A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline. -Harvey Mackay

Well...I am making my goals for the New Year. I don't do New Year Resolutions but I  figured there is no better time to establish new goals. I really have a deep desire to know God in a more intimate way. Be closer than I have ever been. Teach His word and evangelize the city. Win souls and inspire friends and family.

My family faces new challenges this year and I want to put my full trust in God and Him alone to provide for us, lead us and take care of us....like His beloved children.

I want to link with the brethren in church to do all God has called us to. I want to teach my beautiful daughters more and lead them to still waters. I want to submit to my husband, respect him and honor him like never before! I want him to feel like a KING! I would like to establish deeper relationships and be someone people can count on. I want to make things right with the people I have wronged. I want to love like Jesus.

Yes of coarse...the normal stuff to as always, lose weight, get out of debt etc...but mostly I just want to be used by my awesome Father in heaven like never before!

Philippians 3:12-16 (The Message)
Focused on the Goal 12-14I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

15-16So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.

Trusting your heart and feelings.

Genesis 27:21-24 (Amplified Bible) 21But Isaac said to Jacob, Come close to me, I beg of you, that I may feel you, my son, and know whether you really are my son Esau or not. 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac, and his father felt him and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23  He could not identify him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him. 24 But he said, Are you really my son Esau? He answered, I am.

If you make decisions based on feelings you will not be able to identify lies.

It is funny that Isaac's intellect (what he knew to be Jacobs voice) was contradicting what he felt. He was blind but he still could hear. How many times have we been blind, confused and not knowing what to do but base our decisions on what we feel instead of what we hear or what we have learned to be the truth? Everything you have been taught and everything you feel sometimes will contradict each other.....in that case go with what you have heard or rather what you have learned to be the truth, don't trust your feelings. If anything contradicts the word of God then its a lie. Your feelings are fickle and if you trust them you will not be able to identify the lies of hell.

I have heard so many people say they are confused but they are going to trust their heart....or they say I trust what my heart to lead me. NO! NO! NO! Please do not trust what your heart.....unless it is biblical.

Jeremiah 17:9
“ The heart is deceitful above all things,And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Christians with bad habits....addictions?

1 Corinthians 15:33 (New King James Version)

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

The first thing you need to do when you have found yourself to be addicted or practicing bad habits, look at the people you are hanging out with. THE GOOD OLD SAYING "a bird of a feather- flock together" IS MORE BIBLICAL THAN YOU THINK.

The first step in changing bad habits or breaking addictions is to be around the people you want to be like. Our friends and people we are around the most is who we will be like. When our kids are acting up the first question should be, who are you associating with...

Proverbs 12:26
The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.



There are many who say they are christian....but be careful, you need to see how they are living their lives...If the say they are christian and practice these things you should not be hanging out with them.

1 Corinthians 5:11 ESV

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

Some of these words I looked up, they are not used alot and I wanted to be sure to address all of them.

Sexual Immorality is sex out of marriage.

Greed is excessive desire for wealth or possessions.

Idolater is the worship of anything that isn't the one true God.

Reviler is someone that  uses abusive or scornful language against someone or something.

Drunkard a person that gets drunk.

Swindler is to cheat (someone) of money, etc; defraud.

The second thing you need to know; is that your sin maybe be the very thing that keeps you from heaven. You must understand that you need to repent of it. Which means to go the other direction, have a change in heart and  mind, turn from it. The first thing Jesus preached here on earth was to repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.....(Matt 4:17).

Isaiah 5:11 ESV Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

I have hit on drunkenness alot but all partying is included!

Romans 13:13 (New Living Translation)
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.
Romans 13:14 ESV
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

1 John 2:16 (New King James Version) For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.


Do not try and blame God for your sin....do not make excuses for your sin. I hear alot of people that say things like, God understands or God wouldn't let this happen if He didn't want me to do it.
James 1:12-15 (ESV) Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

God gives us many warnings and we need to live cautiously.....making sure we don't walk into traps!

1 Peter 5:8 (New King James Version) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Third thing I want to encourage you with is EVERYTHING that presents itself to you....you already have the strength to conquer it. God will not allow ANYTHING to come to you that you can not handle!

1 Corinthians 10:13 (New King James Version) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

High expectation will set you up to fall.

