Finding God

There was nothing clean, perfect, or ideal about that night. There were no doctors, fresh sheets, clean water. It stank. Animals were less than a foot away. And to those who have had children, you know that isn't exactly a piece of cake either. The birth of our Savoir was a scandalous, muddy affair taking place in what we might call a pig pin.

If this was where God was born, why then do we look for Him in the most beautiful of churches, the most elaborate of prayers, the most eloquent of speakers? God can be found on that street "you should never drive through at night." God can be found "with that girl you don't want your daughters to hang out with" or with that "man who just got out of jail." Or with that boy "who is going down the wrong path." All those things you have the audacity to glance away from, 'hookers', drug addicts, shut-ins, the disabled, the gross, the un wanted, the refuse of society... could you not also describe them in the same way His birth was? Scandalous. Imperfect. Dirty. Unwanted.

God came. And God left. But not before giving us the mission to do as He did. The first place he went was one where there was no place for him. He didn't belong there. It wasn't "his comfort zone."

So let's make a point to get out of ours and seek out God by seeking those who need Him most.

Light

For the lost - for the hurting

For the broken - the abused

For the stolen - the forgotten

For the victim - the accused

 

For the gone - the survivors

For the saints - for the sinners

For the hurting - for the healing

For the masters - the beginners

 

For the people - the unworthy

For the shattered - the scarred

For all of us facing battles

Wherever you are

 

This candle is for you

This light to lead you forth

God's presence in your life

His peace to guide your course

 

Let it shine for a moment

A breath - an hour - a day

Take from it what you need

Then pass it to another's way

Good Will

I was hungry, and you formed a humanities group to discuss my hunger.
I was imprisoned, and you crept off to your chapel and prayed for my released.
I was naked, and in your mind you debate the morality of my appearance.
I was sick, and you knelt and thanked God for your health.
I was homeless, and you preached to me of the spiritual shelter of the love of God.
I was lonely, and you left me alone to pray for me.
You seem so holy, so close to God, But I am still very hungry – and lonely – and cold.
-Anonymous (Taken from Youth For Christ)


Please don't forget that we are the hands of God in this world. If YOU aren't willing to give even a few hours of your time, a few dollars, or a few prayers, how can you expect anyone else to? There are hundreds of people around you in need of help. If you don't know how to help, call an outreach in your area, a church, a food bank, just try to do your part in spreading not only the Good News but the Good Will that was proclaimed in His Birth.

Modern Slavery

 
Human Trafficking isn’t something you only hear about in movies, or in 3rd world countries, it isn’t something that only affects certain groups or areas. It is everywhere. I live less than 2 hours away from the largest human trafficking ‘hub’ in the entire United States.

Don’t be fooled. Don’t be blind. And don’t be mislead. God gave us His Holy Spirit as our guide, He gave us boldness in His Power and supernatural strength and knowing. WE ARE GIVEN THESE THINGS FOR A REASON. WE DO NOT FEAR AS THE WORLD FEARS – FOR WE SERVE AN ALMIGHTY GOD – AND THROUGH OUR ACTIONS AND OUR BOLDNESS IN THE FACE OF EVIL CAN OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS BE SAVED.

ANYONE CAN HELP. THE FIRST STEP TO SOLVING A PROBLEM IS LEARNING ABOUT IT. I’VE DONE THE WORK FOR YOU…WHAT YOU ARE LED TO DO NEXT IS ON YOU.

1. 99% of victims are not rescued.
2. Approximately 2 to 4 million people are trafficked in and across borders each year.
3. Human trafficking is now a leading source of profits for organized crime, together with drugs and weapons, generating an estimated 9.5 billion dollars per year. – US Department of State: Trafficking in Persons Report, 2007
4. The overwhelming majority of those trafficked are women and children.
5. The average victim is forced to have sex up to 20 times a day.
6. The CIA calculates that profits from one trafficked woman alone average around $250,000 American dollars per year. – Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress, 2007
7. Children are abducted from rural areas and trafficked into a range of exploitive practices which include bonded labor, sexual exploitation, marriage, illicit adoptions, and begging.
8. Young girls, some as young as 12 years old, are forced to work in brothels, massage parlors, prostitution rings, strip clubs, or used to produce pornographic materials.
9. Children are recruited and trafficked to earn money by begging or selling goods.
10. Child beggars are sometimes maimed by their captors to generate sympathy and generosity from potential buyers. –
11. Most victims of sexual exploitation and modern slavery are under 18 years of age –
12. For every 75,000 victims, only 1 trafficker is convicted. –
13. 300,000 children in the U.S. are at risk every year for commercial sexual exploitation. – U .S. Department of Justice
14. An estimated 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States each year. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country is even higher, with an estimated 200,000 American children at risk for trafficking into the sex industry. – U.S Department of Justice Report to Congress from Attorney General John Ashcroft on U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons
15. An estimated 2.5 million children, the majority of them girls, are sexually exploited in the multibillion dollar commercial sex industry
    
