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From the inside out

When we become new creatures in Christ we begin to change from the inside out. The Holy Spirit, our Comforter, takes up residence inside us and replaces our old fleshly desires with desires to be like Jesus.

Change happens when the Holy Spirit starts the change process in our spirits and also when we ask Jesus to be free from being enslaved and in bondage, such as from a bad habit, an addiction, immorality, being in debt, making an idol out of something that has become more important than the Lord are several examples of bondage that we have trouble in overcoming.

Satan is like a roaring lion seeking to defeat and devour you. We try in our own efforts to change but we lose our momentum and fail. It is a mind game of will and Satan delights in playing self defeating messages and temptation through your mind. The battlefield is in the mind but you don’t have to own those self defeating destructive messages that run rampant through your brain . That is not you. It comes from Satan. Take authority over it, put it into captivity and make it obedient unto Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

Those thoughts will leave you if you exercise the Word, (the Bible), and wear the Armor of God to defeat the devil. We know the Holy Spirit transforms us to new creatures from the inside out and as change begins to happen, increasingly we don’t desire to do those bad habits.

But we need to remember that Satan and his demons will try to bring those bad habits back into our lives in the form of suggestive thoughts that enter into your mind. Turn to the Lord and He will strengthen you to reject it. You may fail; but don’t let it discourage you. Ask the Lord for forgiveness and get up because you have a new identity in Christ. Over time, the suggestive thoughts become fainter and you can laugh as the temptation that comes unbidden in your mind becomes feebler, because the Holy Spirit that dwells within you has strengthened you to reject it.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 NKJV

”No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13. NIV

3….2….1…..Launch!

Time. So funny how it feels like time can drag, time stands still, time goes by too fast, not having enough time, to having plenty of time, time to do what we put off….or not.

Time is a precious commodity to me. I feel in my spirit it’s time to get ready to launch! If there is anything positive about cancer, it has given me the opportunity to prepare here on earth to go home to Heaven.

Because of this trial, I have a closer walk with Jesus. I developed a relationship with Him. I talk to Him constantly throughout the day, I read His Word, I memorized scriptures in the Psalms and repeat them in my prayers. He has given me peace in the midst of my struggles. He walks with me in trouble. My heart rejoices in Him because I put my trust in His holy name. He delivers me from death and my hope is in His unfailing love. Psalm 33

I have been given the opportunity to show my love to Jesus. By serving and loving others I am serving and honoring Him.

It’s made me less judgmental, a kinder wife, more forgiving and accepting of others. Why hold on to petty differences when it serves no benefit? Especially when T-Minus launch 🚀 is coming nigh. My thoughts are fixed on heavenly things and did I lay up my treasure in Heaven instead of just accruing wealth on earth that cannot come with me?

Are we so fixated on survival on earth we missed the bigger picture – have we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior so we can live with Him in Eternity? Eternity to God is a 1000 years is as one day!

If you prioritize God first, He will bless you and take care of you on earth. When our priority is God first He takes up residence in your spirit, soul and body. The Holy Spirit transforms your spirit first, soul second and then body into becoming holy which prepares you to live in Heaven. Not on any effort on your part; you just find you do not want to do those fleshly desires any more.

We all have a T-Minus time that is counting down. Time is precious and short. Don’t delay to accept Jesus in your heart. Believe in Him, trust He was born of a virgin, lived amongst us, and died for our sins so we may be saved. Believe Jesus was raised on the third day and sits, His work completed, on the right hand side of God.

My T-Minus time has almost counted down to launch time. My question to you are you ready for your launch?

“Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory.”

Colossians 3:11 NIV

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12 NIV

Land of the Free

Tomorrow is a special day. It is the 4th of July celebration of America becoming a country. And it’s not just a regular 4th of July, but a landmark of 250 years! America, Land of the free, is still thriving, keeping dear our Constitution and Bill of Rights that has been God ordained from the very beginning. Our forefathers lifted our country up to the Lord, dedicating our obedience to Him based on our Judeo-Christian beliefs. We made a covenant with the Lord to hold dear our belief in the Lord and the freedoms that are granted to each individual.

