Saturday, June 30, 2012

Love walk...

To say we love is only a theory until we put it into practical application...then it becomes an experience. Put into action what you say you believe. "I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my [spiritual] children are living their lives in the Truth (3 John 1:4). 5/2012-CIFL-LMM

God's Love...works

God's Love Works...anytime, anywhere, and with anyone.  Let Him carry out His purpose in you and make a difference in this world! Do it friend! 6/2012-LMM

Trust God...He has Good Plans for you

The One Who made you...knows all about you. He knows your hurts and joys, what makes you laugh and cry, and your dreams and disappointments. He gave you life...He loved you first. Good plans await you... with a specific purpose for you to walk out. Trust in the Lord...with all your heart, soul, and mind, submit every part of you completely...the parts you like and don't like. Lean not on your own understanding, making decisions on what you can comprehend and figure out, but in everything you do, in all your ways acknowledge Him and seek Him. And our Father God will liberally give you guidance and wisdom...making your crooked path straight. And one more thing...if you miss Him, somehow get off the path, you will hear a voice behind you say, "this is the way, walk in it." 12/12/12-LMM

A situation does not determine your mood...you do. 6/30/12-LMM

People seek to be defined by a job...God wants to define people for a job. 6/30/12-LMM

An ungrateful heart is...as offensive as a cheap perfume. 6/30/12-LMM

Friday, June 22, 2012

You are privileged...

You Are Privileged...God gives us His time and His word because He loves us...don't turn your back on this privilege. Read, speak, and memorize His comforting words, not because you should...but because you can. Spend time with Him daily; fill up with His love for you. Give thanks and praise Him (Ps106:1). God goes before you each day....He says you are His, He's redeemed and summoned you by name. That's right, He knows your name...deep waters and rivers will not sweep over you, you will not be burned when you walk through fires (Isa43:1-2). God is with you-He will never leave you (Heb13:5). Uncertain about about your career? Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed (Pr16:3). Are you being taken to court and falsely accused? The Lord won't let you be condemned when brought to trial (Ps37:33). Need to confront a difficult situation? Be strong and courageous-don't be discourage; God's with you wherever you go (Jos1:9). Feeling like you can't take one more day of a certain situation? "Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am you God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; Yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice (Isa41:10)." Wherever you are, you are never alone, because your Father is with you...don't turn your back on your privilege. Speak the words of your Father and be encouraged...He has a good plan for you (Jer29:11).  Peace be with you friend (John14:27). Speak it!
6/22/12-LMM

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Transform-don't conform...

Transform is to make a thorough or dramatic change in form, appearance & character. Conform is to comply with socially acceptable conventions-pressure to behave to worldly standards...don't be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom12:2). Renewing your mind isn't merely replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts-it's replacing the lies of conformity with the...transforming power of God's Word (1 Pet 5:10)! Check yourself-does your talk & walk line up with God's truths? If you profess the Word, but walk with the world-you are divided in your beliefs & you will be ripped apart! What do you really believe-what the world says or what God says? Receive the power God will give you to transform friend (Phil 2:13). I called out to the Lord & He delivered me from all my fears-those who look to Him are radiant...there faces are never covered with shame (Ps 34:4-5)! 6/20/12CIFL/LMM

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Comfort in Him...

God wants us to find comfort in His Presence...not in what He provides. Finding comfort in Him...is knowing His love-being known by Him...when we know His love, we are known...and we are confident that He will provide.
4/2012-Rev-11/6/12-LMM

Be Informed...but don't conform

God says we are not to conform to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom 12:2). We are to acknowledge what we see but we are not to conform to it...but be transformed by renewing our mind. So when the Wall Street Journal, Cosmo, and Channel 5 News says jobs can't be found, numerous bed partners is the norm, children from divorce will have problems, the economy will not recover, hold on tightly to your money, etc. Go to the accurate source-Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...read the words of Jesus and take comfort. Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you 
(Matt 7:7). Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering (Mark 5:34).  Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with very much (Luke 16:10). Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John14:27). God's knowledge is power-speak what God speaks, listen to Jesus, allow the Holy Spirit to guide you...this is your daily transformation so that you do not conform. Hosea 4:7 says, "they perish for lack of knowledge." We have knowledge and it is power...use what you have...and you will be given more (Mark 4:24). Friends, God's knowledge is power and is authentic-nothing compares. Acknowledge what you see, but know He's in control (Col 1:17). God speaks and nothing becomes something (John 1:3). Will you agree with Him and let Him have your nothing and make it into something? Do not be conformed by this world, but transform your mind to His Truth.
Do it friend...blessings!
6/19/12-rev10/7/12LMM