    GET INVOLVED. RAISE MONEY FOR ORGANIZATIONS. DONATE YOUR TIME, YOUR RESOURCES, YOUR PRAYERS. YOU CAN HELP. YOU MATTER.

Two Fold

Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Matthew 8:5-17
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour. When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."

Notice, if you will, that the Centurion CAME to Jesus. Many sermons have been told over his faith, of His Belief in Jesus' ultimate control over all things, but I have yet to hear the first part of this message exemplified. You see, he not only had faith, he had ACTION. There was a two-fold process that led them to God. He WENT to Jesus, he stood up, humbled himself to approach Him in beseeching and faith, and went to find him. There was work involved. It wasn't just faith, this man, this man who "didn't deserve God" was brave and humble enough to go out and SEEK HIM. Recall the woman who bled, the one who knew if she merely touched his garment, she would be healed. Can you imagine her pain and weakness?

Picture a mosh pit, a store at Black Friday, a concert to see Bon Jovi - people were pushing, jumping up, struggling to get closer to him, and still, in her weakness, her pain, and her shame, SHE GOT UP and went to SEEK HIM OUT.

Faith alone is not enough, although it is what Jesus says has healed us, there were actions taken in that faith first. God says 'SEEK ME' - the Bible says 'SEEK HIM' - so if you are waiting for your miracle, keep faith, gather your courage, and humble yourself so that you too can SEEK HIM and by your faith you will be made whole.

Faithfulness To God and Of God.

I will admit that when God puts a subject on my heart, the first thing I do is google “Bible verses on _____ ” to get a clear view of many, if not most, of the times we are taught about whatever it may be. Today, it was faithfulness and upon doing my normal look up, I noticed something – of the 25 or 30 verses presented, all of them were either directing us to be faithful to God, or promising us that God would be faithful to us. It is an eternal ‘I scratch your back, your scratch mine’ promise we have entered into, for those of us saved, that if you are faithful to God and what He teaches, He will remain faithful to you in the promises He offers for all who call upon His Name. 

1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Hebrews 10:23 ESV Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Proverbs 3:5 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

1 Samuel 12:24 ESV Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.

Lamentations 3:23 ESV Great is Your faithfulness.

Proverbs 3:3 ESV Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Honesty in the Family

 

With my experience, if you are honest with your kids, we will be honest with you. My mother and father have enlightened me on many aspects of their past and not only have I grown and learned from their experiences, the good and the bad, I have also learned to trust them more than anyone else. I have come to them with everything I am/have done/or wanted to be since I was a kid and if I had to pinpoint why my relationship with them is as strong as it is, it would have to revolve around the fact they were open with me - they revealed their humanity, their Christianity, their faults and their pasts and their faith so there are very few things that are a divider between us.

I guess my main focus is that if you want your children to have an open and trusting relationship with you, be the bigger person and have one with them first.

With my Love and His~ Arial Alexis LionessofGod

In Focus

This is something God has been dealing lately with me over, the concept of keeping things in focus. You see, even since I was eight, my sole goal in life was to be a great woman of God, a good wife, and a loving mother. Since then my goals have obviously developed – now into getting a degree in Christian Psychology and later branching into either US Government/Law/Political Science. Following a career in outreach, advocacy, public affairs. (Who knows, I might even find myself in a Governor or Senate position one day.) All of that is great – the dreams, the hopes, the drive. What isn’t okay is allowing the worries of tomorrow to interfere with today. While all the fine print of those goals is running through my mind and the “If that paper doesn’t come by November I can’t even go to college this Spring even if I was ready and not busy with (insert blank) ” thought peeps in every hour or so, God had to remind me of something very crucial.

