Seek First...

 Morning Musing 12/11/2019

Part of a response to a question I was asked:

If you read in the book of Acts you will see how all that believed sold houses and lands as was necessary to lighten one another's burdens and they lived together and had all things in common. They gave their lives for the Gospel's sake. As in their main work was to be about The Father's business, sharing the Good News and living the Good News.

One thing that really woke me up when I first started reading the New Testament is that we have been programmed to live opposite of the teachings of Christ. The World really pushes people to seek first financial comforts, but Christ teaches us to seek first The Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all our physical needs will be added unto us.

It was such a freedom and wonderful revelation to learn I was doing it backwards. God's righteousness in our hearts is so much more important than our physical needs. We need His patience, meekness, humility, loving-kindness, wisdom, faith, etc to make it through this life and He is so faithful to provide the food and clothing His children need.

That's not to say those who are starving in this world are not His children, but rather they are a witness of the consequences of man's free will and ability to choose, and that many love darkness more than light... The consequences being that when people lust for material possessions and comforts and do not desire to do the will of the Father they will oppress and destroy lives to get what they want.  (Knowingly or unknowingly)

Thus people go hungry and thirsty in a world full of water and food.

We can never blame God for those suffering in this way. And if those who are suffering from starvation seek first His Kingdom, they, by the loving kindness of God can have peace and rest in their Spirit though their flesh fails for hunger. Seeking first the Kingdom is a command for all people, for in doing so we come to know the one and only true Life that comes from Christ alone.

Take a minute and read this:

Matthew 6:24-34
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Is God Far From You?

Morning Musing: March 31, 2019

All you who sorrow and sigh for the many griefs in our time I sigh with you.

The rebellion among professed Christians, the hypocrisy, and politics in the "churches" the donuts and coffee and vain chatter the irreverent children...

Oh AWAKE, AWAKE, AWAKE to righteousness, and sin not!!!!!!

How long will wisdom cry in the streets and so many keep their fingers in their ears or buck like wild horses when those who fear God cry unto them!

Friends, how long!!!! My heart breaks to see my friends indulging in worldliness, sensuality, no fear of God to awaken their senses of right and wrong while they attend "church" on Sunday.

Did you know I called myself a Christian when I partied and drank myself into a fool!

When I paraded my half-naked body around like a whore!!

But guess what?!!

I showed up to "church" on Sunday like a "good Christian"

I was naked and blind in chains and fetters of darkness!

But I called myself a Christian.

God is not mocked. You may have a warm fuzzy feeling at the name of Jesus and call Him your Lord but when you delight in what grieves Him He is FAR FROM YOU!!!

This distance is what finally broke me and brought me to my knees and the deep realization that I was a wicked person before a Just, a Righteous, a Holy and blameless God! Like the woman that wept and anointed the feet of Christ I wept over my sinful deeds that broke the Holy heart of Christ. 

God is not to be blamed my friends.

God is not to be blamed for the problems you suffer in your life.

He is not to be blamed for world hunger and lack of clean water for those in need.

He is not to be blamed for the inhumanity of His creation, the men/women that He created in His likeness who act quite the opposite of Him.

Those who love darkness more than light are to be blamed and all of us have been there and done that; and to my deep sorrow, many continue, though they claim His name to cleave to the darkness.

Time is short.

Don't wait to evaluate your Christian walk, compare your life to the life of Christ, and don't be deceived to think your life can't look like His. He calls us to be Holy as He is Holy, and Perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect.

What does that perfect look like?

What does that holy look like?

Are you even at all striving to reflect it in your life?

Luke 13:24
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

If you think it has nothing to do with what you and your children wear, think again. For the heart is reflected in the actions, buying clothes and putting them on are actions.

If you think the Messiah would buy tight jeans and a tight T-shirt to wear today you are de-sensitized!!

If you think the holy women of old would wear by choice today: skinny jeans, spandex pants, cleavage-revealing tops, fitted clothes you are under a strong delusion.

My heart cries for you to turn from Vanity-Fare from the deceitful lusts to AWAKE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SIN NOT.

And my heart breaks at the fear that my words will fall on deaf ears...

