Accountability

I shared Monday night how Ty and I are encouraging one another. Instead of allowing ones negativity to pull the other down we are choosing to lift the other one up. Don't let someone pull you down. Tie onto the Rock in which you stand upon and pull the other one out of the pit. It is so important to have someone in your life that you can express your weaknesses. When you have an accountability partner, you have a helper. Someone you can trust to be honest with you and someone who can encourage you. It is too difficult to walk this journey of life all alone. I challenge you this week to find a friend or talk to your spouse about holding your feet to the fire. We have to be willing to look in the mirror and see what doesn't reflect Christ. Then be willing to turn it around. And when you don't see things clearly your friend will. Let's become more Christ-like every day that we live.

Prayers That Avail Much

Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me?

Father, You set Yourself against the proud and haughty, but You give grace continually unto the humble. I submit myself therefore to You, God. In the name of Jesus, I resist the devil, and he will flee from me. I resist the cares of the world, which try to pressure me daily. Except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.

Jesus, I come to You, for I labor and am heavy laden and overburdened, and You cause me to rest -- You will ease and relieve and refresh my soul.

I take Your yoke upon me and I learn of You; for You are gentle and humble in heart, and I will find rest -- relief, ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet -- for my soul. For Your yoke is wholesome (easy) -- not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant; and Your burden is light and easy to be borne.

I cast my burden on You, Lord, releasing the weight of it and You will sustain me; I thank You that You will never allow me, the consistently righteous, to be moved -- made to slip, fall or fail.

In the name of Jesus, I withstand the devil. I am firm in my faith -- rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined. I cease from the weariness and pain of human labor; and I am zealous and exert myself and strive diligently to enter into the rest of God -- to know and experience it for myself.

Father, I thank You that Your presence goes with me and that You give me rest. I am still and rest in You, Lord; I wait for You and patiently stay myself upon You. I will not fret myself, nor shall I let my heart be troubled, neither shall I let it be afraid. I hope in You, God, and wait expectantly for You; for I shall yet praise You, for You are the Help of my countenance and my God.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Question Time!

Okay, I have a question for everyone. Does God favor one man over another? Are His plans greater for me than for you?

I would love to hear what you are thinking. To comment, go to the bottom of this entry and the word comment is written in brown. Click your mouse on that word. Write an answer to the question in the comment box. Then where it says "Comment As:", select Anonymous. You can put your name in the comment box before or after your comment if you wish. Then click the post button.

So many of us are so busy that attending one more thing would be very difficult. I would give anything to meet weekly for a bible study but I haven't a clue where to fit it in. So I would love to use this blog to grow and learn. Please join us in this discussion time.

Give it a Bit

It is amazing how our daily lives are full of God's fingerprints and we don't even know it. I had a moment of walking in the FOG (Favor of God) this weekend. I went to Albuquerque with my girlfriends Monicque and Jackie and we had a wonderful time. On Saturday night we did a little shopping in Uptown before our dinner reservations. I was looking for a dress for a certain couples wedding in December and a cocktail dress for the cruise Ty and I are taking in January. I had found 2 dresses and I had them held back while I weighed out the purchase during dinner. Both dresses were a bit pricey but on sale. If you know me very well, you know that i often have buyers remorse. I don't like to spend money on clothes but both of these events are special and I needed something new. One of the dresses was $139.99 on sale for $59.99. But for some reason I thought it was $39.99. All during dinner I was thinking that I would be spending around $140.00 for both dresses. "Okay, I can do this." After dinner, we headed back to the store to make the purchase. I decided to try the dresses on one more time. While in the dressing room, I noticed the tag said $59.99. The dilema had begun. Do I buy both dresses or just choose one? Now you may think $20.00 is not that big of a deal but again you have to know me. On one occassion I drove 5 miles back to a store when I noticed that I was charged $2.99 for Capri-suns that were on sale for $2.00. To me a dollar matters. Back at the dress shop the sales woman overheard my confusion about the price and she said she would check the other dresses and see if one of them was $39.99. Sometimes the exact same piece of clothing can have two different prices. My entourage of friends began to pray. "Lord, let her find the dress to have been mispriced. Let her say it is actually $39.99." Well, she came back and informed us that it was $59.99. Disappointed but certain these dresses should be mine, I walked up to the counter and said I would be purchasing both dresses despite the price. While checking out, the manager walked up and quietly said to the woman at the register that she was to give me an extra 20% off. My jaw hit the ground. I walked out of there with two beautiful dresses for $119.00 that origianlly cost $318.00. We were all giddy. My friends even celebrated as if it had happened to them personally. I could not believe it.
Why couldn't I believe it? Today I was driving through Hobbs thinking about this blessing. It occurred to me that even in the little things God shows us He cares. I also realized that when we pray the answer doesn't always come how we expect it to. I wanted the dress to be $39.99 but it wasn't. God answered my prayer His way. He gave back my $20.00 by lowering the price of both dresses not just one. What are you praying for, big or small? Do you think God has said,"No" or are you wondering if He is even listening? Be patient and give it a bit. God cares about you and He wants the best for you. Your answers will come they may just be in a different form than you had expected.

Sunday School Lesson

This week I got to thinking about the Armor of God. How many Sunday school lessons have you heard on this topic? But in my meditating on it I realized that we have heard it but we don't follow it. We fight battles everyday in this world we live in and many of us feel defeated. We have been given everything we need to do battle with the enemy. We have the helmet of salvation, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit. We have been given all that we need to be victorious. The problem is that we must choose to put on the armor. God doesn't dress us every morning. We have to make the decision to step into these garments.

I envision a knight preparing for battle. He is in his chambers dressing and securely fastening every piece of armor for his safety. How crazy would it be for him to walk on the battlefield and leave his sword? He would spend the entire battle as a moving target. He is protected from the blows but he can never be on the offense. A team never wins just playing good defense. They must have the ability to score as well. I feel like the knight without his sword many times in my own personal walk. I am attacked by the arrows that fly my way. I am confident of my salvation (helmet) and I know the truth (belt). I am a child of the King and He is bigger than any problem I have (shield). Therefore I am walking in my shoes of peace. I also know that I am in right standing with my God (breastplate). He is not angry with me and I am not facing this trial because He is trying to punish me. These things I know and they protect me. BUT what if I could fight back. So many times we think that the Word of God is just a book that is hard to read. I agree that It can be difficult to understand but so was my geometry book. My math teachers still found it important that I read it and learn from it. We can not put more importance on worldly education than we do on Godly Wisdom. The Bible is our weapon. The scriptures say in Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." We must turn to the Word of God in order to win the battle. I don't want to just fight, I want to WIN!!!

So this is my advice to you. Find some scriptures that will encourage you. Find scriptures that pertain to what you are dealing with right now. Write them down and put them where you can see them. Put a copy in your car and on your mirror in the bathroom. Put them on your refrigerator and on your nightstand. Fight the enemy with the Words of God himself. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow."

Here are a few to start you off:
Ps. 23 The Lord is my shepherd. I do not want
Phil. 4:19 My God supplies all my need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus
Phil. 4:6, 1 Pet. 5:6,7 I do not fret or have anxiety about anything. I do not have a care.
1 Cor. 2:16 I have the mind of Christ and hold the thoughts, feelings and purposes of His heart.
2 Tim 1:7 I fear not for God has given me a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind.
Phil. 1:6 He who began a good work in me will continue until the day of Christ.
1 Jn 4:4 Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.
Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Rom. 8:28 All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
Ps. 119:11 I will hide your Word in my heart that I might not sin against God.
Jer. 29:11 I know the plans I have for you says the Lord; plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Children of God, take up your sword and FIGHT!