The Lord blessed our nation throughout the centuries and it is a testament that America is still free today. We still hold these truths to be self evident, and not to be taken for granted but treasured.

Throughout our history as a country, America has been put to the test to uphold and defend our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Evil forces attempted and still to this day, try to destroy Her and the ideals we hold dear. And yet, goodness and righteousness prevail by the grace of God.

I thank God I was born in America to Christian parents where I can worship Jesus without fear. But each generation must do their part in defending and keeping America free. Threats are coming in all directions but as Christians we must stand in the path of evil and fight for America and defend her freedoms to this day.

God will bless our country if we repent and turn back to Him, defend Israel, (our duty as Christians), and honor our Father in Heaven.

”When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.” Proverbs 29:2. NIV

Songwriter Lee Greenwood sang it best:

That I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free,

And I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me.

And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend Her still today.

’Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land…

God Bless the U.S.A.!

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Romans 13:1 ESV

The Battle for Middle Ground

Have you ever felt like being stuck in the middle? No end in sight? Welcome to Ziklag, the battle for middle ground.

In the Old Testament David was on the run from King Saul who was tracking him down to kill him. Israelite King Saul became insane with jealousy that the people favored David over him. David with his band of 600 warriors fled to Philistine country to take refuge. David tricked Philistine King Achish into assigning him to the Philistine town of Ziklag in exchange for David to fight against his own people. David played a double game of raiding Israel’s nomadic enemies thus retaining his Israelite loyalty and convincing King Achish into believing he was raiding the Israelites.

While David was away on a raid, enemy raiders came and destroyed the town of Ziklag, and took captive all their women and children, herds of cattle and valuables belonging to David and his army of warriors. David and his army upon returning from their raid were in shock over their discovery of the devastation of their camp and it was almost too much to bear. David’s own warriors were so distraught and bitter in spirit they threatened to stone David.

David inquired of the Lord if he should pursue the raiding party and if he could overtake them. The Lord answered, “Pursue them. You will surely overtake them and succeed in rescue.” 1 Samuel 30:8. NIV

David and his 600 warriors were exhausted but took out after the Amalekites, the enemy raiders, At the Besor Ravine, two hundred of David’s warriors had to stay behind due to being too exhausted. As David and the remaining warriors pressed on they found an Egyptian slave who escaped his Amalekite master. In exchange for food, water and his life became an informer who led David to the Amalekite enemy camp. David found the Amalekite raiders in revelry eating and drinking over their spoils. David routed the Amalekites and fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day and was successful in recovering everything the Amalekites had taken away.

David was generous to the two hundred warriors that stayed behind to watch over their supplies and gave them a share of the plunder and their wives and children because the Lord had given them victory and He has protected them by handing over to them the forces that came against them. 1 Samuel 30:23-25 NIV

David also gifted some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying “Here is a present from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies. 1 Samuel 30:26. NIV

Are you in your own land of Ziklag? Is everything just a struggle to go through with seemingly no end in sight? Ziklag represents a season of intense testing, loss and a feeling of isolation.

Ziklag is a season of testing being pressed both physically and spiritually. It is a place where at first you rely on your strength and cunning instead of seeking God to guide your way through your situation.

David fled to Philistine without inquiring of the Lord. He had to struggle in his own strength, to double play the king of Philistine. As a result, David had to invent lies to appease the Philistine King, compromising his integrity. People lost their lives, and his own camp was burned to the ground and his precious family and possessions were taken away.

When your steps are misguided the Lord has a way of breaking you down to be in total dependence on Him. As you finally turn to the Lord, and trust in Him He will see you through your trial.

As you seek the Lord, encourage yourself in Him knowing that He is doing a good work in building character and maturing you into a deeper spiritual person. As you die to your old self, God will elevate you as you change from glory to glory.

Recognize there will be pain involved because a season in Ziklag is never easy.

Seek God’s direction by yielding to Him and rejoice in the process. Praise Him and read His word for guidance.

God will bring restoration and peace as a resolution is revealed.

Be generous with others and share in your testimony to bring light and encouragement to others as they go through their own Ziklag experience.

