Mirror Mirror on the wall, who holds the highest standards of them all?

Mirror Mirror on the wall, who holds the highest standards of them all?

Imagine yourself looking into mirror and that mirror never moves to the left or to the right, it's on a constant go with you and always in front of you. On the mirror there is "I Wants" of a variety of things written on it. These "wants" are a reflection of what is inside of you and how you want things to be.

Okay so let’s hold that thought for a moment...

Let me go into expectation of others. We go into a relationship, friendship rather if its love, business, and whatever the case maybe, we automatically expect something from the other individual. We automatically place standards on how this individual should be simply because they are in our lives. Can it be a bit selfish?

So in saying this - How can you expect honesty when one has never been true to themselves?

How can you expect love when one has never been loved?

How can you expect loyalty when one only knows treachery?

How can you expect charity when one has only been robbed?

How can you expect someone to be something that is foreign to them?

Many relationships fail because we set higher standards on others. When we set "OUR" standards we are setting them up for failure.

Now going back to the mirror; try removing the mirror from in front of you with all your wants and actually see the person or the situation as it is. When we start to discover the truth then our standards will get on their level (understand them) in which could be a positive and beautiful outcome. We begin to see with clarity and beauty will start to unfold. All it takes is a moment of selflessness. Each person has something that will never meet up to what we expect, but only if we can comprehend that we ourselves are not perfect we can see others for who they are and appreciate their uniqueness. We all have somewhat of a narcissist personality within; we've just been too busy looking at ourselves in that mirror full of "I want" that we don't truly notice others and their needs.

Set standards that will build others UP not bring them down. Love yourself along with your imperfections so that you can appreciate others for who they are.

“Love Is Indispensable” ~ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.....

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

The Bride turns her back on her Beloved

The Bride turns her back on her Beloved:

All while the Bride is waiting on her special day....

The Bride begins to get ready with this great anticipation; her picture perfect of meeting her beloved as she sits and waits and imagines looking into His eyes, forever at last, together with nothing separating them. Her heart skips a beat every time she thinks of Him. The days pass, some with chaos, some with joy. She seems to face many trials and tribulations, yet His soft voice reminds her of their special day that is yet to come. The bride is determined, and just the thought of Him helps her stay focused.

All while she waits, she suddenly notices this thing she can barley stand - her loneliness, she wonders if it will ever happen, time is ticking. The Bride rises with frustration; she starts to notice a little girl in the mirror and sees pain, betrayal, loneliness, and sadness staring at her. She glares to wait on some sort of comfort but nothing fills her.  She no longer can envision her future with her beloved, she no longer has excitement, and she no longer cares or sees a purpose on her special day.

All while her Beloved waits on His Bride…..  

All while He waits and watches His Bride take her attention off Him. She now has found something pleasing to her eye. Alluring new lovers into her life; she is suddenly distracted by what seems to be beauty and fiery. Her eyes are no longer on her beloved, but on her new comforters. Her heart has been flooded with a false love, a quick fix, a temporary type of satisfaction to void out the little girl inside of her. All while He waits, He sees her breaking into pieces inside as she goes after empty promises. Yet she continues to run away from Him knowingly He is nothing but the truth. She sees Him looking for her, waiting for her; as she feels like a wine glass shattered into a million pieces, she keeps running away from her Beloved. BUT He won’t stop chasing her, His relentless pursuit after His bride slowly pulls her back; she finally stops and turns back to look at Him…. The moment she looks into her beloved eyes, His deep love, His fiery gaze at her, His forgiveness, calls to the depths of her being and explodes her with completeness!

All while she waits on her special day....

He breaths His promise into her once again, He gets on His knees once again, "Will you be my bride, will you be mine, will give me your heart, will you trust me, will you let me fill your emptiness, will you leave all your other temporary lovers and be mine forever, will you wait for me?”

She waits again, flabbergasted by His indescribable Love that He has for her.