Psalm 62:5
My soul, wait silently for God alone,For my expectation is from Him.

Having high expectations of people can be dangerous, we set ourselves up to fall. Even when people promise something or say they are going to do something, its still a risk to put your trust in them. People are fickle and they don't understand the damage that is caused when they don't come through.

We have different expectations of different people. People on the street....well, we don't have any expectations from them. When they do something that is more than we expected they become a blessing for us.

People in our family....well that's another story! If we would keep our expectations lower and not set the bar so high; just like people on the street, our families would be a blessing to us.

People in the church.....the bar is set even higher! We think cause they are christian, we can expect more from them. In some cases this is very true! However, they are still just as human as the people on the streets. If we are not careful we can get very offended by them cause they have not our expectations. Offence is a stumbling block, it can make you fall. Alot of times we expect more out of Christians then anyone else around us. Our expectations of them.

I have learned to lower my expectations and not be surprised when people fall short.

I don't know how many times this has disappointed me and in fact shaken me up pretty bad. I came into the church in awe of the life styles we as Christians live. I never expected to have issues with the people around me doing things and saying things that they shouldn't. Even though my expectations were not to much to ask, I was trusting in man. I remember the first time my expectations where broken. I couldn't believe what was happening, the person I looked up to, the person that helped me through so many issues in my walk. I was devastated! It shook me up to know, people in the church, could or would do and say such awful things. We need to remember that our family in the church is no different then the people in the streets. They feel pain, they go through hard times, they aren't perfect and they are going to fail sometimes. Failure is a part of our walk and growing in Christ. If we do not allow room for failure in peoples lives; we not only push them away but we hurt ourselves. We will end up getting deeply offended and this is a trap! Once we are offended, we walk around hurt just like the person that hurt us! Then we start to do the very thing that stubble us!

This is when we learn to love the way God loves!
Psalm 118:8

It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

Isaiah 2:22
Cease to trust in [weak, frail, and dying] man, whose breath is in his nostrils [for so short a time]; in what sense can he be counted as having intrinsic worth?

Jeremiah 17:5
Thus says the Lord: Cursed [with great evil] is the strong man who trusts in and relies on frail man, making weak [human] flesh his arm, and whose mind and heart turn aside from the Lord.

Romans 10:11

The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed.

If we keep our expectations lower....people will be a blessing to us when they pass our expectations. We will be blessed by them. Not to mention we will be a blessing to them.....the weight of our expectations wont be on their shoulders any longer! 

Anger can turn to murder... in your heart!

 

 

Genesis 4:2-15 (The Message)

 ² Then she had another baby, Abel. Abel was a herdsman and Cain a farmer. ^3-5 Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk.
 ^6-7 God spoke to Cain: "Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it."
 ⁸ Cain had words with his brother. They were out in the field; Cain came at Abel his brother and killed him.
 ⁹ God said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?"
   He said, "How should I know? Am I his babysitter?"
 ^10-12 God said, "What have you done! The voice of your brother's blood is calling to me from the ground. From now on you'll get nothing but curses from this ground; you'll be driven from this ground that has opened its arms to receive the blood of your murdered brother. You'll farm this ground, but it will no longer give you its best. You'll be a homeless wanderer on Earth."
 ^13-14 Cain said to God, "My punishment is too much. I can't take it! You've thrown me off the land and I can never again face you. I'm a homeless wanderer on Earth and whoever finds me will kill me."
 ¹⁵ God told him, "No. Anyone who kills Cain will pay for it seven times over." God put a mark on Cain to protect him so that no one who met him would kill him.

When we do things for God or people; we do them with a “sincere heart” but God has already told us what He expects from us. Just like our parents lay down the rules for us....what to do and what not to do. Chores, homework, ect. A lot of people say “well God understands me and he knows whats in my heart” but they have not done what God has expected them to do. They make all the excuses for not doing what God has told them to do. Just like they do with their parents.
The attitude of Cain was very bad... he become very angry. This is where the danger is! God asked Cain, why he was angry in verse 6. Then, God warns Cain in verse 7. He says that sin is waiting for him and we need to master it! We need to rule over it, control it and resist it. When we get mad, we need to be very careful not to sin.

 Ps4:4  Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.  Selah  

Eph 4:26-27“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Matthew 5:21-22 (The Message)"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.

