Over There, Shall I See My Reward!

Life is going to have trials and tribulations, good and bad, ups and downs, as well as likes and dislikes. Is it easy to walk away when a loved one's addiction is not improving as you would like? Is it really easy to disown a parent, child, or sibling because they are hanging out with the wrong crowd? You ask yourself those questions and you also are the one who has to live with the consequences.

God said he did not promise us that life would be easy, but He did promise He would be with us always – even to the ends of time! “And then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

(Matthew 28:20)

Me, my Son and his family with my parents. He received a promotion 
that moved him far away. It is God's blessing for 
him to improve his life and family's life! Prayer has made that happen!

Yes it is disheartening to see a loved one suffer, struggle, and even take a wrong turn on the path to destruction. Look at it this way, it's just a detour that will eventually lead them on the road to success! The success I'm talking about is freedom from drugs, gangs, sexual impurity, a quarreling marriage, and even the parent who values work over their family. That in itself is a success worthy of celebration! Cherish the moments you have with those you hold dear to your heart; and never turn you back on them.

 

All of us reading this have struggled ourselves with something that is wrong and not pleasing in God's eyes (sin), so when you were going through the fire, ALWAYS remember someone was praying for you! God NEVER turns His back on us, even when we are deep in that valley! I love when God says:

 

“For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed”. (Malachi 3:6 KJV)

Which means even in our mess, God's love for us is still just as strong as it is when we are on the righteous path! We too should be Christ-like and change not our hearts! Continue to love that person in the midst of their storms. No you are not powerful enough to change them, BUT YOUR PRAYER IS! NEVER cease praying when things get better either; because Satan, the adversary, steps in and WILL cause destruction. As scripture says:

“Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour”. (I Peter 5:8 AMP)

Being sober of mind, means you are at rest (peace of heart) at all times, because you are secure in who you are and whose you are; with ultimate Trust in God to deliver that loved one out of that deep pit of despair! So stay in prayer through trials and tribulations, good and bad, ups and downs, as well as likes and dislikes! Miracles happen every day, some are just not noticeable to the naked eye! It is our rightful duty as a true Christian; whereas, your reward will be in Heaven ~ which is your forever home!

Do You Really Trust Me?

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."

by Corrie ten Boom

25 “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink,  and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are  far more important than what to eat and wear.  26 Look at the birds! They don’t worry about what  to eat—they don’t need to sow or  reap or store up food—for your heavenly Father feeds them.  And you are far more valuable to him than they are. 27 Will all  your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the  field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet  King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully  as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers  that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more  surely care for you, O men of little faith? 31-32 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and   clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all   these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your   heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need  them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first  place in your life and live as he wants you to. 34 “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of  your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. (Matthew 6:25-34 TLB)

One of the most widely used word today is “worry”! Spoken words such as: “I'm worried we will not have enough money to pay the bills”! Why didn't you call, I was worried”! "The doctor found a spot on my lungs, and wants to do more test. Don't worry though" And then we – “worry”! Or; "My wedding ring just fell down the drain"! All of these examples, have happened to many of us. Constant focus on a thing or problem, magnifies it! We can focus on a good thing or a bad thing, either way, you get an unwanted outcome, or an answered prayer! 

                                                                     

                                                                                                                        Miles a day old! 2015

This is how our outer appearance can fool the public

because I was waiting, in 2015 for my 4th grandchild,

which is my daughter's 2nd child, to be born.

She was having a cesarean; whereas, it was taking too 

long for me. I quickly remembered to pray! Thank God

I did, because she had lost quite a lot of blood; but God 

sustained her enough to eliminate a blood transfusion!

Amen!

Those who choose to worry, do not realize, it carries with them everywhere they go! Notice the emotions that show on someones face in the grocery store, standing in line at a ball game, or walking through the mall. Although some are busy doing something, their mind is fixed on that problem that they feel is worth worrying about.

Approach someone in that state of mind, gently, and watch their reaction! They will either jump, because they were startled out of that worry hypnosis, or they will ignore you because they are deeply hypnotized with “worry”; they block all things out of sight and sound! 

Why do we worry? Is it because we feel we are in control, or can somehow worry enough, the issue at hand will miraculously fix itself? I'm not sure either, but I do know that when we worry, we are telling God, we do not trust Him to do what it is, He said He would do; which is:

Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. (I Peter 5:7 TLB)

Now how do we let God have all our worries? By daily prayer and fellowship with Him; which is reading the Bible! God has an answer to every concern you will ever face in life, in the Bible! Now change that worry to Trust, that transfers to “Peace”!

Dressed to Impress!

No, I am not an expert on relationships, but God is. I'm positive, the direction here is husband and wife relationships; because there are numerous relationships that fall under the relationship category. We have working relationships, friendships, Mother and child relationship, Father and child relationship, siblings, and the most important, a relationship with Christ!