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Jesus Took Your Past

Get past your past...you can, because Jesus did.  He gave all of Himself for your past, your present, and your future.  It's done...move forward with Him.  Jesus sees what you can do...not what you've done.  Look up friend-it's time to move on...see what Jesus sees.  His Word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Psalm 119:105).  Blessings. 6/2012-CIFL-LMM

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Confidence...do you have it?

The world teaches a person to be confident in one's own ability and strength. Books and magazines want you to know how to be confident. Here are some titles: '10 Ways to Instantly Build Self Confidence', 'Prepare Yourself for Success-You Can Become Self Confident', 'Self Confidence that will Really Last'.  We're guaranteed confidence, but not as the world teaches...our confidence comes from Christ-His very own. Our Father offers each one of us His confidence that He will flow through us. That's right, Lord God Almighty, Creator of the Universe will flow His power through us to accomplish great and mighty things just like He did with Abraham, Deborah, David, Rahab and many others who gave themselves to Him. Their part in the confidence equation...being available-He's got the able part. God won't  compete with egos and pride but He can use surrender and willingness. We complicate and delay being used by God because we want to debate whether we trust Him with our situation, if our past is too much for Him to handle, and if we are qualified for what He's called us to do. Read scripture and look at the people God used...Moses killed a guy, had to overcome major self esteem issues, and had no specific training to teach people how to cross the Red Sea; David did not go to giant killing school and had major sin, but God called him a man after His own heart; Peter's fishing trade did not qualify him to preach...but his love for Jesus did, even though he denied Jesus three times. The common denominator, they loved Jesus Christ and had a willingness to be used by Him...allowing His confidence to be manifested through them. The amplified version of Philippians 4:13 is my favorite, "I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]." I seek Him, desire Him, His ability through me. I draw close to Him, He draws close to me, He never leaves me, He will never let loose of my hand, He goes before me making a way when I can't see a way, He loves me and delights in me, He is my strong tower and fortress, I hide under His wing, I run to Him to tell Him my deepest hurts and deepest desires, He loves me when I mess up as much as He loves me when I obey, He is my Father who made me with His very own hands, He has good plans for me, His love overflows in me, He has every step of mine ordered and He holds together everything in His hands, I am His child and He is my Father and He delights in me. He is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ-Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty I will seek my confidence from the One Who made me and loved me first! My confidence is from Him-it's unshakeable. If God's for me who can be against me? I don't have to feel this...I know this. I can be confident because Genesis 18:14 says, "Is there anything too hard for the Lord?" Well, of course not, so how can anything I encounter be too hard? Will you accept God's unshakeable confidence; will you allow Him to manifest through you to accomplish great things for the Kingdom? I pray you do friend.  Blessings friend!                 6/12/12CIFL-LMM