...On hearts hardened that think they are safe and sound in the arms of the Lord and imagine me to be a self-righteous Pharisee while they themselves are filled with the Spirit and secure in their salvation though they wallow in the filth of this world.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom friends, it will steer you onto the narrow path that leads to life. Where you will be a true reflection both inward and outward of one disciplined by the teachings and example of Christ. I have my imperfections I am working on, but if we are not broken by our own shortcomings and if we are not striving for the things of eternity we need to REPENT TODAY!

TOMORROW IS NOT A DEFINITE, SOME NEVER SEE IT.

I can't fully express my burden here...somehow I hope these words draw those who read them to a deeper longing to prioritize their relationship with God and forsake the foolish to live for Him and His will.

You Choose!

 Morning Musing: December 19, 2018

You can choose to bring forth good fruit or bad.

We were not created depraved and helpless...God is our help and His grace teaches us His righteous ways. But He created us with the power to choose. Had He not He would be to blame for the many evils; and we would be blameless for having no choice in what we do.

It seems to me people have created theologies that point to this idea that we can not do any good and some would perhaps say we can not do any bad. But what do the Scriptures say:

Isaiah 7:15
Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Isaiah 7:16
For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

The power to choose enables real love to exist. Otherwise what people do would be rather meaningless since they have no choice as if God alone controls them...He enables us to choose to serve Him, to choose to do good, or to choose to serve our own desires. This means His judgment is just. He would have all men to come to repentance, He is long-suffering towards us, patiently waiting for us to choose to love & serve Him of our own free will.

So don't wait for God to make you choose what is right....it doesn't work that way. Yes, we need His help...and He will help us by allowing us to suffer the consequences of our bad decisions to help us see it isn't worth it to choose our own deceitful lusts. But if we love Him (we have the choice to love Him) we will keep His commandments.

John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Being a Believer means:
because we believe what Christ taught we make choices accordingly....we keep His commandments because we believe His warnings of what will happen if we do not. Otherwise, we are just make-believers.

John 3:18-21 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

*Photo courtesy of : varjag

Wasting time?

Morning Musing December 3, 2018

Waking up with a burden this morning...don't know if I can say these things Loud enough so please hear me...

2 Peter 3:9
[9]The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

El Señor no retarda su promesa, según algunos la tienen por tardanza, sino que es paciente para con nosotros, no queriendo que ninguno perezca, sino que todos procedan al arrepentimiento.

His LONG-SUFFERING IS SO AMAZING! You know why?

There are things going on that many of us could not stand if we saw or heard of them...we already see and hear through social media a small portion of the ABOMINATIONS people daily commit....what some of us do know about the evil makes us feel physically ill and we have to war against fears & /or depression &/or losing our minds! We have to forget about the evils we know or have seen or heard so we can go on with our lives.

But God sees and hears all of what we know and an extreme amount more.

An abomination is a thing that causes disgust or hatred.

DISGUST/HATRED is what we feel when we hear certain evils people do to children or animals or Each other.

God is Longsuffering, He is holding back His anger not only towards those who are committing such like abominations but to US also...because He wants to see us perfected in His image. He is NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE!!!

What are some of you doing while He is so patiently holding back His righteous anger?

I have seen some of you on FB treading on His mercy; wasting the precious time He is giving to bring us to complete repentance.

Some of you are taking precious time to post foolishness; whether it is jokes about passing gas or lusting after certain foods or certain like things...some of you even dare use Scripture and spiritual things to make jokes!! Friends, anyone with a God-honoring/fearing mind is not laughing with you but grieving for you...God is grieving also....stop turning to jest & light-heartedness to cope with reality.

James 4:8-10

[8]Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.
[9]Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
[10]Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

We don't want to be numbered with the abominable...our time here is short and there is more JOY to be had in forsaking the foolish to live for the will of God than any jesting could ever give you.

Look what the Proverb says (this is wisdom that is becoming extinct...please pass it on to children and be an example of it)

Proverbs 9:6
[6]Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

Notice it says, "And LIVE" because there is no LIFE abiding in a fool...God is life and He doesn't dwell with a fool. If you want that true peace and fullness of joy Forsake the foolish... and go in the way of understanding.

Do we really lay to heart and understand that this world is about to be utterly destroyed and the inhabitants have made themselves worthy of this destruction with all their abominable lusts & deeds?

