The Bible tells us in Proverbs 14:15,
"A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps."
Have you ever sat down with God and asked Him to show you what your true beliefs are? Or, have you gone through your life as a Christian believing what others tell you to believe? I think we have all started out our walk with God trusting that our church family knows everything and that we should just follow in their footsteps. Most things are very easily determined. Like, it's easy to know that God does not want us to murder, lie, cheat, steal, lust, or covet. He wants us to 'serve Him and others' and He wants us to 'love our neighbor as ourselves'. But, what do you tend to do when someone speaks "truth" into your life and it just doesn't feel right? That's where God, the Holy Spirit, comes in. Acts 1:5 tells us, "For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." The word baptized means to cleanse spiritually; initiate or dedicate by purifying. So, when we receive the gift of salvation, we are purified by the Holy Spirit in our spiritual beings. Therefore, God, the Holy Spirit, living IN US guides our steps and thoughts. When something is said or done that you have an uneasy feeling about, that is more than likely the Holy Spirit nudging you to take the time to "give thought to your steps."
I hate to use Halloween as an example, but that's what is on my heart at this time. For 17 years I have had an uneasy feeling about Halloween and it's symbolism. Again, God, the Holy Spirit was speaking to us, not necessarily what He would say to everyone. I'm not the one to make that decision. But, for our family, it was not the right thing to do by "celebrating" or "participating" in what we believe to be "fruitless deeds of darkness." We believe that the powers and principalities of darkness (hell) are roaming around on this night in more abundance than usual. They want to kill, steal, and destroy! This is their night, their big NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY! We tend to want to believe that all the spooky things we've heard about demons and satan are just stories, but they are very real. When we become Christians, our spirit is consumed with God's Holy Spirit and physically, spiritually, and emotionally cannot feel good about being a partner to such unholy things. It is my personal opinion that ALL Christians have this uneasy feeling, but rather choose to ignore it like I did for so many years. And, that's okay! God will purify us all in HIS TIMING! Anyway...all that to show that the Holy Spirit, living in us, guides our steps and allows us to choose for ourselves what is right and what is not. Pay close attention to that small voice inside your head that gives you an undeniable uneasy feeling. Recognize it for what it is, pray that God will speak to you in a clear voice with no distractions from the enemy. He will show you what your personal beliefs are! Choose to line your entire being up with those things which are of God and not of this world. Sometimes it makes us feel like we are different from everyone else, but stand firm in your faith. We are called to be imitators of Christ. We cannot accomplish this task if we are not in tune to His voice. If you don't think you hear from God, pray. Ask Him to reveal things to you in a more clear manner. He will do it. He loves you and will show you HIS ways.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Why we choose not to celebrate Halloween...
It's that time of year again. For the most part, Christians struggle with this holiday every year. Then, pushing aside all of our beliefs for one night, we trudge through the night of "tricks and treats" asking forgiveness the next day. That's exactly what we have done for many years. The small voice inside our heads, which IS God, was telling us that we should not have anything to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness (satan), but rather EXPOSE THEM, Ephesians 5:11. Now, I'm not saying that everyone who dresses up and goes out on Halloween is bad. I'm saying that, as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit in us to guide us in our everyday lives. He tells us individually when we are against His word. Our convicitions have led us to a place of complete submissiveness to Christ. We are certainly not perfect, nor are we comletely "purified", but our heart's desire is to be like Christ, to become PURIFIED!
For us, Halloween represents a day that is set aside in the spiritual realm to celebrate satan and his followers. It is a night where people once celebrated the dead, and still do! Not those cute little children dressed up in cartoon character costumes running around your neighborhood yelling, "Trick or Treat", but the ones in the world who choose to put satan as their god, instead of Christ. Our war is against the powers and principalities of darkness, not against people. We cannot stand by and watch little minds begin to think that ghosts and goblins are cute and funny. THEY ARE NOT! They sneak into our everyday lives and they have come to kill, steal, and destroy us! They do not want us to focus our thoughts on Christ, but on the worldly things. Originally, people dressed up in costumes in order to pretend to be demons, so that they would blend in with the dark world. As imitators of Christ, why would we want to pretend to be demons? Now, I don't think that "Pooh Bear" or "Cinderella" looks like a demon, but could it be that we are teaching our children that we need something more than Christ to come against satan? I don't know. But, I do know... As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD...24/7...365! No exceptions! I urge you, therefore, to research this holiday for yourselves and PRAY, asking God to show you what your own convictions are. Also, whether you "celebrate" or not, pray on this night AGAINST THE POWERS OF DARKNESS.
It is our prayer that the powers of darkness be flooded with the light of Christ this October 31st so much that they would not be able to penetrate it! God, continue to show us each and every day of the year what YOUR desires are for us as Christ followers. In Jesus' name, AMEN.