Monday, June 11, 2012

Repeating Patterns of Behavior

Many people unknowingly go down one wrong path after another because they change their external circumstance in an attempt to eliminate the difficulty and/or pain in their life. They leave their spouses, break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, change jobs, find another church, go to another state and sometimes leave the country....one problem remains..."they" is the common denominator in their life and "they" have not looked at themselves and "they" are still blaming another for what happened in their relationship. Each person must examine their contribution to a relationship; each person plays a role. If "they" leave a situation without a thorough examination of self and an understanding of their part in the relationship, they will repeat the same pattern of behavior with a different person, employer, church or location. I've given this syndrome a name-"different face...same place." Fact-when two people are in a relationship, two people are responsible for the relationship. Often, people blame others for their behavior or feel the relationship is irreconcilable and move forward to a new relationship. They carry their unresolved issue into the next relationship. The problem is no insight has been gained and the same patterns of behavior moves forward to repeat the same scenarios, thus we have a "different face but the same place." Initially, the new person or job looks great, "they" is ready for  a new start, but quickly "they" returns to the former feelings of the previous relationship.
Here are some common examples. A passive person will often be in a relationship with a more demonstrative and maybe overbearing person. It would be easy to target the overbearing person as the "wrong" one. The overbearing person definitely would need to examine their heart and make changes but the passive person would have to take responsibility for their feelings and not put the onus of their confidence on the other person. God calls each one of us to be a separate unique individual that rely on Him for our value and to not put this on another. Another example, one person in the relationship tries to handle the entire relationship of both spouses. The one takes care of things until they reach their max threshold then can't take it anymore.  They get a minimal response from the other but no real changes, then the pattern begins again.  Again, many would say the load of the relationship is put on the one spouse, but that spouse has to be willing to set healthy boundaries with the other. Often, they say they do not want to fight but yet settle for apathy in the relationship. Bottom line...God is not okay with these relationships, and He desires for us to seek Him for resolution and restoration (Rom1:18). 
We all make mistakes and miss signs in relationships that were red flags, but over all this should not be a way of life. God gives us clear direction in scripture to  examine our hearts, follow the love of Jesus, set healthy boundaries, forgive, and not to look to another to complete us. We must speak God's truth to one another and be responsible for our actions. We can't change another person...only ourselves.  And then we can only change with the love, direction,  and revelation of the Holy Spirit (John16:13).
There are times when we need to leave a difficult situation (Titus3:10), but only after sincere godly interventions have been exhausted then...you still must have God to thoroughly examine your heart for insight and knowledge on your contribution (Pr4:23). I can tell you from personal experience, I have had some situations where I was clearly treated wrong, but...I still had to look at my role, have God to cleanse my heart from contaminated thoughts, renew my mind with God's word, and take full responsibility for my feelings (Rom8:5-8). We can't choose what happens to us many times, but we can choose how we respond and heal with the love of Jesus.  
Dear friend, I pray you will not participate in one more "different face...same place" situation. Don't cheat yourself or another out of a relationship that can be restored-Seek God...get real with Him and He will get real with you. Psalm 139 can walk you through asking God to help you examine your heart. Seek professional help from a Christian counselor who will hold you accountable and stand on God's Word for direction and revelation. Live the abundant life God says that you can have (John10:10).  6/11/12CIFL-LMM


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Break Up With Self Defeat...Foreverrrrrr!!!

If we really knew how much God loved us...we would think and act differently.  We would see ourselves as God sees us.  We would know His love never leaves us...never.  Knowing we are fearfully & wonderfully made (Psalm 139:15); that we are God's masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10). Really knowing we are knitted together by His hands and that He lives in us-that we have His confidence which gives us the resources to overcome...anything.  For sure we would break up with 
"self-defeat"...foreverrrrrrr!!!  Self-defeat wants to bind us in fear, anticipate let downs, be afraid of being passed over, rejected, and unfulfilled.  Self-defeat is a liar...all the time!!!  1 John 4:18 says there is no fear in God's love-dread does not exist-His love expels every trace of terror.  Self-defeat will stir up your feelings and before you know it, you're feeling like a failure.  Jesus did not engage in conversation with satan-Jesus responded with scripture.  We are to do the same; when self-defeat knocks on your door and wants to entertain you...slam the door!!!  Renew your mind (Romans 12:2) with God's promises.  Continue to speak aloud throughout the day what God says about you.  You will begin to think and act differently...because the more you say what God says about you, the more of a revelation of His love you will hear and receive and you will know you are loved...by your Father.  When you really begin to receive God's love...self-defeat won't come near you, because self-defeat is a coward and it will run from God's mighty love for you!  Remind yourself everyday throughout the day-you are loved! Blessings my friend.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Broken & left for dead...

Jarius' daughter was dead-no hope, don't bother Jesus anymore for help-there's no use. He ran to Jesus with hope that He would save her, but while he was begging Jesus to save her someone delivered the news that it was too late-she was dead. Broken & left for dead-don't ask anymore-it won't make a difference (Lk 8:40-56).

