Abiding In His Peace!

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. “All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:23-27 NIV

While the world turns and slides and collides with the chaos and confusion that reigns in the minds of all those who don't know Jesus, we who know Him, can rest and abide in His Peace.

Where there is peace--calamity cannot exist.

Where there is peace--differing opinions are accepted and embraced.

Where there is peace--the mind stays focused on matters of importance.

Where there is peace--there is love and hatred has no space to hide.

Where there is peace--we recognize that all human beings belong to the same race.

Where there is peace--we hear from God and obey.

While we were never promised to have a life without challenges or obstacles, we are promised that because Jesus has overcome the world, we can move forward in His peace and know the victory He has already declared.

Promoting fear--of anything or anyone--in order to promote an agenda that is not of God, will never result in anything constructive, but rather destructive. If we look at history--those who deceived the masses by igniting fear--were exposed by the results of their deeds and the greater fear--came upon them and their history--all the destruction that resulted because of their actions--became their legacy.

We know that where there is fear--no love exists--because perfect love--unconditional love--forces fear to flee. So if we want to change the landscape of hopelessness (declared by others) we must learn to love--all people and want the very best--for all people--not just a handful--and the only way we will accomplish that goal is to allow Holy Spirit to direct our every move and thought. He knows what the Father desires and He will never lead us astray.

I don't know about you, but I love a peaceful environment in my home, in my community, and everywhere I go. It is so much easier to smile and hold conversations with complete strangers--when no one fears anyone--and peace reigns. Love wants the very best for each of us and where there is love--peace reigns and where peace reigns--love grows and grows and grows.

It's time--for all of us to stop thinking we have the answers--for anything--and realize that the true solutions to any problem we could ever face is in Jesus. He is our provider, our healer, our comforter and our reason for being--here in the earth realm--to promote His peace, so we can live in peace and harmony with all--knowing how to disagree, agreeably!

If we allow others to lead us away from God's Truth and become fearful of anything or anyone--we might want to check our love-gauge--and if low--go back to Him and have Him replenish us with the abundance of love He has for us. Abide in His Peace!

Practicing Living The Word!

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:6-18 NIV

This is how we know--who's practicing their faith in Jesus Christ--by living according to The Word!
The gifts--are spiritual gifts--poured upon those who are called and anointed to minister The Word of God in various leadership roles and others. There are people in churches who are not part of the leadership team, but they are gifted to encourage and know how to love, all.

What does it mean to other a person above yourself? Mothers can probably best relate to this simply analogy. When there's a limited amount of food for a family to eat, most mothers--even though they cooked the sparse meal--will not eat until all others in the family have eaten. The love of a mother surpasses understanding because it is an inherent gift from God. So from godly mothers--we learn how to put others before ourselves.

Everything we do--whether in a spiritual setting or in a secular setting--in church, home or office--we do as a service to The Lord--promoting Him and not us.

We live with hope based upon our faith and encourage others to hope in Him--who provides us with all things.

We are faithful in communicating with Him about all matters that concern us and then we listen--patiently--to what He has to say to our hearts or through His Word before we do anything.

We have no problem sharing what we have with those in need because we know--as Believers and doers of The Word--it is our responsibility to take care of the poor and the needy.

We welcome strangers into our midst as members of the family--loving them all--not turning them away or making disparaging remarks about them.

We know how to smile through the negativity projected towards and tell those who do it--we love them--sincerely, but we do not respond in kind to evil.

We know how to rejoice with others in times of great joy and comfort them as they mourn, allowing empathy to rule the day.

We know how to live in harmony with others without trying to drown them out with our opinions--or expectations--for them to conform and be like us. We embrace diversity and find ways to make harmonious living work like the strands of music orchestrated by the finest musicians.

We are not so proud of who we are that we belittle others or look down on them because they are not us. Believers--whose faith is in God, not mortal beings--do not think we are above others, but know it is because of Him that we can encourage others to become acquainted with Him. The difference between the unbelieving and the believing--the gift of love received from God!

We do what is right in the presence of everyone because we know God sees everything we do and will correct us when we are wrong.

When we have received the peace of God through Jesus Christ, we know how to live in peace and promote peace as a way of life.