We get so angry sometimes and we direct our anger at people instead of just recognizing we are the problem and we need to repent and be humble and ask God for forgiveness. Cain got mad at Abel and it had nothing to do with Abel, the problem was within Cain and he dirrected his anger at Abel. We tend to get hurt when others do well and we dont. We start to examine the other person doing well; and find fault in them. Forgetting that yes, they are human and are not perfect and that we are saved by grace. A lot of times we start to compare what we have done and what others have done, forgetting that we are also human and not perfect. Well, I did this and this... and that and no one has even noticed!…..what have they done? Bad, bad, attitude! God doesn’t like this. He wants us to simply say God I know I DIDN’T DO WELL THIS TIME AND I WILL DO BETTER NEXT TIME, forgive me (then press forward). It is our human nature to constantly compare ourselves to other people instead of comparing ourselves to Jesus. If we would compare ourselves to Jesus we would not be focused on what others are doing and whether or not they did well in our eyes. We wouldn’t be competing with our brothers and sister instead we would be cheering them on, getting excited for them and congradulating them on a job well done!

If we would remember in those times we feel someone is being accepted or doing better then us and we have been rejected. Instead of feeling angry about the rejection we need to lean on the truth…..we will be accepted if we do well. We are the head not the tale, we are more than conquers and no weapon formed against us will prosper. It is a decision to rule over this SIN and if we don’t it will end up over taking us; in hatred, bitterness and self pitty.

Murder….may not be in the physical sense but in our hearts and words! This is very dangerous!

In verse 11 of the original text you will see that it cursed Cain. We can curse ourselves if we arent with this very thing, it starts with a difference in personality which is God given! Sometimes personalities clash! It then moves to competition! Very bad to compete with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We are supposed to be on the same team! If you see this happening then you need to rule over it and humble yourself. Don’t let pride rise and start comparing yourself with the other person. Be happy for their victory. Don’t try to out do them, encourage them, stay humble and do not exalt yourself, instead exalt them!

V.15 God still protected Cain from people’s vengeance! All I have to say is wow! God expects us to rely on Him to do the judgments and punishments. How many times have you seen something you don’t like and you start to talk about it and you yourself start to be angry and you start finding anger and hatred creeping in your heart? Well, God doesn’t want you to do that. Our words are either blessing or cursing. Our words are very powerful be careful what you say.


If we keep the right attitude and keep our perspective right, we can do this. Our heart needs to stay soft and plyable, sensitive so we can see when this is starting to happen and correct it quikly....quikly is very important!

Don't be a hypocrite....Jesus warns us!

Luke 12
 ¹ In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. ³ Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

WOW! Warning about being religious again....crazy! Hypocrisy, we all have heard it! People calling us hypocrites and using it as an excuse not to go to church.....well this warning was to the Christians. It contrast hypocrisy with what we are speaking in the dark! Its pretty clear! If we aren't watching what we are saying than we are likened to hypocrites or as we call it; religious people!

Last time I looked at religious people we talked about the good Samaritan. The religious person ignored the person dying on the street and the good Samaritan did all he could do to help the person. He took the time to mend the wounds of someone he didn't even know.

Now, we can judge ourselves and see if we are religious not only by how we are reaching to the dieing on the streets but also by the words we are speaking in the secret places.

These aren't my teaching.....this is from the word of God. Don't hate....but appre

Women! We will serve our family sin or we will rally them up and get them excited!

First I want to give you some of my deepest frustrations, I am a woman, as you know, that is very passionate! I have the spirit of Deborah...I want to lead and fight and make things right! In the past, I have gotten discouraged because I was a woman, I wanted to do what the men were doing! I have recently been encouraged though, I want to share my frustrations and encouragement... in hopes that it will help you.

Eve ate the forbidden fruit in a perfect environment! We understand that Eve served her husband sin, she ate FIRST and then served him.

But....we need to remember:

Genesis 2:18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

We were and still are the answer to the problem! That is, IF we choose to be!

Eve was without sin and lived in a PERFECT ENVIRONMENT.  We need to understand that no matter where we are and no matter what is happening; things aren't going to be perfect! We as women, want so much and get so upset when things don't go as planned. We are ruled by our emotions even when things are good around us we get upset, even when we are in the will of God. We make decisions based on deception through our feelings! We think we need a better environment, more money, bigger home, more friends, better family ect... (put your environment you desire in the blank!). Bottom line is, Eve had the perfect environment and she still influenced her family to sin. We have to live under curses because of it.