Then why are some wasting their time as in the days of Noah carrying on like the world isn't coming to desolation?

1 Peter 3:20
[20]Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

FEW WERE SAVED....don't think that because you "got saved" you have a special ticket to heaven...Heaven is reserved for those who love what God loves and hate what He hates; for those who don't waste precious time but diligently seek Him (He is a rewarder of such) and allow His grace to work in their lives...causing them to deny ungodliness & worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly in this present evil world. (Titus 2:11-12)

Some may not realize that biblical sobriety is not about not drinking alcohol to excess, (although it would not be sober to do so)

but about having a sound mind...having that gravity of mind that gives you the wisdom to make sound judgments; to discern what thoughts to cast down and never let come out your mouth and/or never let lead you.

Friends...I simply want to see more of you take being a follower of Christ; Being called a Christian more seriously. God is waiting so patiently...be broken about the mistakes you have made and get up and go forward making the right choices for His name's sake.

Feel for God knowing He is seeing and hearing all these abominations as He waits for YOUR full surrender...your life of surrender... He LOVES YOU SO MUCH HE IS WILLING TO BEAR WITH ALL THE ABOMINATIONS GOING ON UNTIL YOU REPENT AND LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL....but time is short & today is the day to turn to Him with your whole heart; We are not promised tomorrow.

Being "saved" is not something we experience at one time and then go on doing the things this world does. God turns our reality upside down and shakes out all the stuff we shouldn't be holding on to until our reality is made new so much that people we know wonder: why don't you watch these movies with me anymore?

Why don't you dress like us anymore?

Why don't you laugh when we laugh?

Why do you seem so serious?

Why do you read the Bible so much?

Why don't you go to the ball game anymore?

Why don't you...

Let them ask and give them a good reason...

Did Christ suffer to redeem you from destruction...is God suffering Long even now?


Will you not suffer yourself to be as Christ in this world... He was about His Father's business, (are you?) unentangled with the cares of this life (are you?)...He cared for others...He gave His time & energy to serve the physical & spiritual needs of others (are you?). He wasn't sitting around watching sports games or thinking how He could beautify His living space by purchasing ornaments to decorate His house, He wasn't coming up with jestful sayings to get His friends to laugh (are you?)...

Philippians 4:8-9
[8]Finally, 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.
[9]Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Peace & Rest

 November 19th, 2018 Morning Musing:

How do you have peace & rest in your soul when you feel the weight

of many burdens, many cares of this life?

Burdens that bind you in stress & anxiety & fear & doubts, in haste:

Keep Christ as your first love, look to Him, talk with Him, acknowledge Him in all your ways, keep His WORD in your thoughts, let His words protect you, correct you, direct you, break you, heal you, comfort you. Surrender your understanding,

your sense of control, your will, your fears, your doubts, your stress,

your anxiety, your haste,


let go & let God give you rest.


When He matters more than any earthly matter, when being near to Him means


more to you than anything else; when it means more than what you may lose to


gain him---what you lose doesn't really matter if you have His peace &


rest in your soul.


He is all we really need.


The only control you have is over your own thoughts and actions.


STOP everything...


And seek His face & His grace...


To cultivate His peace & rest...to walk in it, even when all around you demands your


care & your


concern.


Stay focused on the Big Picture...God's plan for your life isn't to let you die under the cares & burdens of this life. But He will let


those cares


& burdens bring us to our knees, He will give us the opportunity to turn to Him, to


surrender to Him, to have hope in His mercy, to pray & see His power to intervene.


These struggles we face are meant to perfect that which is lacking in us, to mold


us into the image of Christ.


Are we seeing The Big Picture?


Are we allowing life's difficulties to mold us into the nature of Christ?


Or are we responding in the flesh: Fearful, doubtful, anxious, stressed out?


Lay it ALL DOWN.


PICK UP THE CROSS. DIE TO SELF AND REJOICE IN THE SPIRIT & GRACE


OF CHRIST.


We don't have to respond in the flesh...if we watch and pray & hold fast to the


peace He offers we can be as Him in this present evil world!


John 14:27
"[27]Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

La paz os dejo, mi paz os doy; yo no os la doy como el mundo la da. No se turbe

vuestro corazón, ni tenga miedo.

