getting a fresh start..... daily

Each morning gives us a new opportunity, the success or failure of yesterday is behind you, you are starting the day with a clean slate.  In starting with that clean slate we need to start with a heart of forgiveness for others and ourselves. It is also an opportunity to change the tendency to edge God out and giving Him full control of our lives. The newness of each day reflects God’s ongoing work of grace, grace that frees us from the past and offers a way forward.

Romans 8:1-2 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Lamentations 3:22-23 "It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness."

promises that bring hope

I love it when I unexpectedly read one Abba's promises to us and it causes joy and hope to stir my heart.  A promise for today and for the future, for me and my children (spiritual ones too) and to those that come after them.
Thank you Abba for your promises!
Isaiah 59:21 "As for Me, this is My covenant or league with them, says the Lord: My Spirit, Who is upon you [and Who writes the law of God inwardly on the heart], and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your [true, spiritual] children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from henceforth and forever."

peace as a decision maker

There are many times as Christians that we that we almost paralyze ourselves trying to make decisions for our lives because we want to make sure we are doing what He wants for us. He has already given us the ability to make these choices. As is it says here in Colossians when we let the peace of Christ rule our hearts we should allow that peace to be our guide. If you have a peace, go for it. If you don't have complete peace or have a total check that should be a signal to stop and rethink or not do it.  The hard ones are the ones where you have a peace deep inside but we let fear rise up and that keeps us from making the decision He wants. Honestly if some of the choices that you are having to make aren't a little"scary" sometimes or the don't make you a little uncomfortable as you move forward you may want to look at the choices you are making I'll can almost guarantee this is a sign of making fear and not peace made decisions. 
Let's let His peace reign in our hearts in our decision making and in our lives, in this joy will rule and we will be able to sing and praise and have a good time, even through the uncomfortable stuff that causes us to grow.
Colossians 3:15-17 "And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its]  richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts. And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do  everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him."

legacies

Lately I have been thinking about where we have been, where we are at and where we are going. Included in that are the people that have become family along the way. When I look at the relationships that have been built many through the investment of love, time, tears and laughter and I realize how wealthy we truly are. I think of those we call sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters (both natural and spiritual) and I am deeply honored that Abba brought them into our lives.
1 Kings 2:2-4 "I go the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself a man; Keep the charge of the Lord your God, walk in His ways, keep His statutes, His commandments, His precepts, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may do wisely and prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, That the Lord may fulfill His promise to me, saying, If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and mind and with all their soul, there shall not fail you [to have] a man on the throne of Israel."
I came across this scripture in 1 Kings where David is fixing to die but his focus isn't on his death but on his son and the future generations, and he encourages his son Solomon and prophecies into his future and into the generations to come. David is concerned about the legacy he is leaving, the example he has set, as am I. No, I am not on my deathbed (the way I figure it I have about another 70-80 years, unless Jesus shows up before that or I get blessed with an Enoch or Elijah moment), but we have been in the midst of a pretty major transition for the several months and when major events happen that can cause changes in relationships as we all continue to grow and follow Jesus. And I look at these verses and think I would probably say what he did differently.
I would likely say: Man up you are strong and an overcome, take time to stop and sit at the feet of Jesus, read His word, pray relentlessly, do and say what you see and hear the Father doing, be quickly obedient to Abba and love others like Jesus loves you and in that you will be truly fulfilled

John 3:16..... and 17

I think one of the first scriptures that I memorized when I was a new Christian was John 3:16, I think this is the case for many new believers.  But in my usual fashion I had to go beyond the borders of just verse 16, in case you haven't figured it out yet I have hard time staying in the box.  Anyways I looked beyond 16 into verse 17 and while I know verse 16 stands pretty well on its own when I read 17 it just kind of completed verse 16, like they should have never been separated. In fact for me separating the two became a major point of frustration to the point of becoming a pet peeve. Over the years there have been times when I have pondered the eternal  question "why would anyone want to separate them?" (ok maybe it isn't an eternal question but seemed important to me) So here are the various reasons I have come up with.
       1) they were too new to know any better, yet
       2) they weren't able to expand their horizons outside     of the box
       3) they limited themselves to only what they were taught, sometimes by people that didn't know they could expand on what they were taught
        4) they don't like teaching that Jesus didn't come to condemn because if they don't teach it or hear it, then they don't have to abide by it.
I guess that let one might be seen as a little harsh by some, but hey truth is truth, and the truth I believe is the truth that is in the Bible, it is not up to us to divide Scripture at our whim or to meet our purposes.  The Holy Spirit can rightly divide His word anyway He pleases but we cannot. As followers of Jesus it is our job to do what He did, to love people, to heal people, to show people His love and grace irregardless of their position or condition. So let's keep our eyes focused on what is important to Jesus calling out the treasures that Abba placed inside of others.
John 3:16-17 "For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him."

a dream from 12/12/12

On 12/12/12 I had a dream that I think is significant to our future I have been putting off sharing it publically but I feel that now is the time.
Had a dream on 12/12/12 there was a building that people were packing up their personal belongings and carrying them out  it was a government building the building and stairs were cracking and crumbling and falling apart The crumbling governmental building represented our countries government (the government of man) I heard the Lord say that there is a breaking coming the choices that are being made are causing the breaking because they continue to separate Abba from the decisions being made to decide our direction and He says that His government is going to be established the only proper government is a Theocracy and He is establishing His government in spite if the decisions our leaders make.... Also notice the building stairs have crumbled but the foundation has not waivered and He will rebuild on that foundation There will be more persecution coming to the church but it will cause growth of His kingdom  mega churches will fall as many have become the houses of Pharisees the church will grow outside of the walls of limitations His people will be expected to show an outpouring of love and mercy as has never been seen before. The church will be re-established as the care center for our country the government will no longer be able to support our welfare system that was never supposed to be their responsibility As the church moves into it's rightful place balance will be restored.
Oh and the number 12 is the number of His perfect government And this was on 12/12/12

hope for the new year

"Let your Yes be simply Yes, and your No be simply No; anything more than that comes from the evil one." Matthew 5:37
Well the time is here again when many are making their New Years resolutions. So many times these resolutions become unachievable goals and the failure to reach them become a joke. Or they are used to quit smoking, drinking or eating poorly, unfortunately there is the underlying expectation of failure. Personally I have never really been one to make these resolutions, partially because I don't like  setting myself up for failure but also I am more apt to succeed at something if I quietly make the choice and just do it. But one thing that has been impressed on me this morning is how many of us truly seek Abba and what it is that He wants for us. And in reading the verses below in Lamentations really spoke to me about what I need to do, I need to hope in Him more, I need to seek Him more and I need to wait expectantly for Him. I recognize that this isn't something that's just for the new year, but it is meant to be a life style and not just for me but for all that follow Christ.
Lamentations 3:21-25 "But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation: It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and  require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God’s word]."