Emmanuel

God gave the greatest Gift. Our Salvation. Our Savior. Give Him your mind, heart, soul, and Spirit in return. Dedicate Your life HIM as Jesus was born and gave HIS life to YOU. That is the point of Christmas, rejoicing in the celebration of the birth of our KING, our LORD, our HOPE… Our EMMANUEL. GOD WITH US. Emmanuel, let HIM be WITH you, today, always. Put HIM into your life in every way you can, your music, your friends, your family, your entertainment, your past, your future, your kids, everything that composes your existence must be Emmanuel, it must be GOD WITH US.

MAKE HIM THE AXIS ON WHICH YOUR WORLD ROTATES.

MAKE HIM THE SALVATION OF YOUR LIFE.

LET GOD BE THE “REASON FOR THE SEASON” AND THE “REASON FOR MY LIFE”.

WITH MY LOVE AND HIS~ ARIAL ALEXIS LIONESSOFGOD

Born into Sin. Brought into Grace. My Story.

"My name is Arial. I am 16. And I am a daughter of the Most High God. Anything else is irrelivant." You might have seen this on my blogs. I rather liked the way it sounded, and it has stuck for almost a year now. But it's wrong. The more I think about it, the more I see that indeed while other things might not be as important as the ones listed, they are important. So bear with me, and I will elaborate on who I started out as. I was not born into a saved home. You could go as far as to say I was born in all out sin and not be lying. My parents met in a bar, and as many people who meet in bars do, they went home together that night. My mother and father within 2 years, had become engaged, had their very own business, and their very own baby. Anyhow, they did not have insurance. And here is the biggest part of my point today - 2 men they worked with, a 'couple', were on Indigent Care, meaning they paid nothing for medical bills. When these men heard that my mother was pregnant without insurance, they gave her a card that would insure I was taken care of. Yes. You could say I was brought into this world by just about every round-about-way possible, and I wouldn't dare argue. I'm proud of it. Here's why- I was born over a month early. I could not eat without a tube down my throat. I was 'at risk'. In all honesty, I wasn't given the strongest start. And had those men not given my mother that card, that $20,000 medical bill for my birth would have been a burden on my parents, one that migth have ended the relationship. Had those doctors not known the people they worked for would get fully paid, would I have been catered to so generously as I was? Only God knows. There are two things I can see in this story, they might be different that what you receive from it, but in my eyes they are true. We are all born into sin. Some of us more so than others. But God takes all things and all people and turns them into vessels for His Glory. And - Do not ever judge someone - don't judge a situation. Two sinners out looking to "have fun" fell in love. And began a life together that resulted in new life. A life that mey very well have kept those two people in their relationship long enough for both of them to find God. 2 men, though lost in their ways, had enough compassion and love for humanity and my parents to say "It's taken care of." when hearing my mother's fears of doctor bills. Say, think, comment what you will. This is how I started. God made it all happen as it did for a reason, or many reasons. Who am I to say I've discovered why yet? It doesn't matter how you began. Whether you were from a broken home, a one night stand, or things considered worse - You are who God made you to be. And He put us all here the way He saw fit. Jesus started in an animal shed. Look where He ended up :) GOD WILL USE ANYONE, IN ANY SITUATION, AND TURN THEM INTO A LIGHT AND A VESSEL FOR HIS GLORY. REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU BEGAN, YOU ARE HERE, HE IS WITH YOU, AND HE HAS PERFECT PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.

God is Love. . . .

Someone once asked me to describe what I see as love. And it has taken me 2 written novels on the subject, (I write fantasy/sci-fi) 5 unwritten, countless talks with others, and some serious 'come to Jesus meetings' to find my answer.

God is Love. And in saying that, defining love would be like trying to decode every essence of God and who He is, and to take all of that, and sum it up in a humanly understandable statement. Impossible. You cannot do it. We can never know all there is to know about God, and the same goes for love. Our vision is only able to grasp  what is made most clear to us. Wrong or right.

So my answer is this.

I don't have one, at least, not a single answer. God is Love. First and foremost. But then we have these many different dimensions to love. The love of our family, our friends, the people we can't picture our lives without, and the ones we believe we couldn't live without. Innocent views. Tainted views. Tested views. Incomprehensible views. We each have our own take on what Love is. And thank God we do. Just as He reveals Himself differently to each of us, so does He give us each the different capacity for love, and our own take on what it is.

For those of you who "know me" and know I've never witnessed being "in love" and perhaps might think, 'well you say that now...' - I would like to stress the fact that though that might be true, it doesn't mean I do not love. That I do not feel it. That I don't strive to give it. I have loved to love's infinite human extent, a love that will encompass all Love. I love God. And I love humanity. And as crazy as it may sound, I love my future husband. Can I describe any of this in a way you'll understand? ...Well, I could. But you might not think of me as sane afterwards.