In observing what people do and say, we can rightly assess who is practicing living The Word. For those who are practicing, know they have not reached perfection, but they are relentless in their attempt to do what is right before God--not man. If we don't see any effort or attempt by others to practice living The Word--perhaps they have not come to a place where they realize--the only Savior is Jesus!

Let's practice daily--being doers of The Word--in all we do--being the living letter for all to see just how good God is!

Crazy Lady At It Again

When God Has Spoken!

Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”  For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 1:16-20 NIV

Pigs love wallowing in the mud, getting dirty and actually cooling themselves off. But many of us thinks pigs are the most disgusting animals since they'll eat virtually anything and yet--how many love bacon?

When people wallow in filth and come up smelling rotten and disgusting, we tend to judge their appearance the odor emitting from them, not realizing that sometimes our superficial judgments are way off. It is simply a matter of having to give a person a chance to clean themselves up before we make any final decisions. But then--there are some people--who love to live in the muck and the mire--not for any purpose other than that's where they choose to reside--and some people--appear to love those who dwell in the muck and smell to high heaven.

Through the prophet Isaiah, we see that God sees and knows exactly what we're doing and why, but He's giving us a chance to clean up our acts. We can be ceremonially (physically) clean, symbolically clean, and spiritually clean--and it's all up to us. Are we willing to wash and be clean? Soap and water will clean us ceremonially and physically, but they have no effect on our moral compass.  We can be symbolically by committing certain acts of--cleansing--using elements other than soap and water or we can be spiritually clean, by washing ourselves in the water of The Word.

Oh--that The Word would shower us, removing everything that is not like God from our souls and minds so we would see the benefit of obeying God! 

God is not blind or deaf and He warns us to take the evil deeds out of His sight and to stop doing wrong. We are to learn to do right--from a humanitarian perspective as well as a spiritual one. We are to seek justice--for all--the rich and the poor, the black and the white, every human being, without bias. We are to defend those who cannot defend themselves, the vulnerable who have lost hope--especially in our society where many things appear to be hopeless.

If we are willing to do what is required of us--no matter what others may say--and are obedient to God's Word--that we love one another as ourselves--then we shall have hope and access to all the good in the land.

What is required of us? Repentance and a determination to live according to God's Word. Constant communication with Him who is all we need for guidance and direction in every area of our lives. Submission to His Will and not our own--we must do things His way--if we're to receive His benefits. We must not see ourselves superior to other human beings, but accept the fact that we are made in His image, bleed red, and have the same needs--security, food, and shelter. And since we do not live in isolation, we must learn to live in harmony and peace with one another.

When God speaks to our hearts through His Word are we listening? Or have we become so hard-hearted that nothing He says to us, matters?

For the benefit of all mankind regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or belief--God has spoken and if we want to see a change in our society--across the land, we must be wiling to hear and obey.

Speak, Lord--for Your true servants are listening, willing and ready to obey!

Who's Causing Division?

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people." (Romans 16:17,18 NIV)

Any time someone attempts to dissuade a person--about anything God has said--that person should run, not walk in the opposite direction, steering clear of them until they can demonstrate the love of God.

No one who has ever had a right relationship with God can ever truthfully deny anything God has said or His intention for mankind. When we find these people to now want to "reinvent" what God has said, it's time to move on and leave them to the destruction they are bound to incur.

When people attempt to refute or renegotiate God's Word to suit their current desires, they care creating divisions in the body of Believers who know what God has said and means.
However, since there are some who are easily influenced and too weak to stand on the Truth, they go along to get along with others. Here's the problem for going along to get along; especially when it pertains to God's Word--none of us will be asked to stand together with all those we got along with when we stand before God. We will stand before Him--alone--on our own--and nothing anyone else says or does will matter.

Whoever coined the term, "political correctness" and "progressive politics" created the gap that now separates those who truly love God and those who are only giving lip service to God. Political correctness can never take the place of Godly righteousness--no matter who says it or how often they say it--God gets the final say. Progressive politics is nothing more than the enemy's plan to turn people away from God and once they have turned from God, Satan will play havoc with their lives and all those around them.