Find your refuge and comfort directly in the presence of the Lord.

”But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”

1 Samuel 30:6

In spite of problems

I find myself on a new front in my fight with cancer. I’ve been on some type of chemotherapy, radiation or immunotherapy treatment for years now. I’m recently started a new treatment that has harsh side effects. My body has not been given a chance to rest between treatments and I’ve gotten weaker. I struggle with severe abdominal pain and I lost a considerable amount of weight in a short time.

And yet, despite the problems, I feel it is well with my soul. I still feel joyful in the Lord and my hope is in Him. I expectantly wait upon Him in all aspects of my life, not just in the problems.

This great hope is being Jesus’ child knowing He walks with me in trouble. I know He rescues me because I believe in Him and His promises. He sacrificed himself on the cross to save us from our sins so we may live forever with Him. This present life is not my home; I’m just passing through. My real home is Heaven and this present life prepares me to become more like Jesus.

Trials mature us to grow up. My prayer is to have Apostle Paul’s attitude:

”I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this be because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:10-13

Lord, I pray I don’t focus just on my problems and complain about my problems to others. My prayer is to live a joy filled life despite the problems and be a light that reflects You.

“For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Hebrews 13:15-16

are amongst us!

Do you believe in angels? They are surely in the Bible. In Psalm 91:11-12, the protection psalm, God gives command to His angels to guard us in all our ways, to lift us up in their hands, lest we strike our foot against a stone. There are many stories involving angels in the Bible of testing us, visiting us, avenging on the Lord’s behalf, protecting us and they will be instrumental on the Day of the Lord to carry out His commands.

I believe that angels are still as active today as they were in the Bible. Years ago, my husband and I were traveling to Albuquerque to receive cancer treatment, and we were on a 65 mile stretch of desolate highway with nothing in between. It was approximately 6:15 am in the morning. All of a sudden, a man was standing in the middle of the road waving his arms. I didn’t see him before driving up on him for I was glancing at my husband in conversation. The man was trying to hitch a ride to Albuquerque – 105 miles away. We pulled over and my husband got out of the car and lifted the back tailgate. All my seats were down, so he climbed in and collapsed. We were uncertain of our passenger, but he appeared to be sleeping. When we arrived in Albuquerque I pulled over to a convenience gas station just a mile away from my cancer center. Larry opened the tailgate and our passenger got out. I pulled out some money to give to him as Larry was letting him know that we had a cancer appointment to be at. The man gave us a smirk and he started walking down the road. I glanced away for less than 5 seconds and when I looked back up he was gone! It just seemed like he disappeared out of thin air. My husband didn’t see him either!

Another time, I was at Walmart coming out and going to my car, with my shopping cart full of groceries . As I came to my car, a woman stopped me beside my car. She told me I was in need of this and she pinned an angel pin onto my jacket, gave me a hug, got in her car and left. I didn’t see her after that. To this day, I still wear the angel pin on my jacket.

Two very different incidents but both were very much out of place, not normal. I opened myself up to the possibility of God’s messengers calling from a spiritual realm manifesting themselves as human, and that these two entities intersected with my life. I gave thanks to God for watching over me, testing me and encouraging me.

Miracles still happen, visitations from angels still happen. I do not believe in coincidence. God is letting us know He is there, drawing us closer to Him. Is your spirit sensitized to God or is it a stumbling stone?

Unawares: Angels can appear completely human, meaning we might interact with them without ever realizing their true nature.
The Call: The verse is an encouragement to treat everyone with kindness and generosity, as we never know when a stranger might actually be a messenger sent by God. 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” 

Hebrews 13:2 NIV

Keep on moving!

My husband and I had a challenging week that seems above the norm. It felt like we were under direct attack from the evil one. My husband slipped off a 4’ rock ledge breaking 2 ribs, banging his head, sustaining multiple scrapes, causing him to go to the emergency room.

