Singles & Singleness: Seeing Ourselves Through God's Eyes

Was reading a short article in the June 2017 Essence and it really ministered to me. Sometimes God puts you in a place where  you don't want to be in order to sequester you to hear and start digesting His Word in you. In my case, I'm stuck in jury duty for the time being. So here's what God has put in my spirit today for the single women and men, including myself. 

God wants us to know that there is a special place in His heart for the singles in the Body of Christ. He wants us to know for sure that every tear, frustration, pain, heartbreak, heartache, feelings of confusion, anxiety, loneliness and rejection, are felt, seen, and heard. He understands and wants us to remember that we are friends of God. We have been chosen and appointed to bear everlasting fruit, so whatever you ask in the name of the Father, He may give it to us John 15:15-16.

When we view singleness as a "problem" instead of being sacred, we will constantly devalue ourselves based upon the ideals of others. God's love and love for ourselves should be the way we define our worth in the world. God's word affirms in us that we have value! In fact, we were bought with a price by God! We are not to be enslaved by the thoughts and opinions of the world 1 Corinthians 7:23! The way God sees us is not based upon what or who we think are, what we have done, or our current state in life. God knows the plans He has for us! Plans for us to prosper and not to harm us, plans that give us hope and an expected end Jeremiah 29:11! Everything that is happening in your life right now may not be easy. It may not feel comfortable and it may not be the plan you had for your life, but know right now, that GOD MAKES ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THEM WHO LOVE HIM Romans 8:28!

Keep affirming to yourself through God's word and begin seeing yourself through God's eyes!

You are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God! Genesis 1:27 & Psalm 139:4

Your faith makes you whole in spirit, soul, and body! Mark 5:34

You live by faith, not by sight! 2 Corinthians 12:7

God meets all of your needs! Philippians 4:16

God keeps you in perfect peace because your mind is fixed on Him! Isaiah 26:3

You have the anointing of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit. He teaches you truth and empowers me to live a full life! 1 John 2:27

Because you seek the Lord with all your heart, you will lack no good thing! Psalm 34:10

God pours out his love into your heart by the Holy Spirit! Romans 5:5

Because you write love and faithfulness on the tablet of your heart you have favor with God! Proverbs 3:3

The “fullness of God” is available you because you am deeply rooted in the love of Christ! Ephesians 3:17-19

Deliberate Faith Actions: Let's Stop Hanging Ourselves!

Deliberate Faith Actions: Let's Stop Hanging Ourselves!

Romans 12 (KJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.³ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Are you playing Hangman with your life? Are you trying to guess the letters so you can solve the puzzle on your own? Are you realizing that the choices you are making are more misses then hits? My friend, let me inform you, you are just hanging yourself even more. You are choking the very life out of yourself and it's no fault but your own!

God speaks to us while we are in our dirt. He does this in different ways. He may send people into our lives at various times who may plant spiritual seeds in our lives. There might be situations or problems that may come about that will bring you closer to Him. All in all, God desires an intimate relationship with everyone no matter who you are or what you have done. God is merciful and kind. He loves us.

After we have accepted Christ Jesus as our personal savior we receive the gift of eternal life in heaven. Unfortunately, many professed believers stop there. After the act of baptism, many believe "That's it! I made it in!".   But the work doesn't stop there.  When you have confessed Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you are also accepting the responsibility to learn more of the teachings of Christ and to begin living a Christian lifestyle. God is asking us to make a lifetime commitment to Him. That after our worship services, pomp & circumstance, we realize that our relationship with the Creator is a living reality, an everyday existence that we must work toward making more solidified than the day before.

Change does not happen overnight. God instructs us to be "transformed", to "renew our minds". Spiritual transformation and renewal is not something that magically occurs once you are dipped into the water or take your first communion. These are "deliberate faith actions" that believers must take on a daily basis. What God is saying is that He has created us human beings who have the ability to make choices. If we are truly believers in God, we should have faith enough in God to believe that we have the power to make the right choices that are not only wise, but that will also glorify who He is in our lives to the rest of the world.