I’m publishing a novel – at 17 I have joined the rare rank of professionally published teen adult fiction writers. I have 7 months of development and publishing processes ahead of me, months of local book signings and promotions, and another novel to submit this coming summer – not to mention an entire series I am working on. With all this going on, for some reason I felt the need to start ‘worrying over tomorrow’ – the guy, the career, the family, the school, the car, the house, the lifestyle, – yep the whole nine yards. In my petty humanity (womanity?) I let my mind go out of focus on the here and now.

Jesus promised that we need not worry over certain things of tomorrow. Why waste so much time and energy on it when Our Savior assured us there is no need?

God gives us today – and even that isn’t promised. Carpe Diem may be one of the most overly used statements of the last 2 years, but it is also very true. Keep your thoughts and your actions in focus on what God has you dealing with and has blessed you with right now.

Being Love

From a very dear friend of mine:

"So, I just went out to get an oil change. While waiting and looking out the window I felt a tug on my leg. The most beautiful blue eyed blond, about 4 years old, looked up at me and said, "Are you grandpa." I said sure, I'm everybody's grandpa. She tried to climb up so I picked her up and found a chair to sit down. Soon a young woman, the little girls mother came over and asked, is she bothering you. I said no, but she is looking for her grandpa. Her Mom said, Katies grandpa died in June and she looks for him everyday and everywhere. So i said if it's OK with you, Katie can stay with me till one of has to leave. When that time came, it was the most difficult separation I have ever had. About 30 minutes of absolute heaven."

There is a story about a young boy who once traveled out to find God. He came across a man on a park bench, and ended up spending the whole day with him. Both went home saying they had met God that day. We sometimes forget that we can be God. Not play God. Not claim any Glory. But be God's hand in the world. That little girl got to spend a few precious moments with her 'grandpa' - she got to feel that love and protection again. My dear dear friend got to be God. He had the beautiful chance to be someone's glimpse of Love.

Now, if only the rest of us would learn to slow down and gently seize the same chances God gives us every day, the world would not be such a dire place, if only the people of God would learn to be the hands of God.

Relationships start with the Parents

We need to teach our daughters to distinguish between:
A man who flatters her -and a man who compliments her.
A man who spends money on her -and a man who invests in her.
A man who views her as property-and a man who views her properly.
A man who lusts after her - and a man who loves her.
A man who believes he is God's gift to women - and a man who remembers a woman was God's gift to man.

...And then teach our boys to be that kind of a man.

Promise of God

Photo rights to copywrite holder.

 “Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence, assured of His glad welcome.” Ephesians 3:12

" I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." John 12:46 

" Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 

" God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1 

" I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart ! I have overcome the world ! " John 16:33 

" Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28

" He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak " Isaiah 40:29 

" Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine" Isaiah 43:1

" I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life." John 6:47 

" And this is what he promises us--even eternal life ." 1 John 2:25 

" Jesus said: 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies'....." John 11:25

 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" Heb.11:1

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" Gal. 3:26

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Deut.7:9

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be moved, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed." Isaiah 54:10

" I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

" I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them, I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Cor. 2:9 

"...the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! " Isaiah 30:18 

" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27 

" And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:7

" Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." Jeremiah 29:12

"The Lord will keep you from all harm--he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:7, 8 

" When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:1,2

 " But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour. " Titus 3:4-6

 " Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3: 5,6 

"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust...." Psalm 40:4

"For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:5

" All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training and righteousness. " 2 Tim.3:15.16 

" The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 

" Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. " Acts 20:32

Trials in Life

1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

 

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

James 1:2-8 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 

Firstly

Whenever I am asked what I want most in a guy (specifically, my 'One) I always say "That he puts God first." Depending on who asked, their questions range from "That's it? You don't even have a 'type'?" or "But what about someone who shares your passion for ___, outreach, writing, kids, etc?"

My response, no matter who asked is always "If he is able to put God first, I know he will have everything else in his life where it needs to be, including me. That is really all that matters."