This vast...entity... this overwhelming presence of God, and the undeniable Promises He gives, has begun to show me what it means to begin to understand the Power of Love, and the inexpressible forms it takes. The love between God and us, His creation made in His Image, the love between a man and woman, between a mother/father and their child, the love among children, it is all called Love. It is only the matter of how the beholder interprets that love that defines what 'type' of love it is.

Isaiah 9:6-7: 6

 For unto to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

In Jesus we are the subjects of an Everlasting Kingdom ruled by the PRINCE OF PEACE. THE MIGHTY GOD.
With my Love and His~Arial Alexis LionessofGod

Our Father Who art in Heaven ~

Romans 8:15 “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, Abba, Father.” (NLT)

2 Corinthians 6:18 “And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (NLT)

Psalm 89:26 “He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.” (NKJV)

1 John 3:1 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (ESV)

…There are going to be holes in out lives that people will never fill, no matter how flawed or seemingly perfect they may be. We were made to get our love from God. And it takes time...and practice, and even some blood, sweat, and tears to learn to seek HIM and only HIM for our fulfillment, joy, and hope. And for the praise and love only a Father can give us. It won't be an instantaneous "Oh, I'm just going to be happy 24/7" thing. It is a process, one very few make it through. But once we get to that point, the world can't hurt us.

We are aided.

Often times, we create a picture in our minds of how reality is, or how it should be, and are so consumed by this vision, we lose sight of what God is trying to convey. In relationships, we wait or wish for a certain situation, we claim one thing as another, we over think, under think, overlook, sugar coat, the list just goes on. When we "lose" that perspective, we think we miss the situation, but really we miss the way we chose to see it. This is merely one example. God has a place for us to be, and as long as we don't "settle" or fool ourselves on the path to getting there, He'll be sure to help us reach it. Don’t be fooled by what the world claims you need, deserve, or should want. You are only responsible to Him. We can’t get catch up in their nets of “drama”, deceit, and abuse. There is a perfect love for you in His Heart, and a perfect "Helper" for you in your Spirit, and a perfect "help-meet" for you on earth. Believe in these things, live by them, and you'll see them come to pass.

John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Acts 2:32-33
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear
Romans 8:27
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will

THANK YOU GOD.

Psalm 95:1-6
"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

Psalm 100
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

Psalm 107:1
"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Psalm 145:7
They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

1 Chronicles 29:11-13
"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name."

You are Beautiful.

You are beautiful.

Wanna know why? Because God made you. He crafted every aspect of who you are, and gave you your special ‘quirks’ so you could find your way to who you’ll become. Boy, girl, man or woman, He made you beautiful. The dirtiness and distaste you harbor against yourself is not what He intended for you. He never wanted you to be hurt or abused, He didn’t give you a heart only for it to be broken. He never wanted for any of humanity to know pain.That’s why we’ve got Jesus. He, God Himself, the most beautiful and perfect Being ever, died in the form of a man, so His Beauty might become ours. So when the world calls you ugly. And your sins stain you - Remember that He Made YOU to be Beautiful, and He can make you beautiful.

Not only in His Eyes, but in your One’s as well. The beauty of your spirit, when you seek Him, will shine forth and everyone will take notice. Their eyes might not bulge out of their heads, but they notice. They notice your true beauty in a way that Honors both you and God. You’re ‘One’ won’t see you as beautiful because of what you appear to be. Or for what you try to become. He/She will see your real Beauty. The Beauty only God can give.

Things that might not be at all beautiful to you, things that remind you of instances in your past, can become beautiful too. There is nothing too ‘dirty’ that His Love and Mercy can’t clean and make anew.

Girls, no matter how many pieces of yourselves you’ve given away or had taken from you throughout your life, He can make you whole and pure again in Spirit, and make your Beauty that of one without scars.

Guys, no matter what you’ve gone through, or what someone did to you - the temptations, the uncertainties and wayward actions- whatever it might be – God Alone can fulfill in you the desires of your heart.

First with His Love, and then with the Love of the One He has made for you.We are called to seek God first, seek our comfort and love in Him, and when we do, He will shower us with this beauty, with this light and Love. And, in time, He will provide us someone here on earth to remind us everyday of how Beautiful we are in God’s eyes and their own.“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. …”

You are never ‘spoiled’. You are beautiful. I will say it again, He is beautiful. You are beautiful.

James 1:12-17 James 2:14-26

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

 ¹³ When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

 ¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Faith and Deeds 

James 2. 

 ¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
   Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
 ²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^[d]? ²¹ Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^[e] and he was called God’s friend. ²⁴ You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
 ²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? ²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

CUT.