The same week, I had a myriad of symptoms that ranged from migraines causing my sight to lose vision, to throwing up multiple times while I was trying to get my errands done in town. I had to clean my car up while feeling very sick and continue my errands. I wanted to rest the following day, but I had to keep my appointment with my oncologist to examine me and receive immunotherapy. My husband was too injured to drive me to my doctor’s appointment and on the way to my appointment the highway was blocked for up to a hour for missile testing. It was miserable to sit in the car in the hot sun when I’ve been sick the day before.

When things become hard, it’s very hard to continue; you want to quit. In times such as this, it is more important to look up to Jesus to ask Him for strength and perseverance to push through.

There’s a country song by Rodney Atkins called, “If You’re Going Through Hell,” that kept playing in my mind as we went through this trial.

The chorus rang out, “If you’re going through hell, keep on going, don’t slow down, if you’re scared don’t show it, you might get out before the devil even knows you’re there…

If you’re going through hell, keep on moving, face that fight, walk right through it, you might get out before the devil even knows you’re there…”

With God by your side, you can face whatever challenges that beset you.

“You dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

1 John 4:4 NIV

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the son of God.”

1 John 5:4-5 NIV

Your FAITH

Faith is such a beautiful thing. I was thinking back in my life when I put my faith to the test as I trusted other humans. One such time I was participating in a corporate team building day in a camp where you go through a series of obstacles having to depend on your teammates to get you through. There was one obstacle where I had to climb onto a platform and stand on the ledge facing backwards. My teammates had to catch me as I fell backwards into empty space trusting my companions to catch me and not hit the ground. They did! Or another time when I went skydiving with my son and I was attached to my parachute skydiver trusting he would see us safely down and that the parachute would open. Many years ago I was in a military camp, training to be a drill instructor, and had to climb “The ladder to the sky.” The higher you climbed, the ladder rungs were spaced further apart till your body was stretched out. I was afraid of heights and there was no padding on the ground to soften my fall if I slipped and fell. The drill instructor climbed the other side of the ladder and had to talk me through of letting go of the ladder rung to grab hold of the rung above me, hoist my leg over and pull my body over the top ladder rung and climb down. I trusted in the drill instructor to help me down safely.

As I reflect back on my life, there were so many more examples in my life of placing my faith, my trust in others to see me through situations where I had no control over the outcome.

God expects us to release our faith in Him when we are faced with uncertainty.

The first part in releasing your faith is to ask God for His protection and then commit yourself to the task in hand. It will be scary, difficult and the outcome uncertain. But once you have committed there’s no going back. God will never work until we commit. Faith is receiving the gifts God endowed us, having a spirit of abiding, by exercising those gifts such as putting on the Armor of God.

God asked Abraham to step out in faith to leave his home and travel to an unknown country. Out of faith, Abraham did. Because of Abraham’s faith, God credited him to be a righteous man.

The second part is to trust in God. He will be with you as you go through the fire. He has a plan for your life that will be so much better than you can imagine for yourself. As you go through trial it’s hard to make sense of it until you look back and see God’s wisdom in growing you, maturing you, bringing you into a deeper and closer relationship with Him.

Genuine faith puts its letter into the mailbox and lets go, trusting the post office that it will arrive at its destination. Distrust holds on to the envelope and it never reaches its destination. The letters the sender holds onto never reaches its recipient does not do any good for anyone until the sender lets go of the letter trusting them to the postal service.

The third step is to watch God work! He will do this to bring you to a higher level as you witness the completion of your trial changing you into a new creature bringing perseverance, a depth of character, and hope in the God Almighty.

How do you know if you released your faith in God over a situation that the outcome is uncertain?

By handing your circumstance over to God, allowing Him to work. Once we prayed to God and committed our trial to Him, you should not continue to be anxious. “Cast all your anxiety on Him,” (1 Peter 5:7), and another of God’s commands, “Do not be anxious about anything,” (Philippians 4:6). If we cast our burden on God, why do we take them back continually allowing our troubles to pressure us? If we carry our burdens from the throne of grace, it is obvious we have not left it at the throne of grace.

After committing something to God if you can come away with no more sadness, pain or anxiety in your heart, that is proof of the prayer of faith. But if you pray and then still carry your burden, then consider that your faith was not exercised.