I write this in reference to the church aka “The Bride” and her beloved Jesus. We know that in Revelation 19 there is a Bride (Saints / Christians / The CHURCH) that will make herself ready for the coming marriage of the Lamb. In the book of Hosea (Chapters 1 and 2), is another example of the Bride – the bride that actually prostitutes herself. Hosea’s wife turns her back on Hosea to go to other lovers, and she prostitutes herself to fulfill the very desire of her flesh. She was symbolic to God’s chosen people. Many times as individuals and “The Church” we don’t really realize the many compromises we make to satisfy our flesh, the cravings of this world. We may still be in the waiting room preparing ourselves for Jesus, but yet our focuses are on the quick fix, on the things that are flattering to the eye. When we allow this to happen, we are simply having an affair on our beloved. We cheat on God when we put other things above Him, it could be people, money, and other satisfactions. But His unfailing love calls us every day to turn back to Him and just simply live for Him. He knows the desperation those other things can bring us if we make them our primary love. “Seek The Kingdom of God first and ALL things will be given to you.”

Hosea 2 - Israel Punished and Restored

² “Rebuke your mother, rebuke her,
    for she is not my wife,
    and I am not her husband.
Let her remove the adulterous look from her face
    and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts.
³ Otherwise I will strip her naked
    and make her as bare as on the day she was born;
I will make her like a desert,
    turn her into a parched land,
    and slay her with thirst.
⁴ I will not show my love to her children,
    because they are the children of adultery.
⁵ Their mother has been unfaithful
    and has conceived them in disgrace.
She said, ‘I will go after my lovers,
    who give me my food and my water,
    my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.’
⁶ Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;
    I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
⁷ She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
    she will look for them but not find them.
Then she will say,
    ‘I will go back to my husband as at first,
    for then I was better off than now.’
⁸ She has not acknowledged that I was the one
    who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil,
who lavished on her the silver and gold—
    which they used for Baal.

⁹ “Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens,
    and my new wine when it is ready.
I will take back my wool and my linen,
    intended to cover her naked body.
¹⁰ So now I will expose her lewdness
    before the eyes of her lovers;
    no one will take her out of my hands.
¹¹ I will stop all her celebrations:
    her yearly festivals, her New Moons,
    her Sabbath days—all her appointed festivals.
¹² I will ruin her vines and her fig trees,
    which she said were her pay from her lovers;
I will make them a thicket,
    and wild animals will devour them.
¹³ I will punish her for the days
    she burned incense to the Baals;
she decked herself with rings and jewelry,
    and went after her lovers,
    but me she forgot,”
declares the Lord.

¹⁴ “Therefore I am now going to allure her;
    I will lead her into the wilderness
    and speak tenderly to her.
¹⁵ There I will give her back her vineyards,
    and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will respond as in the days of her youth,
    as in the day she came up out of Egypt.

¹⁶ “In that day,” declares the Lord,
    “you will call me ‘my husband’;
    you will no longer call me ‘my master.’
¹⁷ I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips;
    no longer will their names be invoked.
¹⁸ In that day I will make a covenant for them
    with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the creatures that move along the ground.
Bow and sword and battle
    I will abolish from the land,
    so that all may lie down in safety.
¹⁹ I will betroth you to me forever;
    I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
    in love and compassion.
²⁰ I will betroth you in faithfulness,
    and you will acknowledge the Lord.

²¹ “In that day I will respond,”
    declares the Lord—
“I will respond to the skies,
    and they will respond to the earth;
²² and the earth will respond to the grain,
    the new wine and the olive oil,
    and they will respond to Jezreel.
²³ I will plant her for myself in the land;
    I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’
I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’;
    and they will say, ‘You are my God.’

Feel

Feel ~

Her hand reaches to His, only if she can feel Him once again. Just to know Him, even if it was just for another moment. In the rain all she wants is to simply hold His hand, walk with Him. Courage, yes courage is near, but yet shame responds with a beautiful smile. The butterflies in her belly want to escape with freedom, but stillness takes control and the colors fade into emptiness, hopelessness, and motionless....

In the darkest hour, she wants to go and not turn back, but the depths of her bones cry out - "DON'T LET ME GO!" The energy of her being is racing to and fro saying, "Hold my hand as I walk in this dark, Kiss my heart as my rain falls down, just to feel you once again is all I want!"  Restless in bed and sleepless through the night, she longs for her lover. She admits she wants him desperately. His absence is painful.

