Does My Talk Measure Up To My Walk?

My dad used to tell me "Do as I say not as I do!" So my thoughts were if it was good enough for him then why not me! Many years have passed since those days and now I am faced with the question of my spiritual growth. Am I applying my dad's philosophy or am I truly setting the example of my talk with my walk? Am I walking out in faith and allowing Holy Spirit guide me in the darkness of life?

Am I faith walking on unknown paths being confident that the Lord is with me-leading and guiding me each and every step? I often ask the question "What are you believing for?", "Having faith in?", or "Having faith for?" If we are not using the measure of faith we have, we will become stagnate and begin to rely on what we naturally know.

Unfortunately, it takes a challenge in my life to cause my faith to rise. Sometimes it is an illness that comes to me or to a loved one. Then a burden arises and I begin to exercise my faith. Or on other occasions, I begin to have a burden for a nation, a people, or a community!

In the natural I see evil, sickness, disobedience, and ignorance of the Gospel. But with my inner eye I begin to see what "could" be then "will" be and slowly Holy Spirit begins to blow the winds of truth and freedom over His people. The vale is torn, eyes are opened, and freedom comes as His Kingdom is displayed.

Today I ask, Lord keep me focused on the cross. Help me to remain childlike, simple, and trusting so I may receive Your truths and that You may form and produce Your wonders throughout this land. (Matthew 11:25)

Help me to continue to do those things I know to do; while keeping my ear close to your breast so that I may be obedient in faith for those things I do not know. (John 7:17)

Bring a desire to my heart to meditate-ponder and digest your Word. (Psalm 77:6)

Help me to live in faith so my talk measures up to my walk. I trust in you as I go even though I may grow weak and fall, knowing that you will pick me up and place me on the "Rock" of my salvation. In Jesus Name I pray.

Precious Jelly

Just before leaving our Kentucky home a friend of ours gave us a jar of his homemade strawberry jelly. Straight from the garden into delicious jelly.

I was so happy to receive the gift. Not only that it was homemade but that I knew this particular jelly was made out of love and prayer and now it was "mine".

Before returning to Florida we stopped in Tennessee to visit my siblings and their spouses. Yes, the jelly was within reach, but I wanted to horde it for "my own"! No sharing "My Jelly"!

Now we are home and I want to delve into the jelly, but for some reason I am storing it on the shelf.

I keep putting off taking it down and enjoying the jelly that I know is going to be delicious. Could it be I am afraid that I will eat it all in one sitting and not have enough to last? Am I in fear that if we have guest I would have to share? I am not quite sure what the reason is; but I do know the jelly sits waiting for me to open and enjoy, share and tell how it was given to us!

For now there it sits on my shelf waiting for me to open and taste it to see how great it really is!

Sometimes this is how we treat our relationship with Jesus. We received Him as a gift and now we are hording Him for only ourselves. And in some cases we just put Him on the shelf and admire Him without really experiencing who He is personally. We think Jesus does not care about our lives and He does not care about our personal little desires and needs. How wrong can we be? Now there are many of us who attend church and we call ourselves Christians yet we never share Jesus with anyone outside of the church setting.

Does this sound like "my jelly"? So the next time you reach up to grab your jelly jar, consider how you relate to your Lord and Savior. Now I am going to have a jelly sandwich!

Thanks to Pastor Philip for the jelly. I will be asking for a refill upon our return!

Boast in Jesus

Before I begin to share, I would like to take you through the process in which Holy Spirit enlightened me about this particular scripture. And know this; I did not know the process until I finished meditating and contemplating on the scripture. May it help you in the promptings of Holy Spirit as you read and digest scripture.

1. First I read the scripture.
2. Then I chose key words to think about such as circumcision, No value, Faith, expressing itself through love, in Christ, etc.
3. Then I went to other scripture to find out more about Faith, love, and even scriptures about the law and the spirit of the Lord and what it means to be in Christ Jesus.
4. After that I thought about what the Lord was trying to tell me today.
5. And lastly, how can I apply this new understanding to my life and the life of others.

This happens to be the way the Holy Spirit led me during this time of prayer. I am sure there will be a different path the next time I put time aside to spend with the Father. For I know He is the God of growing and stretching us in all ways, in our faith, in our walk, in our thinking, and in our understanding. His loving heart always touches us drawing us closer to Him.

Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus either circumcision or not has not value. What counts is Faith expressing itself through Love. (NIV)

"For in Christ" is telling me that this verse is speaking to us who believe in Jesus-not only believe but are born again. In those days there was big controversy over being circumcised or not! The Jews came from a life lived under the law and they were circumcised. However, we are not under law but under grace! (Romans 6:14) The Lord does not look to the traditions we keep or the doctrines we follow; nor does he take an account of all our good works. He is not too concerned how well we keep the law, even the Ten Commandments. He is looking at the attitude of our hearts and our humble spirits towards Him. Oh my, some of you are saying "Blaspheme!" I am not making light of the scripture. I am, however, making a point that Jesus has a way out for us when we fall short.

I tell you this. He is looking at our heart attitude and the measure of faith we allow to work in our lives. Now we know that love is not boastful; nor proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4) Nor is our faith arrogant or self-righteous! Therefore, we do not boast of those things our faith may create in the natural-No, we boast in the Lord Jesus and in what He has done, what He is accomplishing, and what He will continue to provide for us so that we may better honor Him. Folks, this is why we post what we have observed during our healing services and encourage people to send us their testimonies personally so others can read what the Lord hath done through their eyes!

Now faith on the other hand is what pleases God. (Hebrews 11:6) It is confidence in what we hope for-it is not an arrogant speech about what we expect. It is confidence in the Lord to work out those things that we do not see as of yet. (Hebrews 11:1) Therefore, we do not boast of those things that we have held captive with our spiritual eye, yet we encourage those around us in what the Lord is about to do so that their faith may grow. Faith is a muscle. It must be repeatedly used and stretched to its limit of endurance in order to grow.

The most important working of our faith is that we use the measure we have and that it operates out of the love of Christ who lives within us all. May you continue to dwell in these scriptures to show yourself approved!

God is Good!

 God is good-Jesus is more. Our Father's love endures forever, and yet without Jesus we would never to able to receive our Father's love.

Yes, many believe there are many paths that lead to heaven, but they all stop at the "Cross Road". It is only the way of Christ's love and acceptance that washes us as white as snow. When we reach the cross (road) we are not only acknowledged by Jesus, but He befriends us!

Will we befriend Him, pick up our cross (the purpose He has for us), and follow Him? Will we share our experiences, hopes, and dreams of things to come with Him? Will we touch the poor, the weak, and the blind, in His name? Will we lead the confused into His light by our lifestyle convictions. Does our life exude His contagious love? I certainly hope we all say "Yes, Lord, yes!"

Here we are Lord. Take the coal. Burn our lips. Here we are. Send us! Send us!