Repentance?

 Matthew 11:20 "Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been preformed because they did not repent."

Repentance in Christianity means a sincere turning away, in both the mind and heart, from self to God.   A sincere turning from self to God.   This Easter weekend I'm spending time with my dear Aunts. One of my goals was to attend reflective services which we have.    Yesterday, for Good Friday we each nailed a nail in a cross to represent putting our sin on the cross and leaving it there.   Leaving it on the cross would mean not plotting on how to still have the sin.  A true repentant heart is leaving the old behind and pressing forward to the high calling of God.   Just as a dog returns to his vomit we can return to our sin.   This weekend and hereafter let the love of Jesus  help you truly have a repentant heart.😇🙏❤️

Why have you forsaken me?

 Matthew 27:45 "From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.  46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi,Eloi, lama sabachthani?-which means, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"

Today is Good Friday.   When we run to our sin and hold it tight, we can feel like God has forsaken us.   Today's society has normalized so many sins.  That many may be deceived and not understand why God feels so far away.    No matter how far away God may feel, He is with you always!!   God was watching every moment when Jesus bore OUR SINS on that cross.  Sin is a liar, it tells us it's not a sin at all.  Sin separates us from ,"feeling the love of God."   Truth is God loves each of us so much that He gave His one and only begotten Son to free us from our sin and give us His right standing with God and eternal life. Jesus paid the eternal penalty for each of our sins once and for all on the cross.   Today let's simply be thankful for the cross.

Enjoy what is

Psalm 89:15-16 "Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence,Lord......They exult in your righteousness."   Yesterday I was reminded of an event from high school.  I had tried out for the female lead in Jesus Christ Super Star and I was chosen for the Chior.   I thought that was beneath me, so I quit.    I missed out in the fun of being involved in the play, because I didn’t get my way.    Funny how life gives you lessons and if you don’t pass the test, you get to repeat the same lesson.  Many times in my life, things have not gone “my way”. When pout about it, I’m reminded of the little girl who didn’t get the fun of being in the school play.   God protects us with doors that are open and shut.   Be inspired to enjoy Gods way today!!😇🙏❤️. "Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence Lord."

Keep trying

Psalm 89:26 "He will call out to me, "You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior."   Call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved.    He is our Father, our God, our Rock and Our Savior.   That is enough.   

Proverbs 24:16 “for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.    This weekend I ran into an old friend.  She was struggling with a sin, she has a repentant heart but still struggling with the sin.  She was focusing on how afraid she is of the upcoming consequences.   The comfort I could give her is, “Yes, likely you will have consequences.   That is because you have a loving Heavenly Father that is helping you conform to Christ Jesus image.      He is going to be with you always.   His love for you is unconditional and will see you through all of this.    Call upon Him, Trust Him and keep on trying.   Sometimes it takes us a while to let go of the sin that so easily ensnares us.    God is here now helping you through it!!😇❤️🙏Keep turning to Him and keep trying to let go of the sin.   I spent 29 years trying to quit drinking, I had a large number of years spent in bulimia.   I’m so glad I kept trying.   We are all sinful humane beings.   Keep seeking God first.  No matter what!!!   He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Shrinking Back?

Hebrews 10:37 "He who is coming will come and not delay. 38 But my righteous ones will live by faith.  And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."  39 But we are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Shrinking back is not walking in faith.  Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."    I heard a sermon of Charles Stanley.    He said, "The only thing worse than waiting on God, is wishing you had."    I am a type A personality, I am full of going out ahead of God and then asking him to bless my mess.   Waiting on God, being patient and trusting His way is a constant battle for me.  I always come up with a “ Kimberly plan” shrinking back in my faith.  I think “I” need to help God.   In the middle of the word “pride” is the letter "I".  In the middle of the word “sin” is the letter "I".    Today, I will be trying to let go of what "I" want and intentionally  want,  what God has for me.    This is my constant battle.    I spent a lot of time as a young adult in self help books, studying making things happen and taking charge of my destiny.  Truth is when I surrender that is when I'm the most successful.  😇🙏❤️.  Don’t shrink back.   God knows what He is doing!!  Walk Boldly in Faith today and always!!!

Sacrificial giving?