There is healing in the shedding of blood. In our spirits we know this. But, Satan has a way of twisting even the purest of concepts. There is true redemption in the letting of blood, of that there is no denying. But it isn't your blood that holds this life saving power. It's HIS. He gave His Life - He shed HIS blood, for US, so we don't have to shed ours. Over two thousand years ago, He took away the need for ALL sacrifice of the flesh. So to think that cutting, burning, hurting yourself in any way, is somehow relieving the pain of this world – it isn’t. It’s masking it. Only in HIS BLOOD – in HIS POWER AND HIS LIFE and RISENMENT, can we find the escape and purpose we seek.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

We aren’t their Judge…

We can focus on everything that is faulted, we can complain about his/her lack of ____, about how our fathers don't cherish us or understand, our mothers don't tend to us, our siblings seemingly don't care about us, our bosses take us for granted, our co-workers seek to undermine us, our spouses treat the relationship like it is a room-mates with benefits or a business contract. We can blame the government (even if they're at fault, what's your accusation gonna do about it?), we can blame our childhood. We can even blame God.
But the reality is that everything and everyone are faulted. We live in a fallen world. Yes, we expect a lot from those in charge, we expect even more from the ones we love. Yet in doing so, WE are setting ourselves up for disappointment and unfulfillment. We hold others to standards that even they don't plan on reaching. And when they fail in our eyes, we disgust them, we hate them, we shun them, claiming it was their fault alone for this betrayal.
And yes, they are held responsible for their actions, but not to us.
God is the one who is their judge. God is their counselor, their teacher, their guide, and their corrector. We can't take on those roles. We can't expect someone to be perfect, or ideal. We have to recognize the fact that we aren't ever going to reach everyone's standards, and neither are they. We are only meant to have ourselves within God's right sight. And keep our eyes on Him. He'll take care of _______ and their issues.

With my Love and His~ Arial Alexis LionessofGod ♥

Let Go

Let Go…

Do you have any unforgiveness That you can’t seem to let go? 


Is your life full of bitterness That’s stopping up the flow?


Of the blessings, truth and mercy God’s trying to get through? 


If you cannot forgive others Then He cannot forgive you 


You’re living your life without Him, Selfish and all alone 


As though “you” were all that mattered, And in your heart He’s found no Home 


He’s called your name before. I’m sure you’ve heard Him once or twice 


But His Voice was drowned by your anger In a heart that was as cold as ice 


He wonders how you could doubt Him And the love He has for You 


He’s sent His Word to help you And His Spirit to see you through 


The trials and disappointments That you have faced on your own 


Were never intended for you To go through all alone 


That’s a choice that You made When you stopped up the flow 


With the anger and unforgiveness…He now wants you to “LET GO” 


“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 


But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” 


Matthew 6:14-15

With my Love and His~ Arial Alexis LionessofGod ♥ 

http://www.awordfromgodindueseason.blogspot.com/

Get Over It and Get Moving Forward.

When is the last time you stopped complaining and blaming other people, disorders, the government, the economy, your spouse, your family, your job, (the list just keeps going) for all your problems? Have you even stopped to consider that maybe it is your fault? Have you, even once today, admitted to being wrong and done your best to fix the issue? Or have you blamed your behavior on a situation or a condition that is “out of control”?

I am so tired of people, even myself, claiming that we are helpless and we’d would rather throw a fit than put that effort not into our own drama, but in the bettering of dilemma. If you’re failing in school, study. If your life is crashing down, maybe He’s breaking down the false thrown you created so you’ll make one for HIM. If your family is being pulled apart, see if you’re doing all you can to bring Him into the situation so it can be healed, if you’re paying attention to what your kids have to say, what they need, what they expect of you as their leader. If your marriage is suffering, maybe it is time to look over your actions and what the implications are for your spouse, and if you are treating him/her in the manner God intended or if you’ve taken this God given Helpmeet for granted.

If you’ve got a mental disability, depression, addiction, anything that you claim “overrides you” – did Jesus not cast out demons, did He not promise the power of His Spirit on all of us so that we might free ourselves from such afflictions? Does He not say in Mark that we are given power to go out and be reflections of Him and His Might and Glory?

Where in your life are you? Are you on the sidelines, or wandering around wondering which way’s the nearest bandwagon or pity party, or blaming others, or are you the one who regardless of circumstances understands that God gave you a purpose meant only for you, and expects you to get it done.

There are no exceptions to that fact that YOU are in control of your attitude, your actions, your outlook, and your life. When Jesus said if we had faith we could move a mountain, He was serious. We have the capability for that kind of control.

So where is it? Why is humanity claiming to be under attack, that we “just can’t do anything about ____ because ____ isn’t doing their part.”

Where is THAT in the Bible? God never once said we were weak, and that it’s ok to be passive, or inactive, or dramatic. Did He ever say it was ok to blame someone else for your shortcomings?

NO!

