Going Deeper

Some of you heard me say for twenty-on years I have lived without Crohn's disease in my body. Twenty- one years without taking any prescription meds. The Lord miraculously healed me. Now I am faced with this battle of cancer. Do I believe the Lord heals? Yes. Have I changed my belief system about healing? No. I can say I have been humbled and I have been in a position to take the Lord more seriously.

Recently I attended a women's group and experienced a slice of heaven in praise and worship and received extraordinarily powerful prayer. I was given a book and many encouraging words straight from the word of God through His loving daughters. The message that night was on guarding your heart while you rest in His peace.

Man I needed that! What about you? Is He calling you deeper? Is life overwhelming? Does calamity and chaos seem to be all around? Then take the opportunity to join me and go deeper into His Word, deeper in His Spirit, and find rest for your soul.

"Today Lord we come to you. Draw us closer to you Lord. Allow us to rest upon Your breast and receive Your everlasting peace that provides us with all we need. Quiet our souls and eliminate anxiety and frustration so we may pursue You above all! In Jesus name, Amen."

This was a Godly connection that led me to re-read our own writings and dig deeper into His word for life and strength for myself.

To Share in His Suffering

1 Peter 4:13 NIV 
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

This is not a cop out for sickness and disease or hardship of any kind. The Lord is sovereign and He wants us healed. When you have done all you can do by praying, repenting, praising, thanksgiving and you have not been freed consider getting closer with the Lord. He is calling us neigh to Him. We should be doing the same. The ultimate sacrifice is when you can offer up the process you are going through right now. The everyday struggle with addiction or sickness or a troubled loved one.

James 4:8 NIV
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

There is a testimony of faith and faithfulness. For God is faithful and He will show us how to be also. What a small price to pay, that is, offering up our struggles to Him. When you think of what He has done for us by taking on a human form, struggling here on earth, taking ridicule, and resisting temptation all to give us a relationship with the Father, and ultimately giving of his body in the most painful way.

With that being said, Lord, I thank you for the joy it is to align myself with you. I am waiting for the day of your return. Father, take each day as an opportunity to mold me into the image of your Son. May each day be an opportunity for me to give you praise with a thankful heart knowing that the victory is in Jesus Himself.

The Preposition

It is all about the preposition! Did you ever get talked at? Talked at implies that someone is speaking their mind in a forceful abrupt manner. The person doing the talking does not want a verbal response; it is a correction given and you should listen and change. This implies that feedback is not necessary. The person is just looking for you to change and comply with them. It is almost as if they are speaking above you as a dictator and not as an equal.

Have you ever said "I will give them a good talking to."? Talking to is not quite as harsh; however, talking to someone is still considered unfriendly and it could be a word of correction or edification given with little love and affection. The person speaking may or may not want a verbal response. They are in the driver's seat and would not like getting interrupted. Consider how a teacher talks to the class; never expecting communication unless they specifically ask a question.

To talk with someone is the way to go. This is when there is an exchange of ideas and opinions, needs and desires. It is giving and taking; an interaction that causes relationships to grow with love and respect. What we have to say counts. Talking with does not mean there is not conflict at times. Yes, it can be corrective and edifying, but there is love and respect in the relationship. No one speaks down to the other. There is relationship built out of love and kindness.

This is the kind of interaction the Lord wants from us. He wants us to talk with Him, listen to Him, and interact with Him. He wants a time where our hearts connect and our spirits become one. The Lord wants to speak with us. Have you thought about your relationship with the Lord? Do you speak with Him, to Him or at Him?

Lord today we come to talk with you. We want to share our thoughts, needs, and desires with you. We want to know your thoughts and ways! We can only know you by listening to Your response. I confess that I do not always talk with you. From now on I will change my ways to be more like You. Holy Spirit, lead and guide my conversations with You so that my ways, thoughts, and desires become like Yours. In Jesus Name we pray.

Who is God?

He is perfect unadulterated Love.When we receive Jesus as Lord & Savior that love made us pure and holy. He has made His abode in us -- in me! -- in you!

When we are overflowing with His love His love gushes out through the outer man and we are able to love others. Sometime we find it difficult to accept His love. And yet, His love peals away self righteousness, shame, guilt, and sin.

I think of myself as a honey comb full of small compartments some filled with love and some with other stuff not God. As we develop our relationship with Holy Spirit He is able to replace sin, hurts, abuse, and bad habits with His perfect love that casts out all fear.

So what's the point? To know God is to love Him. As we love He shines down upon us with the heavenly glory!

By the way, Jesus made it possible for us to love Him because before we know HIm He had a plan and that included His love for us! Love makes the world go around.

So what's the point? The Lord wants to use us right where we are to love others the way he lives us!

Philippians 1:9-11 NIV
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.

Transformation

Romans 12:2 NIV 
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Everything in our lives has value once we have found our value in Christ.

Notice that we treasure those we value. We take time to understand the nature of those we love. As we cherish our loved one (Jesus) transformation happens.

It isn't necessarily effort or time that transforms. It is the yielding and submitting to His presence that changes us inside and then out.

Transformation is the continuous and progressive change of heart that begins with the renewal of the mind.

Matthew 17:2 NIV
There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

I am convinced! that a Christ centered life produces a Christ fruitfulness within us. This occurs with the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ within us.

What's the point? He is jealous for companionship with you and I. He wants us not in a slice of time or a compartmental portion of us. He wants all of us.

The point is that a fruit filled life; faith expressing itself through His love flowing through us. Christ in us, the hope of Glory.

What's the Point

Recently I have sought out the Lord's face and asked "What is the Point?" That same day I received a package from our daughter-in-law with a book entitled "What's the Point?"

So it began, my quiet time with Misty Edward's book. I tell you there is nothing new with God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

However we change; our circumstances change. It is my desire through it all to become more like Him.

Today I came across a verse in scripture:

John 8:31-32 (NIV) 
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Abide in the vine dear ones; abide. As you abide "in the truth" will set you free. Abide trusting and knowing His love for you and your love for Him is enough.

As I continue my quest in the Truth I pray His truth will also set you free!

Be Holy Like I Am Holy

Ephesians 4:24 (NIV)
Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Be a new person and that new person has been made like God, He does what is right and holy because he know the Truth.

Over the last few days I have been thinking about what holiness look like in my life. How can it really be holy in this weakened body of mine? My thoughts go to and fro. My tongue gets off in the wrong direction and I find myself in a poor state; not too holy. Then I begin a new thought process.

I am a new creation created and fashioned in His likeness. My Daddy, Father God's DNS in my spirit man!

"Walk in the spirit, Dianne. Walk and do not falter for this world shall fade away, but what is to come is eternal."

So I reflected on moments of holiness in my life, times of intimate communications, times of obedience to the Word, to Jesus. Times for being a partaker of His grace and partnering in His work here on earth.

"These are times of holiness. Not necessarily in the doing but in the being is essential. Be Holy, Dianne."

Without the guidance of Holy Spirit demonstrating His word in my mortal body, I would have NO holiness. That new person I became spiritually shall ease out into my mortal man.

I shall not be anxious but at peace in all things knowing He is perfecting the work He has begun in me.

In order to become holy we must:

•   Get to know the Lord
•   Read His word
•   Be led by Holy Spirit
•   Repent and be transformed in our mind then in our actions

Worship Him in spirit and in truth. You will get to know His character, His desires. Commune with Him and seek the face of the almighty.

I know I shall do more myself.

Thank you, Lord illuminating my head with Your word and Your character. Lord, I pray You continue to make me aware of your drawing presence.