Once we play games to win the approval of people, we have lost the favor of God. When we have favor with God, He gives us favor with people. America is in the shape it's in because of those people--whoever they are and however they do it--who cause division in the plan that God has already established.

God's plan for mankind is that all are treated like they all belong to the human race--not a particular group of people. God's plan for mankind in order to perpetuate the continuity of human beings is for man and woman to marry and have children. God's plan for mankind is that every child would be raised in homes with a mother and father--whose guidelines are specifically listed in His Word. God's plan for mankind was for us to love one another and love Him. When we love, we don't kill, steal or destroy, lie, manipulate, deceive, or hate--these are the character traits employed by those influenced by Satan. God's plan for mankind is for us to live in harmony, peace and unity--which is the opposite of Satan's plan which always creates confusion and chaos.

Now, I ask you to think--and to be honest with self--whose plan are you adhering to--God's or Satan's? And let's be real, anytime a person promotes hatred by spreading vicious gossip and rumor's--igniting division--they are not part of God's plan, but Satan's.

Everything Done in Order!

"But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." (I Corinthians 14:40 NIV)

Paul's advice to the church to maintain order in all things is an approach we should use in every aspect of our lives. If there is no order, there is chaos and confusion; where there is chaos and confusion, God is not involved.

The first thing we need to keep in order is our thought life. Chaotic and confusing thoughts lead to behaviors that are not orderly. This is why we have so violence in our society and disrespect/disregard for life. There is no order in the minds of those committing hateful acts against others.

If we get our thought life in order, our actions will represent how we think--order--in all things.
If we get our behavior in order, we reduce crime and hateful acts and create an environment for harmony and peace which is how God wants us to live.

When we are in order--our homes are in order--everything is done decently and in order. There is no domestic violence in the home, there is no filth in the home, there is nothing going on in homes that will negatively impact children and their ability to succeed in life. Spouses know how to communicate and parents know how to parent when homes are in order.

When home lives are in order--we have order in society since every home is part of society. We change things for the better and do what is always right.

When we live in an orderly society, the results are seen in everything that occurs within that society and all people are respected and all things are accomplished in an orderly manner, without confusion.

Though many think the Scriptures are an out-dated reference for living, if people were to examine what we do on a daily basis in business and government, they would discover the Biblical foundation for how things get done. In time we deter from the foundation, things crumble and fall. If we listen carefully to well-known motivational speakers--what they say has biblical foundation, most from Proverbs. Parliamentary procedure was born out of Paul's advice for order and just about every legal organization uses Robert's Rules of Order as a guide for keeping "order" in meetings.

Having order in our lives means we work on the front end, establishing guidelines to maintain order and then we simply abide by the order established. Order in the church, homes, government, will lead to peace and harmony, when maintained.

Division!

"He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart." (Luke 11:17 NLT)

Who knew? Jesus knew what those around Him were thinking and He addressed their thoughts.
 Division results in failure, unity results in success and forward moving.

When there is division in a family and people take sides-one against another--there are bound to be hurt feelings and frustrations that lead to actions some--never forgive or forget.

When there is division in society--one group against another--there are bound to be problems that create gaps so wide they may never be closed.

Where there is division in churches--the deacons against the pastor--or the congregants against the deacons--however the division is made--only chaos and confusion will be the end result, causing fracturing and unforgiveness in the minds of some.

So what happens when there is division in the Body of Christ? More chaos and confusion, widening gaps that negate a desire to understand differing points of view, more refusal to forgive--those things that actually have nothing to do with being a Believer, but more about form and fashion (religiosity).

Division--disagreements that lead to not focusing on what is necessary--leads to a malfunctioning entity--no matter what it is--at home, in society, in churches, and especially in the Body of Christ.  

We are admonished to come together--in unity--to address the ills of our society and communities--willing to hear one another and find common ground by which problems can be resolved and no one has to be angry over the results--when we allow Holy Spirit to lead us.

A divided house will fall, just as a divided church will not succeed or a divided nation! If we want to see success--in every area of the lives of people, we must unite in Truth and allow Holy Spirit to have His way in our lives so we can live in peace and harmony, united by Love!