved by a single soul on this earth, you can always know that God loves you. He fills your heart with His love even if you don't ask for it and refills it as you need it. It doesn't take another person to fill your heart with love. It only takes God and Jesus!

Reasons to love being a Christian

Reasons to Love being a Christian

I love being a Christian because we can believe in what the bible says. It never changes and never will. Because it never changes we can rely on it. If it changed to satisfy us, it would be no more dependable than the daily news or our government. We may not always understand it, but it does have the answer for everything. It shows us the character of God and allows us to decipher His voice from ours, and from Satan's. We may not like what it says, but if that's the case, we are not seeing it from the heart of God's love. God's word always has our best interest at heart.

I love being a Christian because we can know how much God loves us! We can really know this! He loves us so very much even though we're so imperfect. We make so many mistakes. We do so many things wrong. We hold on to so many wrong thoughts. If I was Him I would be disgusted by all the things we have done. But He loves all his children and wants to save us from ourselves. That's why He gave us His son, Jesus. God wants to see us in Heaven! I truly believe that he leaves a whole in our heart that can only be filled up by Him.

I love being a Christian because we can know and love Jesus! He died on the cross-for us! He took all our sins with Him when he died, and He gave us the opportunity to accept his death, as our gift, as our means to get to Heaven. It's the only way to get there. And when we arrive, because we accepted Jesus gift, we will all arrive sin free!

I love being a Christian because God gave us Jesus who understands our human experience. Jesus lived in this world, but was not of this world. Some people didn't like Him, Jesus was tempted, some rejected Him, some betrayed him, some didn't understand Him, some didn't appreciate Him, some were downright cruel to Him, some wanted to see Him dead, some killed Him. Jesus understands what we go through, so I love it that as a Christian, we can all get through this life with Him.

The Holy Spirit! Oh, how I love The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit tells our hearts when we are doing something wrong and it prompts us to do many things right. We as Christians benefit so much by listening for this voice. The Holy Spirit is powerful! The Holy Spirit gives us gifts! The Holy Spirit lifted up Jesus and transported Him up and into Heaven. The Holy Spirit is a powerful friend!

I love being a Christian because God allows bad things to happen so that we can learn good things from every bad situation. This helps strengthen our character. Being a Christian is not for the weak because you will come under Spiritual Warfare with the dark side. For anyone who thinks that only weak people believe in God, they couldn't be more wrong. Satan doesn't come against those who are already his. Satan comes after Christians. We are only weak in that we allow God to aid us in fighting Satan; in this, God becomes our strength. Jesus defeated Satan at the cross! Jesus has already won! Satan had already been conquered! Now, Satan is just a big nuisance!

I love being a Christians because there is so much to know and understand about God that it would take more than just this one lifetime to get it all. Christianity is an exciting journey of learning and growing and becoming better than we were yesterday.

I love being a Christian because God is all about Grace. Grace is God's goodness and kindness, directed at us, as undeserving people. He doesn't want us to live in condemnation. He gave us the 10 commandments to show us that none of us could keep them, on our own strength. He gave us the 10 commandments to show us why we all need Jesus. Jesus was sent to provide us with forgiveness for our sins! Jesus is the only way for us to get into Heaven! It's because of God's grace that we were given Jesus! As Christians we have the abundance of God's Grace everyday and we have the gift of righteousness through Christ blood on the cross.

I love being a Christian because I am living in this world, but I am not of this world. This can be difficult at times. It encompasses everything we encounter in this life. Each of us will have to fight our own strongholds such as addiction, anger, fear, jealousy and offense, but the Trinity is here to help us. It should be our goal to proceed in life with faith, and to become as Christ-like as we possibly can. This makes the life of a Christian exciting!

Sadly, I know many who have given up their walk with God. They felt their prayers weren't being answered during trying times and they lost faith and gave up on Him. But giving up on God is never the answer. It is never okay just to quit! Just because you quit God doesn't mean that he doesn't exist, it only means that you quit! God will see you through your tough times, but you have to keep your faith and your hopes upon Him. Don't blame God if you give up before he chooses to help you. One more day of faith could have made all the difference!

Antichrist

In the last chapter of the bible, Revelation, it speaks of the Antichrist.   I will not chose to be Anti-Christ during this Christmas season. I enjoy wishing a Merry Christmas to folks and do so with a grateful heart. I am not trying to insult you or hurt your feelings, in fact it's quite the opposite, I am sending you a greeting of love. I hope that you'll try to receive it in the spirit it is intended.

I understand that there are those who don't believe in Jesus Christ. What I don't understand is why they celebrate His birthday. I suppose it's because they get so many presents.  If you would like to have a Happy Holiday celebration, then by all means do so, but please choose another day to do this. I promise that I wont kick and scream like a sensitive child if you wish me Happy Holidays. Christmas is my celebration with my Lord and Savior though. Please respect my holiday and I will respect yours. I'd like to see us all just try and be kind to one another and put away all this ultra- sensitivity. Can't we all just be a bit more tolerant and live in peace?