He said we’re HIS CHILDREN! We’re HIS WARRIORS – HIS LIONS! We have no excuse! GOD HOLDS US 100% RESPONSIBLE.

Forgiven

You are forgiven. IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW BIG YOUR SIN WAS. It is taken care of. That is why Jesus came. We needed a perfect sacrifice, He paid that debt, and to receive that mercy takes nothing more than a prayer, a humble crying out to God, admitting you were wrong and willingness to follow Him. That’s it. There’s no hidden hoop to jump through. No fine print. If you are willing to change, He’s willing to save you.

So the question is, are YOU willing to change?

Are YOU willing to put down that selfish spirit and stop doing/saying/ thinking ____ ? Are YOU going to be strong enough to admit you were wrong, weak enough to know you need to change, and faithful enough to call Him Savior?

These questions are very simple, they can even be “yes” or “no” answers. But the aftermath of this decision will last an eternity.

If you are willing – He is capable.

If you are humble – He is waiting.

If you are ready – Get on your knees –

And He’ll meet you half way, just before you hit the floor, so to speak, and bring you back up again in the wholeness, a purity only HE can give.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace… Ephesians 1:7.

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

“The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15

The Lions of God Creed…

Our lives can be ended so easily that its scary to think one minute you're here and the next you're before God's throne. That's why we have to make it count. Nothing we will ever do will make us better than anyone else.

But that doesn’t mean we should conform to a fallen world.

We have to stand up in it, be proud to be His sons and daughters, yet be humble enough to realize we're no better than those we witness to. We have to dance and sing when others are silent and act when others are afraid. We have to pray in Jesus Christ's name while others curse in it. We have to see the world through His eyes and act with His hands, listen through His ears, and speak in His words.

That is our calling. To "Go into all the World and preach the good news to all creation." In His name we will "drive out demons, speak in new tongues, place our hands on snakes and not be poisoned, lay hands on the sick and they will get well." (Mark 16:15-18)

We have the power. We have the opportunities. All we lack is the courage to be the Lions we are called to be. We have Christ inside of us. Your friends, your teachers, your enemies will see Him in you and ask themselves 'what makes him/her different?', and in that little thought the gates of their mind and heart will be opened enough to let God in.

Savior Complex

 

One of my best friends (no, not Jesus, or my mom,) recently introduced me to this term and how it applied to his own life and relationships, and I realized that many, (if not most people, and especially Christians,) can also be caught in this deadly trap.

Christ was made to be our sacrifice. He is our Savior. He is the One we are meant to bring our sins to for healing, the One we are to go to in prayer and in a humble spirit, the One made to save us from ourselves… He is the answer to every problem we will ever have, in some way, in every way, He is our Source.

Yet, we all to often try to take on this roll of a savior for the people we hold dear to us. (I’m guilty too.) We try to be the answer to all their problems, the band-aid to all their hurts, the medicine to all their illness, the doctor to their disease, and the sacrifice to all their sins… And that, is plainly wrong.  It isn’t how things were made BY GOD to be. If we were made to be each other’s saviors, there would be no need for Jesus. 

But, as I hope we can agree to, we are all in desperate need for Him – so why is it we think we can take upon His Cross as our own, and become the superficial antidote to a fellow sinner, the cure to a fellow human’s sins, past, and pain?

I think it boils down to pride. Of course there is a form of love involved, because you obviously care about that person very deeply, to want to help them so much, but who are YOU, who are WE, to believe we're even remotely capable of helping someone else fix their whole life when we can barely keep ours in order??

My friend was strong enough to see that truth, that we are imperfect, and thusly cannot be capable of being that. He realized that as much as it hurt, he had to let a certain relationship go in order for him to work on his relationship with God. Was this an easy choice? No. Not at all. It was extremely trying, both emotionally and spiritually, for him, and I’m sure for the other person involved, but he did it. He had to. We are only responsible for our own spirituality, and he saw clear enough to comprehend that. He understood that he had no business being someone else’s savior when he was in need of his Own.

We cannot be a savior to anyone. No one has that right. Only God. All we can do is help lead them in His direction.

PUT GOD FIRST

 

I cannot stress this point anymore than He already has. He will have no other gods before Him. Period. Whatever you define yourself with, whatever you let consume you, is your god. Even if what it is, is done in the name of God, it is wrong.

Your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your job, your money, your charity work, your friends, your status socially, how much attention you can get, how much appreciation you receive, sex, drugs, pornography, too much co-dependence on another individual for the needs only He is supposed to provide. All these things are commonly allowed to take the place in our heart where only God needs to be.

It can be so sneaky, but it is so very, very crucial that it is fixed as soon as possible. God Himself admits to being a jealous God, and will only put up with our antics and selfishness for so long before He allows something to happen to us that will bring us to our knees, and make us put Him back on the throne of our hearts.

It’s a Relationship.