What is a "deliberate faith action"?

To deliberate or be deliberate means that you are carefully reflecting, considering your actions and that you are consulting with a Reliable Source. As a Christian, our Reliable Source is God and the way we "consult" with Him is through humble prayer and study of His Holy Word. How can we make decisions as believers without asking The One whom we believe guides our footsteps? How can you get to an unknown destination, without first asking for directions or studying a map? Yes you could just jump into a vehicle and go for what you know, but in doing so you may encounter situations that could delay or put a halt on your journey that would have been easily avoidable if you had first asked or consulted with the Reliable Source.
In Hebrews 11:1 (KJV), the bible tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen".  This means faith is visualizing in your mind or believing that a factual occurrence has happened before your physical senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch, & taste) can acknowledge it as a reality. In other words, believers have the power to see future outcomes right now! Now we may not know the how, the why, the where, or the when these outcomes may happen, but we believe they WILL happen because we have the faith to even visualize it.

Action is taking conscious energy to achieve a expected outcome. James 2:20 (KJV), tells us that "...faith without works is dead". It is something to have faith in God, but to never do anything with your faith, makes your faith useless. There are many reasons why believers never apply action to their faith. Maybe it could be fear, regrets, or maybe we are holding onto something in our pasts but it seems that at this point many Christians come to a "hangman" moment in their lives.
Action requires us as Christians to really examine ourselves and our commitment to God. When we know that He us calling us to a higher level, sometimes stepping out of our comfort zones can be the biggest obstacle of our lives. Yes, we have prayed, we have studied, we even have deep faith in our Redeemer... but we still have the fear that if we take some type of action... we still might fail.

If you are having fear or anxiety about changing for the better or acting upon your faith in a positive manner, first know that fear is not an attribute of the spirit of God.

"Well how will I know I am making the right choice? Isn't that pit in my gut a sign that I shouldn't change?"

2 Timothy 1:7 lets us know, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Well from this verse alone we can examine if we have made the correct choices.

Are your decisions:

• Making you feel empowered personally?
• Giving power to others to influence you negatively? 
• Causing you to feel paranoid or distrusting of people around you?
• Showing love and respect toward God, your family, your friends, & yourself?
• Allowing you to sleep well at night?

Many times once we have examined ourselves and/or the choices we have made, we realize we have to go back and deliberate with God in prayer. We may have to go back and ask for forgiveness because we've hurt others or we may have reverted back to habits that are not pleasing to God. We may have realized that we have made choices based on our personal desires and not to glorify God. It's a good thing to acknowledge when we are wrong. God did not save us because we were already perfect; He gave us the gift of salvation through Christ because He IS merciful.

God has created us to be creative people for the purpose to glorify Him. Everyone has a purpose. It is up to each and every one of us to discover that purpose. No matter how small or big we think it is; what ever it is, it is purposeful, needed, and it is meant to help others.

God is calling you to come out of whatever mess you are in and no longer fear! Leave your past behind and walk into your destiny!  There is no use in trying to hold on and carry the weight of the past on your shoulders. Once you except Christ, begin to throw away those burdens, addictions, bad habits, and sins that for so long have kept you in a repeating loop of despair. It's time to press play & move forward!

Don't except anymore excuses from yourself. Cut yourself down from that "hangman" rope and let yourself be free!

The Power to Forgive is God-Given

Sometimes you have to be the bigger person and forgive the people who have done you wrong. Even when they are convinced they are doing the right thing with no regards as to how you feel, just forgive them and move on. 

No one has to prove anything to anyone. On that day when we must all account for our individual lives, God is not going to ask you about your opinions or what you thought about he, she, them, and what they were doing. God is going to ask you what you have done to advance the heavenly kingdom.

Life is too short to hold onto grudges and try to get back at others. We shouldn't allow gossip, jealousy, envy, or greed to consume us. We are more than conquerors! No one can get in the way of your individual prosperity if we decide to prosper by the means of prayer, fasting, and an active commitment to advance in whatever you decide to do.