Peace and Blessings to all and I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Simple Satan Says

Satan twists the truth to justify self; he kills, steals and destroys.
 One moment, one day, one lie at a time, until wrong feels so right it's enjoyed.
 So question yourself in all that you do; in all that you hear and you see.
One day it will be you he comes after. Be prepared to tell Satan to leave!

Lust and Heaven's Tear

I recently became aware that a Christian friend of mine has taken to hanging out at a strip club and has befriended one of the strippers. I told him that Jesus would not hang out at places like this and he responded by telling me that Jesus hung out with a lot of bad people.

 Lust is a powerful drug and can be an insult to the Holy Spirit within us. It sneaks in and slowly begins to control the way we think. It's addicting and it's only goal is to  satisfy self. Sadly, it affects the lives of many and has destroyed more than a few lives.

When I think about how sad this makes me feel towards my friend I can't help and think about how God feels about us. We are all so weak. We can't keep God's commandments. We can't do anything in our own strength. How sad it must make God to have created us, whom he loves, and we do everything on earth that disappoints him.

Fortunately for us, instead of drowning us with his tears or sending fire down on us from above,  God sent his only son to die on the cross for us and to forgive us. Those who call themselves Christians, should walk in gratitude for what God has given us and we do this by becoming living examples. We do this by following Jesus, we do this because we Honor God.

Are you living your life serving Jesus or are you living your life serving self? This is a question I must ask myself each day. I ask God to give me my answers.

Afterlife

Someone recently posted this on my Facebook wall. At first I felt very offended, then sad for the ones who believe this.

This is hard for me to understand. If there were only a chance, a slim chance, that God exists, and that there is an afterlife, wouldn't it make sense to strive for the best life possible? Isn't this a truly perfect opportunity? Isn't hell on earth enough for them?

Kathy Lee Gifford recently referred to how we will all become dust one day. This is so true. No healthy living plan is going to keep our bodies living on this earth forever.  We are all going to die.

Some people believe at death we will all turn into nothingness. But, just wonder if this is not true. Is it really worth taking a chance on? 

Why is it that some folks put all their eggs in the earth basket, which is profoundly limited? Why wouldn't they strive for the life that lives on forever, and offers them the best of everything?

These and other questions I can never answer. But I believe God has. In His book, he calls them Fools.

Communication

If you don't know me very well then you may not understand the way I communicate.

If you don't know God very well then you may not understand how He communicates at all.

I hope you'll get to know Him! Peace and Blessings

Encounters

Each time that I have an encounter with the wind, I'm reminded that it exists.

Each time that I have an encounter with God, I'm grateful that He exists.

Let it be said of us...

Recently, God has put on my heart a concern for what is going on with our relationship with Israel. I truly believe that God wants us to be in support of that small country and for us to help keep it together.

Nowhere in history has a civilization survived and thrived like the land of Israel. In reality it should not even be alive. But God's own hand has protected that land and I believe he wants us to help protect it too.

I do not believe in coincidences. I believe that coincidences can often lead us to a truth. In saying that, God has put upon my heart that Jerusalem contains in it's center, the letters USA for a reason. I believe it is our responsibility to help keep that small country together. I pray that we will do the right thing and I hope you'll pray with me too.

The Prayer of Jabez

I have recently taken to repeating a prayer and have found it to bring blessings in my life. I would like to encourage you to say this prayer, every day for a month, and see what happens for you.

Before I write down the prayer, I'd like to suggest that you repeat the prayer, then repeat it again, replacing the word in red with a word specific for you.

Also, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson wrote a book on this prayer, which I really enjoyed and recommend. It is entitled, "The Prayer of Jabez"

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying,

"Oh, that you would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that your hand would be with me,

that you'd keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain."

So God granted him what he requested.

1 Chronicles 4:19 NKJV

It's that simple. I replace the word in red with things like peace, friendship, love and opportunities.

Peace and Blessings to you all and let me know how this prayer works for you!

For Crying Out Loud!

I woke up early one morning and all I felt was pain.
I looked outside for sunshine, but all I saw was rain.
I grabbed by navy checkbook and sat to pay some bills.
There wasn't any money and my life just felt like hell.

I screamed for God to help me, but I heard not a sound.
"You don't care about me! You're nowhere to be found!
Then lightning struck a tree;I watched it catch on fire.
I felt God was angry; my thoughts had gone haywire.

I stayed real still and waited, to see what he would do.
Then He spoke unto my heart and said,"Yes, I do, love you!"
He said that we can chose, to use our better words.
Nowhere can be now here, and prayers are always heard.

Strawberry Moon

Photo by Samarazone

I hid behind the Pines
and sat amongst the trees,
trying to find some time;
a bit of quiet for me.
Then came the strawberry moon,
which revealed my hiding place.
Reminding me I'm never alone
because I have God's grace.