        I believe that although Christianity is a 'religion' by all standard and common definitions of the word, it is often deemed as being nothing more than just that, a ritual, something passed down from parent to reluctant child, outdated, and banal in the more recent generations. Countless times I have heard the phrases and pejorative terms cacophonously muttered about my 'brothers and sisters' and have personally been called unrepeatable names and labeled as a "religion shoving (verb, adjective)," but truthfully, I understand why certain people believe this way. When history itself describes my faith as a zealous, somewhat insane practice, when so-called modern society lays upon all of us as a whole the stereotypes of a thousand exaggerations, when we ourselves often lack unity and conviction, when we falter and are subsequently called hypocrites, it would be seem exceedingly undermining. But their words cannot hurt me or change my beliefs because this isn't a religion. It's a Relationship.

He is our Sustenance

He raises the poor from the dust,

He lifts the needy from the ash heap

To make them sit with nobles,

And inherit a seat of honor;

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S,

And He set the world on them.

“He keeps the feet of His godly ones,

But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;

For not by might shall a man prevail.

1st Samuel 2:8-9

 

But He (Jesus) answered and said,

It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4

 

As for God, His way is blameless;

The word of the LORD is tested;

         He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

“For who is God, besides the LORD?

         And who is a rock, besides our God?

“God is my strong fortress;

         And He sets the blameless in His way.

“He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,

         And sets me on my high places.

“He trains my hands for battle,

         So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

“You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,

         And Your help makes me great.

“You enlarge my steps under me,

And my feet have not slipped.

I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,

         And I did not turn back until they were consumed.

“And I have devoured them and shattered them, so that they did not rise; And they fell under my feet.

“For You have girded me with strength for battle;

         You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

“You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

1 Samuel 22:31-41.

 

“The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock;

         And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

The God who executes vengeance for me,

And brings down peoples under me,

Who also brings me out from my enemies;

         You even lift me above those who rise up against me;

         You rescue me from the violent man.

“Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the nations,

         And I will sing praises to Your name.

He is a tower of deliverance to His king,

         And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,

 1 Sam. 22:47-51

His Will. Our Choice.

Just because something is done in the Name of God - doesn't mean it is OF God.

 

The 2nd commandment was to not take God's name in vain. This pertains to our actions too. Doing something in "the name of God" when it isn't in His Will or acceptable by anyone's standards is, on top of everything else we could claim it as, breaking that God-mandated law.

 

It can be as simple as claiming a single selfish act as His Will, or as devastating  as attempting to destroy entire cultures “for His Benefit.” History has proved, time and time again, that we are capable of horrendous acts all for the sake of ‘Religion’. From ancient times, to the Crusades, to more modern acts such as Hitler’s Regime, internationally dispersed civil wars, and even the War on Terror.

 

But it is crucial that we realize these wars didn’t start out as a war. It started with one choice. The choice someone made to listen to their demons, give into their flesh, and from that fateful choice, spawned actions and reactions that would encompass generations.

 

So we cannot underestimate our choices, the things that we face right now, even as you read this. We have to be sensitive to our Spirit, and reject our human desires, that way we know that when we claim an action in His Will, it won’t lead to our undoing.

 

His aim is not to punish us, not to condemn or cause us pain, He wants us to listen to Him.

 

And the best way to do that is to constantly be SEEKING out His Voice, so we might KNOW His Will, and be WILLING and READY to ACT on it.   

Why I 'Wait'. ...

Waiting is easy when you don't know what you're waiting for.
It's simple, because you're easily distracted from what's in store.

When you're young these things don't truly matter to you

It's the plain day to day you're living through

But when age and 'wisdom' come right along

And your heart believes in the promise of a new song
That's when things and thoughts become a little astray
And we find we just want things to be our way

Well... He doesn't play that particular game

It is our wants that will put us to shame

He sees the end, and knows what we need

Firstly, it's our souls we must feed

Then in time, when our 'single' path is complete

He'll send someone our way, our help-meet.
An earthly adoration is given, a glimpse of Him
His Love is our love's root's stem

Things might not be near perfect

But love is the reason that makes it worth it
Battles will be fought and won
And there isn't turning back once begun

So we wait, as we are told we must

Protecting our flesh, even if its made of dust

It is His Temple, and I'll treat it no less

Because with rewards He will bless

It is a struggle, I won't dare lie

But it is His Word I must abide by

It isn't made to be a piece of cake

It's our demons we must break

And desires for the 'what if' oft' get in the way.

But that is a price I am willing to pay.

So I wait, and I know that true to all

Another heart shall hear my call



All Powerful

This isn't over yet.

...You've made it this far.

He is still Lord of All.

In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. Ephesians 1:7

The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Psalm 28:8

For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. Deuteronomy 10:17

This very picture is one taken of a homeless man's prayer. He has faith enough to believe in God, and His Power over All.

