A lot like Love…

 Love…The strangest of all of the human emotions, the most undiscovered, and untapped of our abilities. Love… can overcome great weakness and override vast deeply inbreeded hates and imbedded fears. It gives us our wonderful ability to forgive, and to forget. It can start wars, end wars, bring in a new life to the world, and make us do things considered by the thought as unloved as insane. It is even sometimes seen as being unreal or a ‘fantasy’. Love… It is stronger, more accepting, and truer than any other emotion existing. It shared by many, but not enough, we all have felt it in some form or another, whether it be the love of a friend, a family member, or your One and your only. It has been studied, abused, dictated over, changed in direction, and even forgotten by some, but it can never be killed out completely. Love… It is the most beautiful of all things, it saves, it redeems, and it heals. It is unearned, unmerited…It just simply is...  …It Is Love …
http://awordfromgodindueseason.blogspot.com/

Religion…vs.…Relationship

I find myself in a ‘facebook comment war’ almost every day trying to explain to people that the comment I left “You are loved and not forgotten, God is listening” is not me ‘shoving religion down their throat’. I’ve had to learn that not everyone is ready to receive Christ and that Matt. 7:6 “Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast you your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” Is all too true.

But- and this is a very large ‘but’- we are still called to witness for the Lord, and in doing so we will begin to feel His presence in our own lives more. Yet how can we preach ‘God’ to people who see Him as a “quick fix for those who don’t want to straighten up and face the real world”?

The answer, for me at least, is LOVE. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they are, needs love. You, me, the crack-head at the end of the hall, the lady/man in the office, the bum on the corner, the girl too afraid to come to church for fear of being looked down upon over her past…EVERYONE!! They are all seeking it in any way they can, clueless – or at least blinded by what they think they know – to the love GOD offers. Too many ‘preachers’ have shoved religion down their throats, to the point where they’ve learned to believe that this ‘religion’ (whatever it may be,) is how God is. And as a child they grew to associate their pain with the church, whether it be teasing, judgment, or something far worse, with who GOD is. 

God is not religion, nor is religion God. God is love, and when we and those we witness to, realize that, and we accept and allow His Love, Guidance, Wisdom, and Mercy to rule in our lives, we don’t need Religion. There’re still rules to follow and standards to live by, but since we already love God so much, we’ll want to do them anyway.

That’s a Relationship – putting the wants and needs of another (God’s) before yours. His heart and plan is made for your benefit. He Loves you. All He wants in return is your love.

Separation at its most Devious

God’s first commandment is that we shall have no other gods before Him, whether they be emotional gods, material gods, or the god of maintaining an acceptable ‘status’  in this world. …Money, sex, greed, all these qualify, but what about other things?

What if our god is something we think we’re doing FOR GOD? What if the desire to be ‘the perfect Christian’ for Him is the same thing that is alienating you from His spirit? We could spend all week witnessing, feeding the hungry, teaching Bible study, leading the church band, mentoring youth, and so on and so forth, thinking that all this time and all this energy has to count for something in God’s eyes. But if the only moment in our week when we ever give GOD our undivided attention is the Sunday morning ‘quiet time’ then we’ve seriously dropped the ball. We’ve let the matters of the world, whether we claim them in His name or not, come before His voice and His direction in our lives, separating us from His spirit in the process.

(I know I’m quite recently guilty of it. I haven’t written in over a week because I never sat still long enough to let Him speak.)

Nothing we will ever do or say will earn us His Love or His appreciation anymore than anyone else. He is no respecter of persons. What you do and I do means as much to Him as anyone else who listens to what HE wants. Not what we want to do in His name. You could run yourself ragged trying to do all you could for ‘His Glory’, yet when you get home not only do you forget your own God-given family, but you could also forget Him and His more than well deserved portion of your day.

And I’m not condemning anyone with this sort of schedule. If you’re able to maintain these things and still give your all to Him, then may He bless your efforts. But if you’re not, if staying close to God and focusing on your own life is all you can manage and the idea of taking on anything else would crack your plate, then don’t think you are somehow slighting God.

All He wants from you is to put HIM first.

http://awordfromgodindueseason.blogspot.com/

For every ‘Trey’ out there.

I found this ‘comment’ under a facebook page I am a fan of. I didn’t know the guy. I didn’t know his whole story. I only knew God wanted me to help him.

Trey- “The love of my life left me back on 12/12. She took my joy, hope, faith and peace with her. I don't know if I believe in a just and true god anymore. All I know is that I'm tired of hurting, I'm tired isolating myself from everyone so they can't see the tears that are always there. I'm so tired and so lonely, I can't go on like this. I would have eatin a bullet by now, but I love her too much to let Sabrina carry that guilt around for the rest of her life. I want my joy, peace, and happiness back.”

I immediately linked to his profile and sent him this:

Arial (me, Lioness of God) - “I'm sorry that you feel so alone right now Trey, and I can't imagine what you must face everyday. But don't blame God for a human's downfalls. Whatever she did, and why she left doesn't make you any less a person. You were set here for a purpose Trey. GOD has you here for a purpose. Perhaps she wasn't a part of it. And I know how much it must hurt to think that. But its true. No human can be the source of all the peace and love we need. We were 1st made to receive that peace and love and hope from God, before he ever made a separate 'Adam' and a separate 'Eve'. God has amazing plans for you down the road. You might not be able to see them yet, but they're there. And to think that this crack in the pavement, this pain and hurt you're feeling, will never cease, is a trick from the devil to keep you from being one of God's warriors. Who knows, with time she could return or you'll find someone that makes you feel like 2x the man she did. I can't promise anything to you. But God already did. He promised an all comforting and accepting love. He promised us the perfect Home in Heaven. He promised us a new life by the washing of Christ's blood. He promised us a purpose by creating us. He promised you a future, Trey. To take your life now, or to let it go to ruins is stealing your life from God. He made you. He LOVES you. And He can see what your future holds. What you go through now makes you stronger and wiser for tomorrow. You are loved and not forgotten. What she did does not define you. You lived before her, You will live after her. Pray for God's peace. Being in pain is no way to start the New year...And I know God is the ultimate pain reliever.”

Within an hour, I received this: 

Trey- “Thank you. Thank you for reaching your hand out to comfort a stranger. Not many would.”

I can only pray something God had me tell him will help him through this painful time, and I know there are others out there, you, who could be facing the same hurt and loss he is. You are not alone. And you are not forgotten. God gives you nothing you cannot handle. You can make it through, you can face tomorrow. You are Loved.

If you want to talk, to be reassured of the promises you’ve been pledge, please email me @ arial.lionessofgod@gmail.com

With Our Love, -Arial, Lioness of God