Then suddenly a whirl wind of fire electrifies her through the His touch, as her heart skips a beat and they begin to dance in her rain. His words come in like rushing waters, they wreck her, and she has no other choice but to breathe them in and out…..

“Oh, my dear friend! You’re so beautiful!
    And your eyes so beautiful—like doves!

Get up, my dear friend,
    fair and beautiful lover—come to me!
Look around you: Winter is over;
    the winter rains are over, gone!
Spring flowers are in blossom all over.
    The whole world’s a choir—and singing!
Spring warblers are filling the forest
    with sweet arpeggios.
Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed,
    and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms.
Oh, get up, dear friend,
    my fair and beautiful lover—come to me!
Come, my shy and modest dove—
    leave your seclusion, come out in the open.
Let me see your face,
    let me hear your voice.
For your voice is soothing
    and your face is ravishing.

You’re so beautiful, my darling,
    so beautiful, and your dove eyes are veiled
By your hair as it flows and shimmers,
    like a flock of goats in the distance
    streaming down a hillside in the sunshine.
Your smile is generous and full—
    expressive and strong and clean.
Your lips are jewel red,
    your mouth elegant and inviting,
    your veiled cheeks soft and radiant.
The smooth, lithe lines of your neck
    command notice—all heads turn in awe and admiration!
Your breasts are like fawns,
    twins of a gazelle, grazing among the first spring flowers.

 The sweet, fragrant curves of your body,

    the soft, spiced contours of your flesh
invite me, and I come. I stay
    until dawn breathes its light and night slips away.
You’re beautiful from head to toe, my dear love,
    beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless.

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride.

    Leave Lebanon behind, and come.
Leave your high mountain hideaway.
    Abandon your wilderness seclusion,
Where you keep company with lions
    and panthers guard your safety.
You’ve captured my heart, dear friend.
    You looked at me, and I fell in love.
    One look my way and I was hopelessly in love!
How beautiful your love, dear, dear friend—
    far more pleasing than a fine, rare wine,
    your fragrance more exotic than select spices.
The kisses of your lips are honey, my love,
    every syllable you speak a delicacy to savor.
Your clothes smell like the wild outdoors,
    the ozone scent of high mountains.
Dear lover and friend, you’re a secret garden,
    a private and pure fountain.
Body and soul, you are paradise,
    a whole orchard of succulent fruits—
Ripe apricots and peaches,
    oranges and pears;
Nut trees and cinnamon,
    and all scented woods;
Mint and lavender,
    and all herbs aromatic;
A garden fountain, sparkling and splashing,
    fed by went to my garden, dear friend, best lover!
    breathed the sweet fragrance.
I ate the fruit and honey,
    I drank the nectar and wine.

Celebrate with me, friends!
    Raise your glasses—“To life! To love!”

Dear, dear friend and lover,
    you’re as beautiful as Tirzah, city of delights,
Lovely as Jerusalem, city of dreams,
    the ravishing visions of my ecstasy.
Your beauty is too much for me—I’m in over my head.
    I’m not used to this! I can’t take it in.
Your hair flows and shimmers
    like a flock of goats in the distance
    streaming down a hillside in the sunshine.
Your smile is generous and full—
    expressive and strong and clean.
Your veiled cheeks
    are soft and radiant.

There’s no one like her on earth,

    never has been, never will be.
She’s a woman beyond compare.
    My dove is perfection,
Pure and innocent as the day she was born,
    and cradled in joy by her mother.
Everyone who came by to see her
    exclaimed and admired her—
All the fathers and mothers, the neighbors and friends,
    blessed and praised her:

 “Has anyone ever seen anything like this—

    dawn-fresh, moon-lovely, sun-radiant,
    ravishing as the night sky with its galaxies of stars?”

One day I went strolling through the orchard,

    looking for signs of spring,
Looking for buds about to burst into flower,
    anticipating readiness, ripeness.
Before I knew it my heart was raptured,
    carried away by lofty thoughts!

 Dance, dance, dear Shulammite, Angel-Princess!