When you petition the Lord in your troubles, let your follow up prayers be of thanksgiving to Him entrusting God to do a good work.

And you will experience the peace of God that is beyond understanding.

Faith is confidence …assurance about of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this.

Psalm 37:5

The Hope of Heaven

Two pillars of the Christian faith are the Cross where Jesus laid down His life to be the sacrifice by paying the blood price for our sins; like an unblemished lamb being sacrificed on our behalf. Secondly, by the Resurrection of Jesus, who took away the keys of death from Satan, conquered Satan by coming back to life on the third day after His crucifixion, so we may have everlasting life! On these two pillars we have the hope of living in Heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ forever.

Many have searched for hope in various ways, through other religions, mysticism, positive thoughts, mind control to name some. But only one way is true: it is the free gift of grace Jesus had atoned for our sins on the cross.

What god other than Jesus would lay down his life for others? None! What god other than Jesus have come back to life after death? None! Other man made gods have so many rules for us to follow, and maybe, if we work hard enough in righteous acts and rule keeping can we achieve heaven? The answer is no! One slip up would put us in jeopardy of our salvation and we will always slip up because we have a sin nature.

With Jesus, all we need to do is to receive the free gift of grace, heart believe it, not just intellectually believe, but grab hold of it with your heart and receive it. Believe in Jesus, let the Holy Spirit live in you and you too will have everlasting life. Get into His Word, the Bible, till it starts talking back to you.

What keeps us from accepting the free gift of grace?

Some people don’t want to change their lifestyles.

What people may not realize is that when they confess their sins, and believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in them. A heart change starts happening inside the person without one even noticing at first! A heart change comes naturally without one even trying! You may start doing less and less of a bad habit because the desire leaves you. I have experienced this countless times and from glory to glory I become more like Christ.

There is a sense of neglect.

Soberly, we may think we have all the time in the world to accept Jesus, not realizing by putting off the decision to accept Jesus we are putting our souls in jeopardy of eternal torment. We do not know when our life is over, even in the next minute! Then it is too late. I have cancer and I have the realization that my life span may be shortened or it may not be shortened by God’s grace. I live day to day depending on Jesus to get me through. We have no control when it is our time to pass away. Now is the time to make the decision to accept Christ as our Savior for we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

You see, our salvation is not dependent on our righteousness to go to Heaven. It is by Jesus’ righteousness and His work on the cross that we are saved. Jesus sits on the throne next to His Father, resting because His work on the cross is finished. We are righteous because God the Father sees His son Jesus when He looks upon us and we are covered in Jesus’ righteousness. Our spirit rests in Him, even though physically we may be here on earth living out our lives. This is the joy Christians have because we are at peace knowing our rest is in Him, and no matter how hard life can be, we are saved for everlasting life.

This is the great hope of Jesus Christ.

Jesus answered. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”

John 14:6-7. NIV

In action

I am always humbled when love shows up in unexpected ways. I have been miserable lately feeling the effects of Chemo #5 and on top of that, I came down with the flu, no doubt due to low neutrophils, my immune system being compromised and I hurt everywhere. I basically stayed in bed for the first couple of days then slowly started recovering on day 5.

My husband took care of me in many various ways. He would get me a small glass of OJ to chase down Tylenol and DayQuil. He cleaned my floors for me. He washed the dishes. He picked up my popsicle sticks and carried it to the trash. He let me sleep for long stretches when I had no energy to give. He asked if I needed anything, always checking on me.

I also think about my family and friends. They allowed me to voice my worry and fret about my disease progression, always being supportive. I have a friend who more than once drove me to Las Cruces, a 1 1/2 hour trip, wait for 5 hours while I’m receiving chemotherapy, and drive me home. Friends that I text or email every day for encouragement and lighthearted texts. I think about my Church lifting me up in prayer, and my family placing me on their Church prayer lists.

I feel so blessed and thankful knowing God is showing His love for me through people and their actions of love.

It doesn’t always have to be a big deal to show love to someone. It can be the small things you do for others to let someone know they matter. That’s when love shows up again.

Lord, I pray to show my love for others through acts of kindness and encouragement.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35 ESV