Hebrews 13:16 "And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."      Sacrificial sharing is sharing is sharing out of your lack not out of your abundance.    Sharing, either out of lack or abundance is good.    It's tax time.   This is the time of year I notice how much financial giving I have done over the past year.    I personally am disappointed that my giving wasn't a hirer percentage of my income.    Funny how I think I am being so giving but when I look at my numbers I'm pretty average.   This makes me think about if I'm truly being a sacrificial person or one after my own self interests.    Today, Gods Spirit is showing me I am thinking of myself more highly than I am.     Last night as I sat watching the clouds behind a tree

The tree looked like it was moving.   It was the clouds moving of course.    This image reminded me things can appear to us different t than they are.     Today I'm noticing I'm not as giving as I thought I was.    Thanks God for loving me regardless of my performance!!!  Thank you Jesus for your finished work on the cross. Thank you Holy Spirit for being my helper!😇❤️🙏.

Judgy?

 Romans 2:1 " You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."   Do you ever feel “judgy”?    I have more times than I’d like to admit.   Usually, when I feel this way, I find myself doing the exact thing I was judging someone about.   God is good at keeping us humble when we look in His Word for our guidance.    I remember being “judgy”, about someone that put their dog down before they went on vacation.   I have 7 days left before I leave town and I thought my beautiful dog would have died by now.   But she is likely not going to.    Many people have told me to “put her down”.    She was born the day I quit drinking so I  am struggling with putting her down.  She really doesn’t seem to be in pain and my vet said she is not.    She has difficulty standing and has issues with bathroom stuff.   Which I have been managing for quite a while sometime.     This verse today is reminding me of the lady who put her dog down before they went on vacation.   I am understanding that it wasn’t selfishness, it was her truly not wanting the dog to go through end of life without her.    Funny, how God is involved in our every moments.   May you see Him in your moments today too.😇🙏❤️

Are you drawing near or running from?

Psalm 139:7 "

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  8 If I go to the Heavens you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 if I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,  10 even there your right hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."    He is with us always….even to the end of the age!(Matthew 28:20).   God is our constant comfort and strength, our blessed assurance.   On the flip side of He is with us always; my blatant sin makes me want to hide like Adam and Eve tried to do in the garden.  We can't hide from God.  He goes with us wherever we go.   When there is something that makes me want to hide from God verses run to Him; I simply confess it and plead for His help.  He already knows.    His love for each of us has no boundaries!!   I get such tremendous relief when I call upon the name of the Lord.  He loves us always and is always there to help us through!!😇🍀🙏 Thank you Jesus!!!   ( He loves us so much, He gives us consequences)

Life giving rebuke

Proverbs 15:31 "He who listens to life giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.  32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.  33 The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor."    Recently I feel into a behavior that was sinful.   A sin that I had felt I had long ago conquered.  Just a taste of that sin made me want for more.   Made me think “So what?”  My heart was hardened.   It was blatant disobedience that seemed to just take control.   When I look at the why, I am realizing that in my pride I am not seeking first the kingdom of God.  But I am seeking the fleshly desires of my heart.  I have been, "showing off".   Funny I didn't realize I was tell a dear Christian  friend pointed it out to me.   My "little sins" staring hardening my heart.  The other day a swear word came out of my mouth at church.   That was a huge indication of where my heart is.    I am very thankful for my friends life giving rebuke.    I don't like it.   I also love it.  I know likely,  I will have to face some disciple for these behaviors. I would rather to be disciplined and humbled than haughty and prideful.    Today and always, may God bless you with friends,(fellow sisters and brothers in the faith) willing to give, life giving rebuke in love.😇❤️🙏.  May you also be courageous enough to “in love “ give life giving rebuke.

Rise up!!

Romans 8:8 "Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."   This is a very short powerful verse.    Lately I have been toying around with justifying a behavior I know is against Gods way.     This verse is helping me understand that when I justify my sin and go in that direction without being convicted of it’s wrong, I cannot please God.    This seems so harsh.  I just have this one sin that the world says is totally okay that I want to justify.  Truth is that is a slippery slope.  Thank God He is convicting me.   Moses chose to not enjoy the passing pleasures of Pharos house to do Gods will.    May each of us identify and resist the devil and the sinful behaviors that so easily ensnare us and RISE UP!!!    Be Holy as He is Holy.  We all fail at this. The key is to not harden our hearts and pretend we can go on sinning and be pleasing to God.  Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Go the heights!!