I would like to encourage all of you, those who are waiting for their Someone's (you know who you are) to not become discouraged. So often you are met with temptation, ridicule, and questioning, but if you believe in God, then you must believe in His Plan and His Timing in ALL things, including your love life. I am no where near perfect in this or any matter, but Sanctification in God is a process, a daily, hourly battle against the world and the desires in us to align with what He ultimately designed. God has promised it is not good for man to be alone, so draw closer to Him, make Him the Lord of your Life, and soon you might just find yourself being led towards your One.

For we are God's handiwork, recreated in Christ Jesus, born anew that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them, living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live. Ephesians 2: 10 

*Not KJV version, alternate version for easier understanding*

Unite the Body

And sadly, so much of the world has attached so much biased to the word Christian, that the entire MESSAGE of the LIFESTYLE and the FAITH of it has been lost. We've got the resources to bring people together now more than we ever have before, to unite the Body of Christ and purify what we stand for - to make our INDIVIDUAL lives a living testimony to God - but we are so busy arguing among ourselves the rest of the world rolls this eyes and says "Yea, that's one hypocritical mess I'm staying out of" when we should simply shush up, look up, listen up, and move up to what HE said, not what we think! Yes, I will never apologize for Jesus, but it kills me that so many have contorted His Image through their own 'Interpretations' - to the point that Christian is nothing more than a label.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks

, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

A Change in the Itinerary

Only 2 days ago I was sure I was about to be in DC to support the people of Israel. I was in the airport at 8 am - awaiting my 9:30 flight. I'd been packed for 2 weeks, and had been waiting for almost 6 months for that day. Then the plane was delayed till noon, and so I went home only to return, say my goodbyes, board the plane, and await take off. Not 5 minutes later, the plane literally shut completely down due to a rear engine failure. Assured it would be fixed soon, we de-boarded and went back into the terminal.

2 hours later, it is 4 pm and we - an entire roomful of people who have been waiting all day, some since 6 am, to leave are still stranded. The plane mechanic hadn't even showed up. Delta attempted to arrange for a new plane, to find there was none. (How? I have no idea... How one of the largest commercial flyers can't get a plane from north Ga. to Atlanta is beyond me.) It was then 4:30 pm and I was overcome with distress.

I should have been in DC by 2. I should have been in my hotel room getting ready for the first meeting. I should have been meeting up with all the kids I met on fb in the lobby. I should have been talking with the young man who flew all the way from Thailand to attend. So why wasn't I? Why was I - who had received a scholarship to go to the would-be biggest event of my life - not there? Delayed planes, broken planes, no planes, they all played a part - but believe me when I say if it could have gone wrong, it did. So there I was. Grounded in the most simple of terms. There was no physical way for me to make it to DC (unless I was to take then "Let's put all 70 of you on a greyhound bus for 4-5 hours just to get to Atlanta" option.)

It was painful to admit, and even more disappointing, to think that perhaps God didn't want me there. He had pretty much done everything possible to make sure I didn't even get out of the terminal. All signs up until that point were a go. Everything had come together perfectly, but at the very last moment, the walls caved in (and a jet engine randomly broke down...)

I would have to be blind to not see it. With my parents council and my own choice (a bitter, if resentful one at the time) I made the choice that had literally already been made for me. I was not going to DC.

Now I'm sure there is a message here - perhaps God has revealed to you yours, but right now, I'm still dealing with the thought that I'm not there, even if I am where He so obviously wants me to be. (Which happens to be helping my family move. How we are managing to do it using only a minivan and a F-150 truck is a miracle in itself.)

All in all, I am happy to know His Angels are watching out for things I don't see, and are going to great lengths to keep me from where I wanted - but do not need - to go.

Angels

We are never alone....

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" Psalm 91:11

“Rejoice with him, you heavens, and let all of God’s angels worship him. Rejoice with his people, you nations,and let all the angels be strengthened in him. For he will avenge the blood of his servants;he will take revenge against his enemies. He will repay those who hate him and cleanse the land for his people.” Deuteronomy 32:43 

“You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you." Nehemiah 9:6 

"The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will  gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness" Matthew 13:41 

"So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous" Matthew 13:49 

"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matthew 24:31 

"Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God" Luke 12:8 

"And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." John 1:51 

"I , John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me." But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" Revelation 22:8-9 

"I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke." Isaiah 6:1-4 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13-14

 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. Matthew 4:11

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. Matthew 28:2

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:38 

 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Psalms 148:1-2

Chain Reactions

For every action, there is a reaction. Now, we can't always control the situations we find ourselves in, but we do control how we react. We have the power to change the outcome of an event by simply answering it in a tone no one would expect us to use, or by taking a road no one else would have thought to take. Have you been wronged recently? Maybe it was something very painful - maybe it was as simple as your dog keeping you up all night - but SOMETHING happened today that you had to react to. So my question is...