The enemy's devices can only be indestructible if we perceive them to be insurmountable. 

We can do ALL things through the power of Christ within us! Nothing is too hard for God. So that means we have the power to forgive.

Fellow Christians: America was Not Founded By Christians

Despite popular opinion, the United States was not founded upon Christian principles, rather it was founded on the principles of Deism and the rejection of theocracies (government controlled by religious leaders). Most of the "Founding Fathers" were Deists meaning they believed in the existence of God, but did not believe in a structure of organized religion, the power of prayer; the life, death, burial, and ressurection of Jesus Christ; that the Bible was divinely inspired; or miracles. Deism is talked about thoroughly in the book 'The Age of Reason' by Thomas Paine who is also called the Father of the American Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson, who was the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence, was a deist.  When He wrote the D.O.I., Jefferson was sure not to include any references to any religious dogma; He wrote about the "wall of separation between the church and state"; Jefferson did not believe in the Divine Nature of Jesus Christ, but was fond of the Bible's teachings about morality. He cut and pasted from the New Testament scriptures dealing with morals and but left anything and everything else that dealt with miracles and the Divine Nature of Jesus Christ.
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So I wrote this to say, as Christians, we have to understand where our help comes from. It doesn't come from a Republican... it doesn't come from a Democrat. In fact, it doesn't come from anything in politics! Your help comes from the Lord! The Lord who MADE Heaven and Earth!

Don't get drawn into these political arguments believing that being on a certain side is more "holier" than the other. The fact is, when the American government was set up, they denied Jesus Christ as the Messiah. And the way the political process and economy has been established in the USA, has and will always deny Jesus Christ as long as it is identified as Capitalist Democracy.

 
Yes, we should be involved with the political process. Yes, we should be aware of social issues in our own communities and the world around us. Yes, we should fight against injustice by using the political system and discourse. Because we are citizens of this nation. But we must remember our first allegience is to God in Jesus Christ and the commandment that we love one another as He loved us.
 

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35(NIV)

So be informed of the issues on the ballot (local, state, federal); start dissecting these campaign ads;  get to know the people who are running; because everyone that proclaims to believe in God... is not a Christian. And you will know if they are a Christian not by the issues they support  or do not support, but by the people they have encountered and touched.

A Thin Line Between Love and Hate: Christian on Christian Crime

A Thin Line Between Love and Hate: Christian on Christian Crime

1 John 2:3-10  (NIV)

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:

6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.

8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.

10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.

When we entertain rumors, gossip, suspicion, lies, stereotypes, and fears about others in our lives, we give room for the enemy to make a presence in the way we process the truth about others and ourselves.

We are never able or capable to see, hear, understand others and overall, fully love, because we are constantly judging and pre-judging each other through the filters of prejudice, bigotry, and favoritism.

We treat the people who will and who have loved us unconditionally like dirt. But the one who means to do us harm, we treat them to a five star dinner on gold platters!

Are you entertaining the enemy in your life? Have you made a room in your heart that the enemy has taken his residence? Are you using devices of evil to keep others in bondage or to get into higher positions? 

Proverbs 26:21-23(NIV)

21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to the inmost parts.

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware

are fervent lips with an evil heart.

If you are gossiping, if you are spreading rumours, if you are lying, let me tell you... you are putting yourself on a red eye jet pass ticket to an eternity in hell!

James 3:5-8 (NIV)
5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

We have to LOVE people through their mess! I don't mean coddle, pat their back, and tell them that it's right! I mean PRAY FOR THEM! We may not agree with how people live or the choices they may make, but it is not our mission to judge people or put them in man/woman made living hell prisons!


1 John 5:16-17 (NIV)

16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.
17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

Sometimes many Christians think that by talking behind someone's back or belittling another person, you are helping that person to see that they are wrong. But this is not the way that God wants us to treat others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ! We are to PRAY for our brothers and sisters!

