Exploring my gifts…

Today I spent the day with people I do not know, and two I have met briefly.  We explored our Gifts from God.  It was all very exciting, and informative. At the same time very humbling, and terrifying.  God does expect a return on those gifts for HIS glory. So many of mine, have laid untouched for a year. So its quite an understatement to say , “God has lit a fire under my butt”..but HE has.  For that I am grateful.  Also very repentant.

Would we allow any other gift to lay in a corner and not open it? not use it? not show some kind of excitement?

While thinking of how much of a disappointment I am to HIM, I realized that something else was going on in this room…

I was learning and seeing with my own eyes how each person has gifts that are not all the same, and we compliment each other very well. There was no pride or arrogance.  Unity filled the room.  Then HE nudged me… “you love them, don’t you? you are loving the body of Christ”  oh! i have prayed for that so long, and thought i would never sense that in a structured environment.

I love HIM so! Thankful for the gifts HE has given to me, and praying that I will grow into each one of them and use them for HIS glory.  HE always knows what I need, and always knows exactly how to encourage me!

Father God, you know the plans you have for me.  At times it terrifies me at all you have entrusted to me. Realizing that it because  I fear failing you. But You do not fail me.  Please help me to take my place in Your body, using the gifts you have given me, and overcoming the fears that I have. I love you LORD, and I am lifting up my gifts to you for your glory.  As you have said it will be…so will it be. Your Princess who is shaking her head, taking deep breaths as I dive in deeper…

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Being Real is important to me

Things are changing again in my life! Change is not one of my favorite things, but if I would follow Christ with the reckless abandon I once had, change would be minimal and exciting instead of work.

God called me to blog almost 4 years ago. And daily I met with HIM, and daily HE gave me what I needed to write, and a lesson that was as good for me as for my readers.  Somewhere along the way, I detoured the orginal plan, and became taken in by Stats, what was considered to be trending, and pleasing people.  I know lots write on their blogs that this blog belongs to the readers, but mine belongs to me, and is a reflection of the walk I have with my Father.

Long story short…I started a new blog..I will leave this here, as I know there are some good things here that are still being read, and used.  I could have stayed on WP, but honestly I do have the know-how to do lots of things, and paying someone to do it for me is not viable at this time.

I have been called by the KING as HIS princess, to ponder things, to write them, and to stay on this journey to know HIM more, and love HIM more. That’s all. IF you care to follow my journey I will be here.

The only promise I will make you is I will be real.  If you are able to meet me in person, you will be able to feel that you know me, because I won’t pretend to be something I am not Peace and Love!

We Have Been Warned

All verses are taken from the ESV, and all italics are my own thoughts. I realize that the verses from Revelations are to the churches that are named, but it is also to us the “Church”. We really need to apply these warnings to ourself, and also be encouraged that HE has provided a way for us to overcome/conquer.  We live in a world where we compromise on so many things.  God’s word is not up for negotiation, HE said it, I believe HE means it.  Revelations is the only book that comes with a blessing and a curse..read and apply, blessing. Take away or add to it, curse.  Pretty intense huh? yeah it makes me tremble just writing it out here.

Oh Father God, help us to apply, help us to overcome.  So many tell me there are gray areas in your word, I am finding it difficult to imagine YOU a GOD of such great detail, to put gray areas to watch us stumble around to find our own way.  Please purify your bride, get us ready, and remind us to bow to no man in no way.  I know you are a GOD that has a great love for your children, at the same time I know YOU are a KING, Creator, Sustainer, and the writer of this great story and plan that you have orchestrated. Have mercy on us, we seriously are not getting it, or we are blinded and need you to heal our spiritual eyes.  No doubt we need YOU, and we can not do a thing without YOUR hand.  Please help us to be ready.

Ephesians 5:5
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Have you ever seen this verse? Have you ever fallen on your face before the KING of kings, and screamed “please do not let me be one of these, rid me of everything unpleasing to you, don’t stop purging me until it is gone”?  I have come on this verse several times, and each time, it reminds my heart of …

Philippians 2:12
Lights in the World
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Hey I know the verses that say i am sealed with the HS, and my salvation is locked in..but there is a reason that these verses are in the Bible.  I am no theologian, but I believe God has the power to do anything HE chooses, and we are called to obedience.

1 John 5:4
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 2:14
I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Revelation 2:5-7, 13-17, 19-29

5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do  the works you did at first. If not,  I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of  the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of  the tree of life, which is in  the paradise of God.’