How did you react? Did you mimic the attitude of the action - did you go through your day bitter, upset or miffed - or did you realize there are much bigger things to occupy your time with and move on? Did you know that even your reactions can cause reactions? It might sound silly, but it is true. How you go about your day has a direct effect on those around you. If you wake up and make a point to be in a good mood, your family will sense your joy and begin to mimic it. If you walk into work with a simple 'Good morning!' and a smile, your co-workers might just get out of their 'funk'.

You have the power to create a whole new chain of reactions - based on your reactions! Take hold of it - use it!

His Voice

Discernment:. 1.) the faculty of discerning;  discrimination; acuteness of judgment and understanding.

2.) the act or an instance of discerning.

We have to learn - before we can even OBEY God, to HEAR Him. The Voice of God will never contradict the Word of God (the Bible) so the first step is the know the Word. To get still, shut out the arguments, distractions, and petty worries of the world, and seek His Voice within the Bible, the council of others, and within ourselves. The Bible contains many verses on God's direction and how we can learn to discern His urging from the wanton arguments our flesh poses against it.

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many (great) waters. Psalm 29: 3

The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory! Psalm 29: 9

When you are in tribulation and all these things come upon you, in the latter days you will turn to the Lord your God and be obedient to His voice. Deuteronomy 4: 30

If only you carefully listen to the voice of the Lord your God, to do watchfully all these commandments which I command you this day. Deuteronomy 15: 5

The mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and calls the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Psalm 50: 1

And the voice came to him again a second time, What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, do not you defile and profane by regarding and calling common and unhallowed or unclean. Acts 10: 15

You shall walk after the Lord your God and [reverently] fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 13: 4

And nothing of the accursed thing shall cling to your hand, so that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of His anger, and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as He swore to your fathers, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep all His commandments which I command you this day, to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 13: 17-18

Saying, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God and will do what is right in His sight, and will listen to and obey His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord Who heals you. Exodus 15: 26

Believe Me when I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the time is coming and is here now when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear it shall live. John 5: 25

Reconciliation

I have a feeling this passage, or verses from it, have been on LOG before, but right now, this verse is speaking to me so profoundly, I need to share. You see, we can complicate Jesus' coming so easily, when this simple passage lays the purpose, and the prize, to what He did for us. Jesus came to REUNITE us with God. Don't you see it? That means we, personally, were already with Him, before our birth, and Jesus came so that while we were on Earth, we would not stray. Isn't that mindblowing? Just to think, you were once with God, and every day you can choose to regain that standing, one choice, one prayer, and one reconciliation at a time.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21  Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

21He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Purify Your Mind

Philippians 1:9-11 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 2:14-16 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation." Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Psalm 24:3-5  Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who do not put their trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior.

Psalm 51:9-11  Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Proverbs 16:2 People may think all their ways are pure, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Timothy 2:22-23  Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.

James 3:17  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

1 John 3:2-3 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Don't allow your mind to be infected by the world! To refrain our actions is one thing, but to rein in our thoughts is a whole new battle, one that by the Amour of God, you are able to fight and defeat! These verses were written to encourage us to seek to be righteous in all ways – even down to our inner most thoughts and desires. The Bible is full of these, I have only selected a few, but I encourage you to continue to research this and seek God’s direction, correction, and purification in this matter.

Today

Do what you can do, and God will do what you cannot do. ~

I’ve heard this a few times over my life, and right now I know I need it, so perhaps you do too. I recently turned 17, and have just finished high school (I was homeschooled using the Alpha Omega program,) and this means I will start online college soon. I have gone back and forth over majors the last 2 years or so, but now I am in deep prayer over taking a Christian Law major and Christian Psychology minor with Regent University. I am also in the process of publishing a ‘sci-fi’ novel I wrote, having just mailed in the contract this week, am interning with a marketing company with the US Army, writing my third novel, and obviously, continuing my outreach and first love of blogging for all of you. My weeks are getting busy, temptations are everywhere, and I am in line to make many life altering decisions in the next few months.