Live R I G H T

 

            THE TEN COMMANDMENTS...

 

Do not worship any other gods besides Me.

-Anything we put before God, becomes our god. Money, sex, whatever consumes your focus is considered master over you.

Do not make idols of any kind

Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

God’s last name is not ‘Dammit’ and Jesus Christ is your one chance at salvation, not a curse word.

Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy

Take 1 day out of the 7 He gives you each week and make it a day to honor, praise, and Glorify Him.

Honor your father and mother.

Regardless of your relationship with your parents, and the history behind you, it was by their actions and God’s Will that you are here on this earth, and also by His Will that you were born unto them. If you refuse to acknowledge them, you are in turn dishonoring His Will.

Do not murder.

Do not commit adultery.

Do not steal.

Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.

Gossip, lies, cheats, anything you say should be said as if Jesus, and the person you speak of, was standing right next to you. He hears and knows all. And chances are, whoever you speak of will hear about it sooner or later.

Do not covet

If God wants you to have it, you’ll eventually get it. But you cannot want what others have, thinking that if only you have this one thing, life would be so much better for you. Whether it is their lifestyle, gifts, money, toys, looks, or husband/wife (boyfriend/girlfriend) it isn’t yours to desire.

 

"But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, [to be] sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored. Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, [with] purity in doctrine, dignified, sound [in] speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us."  Titus 2:1-8

"Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Romans 13:13

"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body."  1 Corinthians 6:18. 

“Human Nature.”

“It’s just Human Nature…”

Wrong answer.

Human nature as it was intended to be, was oneness with God, in a place where sin and shame knew no home, and lack and need weren’t even in existence. Human Nature was talking, walking, with God, in a state of earth and mind that we can’t even grasp.

And sadly, Human Nature has been corrupted.

First with Adam and Eve in the Garden, and every single second, of every day of existence since. This new nature, we call Sin. It is a virus, taking root first in our thoughts, spreading into our actions, and one day we realize we’ve allowed ourselves to become trapped in it because we stopped focusing on our original calling, to follow God, and have let ourselves be swayed by our Sinful Nature (otherwise known as our ‘flesh’.)

When we give into our ‘Flesh’ – very cunningly disguised by society as the new definition of “Human Nature” – and toss God’s desires for us to the side, we are opening ourselves up to this virus.

It doesn’t take much to become vulnerable to this disease.

A little ‘white lie’ could get you caught in a web of deceit. A lustful thought becomes a fantasy, and a fantasy turns into action. A rumor among friends becomes a lie that shatters someone’s social life. Simple ‘flirting’ turns into something much less seemingly innocent.

All said and done, every little ‘door’ that we open, every thing that we do, say, or think about, leads to more just like it.

It is crucial for our total survival (both physical and spiritual) that we cling not to our flesh and the desires of our Sinful Nature, but that we strive to return back to what God made us to be.

 

The Original Human Nature – made in His Image and in His Likeness, to fellowship and share in His Blessings and Glory. 

James 1:12-18

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

BUT GOD…

      HAS MERCY. IS FAITHFUL. GAVE US OUR SALVATION. GIVES US CHANCES WE DO NOT DESERVE. AND LOVE US.

 

    Regardless of our sin, we're here. Regardless of all the reasons we shouldn't be. We are.

    Our parents, our pasts, our choices, our fails, our trials, our tribulations, throughout all we call our lives, you, right now, are reading this. You are alive. Even if you think you shouldn't be, even if there seems to be little purpose to your life, you are still breathing.

     Obviously (or if it isn't obvious yet, it will be once you've read this, I hope,) if we're here, God has a plan. All those times when you know you shouldn't have lived through that night, He was with you then. The times you screwed up, and had no ambition of getting back up on your feet, He was there then too.

     He's been with you your whole life, providing a slew of things often called 'But GOD' moments... Where everything that should be happening, happens. When His Mercy outweighs your sin, His Protection overcomes your circumstances, His Plan overrides yours.

    When I look at my life, it is all a 'But God' moment. So I can't help but think "Wow, He must really have something HUGE for me to do, if He went through all that trouble to keep me here."

    This thought applies to all of you too. The truth of the matter is, it doesn't matter what, who, where you are. God's there. And He's put you where you are for a reason. You might not know the reason yet, or if you do, you don't want to admit it. But every single, solitary "BUT GOD" moment in your life is HIM giving YOU a SECOND (or third, fourth, etc) chance to DO WHAT YOUR ARE CALLED TO.

 

"God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 3:10-11

 

 

In His Mercy, in the times of His intervention on our behalf, the BUT GOD moments, He provides for us the means to complete our callings through striving for Him and His Purpose throughout our every day lives.