Train up a Child

Proverbs 22:6  "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Dear friends, please seriously consider the above verse...this society is defiling and spoiling the youth, making them lazy, entitled, effeminate, selfish, cry babies and that is what much of the grown-up society is now made up of. Children do not need to be entertained,  they do not need constant excitement and pleasure....when you run yourself weary trying to provide such things for your children you ruin yourself and them...they grow up not knowing what it means to be a responsible, self-capable adult....they think they need "adult" entertainment and "adult" pleasure and many think the government should give them free housing and groceries and medical....They don't want to work for their own food, shelter, or basic needs....they want mommy and daddy to continue to support their leisurely lifestyle. And if not their parents then they will find boyfriends or girlfriends to work & provide for them or the government.

Back in the day, a family unit was a team that worked together to put the daily bread on the table, everyone had their part, the young helped care for the animals and weeded in the field, hand-washed the dishes, and helped cook and clean...they were not taught to be idle, lazy or self-pleasing....a hard-working society was produced when they came of age....then something happened...modern conveniences made less physical labor, which gave birth to fullness of bread and idleness and as it was in Sodom so it is now....an idle, full-bellied effeminate society on the rise....seeking new ways to entertain themselves, seeking pleasure in perversion, so bored out of their minds sitting in cities stuck behind 4 walls without a care in the world, pampered and spoiled by parents who are deceived to believe it is cruel to have a 5-year-old wash dishes by hand or have a 10 year old wash their own clothes or mow the lawn....I could go on & on....My concern is many claiming Christ have yet to realize that children prosper when they are taught that life is work, not play....and children (before they get spoiled) want to help do the things they see mama do like dishes, cleaning, etc and the things dad does, yard work, car work etc, CHILDREN DON'T NEED TABLETS, FIDGET TOYS THAT REINFORCE IDLENESS....they need parents that invest in them and teach them how to care for themselves and others how to get food on the table.... give them a taste of the reality that life is work....they will love and respect you so much more than if you buy them entertainment sit them in a room alone while you do your own thing. You work against the will of God and the well-being of your children when you teach them money is well spent on amusement parks and vain useless hobbies....how about cultivating the God-given gifts in your children to raise money for orphans or reach out to the thousands of children in foster care, show them money is well spent when it is spent on the NEEDS OF THE NEEDY.....I could say more....God work in your hearts and wash away the American ideal...may God's will be plainly seen that Christians are on earth for one purpose, to glorify God in all they do....teach your children the will of God that when they are of age they will walk in it...Hypocrisy hardens the heart of the young....

Romans 15:2-4  "Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

One with the Father

June 19, 2022 Musing

Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

As Christians who walk in obedience, we all have the same Father. 

And what a Faithful Father He is!

 Jesus said, 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Jesus manifested the character and heart of God our Father.

Joh 15:23  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

We are called to be one with the Father. to be as Christ in the world, reflecting the character and image of our Father.

Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

In the natural, we hear saying like, "A chip off the old block" meaning a child is a piece of their Father, there is a resemblance. 

How can we be like our Father; clearly by being like Christ.

The Father was pleased by Christ choosing to live His life as a sacrifice for others; He would have us do the same, because true love is sacrificial, and God is love, to reflect Him we lay down our lives for His name's sake.

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Our Father in heaven watches over us to guide us, protect us and lead us and sometimes that means chastening...

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

But look, those who faithfully bear the Father's image get to sit in His lap at the end and rest our head in His bosom.

 Anyone that's ever had a good relationship with their father knows the joy of sitting on Daddy's lap.

And look at this revelation: 

 Luke 11:11  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Luk 11:12  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

Luk 11:13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Some people see God as one who is out to punish them at every wrong move...but if we, as His creation, are capable of evil, yet we know how to love our children how much more does He?

God wants to be our Father whereby we learn to trust Him for our every need and He loves to hear us cry "Abba Father" Because His nature is to nurture us, to raise us up in His image, and fill us with His Holy Spirit.

Galatians 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

As we spend the day giving honor to fathers, let us not forget the Father of All, who is worthy of honor and praise!

Remember how Christ taught us to pray...

"Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed (sanctified, holy) be Your name..."