The women led the old testament into sin as well as the new testament into salvation and the great commision.

Mary Magdalene and Mary,  two awesome women of God, rallied the men!
While the men where discouraged and where bumming around, the WOMEN went to the tomb! They were actively pursuing Jesus even while they thought He was dead! They are to be our example.

Matthew 28
1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.The guards (men) where scared to death and fainted!! The women didn't! This should encourage us!

^{Matt 28:5} But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. ⁷ And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” ⁸ So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

They were told NOT TO BE AFRAID! JESUS HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD! We do not need to be fearful, Jesus is still alive! He allowed the woman to find out the good news first and bring the good news to the men! Jesus allowed women to rally the men and encourage the men with the good news! They went and gathered the disciples and organized the meeting; while the men were walking around, with their heads to the floor, discouraged and broken.

Even Peter, went backwards! He went back to fishing......I guess we can see that when things don't go our way, we easily go back to what we are comfortable in... our OLD WAYS! Peter actually separated from the others! Mark 16:7 (New King James Version) But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” Notice: Peter wasn't with the other disciples.

^{Matt 28:9} And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

Jesus met with the women after the angel told them to go tell the men. They had an encounter with the risen Jesus on the way. In their obedience and in the mist of rallying the men is when they had an encounter with the risen savior! We need to be obedient in order to experience Him. Jesus came to them! He then told them to Rejoice! Rejoice is a verb (a verb is performance of an action not a feeling) to be glad; take delight. He didn't say to try and be glad, He said to do it. Then they worshipped Him. This is a critical part; we will not be able to truly be glad unless we worship Jesus!

Worship (verb...action) reverent love and devotion, profound dedication; consecration. Devotion is more than words. It is profound and devote.

During worship, Jesus instructed them! During worship wneed to be and do. Without TRUE WORSHIP, we will lack instruction from God. He told the women not to be afraid. Afraid is an emotion. We need to stop feeling and start worshipping. This will help us to be the women the men need us to be and woman that God has called us to be. No matter what we do as women, we will have a tendency to be led by our feelings! True worship will help us not to fall to this trap. Feeling are good......when they are used correctly!

^{Matt 28:11} Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. ¹² When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ¹³ saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ ¹⁴ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” ¹⁵ So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

While you are doing the will of God opposition will always come! Count on it! They lied about the Disciples, this is interesting to me. Even though the women where with the guards and saw what happen the people didn't give the women any second thought. They believed the soldiers not the women. They slandered the men and discredited the women. This same thing plays out all the time to this day. The women aren't given any credit and the men are slandered! Not to mention the religious people, the ones that everyone "trusts", appeased the people. How many times have you heard; she is just a woman or he is a man.....men lie?

^{Matt 28:16} Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

The great commission can not be executed unless the woman start rallying the men! The women will either rise to the occasion or decide, like Eve, to be ruled by her emotions and then feed her family sin. As women, we have the ability to influence our men ...not just our husbands! Just like Eve did in the garden or Mary Magdalene and Mary did with the good news. We choose! We aren't supposed to sit down and just wait tell the men rise up! We are to rise, we are to rally and encourage the men to rise!

I truly believe that you can have the most powerful man of God ever and his wife can influence him to be less than what God wants. She can serve him sin.

Have you ever noticed that a woman can see things a lot of times that men don't pick up on? Do we think that is a coincidence? We have "gut feelings and "intuition". Do we go home and shed light on our husbands and get them rallied up and excited to make things better and do the will of God or do we go home and tell our husbands everything we see and how bad things are and make them discouraged? We, as women, need to see the roles God has given us and how important it is for the kingdom of God to advance. It can not happen if we choose to be negative full of deception and being ruled by our feelings. We need to get on our faces in worship...true worship and be obedient to the call on our lives. Let nothing stop you! People think its better to be a man, but I say the men cant be the men they need to be, unless, the women rise up! You say you love God and you want to do the will of God, however, we will see by your actions, regardless of how you feel. Lets bring good news to our men, lets rally them, lets be about our Fathers business.