For us, Halloween represents a day that is set aside in the spiritual realm to celebrate satan and his followers. It is a night where people once celebrated the dead, and still do! Not those cute little children dressed up in cartoon character costumes running around your neighborhood yelling, "Trick or Treat", but the ones in the world who choose to put satan as their god, instead of Christ. Our war is against the powers and principalities of darkness, not against people. We cannot stand by and watch little minds begin to think that ghosts and goblins are cute and funny. THEY ARE NOT! They sneak into our everyday lives and they have come to kill, steal, and destroy us! They do not want us to focus our thoughts on Christ, but on the worldly things. Originally, people dressed up in costumes in order to pretend to be demons, so that they would blend in with the dark world. As imitators of Christ, why would we want to pretend to be demons? Now, I don't think that "Pooh Bear" or "Cinderella" looks like a demon, but could it be that we are teaching our children that we need something more than Christ to come against satan? I don't know. But, I do know... As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD...24/7...365! No exceptions! I urge you, therefore, to research this holiday for yourselves and PRAY, asking God to show you what your own convictions are. Also, whether you "celebrate" or not, pray on this night AGAINST THE POWERS OF DARKNESS.
It is our prayer that the powers of darkness be flooded with the light of Christ this October 31st so much that they would not be able to penetrate it! God, continue to show us each and every day of the year what YOUR desires are for us as Christ followers. In Jesus' name, AMEN.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Our First Event!!!
Our Board of Directors has officially decided upon a date for our very first event! No specifics on the event are given at this time, but it will be held DECEMBER 31, 2008!! Please continue in prayer with us as we seek God's leading... more info to come.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Purified!
What does it mean to be "purified?"
The dictionary defines the word purified as:
to become pure, free from evil (sin), to rid of foreign or objectionable objects
To become purified we must search within our souls, not our flesh. Our flesh will never become purified because of sin in the world. But, our soul, THROUGH CHRIST, can become purified more and more each day. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, His Holy Spirit enters our soul and begins the purification. We then have the ability to be PURE and FREE FROM SIN, but because we have a human nature within our minds, it's difficult to become purified until the day of CHRIST JESUS, when we no longer have the flesh. The closer we become to Christ, the more we will become purified. If you have a sincere desire to be like Christ, you will begin to be more and more like Him and, therefore, become PURIFIED!
The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 1:22..."now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." So, it means that we can only obey the command from God in Matthew 22:39 to love our neighbor as ourselves by obeying the truth! Of course, the TRUTH is the Holy Bible, nothing more, and nothing less.
The Bible also tells us in Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
We know that we all sin, probably on a daily basis. There are sins in the Bible that are plain and simple for us to understand, but there are also some "gray areas" that only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us individually. You will see and feel this in the form of conviction. Please do not confuse "conviction" with "guilt." You will not receive guilt from the Lord, but a peaceful feeling of conviction that you should stop doing something or even start doing something. One way that I can discern the voice of the Lord from the voice of my flesh (satan) is that the Lord will speak to me in a calm, peaceful way, and in the first person, such as "I really should quit doing this." It will never feel condeming or guilty, but convicted. When I know my flesh is speaking, I will hear it in the second person, such as "You should really quit doing this." It will be more like revelation in your mind that you have the ability to stop or start whatever it is that you need to stop or start. This all sounds very confusing as I even type it, but I hope that God can reveal it to you in a very clear way.
Before I quit, one final thought...
Satan cannot hear what you think or say in your mind, but only what you say and pray out loud! Keep that in mind when talking to God! Satan loves to listen to your prayers and use them against you!!
Love to you all,
Melanie
The dictionary defines the word purified as:
to become pure, free from evil (sin), to rid of foreign or objectionable objects
To become purified we must search within our souls, not our flesh. Our flesh will never become purified because of sin in the world. But, our soul, THROUGH CHRIST, can become purified more and more each day. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, His Holy Spirit enters our soul and begins the purification. We then have the ability to be PURE and FREE FROM SIN, but because we have a human nature within our minds, it's difficult to become purified until the day of CHRIST JESUS, when we no longer have the flesh. The closer we become to Christ, the more we will become purified. If you have a sincere desire to be like Christ, you will begin to be more and more like Him and, therefore, become PURIFIED!
The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 1:22..."now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." So, it means that we can only obey the command from God in Matthew 22:39 to love our neighbor as ourselves by obeying the truth! Of course, the TRUTH is the Holy Bible, nothing more, and nothing less.