 

That's a good question for you to ask yourself while you are reading this? What is your relationship with Christ? Keep that question in mind as I resume with the subject at hand ~  "A husband and wife relationship”.
 

                                                                    My Daughter and Son-in Law 2014

 

All relationships take work, commitment, and “love”! I put love in parenthesis because, we all view love as a feeling instead of an action! Feelings are never to be put at the forefront of anything; because they are fickle. Think about it, our emotions can change like the wind! Most feelings are birthed from our own selfish desires! How can we remove self out of the way, and be joined with “us” or “we”?

 

Good question! We can't; because all of us are born sinners! We all come in this world demanding, wanting; with manipulation, lies, and deceit! All of these behaviors are our natural carnal instinct! In other words, they are natural born to us! I know many of you have heard, “We all are born sinners”! Well that's why!

 

Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned. (Romans 5:12 AMP)

 

If you will recall, because of one man's sin, it passed down through all generations – and the man many will recognize is Adam. When Adam and Eve allowed the serpent to deceive them in the Garden of Eden, all of what Satan is was handed down to us; deceit, lying, manipulation, deadly diseases, sexual sin, homosexuality, control, anger, hate, covetousness (which is the desires of what others have), jealousy ~ whew, I am going to stop, because the list goes on, and could take up too much of your time, and mine! That's what Satan's intention is also! He blind sides you into thinking, “You have no hope”! And you don't, when you don't know better or know there is a better way!

 

A good and healthy relationship, first, begins with commitment. Am I committed to this union? Will I sacrifice hanging out with my friends, when my spouse or child is sick? Will I give them my all (100%) of me; or will I conceal only part of who I am, and give the good of me to others? What is it that you are honestly afraid of? Afraid of being hurt? Afraid of rejection, when you pour out your all? Perhaps, you are afraid of being taken advantage of? "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind". (II Timothy 1:7 KJV)  

All of us have experienced one or more of the questions asked, and survived. The questions is, how will I respond to being rejected, hurt, being taken advantage of; or sacrificing so-called friends for family? Do you respond in fear, which produces anger; or in love and respect; which keeps the peace and harmony in the household! Remember it takes two to argue!

 

If you are not committed to God, you will not be committed to anything or anyone! That's why I first mentioned commitment. Once you establish a relationship with Christ, He gives you everything else you need; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! (Galatians 5:22-23 TLB) It's what produces when the Holy Spirit is in you ~ The Fruit of the Spirit!

 

That's why it is necessary to be born again! When you are baptized in water, the symbolism of being dunked under (dying of the old self, the sinful you), to be raised with Christ, when you are brought up, (the symbolism of being born again in the Spirit)!

 

¹¹ When you came to Christ, he set you free from your evil desires, not by a bodily operation of circumcision but by a spiritual operation, the baptism of your souls. ¹² For in baptism you see how your old, evil nature died
with him and was buried with him; and then you
came up out of death with him into a new life
because you trusted the Word of the mighty God
who raised Christ from the dead.
¹³ You were dead in sins, and your sinful desires were
not yet cut away. Then he gave you a share in the
very life of Christ, for he forgave all your sins.
(Colossians 2:11-13 TLB) 

 

As I mentioned previously relationships take work. So in order to establish a lasting relationship with Christ, it will take “work”; and a will to want to! Once you are baptized, there is still work to be done in you and through you! You thought the change happened over night, didn't you? Nope, that's when the change begins. It's like a sculptor who chips away at a piece of hardened clay little by little to form it into a beautiful piece of art or masterpiece of artwork! God begins to gently and lovingly remove Satan's strongholds. Some of it is easy for you to let go, and other things will be a struggle. Although everything God does is good and excellent; yet we still fear the unfamiliar!

Each sculpting tool has a unique function to mold the clay, and 
necessary to complete the masterpiece!

So how does this strengthen a marriage between a husband and wife? God's love is perfect! It has no beginning and no end! He does not put any conditions on us to love us! It is undying, eternal, and everlasting!

 

We cannot say that; because we do put conditions on others to love them. We put too many expectations on them, we ourselves do not do, and judge with a malice heart and soul! We focus on things about that person that disgusts us, more than the things that pleases us! We point out their faults, and defend our own! We allow a friend to be treated with respect and come home and disrespect our husband/wife and children; and we ignore their utmost needs ~ which is your friendship, trust, and commitment!

 

If you do not have a relationship with Christ, you will never have a healthy relationship with anyone! It's that simple!

 

This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all. So if we say we are his friends but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin. (I John 1:5-7 TLB)

 

God is love! He loves perfectly and without asking anything of you! So to love your spouse perfectly, seek Christ daily, who loves you perfectly, so you can love your spouse the way Christ loves you! Amen!