As I always do, I went to my mother for guidance on the best possible route for my education. I have aspirations of joining the American Government in the form of a Representative or Senator for a state in the USA. At the very least I plan to write novels and books, both fiction and non fiction, that will open people’s eyes to things they did not think of before. God has placed it on my heart to take in foster children one day, to have a family and a husband whom I am waiting for, to help people… All in all, the sole desire of my heart is to make a difference in the world. And here is where His Wisdom comes in – through my mother’s words, “YOU CAN AND ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE RIGHT NOW.”  

It doesn’t take a college degree, a pedestal, a pulpit, or even much effort. All it takes is being a Christian, living your life as a Light for Him. The fine print and the many things I want to accomplish, the countless things you have done, will do, or want to is all paling in comparison to the Great and Perfect plan. Today, regardless of where we stand, you and I are given, by God, the opportunity to make a change in the world. It is so easy to forget how much our ACTIONS have power, how our choices and interactions with other people can change things – How smiling and saying ‘How are you?’ can not only brighten someone else’s day, but our own. --- The time for my degrees, book signings, and possibly Seats in the House will come, but until that day, should He appoint it, I vow to never let a single hour be wasted, and I encourage you to take this war against procrastination, fear, doubt, and cowardly inaction on with me. God’s plan doesn’t have a begin and end – 

TODAY COUNTS.

Today matters.

Today can change things.

God, the Dentist.

     Like many people, before I am about to go to the dentist, (like today) I always make sure to take extra special care to clean my teeth. Ridiculous right? That's like cleaning your house before a maid comes or taking a shower before taking a bath. The Dentist's whole purpose is to clean and check out teeth and mouth, but we are abstinent on making sure we are in the best possible condition prior to seeing them. 

     As silly as this is, there is a message here, one God practically slapped onto my brain...

    When you come before God - He does not expect you to have already taken care of yourself. He doesn't expect a flawless past and a clear mindset. He is our healer. He is our savior. It is ok to go before God broken and in pain, it is ok to cry out in anguish and agony, it is ok to be weak... No one expects you to be perfect, especcially God. He knows all your faults and though they might grieve His Spirit, He is still willing in His great mercy, to forgive you if you ask for His Grace and repent. He is willing to mend the wounds your choices have led you to inflict upon yourself. He is capable of sheilding you from the world and leading you, should you choose to follow Him, to a place He has set aside for you and a purpose only you are capable of fullfilling.

    He will fix you. You are not required to get your life in order before stiding up to His Throne - all you must do is crawl to an altar, professing your weakness and submission to His Spirit and power, and He will take care of the rest, one commandment for you to follow and concenant for Him to renew at a time. Open up, let Him see all of the 'junk' and He will begin to slowly and carefully peel it away.

Proverbs 4:20-22  My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.

Guilt–a double edged blade

Guilt will separate you from God. If you allow it into your life and spend each moment in remorse from your sin, you are driving yourself farther from God. God can use guilt to get you to recognize a wrong, but if you for even a moment think that your sin was so great, God has shunned you, if you think you can never be forgiven, then that guilt is a lie, one meant to divide you from His presence. It is only designed to bring you to your knees, not to hold you there in your past wrongs like an anchor tied to your ankles, dragging you down into darkness. You MUST confess your sin and turn away from it, repent to God, and MOVE FORWARD. Don't allow your past to drown you. Don't allow yesterday to live on. Break the chains around your feet with the purification of His Blood and His Grace.

Seek God. Repent. Pray for Change and ACT on it.

God loves you. He offers Grace. Take it. Live.

 Psalm 86:4-5 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Psalm 103:8-12 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

 

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

 

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

 

Ephesians 1:7-10 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

 

Colossians 1:13-14 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

God loves you. He wants to bring you out of the pain and guilt of your past and into the Grace and Guidance only He can give.

Live it.

I have been working in a marketing office for 12 weeks, two days a week. I have spent 180 hours surrounded by a group of seven individuals, writing articles with them for magazines, emails, designing posters, the whole deal. Yet I had no idea their spiritual ‘status’. . . For all the time I had spent with them, nothing they did or spoke of told me anything about their view or life of Christianity, even though I make my beliefs clear. (My very email contains ‘LionessofGod’ in it.)