The Bible also tells us in Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
We know that we all sin, probably on a daily basis. There are sins in the Bible that are plain and simple for us to understand, but there are also some "gray areas" that only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us individually. You will see and feel this in the form of conviction. Please do not confuse "conviction" with "guilt." You will not receive guilt from the Lord, but a peaceful feeling of conviction that you should stop doing something or even start doing something. One way that I can discern the voice of the Lord from the voice of my flesh (satan) is that the Lord will speak to me in a calm, peaceful way, and in the first person, such as "I really should quit doing this." It will never feel condeming or guilty, but convicted. When I know my flesh is speaking, I will hear it in the second person, such as "You should really quit doing this." It will be more like revelation in your mind that you have the ability to stop or start whatever it is that you need to stop or start. This all sounds very confusing as I even type it, but I hope that God can reveal it to you in a very clear way.
Before I quit, one final thought...
Satan cannot hear what you think or say in your mind, but only what you say and pray out loud! Keep that in mind when talking to God! Satan loves to listen to your prayers and use them against you!!
Love to you all,
Melanie
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Shall I pass the test?
Today, I received a special verse from the Lord. It was Deuteronomy 8:2 which says,
You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
I will be 40 years old in January. He speaks this to me letting me know that everything that has happened in my life leads to a very special moment after 40 years. God has been leading us to this moment for a long time. I believe what He is about to trust us with is such an AWESOME thing, that I sometimes find it hard to believe that He would trust us with such a task. He wants to use us to further His Kingdom! What a responsibility! I cannot even fathom that He would "Send me!"
I can't wait to see what all He has in store for our family through this ministry!
God is Good! All the time!!
You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
I will be 40 years old in January. He speaks this to me letting me know that everything that has happened in my life leads to a very special moment after 40 years. God has been leading us to this moment for a long time. I believe what He is about to trust us with is such an AWESOME thing, that I sometimes find it hard to believe that He would trust us with such a task. He wants to use us to further His Kingdom! What a responsibility! I cannot even fathom that He would "Send me!"
I can't wait to see what all He has in store for our family through this ministry!
God is Good! All the time!!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Spirit of Rejection?
We have all felt rejection in some form in our lives. Whether it be from a friend, relative, or co-worker, it never feels good. Let it be a goal in our lives to be sure that others do not feel rejected by us! Often we don't even realize that we are inflicting others with the spirit of rejection.
Rejection can begin in the womb. Maybe you, or someone you know, is facing an unwanted pregnancy. We should remember that EVERY life is a gift from God, no matter what the circumstances are here on earth that led to this life. God sends all babies to earth for a purpose and we should always remember that. So, always rejoice in the miracle of a baby. The Bible says, "before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." God creates life BEFORE he allows us the awesome opportunity to nurture it here on earth. If we focus on the circumstances, instead of the blessing, by believing that a baby is not wanted, then we are allowing satan to bring a spirit of rejection to that child that could possibly affect him or her for life.
Another way we can bind this spirit of rejection is by welcoming everyone into your circle of friends instead of making them feel like you belong to a "clique" that they are not welcome in. When a new person comes to church or school, be sure to talk to them and make them feel comfortable. Show them around and get to know the person...just like you would want them to do if you were the new one! It's so difficult to go to a new school or church, especially when you don't know anyone. And, if you already suffer from fear of rejection (most of us do!!) it's almost impossible to overcome if you are rejected by that group of girls or guys that all hang together, cutting up and having fun. And, remember that just because someone seems "different" than you, we are all created by the same God and in HIS image.
Please let us know if you need help in this area. There are so many small things we can do to make sure everyone feels welcome. May we all strive to be more like Jesus! He was drawn to the "different" people of this world and desired to minister the love of His Father to them!
Rejection can begin in the womb. Maybe you, or someone you know, is facing an unwanted pregnancy. We should remember that EVERY life is a gift from God, no matter what the circumstances are here on earth that led to this life. God sends all babies to earth for a purpose and we should always remember that. So, always rejoice in the miracle of a baby. The Bible says, "before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." God creates life BEFORE he allows us the awesome opportunity to nurture it here on earth. If we focus on the circumstances, instead of the blessing, by believing that a baby is not wanted, then we are allowing satan to bring a spirit of rejection to that child that could possibly affect him or her for life.
Another way we can bind this spirit of rejection is by welcoming everyone into your circle of friends instead of making them feel like you belong to a "clique" that they are not welcome in. When a new person comes to church or school, be sure to talk to them and make them feel comfortable. Show them around and get to know the person...just like you would want them to do if you were the new one! It's so difficult to go to a new school or church, especially when you don't know anyone. And, if you already suffer from fear of rejection (most of us do!!) it's almost impossible to overcome if you are rejected by that group of girls or guys that all hang together, cutting up and having fun. And, remember that just because someone seems "different" than you, we are all created by the same God and in HIS image.
Please let us know if you need help in this area. There are so many small things we can do to make sure everyone feels welcome. May we all strive to be more like Jesus! He was drawn to the "different" people of this world and desired to minister the love of His Father to them!
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