 1 Corinthians 2:4 My message and my preaching were not with wise persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's' wisdom, but on God's power."    Men’s wisdom,  we are bombarded with it!!!  Commercials, friends advise, movies, news, radio so many sources of men’s wisdom.   It is hard to stand on the “Word“ when we listen to the world.        Be careful today who you listen to.   Habakkuk 3:19 “The Sovereign Lord is my strength, He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.”    Whatever mountains you are facing today.   Let God’s Word enable you to go the heights!!!  Don't let this world's wisdom defeat you.    You are more than a conqueror in Jesus Christ!!!

Leave it behind and move forward in Jesus

 Mark 8:33 "But when Jesus turned and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter. "Get behind me Satan!" He said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of man."

James 4:7 "Submit yourselves, then to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and He will come near to you.  Wash your hands you sinners and purify your hearts, you double-minded."    Looking toward the things of man over the things of God.  Sometimes I think I’m riding the mountain top of Christ centered behavior and don’t even notice I’m taking a fall.  It’s PRIDE.  God has a way to keep me humble.   Usually it’s my sin.  True repentance isn’t sorrow or guilt, it’s turning from the sin and pressing on toward Jesus Christ.    We are new creations in Jesus.   The old is gone the new is here!   Unfortunately, we can easily fall into sin, even sin we thought we conquered.   No matter how many times we fall our Loving Heavenly Father is here to pick us back up again.   Sin has consequences.   Good thing, or we would keep on sinning without repentance .  We are not defined by our sin.    We are defined by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.     Where ever you are in your walk with our Lord, on the mountain top or in the valley, know you are His most treasured possession.   He will never leave you nor forsake you no matter how many times you fall.   Keep turning from worldly snares  and keep turning to Jesus.   It’s a sanctification process that gets us healthy and well, through the powerful gift of Jesus! 😇❤️🙏

Enjoy your work enjoy your life

 Ecclesiastes 3:22 “So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?”     Enjoy our work!!!    This is great advice!!!   We spend most of our waking hours at work, so if we choose  to be upset about our work life we will be upset about our lives.     I am currently retired from an amazing career.   During that career I had many things that were difficult.  I choose to see what was right.    In my retirement I still have to treat my life like my career.   I have to intentionally choose to do things I don't feel like doing.  I usually don't "feel" like cleaning the toilets or washing the floors.  I enjoy having my home clean.  I choose to enjoy the work because I enjoy the end product.   Attitude is altitude.    Today may you choose to enjoy your work and enjoy your life!😇❤️🙏

Single or married be courageous!!

1Corinthians   “Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”

Joshua 1:9 “ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”    I am a divorced woman.    When I first went through the breakup I was sure it would be “easy” to replace my husband.   WOW!!!  That is some serious messed up thinking.  At the time I was a practicing alcoholic.   I had a lot of “stinking thinking”.   Some of my friends are currently going through relationship break ups.   It’s truly one of the hardest things there is to go through being rejected by someone you love.   God never rejects us!!! He will never leave us nor forsake us.   Be strong and courageous in your marriage or in you singleness.   God knows exactly what you are going through and He is with you always.   Constantly loving you beyond your wildest dreams!!😇❤️🙏

Not as bad as I used to be

 Nehemiah 9:3 "They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent an other quarter in confession and worshipping the Lord their God."   Can you imagine spending over half your day learning the Word, confessing and worshipping?   I have a hard time getting my clients to read a verse a day.  I used to wake up in the morning and “work out.”Now I wake up in the morning and spend time learning the word, and worshipping God.   My mantra is; When you put on your faith you are fit for anything “.  ( I still value exercise, I value Faith more. 1st Timothy 4:8) When reading this verse I am reminded that I truly don’t spend much time in confession.   My sins aren’t as loud today as they were 20 years ago when I was actively drinking.  But I am humane so I am still full of sin.   In AA we have a saying, “ Our secrets keep us sick.”   Today I am inspired to look at my heart and truly confess what my pride is telling me is “Reasonable behavior and desires”.   The world’s standards are not Gods standards.   Joyce Meyer says,”I am not as bad as I used to be, but I’m not where I want to be.”   It's very good for my health to stay in confession and worship.