This made me wonder, how is it I could have talked and worked with them for this long, and only once have heard one of them say “yeah, my church did an egg hunt for Easter” and that be the end of it?? I know for a fact at least 2 of them “go to church” but if that is all I know, what does that say about their walk with God? Think about it, my fellow Lions. People should KNOW your citizenship to the Kingdom of the Lord by more than a passing comment or your facebook profile. How many of the people you are surrounded by everyday are Christians? Do you even know? Have you looked?

Better question – Do they know You are One?

If you don’t reflect the love and life of Jesus Christ in EVERY aspect of your own life, how can you claim to be a Christian, a vessel of His Glory, while hiding behind the status-quo of ‘politically correct’? If you offend someone simply for saying “I believe in God.” then they are the ones with the issue, one they will eventually take up with Him. At the same time, while one of your companions is grinding their teeth and shunning you, another might have desperately needed to know they are not alone, that you have God’s love in your life, a love you are called to share with them.

Don’t ever, ever, ever say “This just isn’t the place to bring up Religion.” If you know anything about God and Jesus’ mission on earth, you know it has absolutely nothing to do with Religion. God put you where you are for a reason, wherever that may be, to be to be Lions in a world permeated with fear, Love in a world polluted with hate, and Light in a world cast in darkness.

If you don’t put God into Every situation, and live for Him in ALL you do, then how can you expect Him to have power over it, and over the darkness around you, if you won’t even address Him when you are there?

With my Love and His~ Arial Alexis LionessofGod
PS: See This Link to a former post that addresses a similar topic on leading a Sanctified, Christian Life.

Kids = Gift of God

This post is a bit different than I have done in the past, but this needs to be told. The state of the world can be changed by a very specific group of people, who hold the future in their hands. The PARENTS.

Yesterday I watched as a young couple argued in my kitchen over why their 3 year old daughter is stand offish towards her father. The mother says "She hates him! For good reason too! He called her an ugly baby! He'd make faces to get her to cry! (Child's name) just hates him!" Meanwhile the poor little girl is sitting on her mom's hip.

Now I'm not a parent, but I am a Child. And of the MANY things wrong in this situation, I will name a few.

1.) Never criticize your spouse in front of your child. If we are old enough to understand words, we will remember. Daddy is our knight in shining armor (even if you are fully convinced it is only tin foil) and mommy is perfect. She is warm and soft and is made of hugs. Respect each other and we will grow to respect you.

2.) Your baby is never ugly.

3.) If you make babies cry I hope your face freezes that way. -.-

4.) Last but not least, my kitchen is not a therapy room. Not for you. My kitchen is my therapy. My facebook is yours. ;) See my FB here!

Psalm 113:9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children.Praise the LORD!

Psalm 127:3-5  Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 139:13-16  For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

John 16:21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

For you.

Jesus died for you. He died so you - so WE - in all our sin, in all our pain and shortcomings, could one day stand in the presence of God, by offering Himself as a sacrifice for the Grace of God. In His Death and Resurrection, He has given us the chance to change, the chance to LIVE. He 'tore the veil' separating us from God by becoming the ultimate sacrifice needed to atone (make right) our sins. He did all this - He suffered, He died, He taught in Hell for 3 days apart from God's Spirit, and finally rose again, a victor over death and the Devil - all for YOU. 

Romans 1:4-5

And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles (outsiders, unbelievers) everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to His name.

Romans 6:8-11

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus 

1 Peter 1:13-25

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Matthew 20:28

"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"

Hebrews 2:14-15

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

1 Peter 2:24

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

1 John 2:2

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Humility in the Bible

We must all strive to be as Christ was, that is what it is to be Christian, and this week, I would encourage you to study these verses, translated into the NEW ENGLISH VERSION for universal understanding. These are only a handful of those in the Bible that speak over Humility, God’s blessings for those who are humble, and the folly’s of those who aren’t. To humble yourself is to:

1.) KNOW you are NOTHING without GOD.

2.) ALLOW GOD to do with you whatever HE chooses and follow Him unconditionally, with no thoughts to your own power, but complete submission to HIS.

1 Peter 5:6 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Philippians 2:3-11 

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ...