You are…a work in progress. <3

You are not the drugs you used to take, the alcohol you like to drink,

the willpower that always breaks,Or the pain that brings you to the brink

 

You are not the pain you drown in You are not the hurt that binds

You are not your kin Or the fulfillment you can't seem to find

 

You are not the scars on your arm You aren't the weight you are -

Your spirit's Above the worlds harm You are not your scars

 

You're life is worth more than that You're not emo or goth or lost

You are His Precious artifact And He's already paid your cost.

 

He spilled His blood for you So you don't have to shed yours

And He promises love and comfort too This isn't some fantasy lore.

 

You are not the emptiness in the mirror You are not the hopeless you feel

Oh if only you could see clearer! Then I know you'd begin to heal!

 

You are His beloved, His bride.You were wonderfully made!

In Him you can take your pride! In Him your debt is Paid!

 

He can take you were you're at No matter how dark and deep

And I know its crazy, but it's a fact You can hear Him in your sleep.

 

Open up your tired heart Shake the doubt from your mind

Let His Light break the hurt apart Listen to Him Divine

 

All the promises He has given The joy and peace as well

Showing you the way you should be livin And how He's saving you from hell.

 

I know this sounds so strange, That this Awesome God cares.

You might think I'm deranged, But frankly I don't mind your stares

 

You see, We care for you And love you all the same

God picked a chosen few, And He knows you by Name!

 

His presence reaching from above He takes you, broken and in pain

He can bring you light and Love And yes, I am fully sain.

 

My friends you are never alone, No matter how much you think

That there is no place you call Home And your life is only going to stink

 

He lived among us years ago He felt our suffering

He let His Love flow To take away the sting

 

Of sin and of faults we've done He gave us hope to live by

A Hope He calls His Son A Son that holds us when we cry

 

So Call out to Him now Before it is too late

Let Him show you how His love your soul will sate

 

Always know that He wants to heal your brokenness!

Choose your Battles wisely.

If you seek a battle - you'll surely find one. If you seek peace, you might have to fight a war first. But if you seek God - you are joining a battle already won, and entering a peace that surpasses all understanding.

…How easily we get offended. Let’s be truthful, any little thing that doesn’t fit our fancy often leaves us upset, mad, and irritated. The words people say and things they do, life in general, we all expect it to go our way, and when it fails to, we resent our life. And in our sin and selfish ways, we all get ‘put out’ at God sometimes. (Needless to say, that is a BIG no-no…)

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

We have forgotten His promise to keep safe all those who trust and seek in Him. And have chosen to not obey His order that we must monitor our thoughts, take captive our words, and choose our battles in a way He would honor.

“Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.” Romans 12:17

The rumors, lies, and hatred of the world isn’t in your life to weight you down, or put here for you to fight and exhaust yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. It is here so that you might learn how to overcome, overlook, and override it all through the power and peace of God. If we each would put our energy into only the things that bring us happiness and peace, and let God take care of the other things, we would find life a much more pleasant experience. …

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6

Don’t lose your Voice.

They Cannot force you into silence. even if the world is seemingly deaf to your voice – God isn’t. 

There is a reason you have gone through these things – a reason you were placed here. The fallen world can say whatever it wants about you, they can lie, cheat, hate, and even hurt you – but they can’t take away what god himself has given you – your voice, your love, your faith, your spirit – not if you don’t let them.

stand up for yourself. you are a child of god – you are strong in His Spirit and Cleaned in His Grace. You are HE who is in YOU. Let them hear your ROAR.

With my Love and His ~ Arial Alexis Lioness of God

Something Taken out of my Hands…

The beginning, turned ending, turned beginning. A true story.

By Arial LionessofGod

 

She was the beginning to all this, you could say. Sure, I had been on facebook and my blogs for a long time before she came along. And I had talked to and I guess helped a few, but she was the 1st who I felt pulled to. And even now I can't help but look back and wonder how God knew exactly what I needed but did not want. It is easily the hardest lesson I have had to learn recently. And it is one I will recall for the rest of my life. Who comes into our lives, we are given for only a short while, and then they move on, and it is His Turn to work in them. Even if that short while is merely 2 hours on facebook chat.

 

Her name was Morgan Cotton. I don't know how old she is, a year older than me I'd guess, since she's still in school. Presumably fake black hair, blue eyes, a silver hoop hanging from a thin, faded lip belonging to a pale and emotionless face - someone who looked like one I might write about in one of my novels. She lives in New Zealand, and dreamt of coming here to the US to study art and things like that in New York. She had goals, hopes, things followed by ' :) ' and ' <3 ' in the chat message box.

 

But there were shadows in her past, I knew that simply because of how she had come to send me a friend request... To Write Love on her Arms is an outreach for anyone troubled, and she was no exception. The too big sweatshirt she wore in her profile picture, stamped in big white letters was the word 'LOVE', a piece that To Write Love on her Arms sells, was all the more proof to her affiliation with their mission to save the lost. And though one mustn't judge by appearances alone, she wasn't someone like me, whose only purpose on the site was to offer support. She was the one who needed it.