What's been broken & left for dead in your life...a failed relationship, your virginity, professional career, a rebellious child, financial ruin, your childhood innocence, a betrayal, grief so thick that it suffocates you daily, unimaginable pain that consumes your being? You're left looking at devastation...your world is spinning, how will you ever overcome...dear God what will you do now, how will the family ever get past this, how can the pain ever stop gushing out of you, where do you go from here? Jarius was told to stop asking because the girl was dead. When Jesus heard this, He said to Jarius, "don't be afraid, just believe & she will be healed."  Jarius had to be in a daze-his only child, a daughter, now dead. What would he do, how would he move forward, he decided in the middle of his grief to listen to Jesus' words of comfort and to follow Him. Don't give up & stop asking Jesus for help when all you see is a broken & dead situation. Keep on praying & follow Jesus. When you're sinking in devastation & can't see a way out...remember Jesus has already made a way, but you must follow Him. He's the way, truth & life of any dead situation you're experiencing. Follow Him friend.

Jesus led Jarius back to his home where his dead daughter lay. Look at Luke 8:52, where Jesus tells the people to "stop wailing." In Matthew 9:24, He tells them, "go away." Before I had a spiritual revelation of these verses, I thought Jesus was being mean.  I had thought why would He be irritated with people who are grieving the death of a child? Then the revelation came to me...when we experience a dead situation, Christians are sometimes the worst at agreeing that we will never overcome or never experience a life full of joy again...so Jesus told them to "stop wailing & go away" that He could do something about the "death" of their situation. Most don't believe what Jesus can do because they reason potential outcomes with their ability & thus can't figure out a way or see a way that they could ever overcome their dead situation. To overcome we must see through the eyes & strength of Jesus' ability. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, "come to Me, all you who labor & are heavy-laden & overburdened & I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Friend, you've got to make up your mind...whatever has been broken or whatever dead situation you're experiencing, Jesus can bring life to it...He was beaten, broken & left for dead...His Spirit left Him & He was laid in a cave like tomb-then a heavy stone pushed in front of the entrance to secure Him never getting out. They thought it was over, He's dead & gone, but on the third day, He rose again & the tomb is empty! Jesus overcame death for us! He is Life-let Jesus bring life to your dead situation!

Jesus ignored the snide remarks and laughing of the naysayers. He took those that he trusted, along with the parents of the girl to where she lay. In Luke 8:55, He reached to the girl & her spirit returned & she got up. Let Jesus reach to you, don't be afraid, just believe; He will make a way for you-He's the Life to the death you're experiencing. He knows all about being broken & left for dead, but He's overcome the world & He can help you overcome the death of your situation! Will you let Him? 5/2012CIFL-LMM #broken #dead #save #failed #hope #overcomer #christianinsightforlife www.facebook.com/christianinsightforlife

Friday, June 1, 2012

You Can't Control What is Not Yours...

God is before all things and in Him all things are held together (Col 1:17).  Our God reigns...over everything-He owns what we see and don't see.  Anything that exist, does so under His reign. God allows us to "manage" His stuff with His supervision.  Examples are...our children are God's children and we are allowed to parent them, we have covenants with our spouses but they belong to God, we live in our homes and drive our cars but they're His. We know this, but become very worldly and forget at times.  We need to remind one another, the sooner we give back to God what is already His...the sooner we can release ourselves from an impossible situation of trying to control what is not ours!  

I needed this reminder last night-I was exhausted, the hail was pounding our windows, for a second I envisioned our vehicles with hail damage, then I began to retrace some unresolved matters from the day, then I tried to put in chronological order some other events then I stopped myself.  I clearly heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart and ask me why I was having anxiety about things I had no control over & then He reminded me "everything" including "me" belongs to God and that I am allowed to "manage" what is His.  I visually saw myself holding up to heaven everything that I had been trying to control as mine. The release was a relief, but with it came a deeper revelation that God is in control-He allows me to manage His stuff, but He has it all taken care of. 

God says to seek Him and all these things will be given to you (Mt 6:33). We experience the freedom He designed for us when we allow Him to be God and we remember, we are His children.  Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor 3:17).  Live the free live our God offers us, don't take on what is impossible-that's His job, but you won't know unless you trust Him to do so. Blessings friend! LMM #seekGod #itisnotyours #letgo #Godisincontrol #christianinsightforlife