Tag Archives: bible

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: DEC. 5, 2024

Leave a comment

There is a beautiful awakening God has for each one of us as we start to grow in our new life given to us. This new life is entirely consumed with our understanding of Spirit-living rather than flesh-living. Romans 6-8 defines this extremely well. I’ve read these chapters endlessly over the years. Much of all three chapters are underlined and underlined again for their significance. However, when I read them before I did so for the sake of knowing and then wondered how this could be true for me? I’d pray that God would make what is written real for me.

This morning as I asked Jesus what He wanted me to know from Him for today, as I was ending my journal writing, His response was to praise Him and His Holy Spirit for what they are doing which I can see and experience. Then, continue to praise Them for what they will be doing and are doing that I know nothing about but TRUST They are doing.

As I began reading again the three chapters of Romans I quit trying to wrap my mind around the message and simply asked God’s Spirit to speak. This time as I read the words I quit attempting flesh understanding of this message for the message tells how Spirit is at work and all of what these chapters say is about God’s Spirit through Christ and His Holy Spirit paving our way to HIs GLORIOUS FREEDOM. I can never be anchored in my flesh for it is sin based. My spirit however is Christ-based and my anchor is found there so letting my surrendered spirit to Jesus be the center of my new life is my anchor. PRAISE BE TO GOD OUR FATHER!

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: NOV. 17, 2024

Leave a comment

I wrote yesterday about the session in the morning would be the last one for the week re-engaging all of them. The session was with the young men I’ve written about in past using the material titled: Every Man A Pure Warrior. The lesson title was Aggressive Worship. That title bothered me somewhat in that I’ve always seen aggressive as a negative rather than a positive. Doing the lesson ahead of time was enjoyable, but going through the lesson yesterday brought about some awakening I have needed all of my life.

Worship has always been an important time for me. It is easy for me to lose my flesh self momentarily and let my spirit soar praising God and letting His Spirit be mine. A line in the lesson said, “Offer your body and body parts to God as an act of worship and clothe your body with the armor of God.” During the lesson time we discussed the part of clothing oneself with the armor of God as a part of worship. I’ve never once thought of this act as a part of worship until this became a talking point. This morning while journaling I was expressing my question mark to Jesus. It was then He pointed out that when my spirit joins The Holy Spirit and I allow the Holy Spirit to be my spirit I begin the opportunity to do as the phrase above says–offer my body and parts to The Holy Spirit which then allows Him to be my Armor of God. If I have this right, it is in Spirit I find strength of God becoming my own strength. I’ve never found God’s Strength maintained when I approach it in my flesh–my mind. It is when I approach this in my spirit that I find God’s Strength. Good grief, God is Spirit so why has this been such a mystery until now? I’m going to be spending a good deal more time allowing this to manifest itself in me.

Well, the journey does continue!

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: NOV. 8, 2024

Leave a comment

About 4-5 years ago I was working with a man who was struggling with his marriage. I had met his wife and had drawn my own conclusion about her. I had taken this couple’s concern to my prayer warrior. She asked me to talk to her about the two of them. In so doing I said that the wife was evil. When I said this I was immediately corrected firmly. She told me that my words were powerful and I needed to confess this sin and ask for forgiveness. My words would influence this wife and I needed to change my way of thinking about her. I did all of this and now these few years later I can understand much more clearly what she was saying.

My devotional message this morning was all about my prayer warrior’s message a few years ago. The author’s writing told how faithful David’s men were to him. Even though his warriors would do anything for him, David knew that he needed to transfer their faithfulness to God through his own words to them and not try to keep it for himself. David used his words to show his followers that their faithfulness to him was a step towards faithfulness to God. David was a conduit for them to God.

My words about this wife didn’t lead anyone anywhere except to cast stones joining me. Today as I write this I feel guilty all over again. I sure need to always remember how powerful our words are when we speak them. Even when someone does something wrong our words need to first be taken to Jesus asking Him to help us understand the story behind a person’s actions rather than to cast stones.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: SEPT. 29, 2024

Leave a comment

A week ago today when I was journaling and asking Jesus what He wanted me to know from Him for today, I heard Him ask me when I was going to listen and obey Him fully? I like to think I do this fairly well, which I have. But, Jesus is not OK with my “fairly well”. He is asking for the “fairly” to be taken out of the equation. He seeks for me to replace fairly with full–full well.

I have written much of late about this process of learning about the significance of God’s Holy Spirit living in me and finding God’s Strength/Power from this residence in me. It is incredible to start putting together all this means. When trust and faith are placed in front of all willfulness/selfishness, one starts on this path of obedience. It is truly taking I Corinthians 10:13 to the test. This verse says, “No temptation has overtaken 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 endure it.”

When I’m tempted to tell The Holy Spirit, “not now” or something along that line or “I just want to stay with what I’m doing, I can do that later, just remind me.” I am disobeying. I’ve always looked at this verse from the lens of some self-gratification/selfishness. Yes, these are common to man, but just as common to man is ignoring a nudge to do whatever is being done presently. The JOY of the Lord being my strength is never found in my selfishness–only in my obedience. Today, living a week in obedience has given me great JOY as I write this. It is no surprise either that obedience that is “full well” has no sense of one not getting their way. Instead, it is full JOY!