James 3:9-10 (NIV)
⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.
¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Why are we choosing to the opposite of what the Word of God says to do? Why are we aiming to tear down each other with our words instead of building up and blessing each other with prayer???

People who say they love God should not have so much hate and evil in them.... they shouldn't.... but they do. These type of people are not lovers of God, because if they truly loved God, they would not do such things to other brothers and sisters in Christ.

1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)

On Not Loving the World

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

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Even though the Word of God tells us not to love this world and the sin of this world, not to do bad things... we still do. The fact is, because we all have done so and will do so at one time in our lives, means WE ALL NEED TO REPENT AND CHANGE from the ways that tear down and destroy our souls. If you believe in God through Christ Jesus, you should know and believe that through His power, we are able to choose a better Way, a more perfect Way, God's Way!

1 John 5:18-20  (NIV)
¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.
¹⁹ We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
²⁰ We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

God can and will cleanse us from the impurity of our lips, hearts, and minds. God can and will keep us from sinning. God can and will follow through with His Word. God never fails. We as believers need to take His Word seriously and understand, that our actions have consequences.

As Long As You Put God First, YOU WILL ALWAYS WIN!

SMILE!!!  :)

Phillipians 4 (KJV)

4Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let ...your requests be made known unto God.

7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

11Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

12I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

God does not want us to become preoccupied and stressed out with the problems, difficulties, and trials we may have in this life. It is the immediate reaction of our flesh to want to take on the burdens of life and put them upon ourselves. But God does not desire us to God wants us to put ALL of our trust in Him and Him only!

 

Rejoice in the Lord right now for your victory! It may look like a dim situation, but if you put God ahead of your trial, you can't lose! If God be for us, who can be against us? (Rom.8:31) My God can do anything but fail! (Deut.31:6,8) We are MORE than conquerors! Nothing, NOTHING can seperate us from the love of God! (Rom.8:36-39).

 

Everything can go wrong around us, but isn't it good to know that we serve a God who gives us peace, that gives us the ability to endure through all of the struggles we may encounter, and in the end we ALWAYS come out VICTORIOUS! We can do ALL things... not just a few things, but ALL things through Christ who gives us the strength to them! God wants you to know that if you are with Him, you are a SUCCESS! You are always on the WINNING SIDE! Keep the faith, Stay the course, and you will finish the race!

My Opinion: The Role of Husbands and Wives, Male & Female according to the Bible

The Role of Husbands and Wives, Male & Female according to the Bible


Eph.5


*25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;*


26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,


27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.


*28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.*


*29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:*


30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.


31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.



As a wife I should be able to put trust in my husband as the authority figure of our household, not because I am weaker, but because the Bible instructs me to yield to his authority as the leader of our family.



This does not mean that the wife has no say- so in the decisions of the household, because in Eph. 5:21, the Bible instructs both husband and wife to submit to each other in the fear of the Lord. Rather, we both take into consideration each others opinions, feelings, and thoughts. Even when one is not in the physical presence of the other, any decision that is made that would affect the family, that spouse should consider and if possible, at all times consult with the other spouse.



The final decision though, should be made by the husband, and hopefully that husband is a Godly man so all his decisions should be prayfully considered, reassured and backed up by the Word of God. In doing so we both as husband and wife can be on one accord as one flesh.



The problem we are having with our families in today's society day is that frequently we see that there is no husband-wife dynamic present in the home. It is even more prevalent that there is no male figure in the home at all, so unfortunately the woman has had to stand in the place as mother/protector/breadwinner/authority figure. So when this has happened now for generations, we have a culture of masculinized women and feminized men. Girls are taught to be strong, taught that they don't need a man at all. Boys are taught to be sensitive to their feelings, and as long as they look good, are entertaining, or can use their physical prowess in some type of way, they'll always be loved and excepted. We have socialized ourselves to think of each other in topsy turvy roles of what is exceptable and acceptable for the male and female.



And I know time changes, culture changes, society changes... but the Word of God never changes. We've got to get back to who God really wants us to be as individuals and as Men and Woman.