 

Even as we talked, mostly about the nonsense of fellow teen drama and the promise of simplicity if we let all that go as we matured and grew in confidence and standing with the world, I knew there was only so much beating around the bush that could be done before I had to ask, "What made you send me that request?" and, even now I smile with a hint of sadness that her reply had been "You sounded like you would care...You said you did. No one ever really cares."

 

I'm sure at least one of you could guess what I said. God cares. She, like so many, was afraid of being unworthy of this grace we cleave to, and had never thought of being accepted into His Love as being attainable for someone 'like her'. As I continued to tell her of her beauty and of her purpose, I learned more and more of the demons she battled, things that haunt in scars and bruises, nightmares, and thoughts better left unthought. In a flash of clicking keys, I asked her if I might pray for her. This was my first time, only this past January, breaching that level of spirituality and personal nature with someone I had never met in person. But - she had said this clearly -  I seemed like I would care. And care I did.

 

I would very much like to tell you that she can be found underneath my 'friends' list. I'd love to say that we speak regularly and that she is now a strong believer and has shed the 'habits' of her past... Believe me, I've shed my fair share of tears over that possibility that never came to be. What happened that night in fullness I will never know. We prayed, we exchanged our music interests and blog sites, we talked for hours, as if we had known each other for years, and then as she said goodbye I knew in my spirit as I hit the enter button, replying 'Ok, talk soon :)' that she meant forever. The green dot of her online presence disappeared just after she received the message, as did her profile from my screen. Frantic - thinking the worst, that perhaps the idea of heaven had been twisted into an immediate escape from this world, I searched for her and came up fruitless. In a desperate attempt to see if she had deleted her facebook, or if mine had a glitch, I logged into my father's facebook account, only to see she was very much okay, it was only me that could not find her.

 

I had been blocked.

 

Can you imagine what I thought? What had I done wrong? The first person I had prayed for in hopes of her being Saved had BLOCKED me?? Why would God have me share my heart with this girl if she was to only block me?

 

And then, when I recalled she had a blog, I knew that she could not hide that from me.

I found these words typed onto a picture of a girl sitting on a cliff. "You saved me when no one was left. Thank you Arial." posted an hour before she had signed off. This only added to my uncertainty of why she had felt the need to literally block me from ever speaking to her again.

 

What must have happened?

 

My mother, whose voice I find is often an echo of God's, reminded me as I told her this tragic story, unable to remain calm, of seeds. Maybe the idea of an immediate need for change, responsibility for her actions and emotions, had been too much - but she had already prayed. And the thought of His Vastness was too much - but again, she had prayed His Presence into her heart, and once in us, He will not leave.

 

In the comfort of seeing my insignificance in this greater picture, of the Power He has, and her inability to ever 'block' Him, I was mercifully able to sleep that night, something only minutes before had seemed impossible. I know that one day, the Bible verses I shared, and the words I personally promised and the promises He already made, the songs I had posted to her profile, and the hopeful messages they lulled, will resurface.

 

I still go to her blog every now and then, and sadly nothing has changed yet, there is much pain and brokenness within the quotes and pictures she has posted since then, but I smile at one of them. "There is Hope." It says, a pink bow wrapped around a scarred wrist lies in the back ground. When she finds this hope for herself, when she submits to His Presence within her, when His Light breaks through - I will bow my head in awe that that one joyous turned seemingly tragic night was the first of many equally powerful nights to follow, for both Morgan and myself, and that maybe one day, whether it is five or fifteen or fifty years from now, she might lift the 'block' she has placed over God, and I hope over me.

Salvation…. “the deliverance from the power and effects of sin”

The only barrier between us and God's love is our own freewill. Scary, that the God of the Universe puts our ultimate fate into our own hands, because let us be honest with ourselves if no one else, it is our own choices that lead us to where we are, no matter where that may be. We made a choice, whether it was yesterday or twenty years ago, whether it was the righteous choice or not, that impacted today. There’s rarely a ‘grey area’ when it comes to our decisions. God made sure of that when through Jesus’ death and resurrection, and eventually Him rising into Heaven, we received the Holy Spirit, the essence and voice of God in us, meant to guide, comfort, and even condemn us if necessary. The choice of our Salvation is arguably the most important choice you will ever have to make.

And Jesus Christ is the door.

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me!'" (John 14:6).

All it takes is a prayer. Asking Jesus, asking God, to come into your hearts, into your lives. Trusting in Him alone to be your source of all your needs and wants. YOU taking on the responsibility and honor of now knowing He is our Savior and our King, and we, as His Children are called to a higher calling than this Earth, to serve Him.

The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:9