James 4:6 

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Matthew 23:12 

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Ephesians 2:8-9 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

2 Corinthians 11:30 

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

Luke 18:9-14 

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ...

1 Peter 5:5 

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Micah 6:8

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Proverbs 16:18 

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Deuteronomy 8:2 

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

James 4:10

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

James 2:24 

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Ephesians 4:31-32 

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Philippians 2:5-8 

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Honor our Parents. Honor our “Father”

Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you. ~ Exodus 20:12

I am merely 16 years old, and I still remember when my mother had this bible verse (and the various others like it) printed and hung on our refrigerator. I strive to live by it, and can honestly say so far in my life is has remained true, and I encourage all of you to live by it as well. [Even if your parents are no longer with you, God is your Father as well ♥ The Bible contains many promises to those who are willing to put aside the world and the Flesh and live as Jesus told us to.]

Teach your children to do the same. My mother and father can attest to the fact I was a stubborn child, a character trait I am using to His Glory now, ;) --- But God provides parents wisdom to teach their children, as He will to you if you seek Him. And if anyone would like me to talk to your children, on this or any other matter, on a teen-to-teen level, I would be happy to.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise – that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life. ~Ephesians 6:1-3

To be Sanctified. To be Christian.

     If there is one thing God has been putting on my heart to write about, it is how to be a "Christian." There will be no such talk of denominations; Protestant, Methodist or Baptist. There will be no political or worldwide secularism or sugarcoating. This is about being a reflection of Christ. To be CHRIST LIKE. To be Christian. 

      When we first pray God into our lives, we are saved. Our sins have been made white as snow, we are one of God's children. 

     But it doesn't end there. When Jesus said "It is Finished," He was talking about HIS part of the deal. He got us saved. Now it is time to be Sanctified. When we begin the The Process of Sanctification, we have to remove the sin and the darkness from our lives, and be as Jesus was, pure, and holy (sanctified.)  No one but Jesus will ever truly become so on this earth, but to be a Christian, is to live as one within this process of becoming as He was. It means to stand for righteousness within the world, and in your own home. It means to live your life as an act of love, hating evil, and serving Him. It means to speak with calm and wisdom, so "that none might have bad things against you" (so said Paul.) It means to rid yourself of fortification, gluttony, lies, hatred, greed, lust, envy, and all these things we so often follow our flesh into. You have to really think about every choice you make, be it the people you associate with, the music you listen to, the movies you watch, the things you say, the jokes you tell, the comments you make, the thoughts you think, the actions you take, and pray and focus on what God would have you do in every situation. 

    It takes work. It takes effort. It takes time. But like all things, if you reap, you will sow. If you make progress towards living a saved and sanctified life through God and Jesus Christ, you will see the benefits of His Presence in your life, and His Peace in knowing you are living the way you should be. 

    Sanctification starts the moment you repent for your past, and ends the moment you rest in His Presence, but right now, for you, while you read this, it can begin anew. You can live as a CHRISTIAN. You have been granted this minute, this hour, this day, by God, and should treat it as a gift. We need to USE it. If you want to see your life change, make the effort and the sacrifice needed. God sees your efforts, and by following Him, you are in His Protection, and you are 'setting yourself up for' all the blessings He has placed aside for you.

2nd Thess. 2:13 “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth.”

Eyes on TRUTH

Mathew 7:15-23
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20“So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Keep your eyes on God and allow His Truth and His Word to be the Rock on which you stand and the standard that you judge by. Many will say they speak the truth but if their truth does not perfectly align with HIS --- then it is nothing other than a LIE. The Bible is the SOLE and ONLY truth. Never sacrifice your faith to deceit, but search through what He has said and seek Him in your spirit, and let His Spirit’s conviction reveal the TRUTH that God is GOD, Jesus is His Son, and by Him we are saved!!

Love in the Bible.

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:37-39  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

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.

Love One Another

Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Galatians 5:13  For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Ephesians 4:2 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Jesus speaks over LOVE.

Matthew 5:43-48  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Mark 12:28-30 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

John 14:21-24 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”  Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him,  “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

John 15:9-17 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

(Romantic) Love

Song of Solomon 8:6-7 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

Ephesians 4:2-3 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Philippians 2:2 Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Proverbs / Psalms

Psalm 23:5-6 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 31:16 Make your face shine on your servant;  save me in your steadfast love!

Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.