13 “‘I know where you dwell,  where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not  deny my faith even in the days of Antipas  my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of  Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might  eat food sacrificed to idols and  practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of  the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not,  I will come to you soon and  war against them with  the sword of my mouth.17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone  that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

19 s “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and  to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but  she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he  who searches mind and heart, and  I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call  the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I  do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works  until the end,  to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and  he will rule them with a rod of iron,  as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.28 And I will give him  the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Revelation 3:1-6, 8-13, 15-22

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation  of being alive,  but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up,  I will come  like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not  soiled their garments, and they will walk with me  in white, for they are  worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never  blot his name out of  the book of life.  I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you  an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of  the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold,  I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that  I have loved you.10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try  those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon.  Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize  your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him  a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him  the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem,  which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own  new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor,  blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you  to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and x the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes,  so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.20 Behold, I stand at the door and  knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers,  I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as  I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Wondering what does it mean to lose your lampstand? lots of theologians have different takes on these scriptures, what if…GOD just means exactly what HE said.  Are we working out our salvation with fear and trembling or are we taking HIS love for granted, and pleasing ourselves blowing off obedience, and making a mockery of HIS forgiveness, cheapening HIS grace as if we deserve it, its a gift…HE IS GOD! HE WILL NOT BE MOCKED! scares me to death!

Not Guilty anymore… (repost)

Decided to repost this from 2009, as the message is incredible, and seems we need to be reminded often.  We are not guilty anymore, Mercy is ours!  

This is something that has plagued me for many years,..about the time I believe I am walking in the blessing and feeling redeemed, forgiven, and restored..

In my Face! always wondering, how could that have come back to me again in a such a crippling way..When we believe God, have repented, HE promises to take it away as far as the east is from the west, never to belong to us again..we are Free from the past…we are certainly not guilty anymore..I needed this video, and thought maybe you do too..

Not Guilty Anymore-AaronKeyes

The Seed Of Bitterness

Struggling many times with disappointment and wondering how it turns into anger and bitterness. It seems without much warning the whole world can turn upside down within my heart. WOW! what or how did that happen. God is always awesome to lead me to something that shines a light on my heart..this week HE led me to Lynse, if you get a chance to read this, i am thinking her questions will do a work in your heart as well… As I pondered her post, and was confronted this last week with issues that just weren’t apparent to me before, I found my self going back to this post..here is my walk through disappointment, anger, bitterness ….  go here

( I will start blogging part of my post here, and the entire post at Philter 48..hope to see your comments here or there, and do go read Lynseleanne’s post very good!)

Changing the “want to”…

Lord God, our Father in Heaven, we are sadly mistaken..or we are blatantly defiant… we need you to change our “want to”, and cause it to line up with Yours.  We cry, plead, and whine through the storms, yet we make our home there.  You say, “thou shalt not…” and we say “I want to”.  Soften our hearts to your will, help us to keep your Son foremost in our thoughts, who was Obedient to Your will, even to death, on a cross. Help us to remember that we will not go through anything that HE has not experienced and that You know exactly what our fears are, even more than we do.  You alone have authority over everything, change our “want to”.

Often I am confronted with a struggle, a battle of the Wills.  Whether it is with my children, or it is between me and God. Both are situations where someone will lose the battle.  We can become consumed with what we want, and feelings are not always right, and emotions can be disasterous if allowed to make choices, especially life altering ones.  When God has clearly said “do not”, HE MEANS IT!  We will not change HIS mind, this is not a compromise, and HE does not love us more than the one that was rebuked for the same thing…So…why do we push the ticket?

Maybe in all our intelligence of theology, we have lost sight of who HE is.  HE is Holy. HE is Supreme. HE is Pure. HE is our Father who will do whatever it takes to make us look to HIM, and to choose HIS way.  HE calls to us for Obedience, and yet we think we have a choice. The choice is..walking in the blessing or walking without it.  Repercussions to our choices are sometimes more painful than just making the right choice. (this one i know)

God opened up HIS mouth, and we have creation in all its awesomeness! HE hung the stars and named them, I can’t even count them much less call them by name.  HIS plan is more than we can comprehend..HIS power is limitless! HE can change our “want to”, HE can change our “mood and attitude”.  HE will not hear our cries in direct disobedience, unless it is in repentance.  If we are playing a game, to have our “want to”, then later repent when we are done with the thing…oh HE will forgive, but you will feel the repercussions…because HE will not be mocked, HE won’t have it…

Disobedience is not ever rewarded…