    Dance, and we’ll feast our eyes on your grace!
Everyone wants to see the Shulammite dance
    her victory dances of love and peace. Shapely and graceful your sandaled feet,
    and queenly your movement—
Your limbs are lithe and elegant,
    the work of a master artist.
Your body is a chalice,
    wine-filled.
Your skin is silken and tawny
    like a field of wheat touched by the breeze.
Your breasts are like fawns,
    twins of a gazelle.
Your neck is carved ivory, curved and slender.
    Your eyes are wells of light, deep with mystery.
    Quintessentially feminine!
Your profile turns all heads,
    commanding attention.
The feelings I get when I see the high mountain ranges
    —stirrings of desire, longings for the heights—
Remind me of you,
    and I’m spoiled for anyone else!
Your beauty, within and without, is absolute,
    dear lover, close companion.
You are tall and supple, like the palm tree,
    and your full breasts are like sweet clusters of dates.
I say, “I’m going to climb that palm tree!
    I’m going to caress its fruit!”
Oh yes! Your breasts
    will be clusters of sweet fruit to me,
Your breath clean and cool like fresh mint,
    your tongue and lips like the best wine. Dear friend, feel my voice in your soul.

(References: My Beloved and I…. Song of Solomon.... A girl and the lover of her soul, Jesus and His bride....)

This Life

Life

Do you ever feel like your life is a never ending chaos? I'm talking about that chaos where one obstacle another bombards you. Maybe you conquer one and soon after another one rises up. Disorder, lack, heartache, and hopelessness begins to be your only companion. Life in general can be this and more, rather if it's in family, career, relationships, LIFE!
I like to call these things "life" storms. These storms always like bring darkness into something that was bright and lively. These storms always seem to ruin some good plans if you know what I mean. No longer the sun is shinning, but now it's dark cloudy thunder sounding lightening striking storms.


Okay so recently I did something adventurous - yes I went sky diving!!! It was the most amazing thing I've experienced and I've been in the clouds since then.
Let me proceed in sharing the journey of it though....

As we (friends of mine) are approaching our destination, suddenly we see these dark clouds just hovering. Minutes before arriving, I get a phone call from the call center canceling our session due to weather. Since we were already there, we requested to do the next available one which was 11am. So we waited, waited, and waited. This overcast wasn't going anywhere. I didn't want to drive back an hour and half just to find out the skies cleared up. Finally we made a decision to stay, surely enough shortly after our decision the clouds started to clear.... After hours of WAITING it was time to gear up!
Whhoooaaaa - this whole gearing up thing, ready to jump off a plane is happening way to quick for me, I had absolutely no time to process it all. I was previously so focused on the overcast to even think about jumping off a plane. My nerves start to act up – not knowing what to expect this point on. I am fine until I get on the plane, then that’s when FEAR slaps me right in the face. As my instructor is telling me what needs to happen between him and I, I can hardly hear him (comprehend) because I am so distracted with fear and doubt. So at this point I'm on the plane with all this craziness bombarding my head. It gets worse, for me, so my Instructor almost the entire time isn't saying much, but just watching me. I'm the type of person that needs to be distracted by at least small talk in time of a fearful event such as this. But one thing, as I noticed his bright eyes, those eyes grasp my attention, but only for a moment I didn't look out the window, didn't hear the loud voices in my head telling me I'm going to die...  LOL!!! Just for a moment I felt some sort of assurance. But boy let me tell you this fear was so loud it was almost un-bearable with the "WHAT - IF's"!!!

Then it's time, I'm buckled up and strapped tightly. Even then I'm thinking I wasn't  tight enough when I'm stuck like glue onto him. Hahahaha, so you get my point, I was scared and doubting "him" - the instructor / a professional at this. Sooooooo then we jump.. It took me a few to gather in my finite mind what was really happening. Then it all changed so quickly, the best feeling ever, this peace, this elation, such freedom.... all that anxiety for nothing, all that craziness for nothing, all that emotional roller coaster for absolutely nothing.

This simply exemplifies life period. We go through storms in our lives knowing they will end, but we get so caught up in them that it starts to effect us emotionally, mentally, and totally kills our spirits. We get frustrated, wanting to give up on things that is ours, that was given to us. During the un-known adventures of life, fear, distractions, doubt, and dream killers bombards our minds and that is simply just taking away our joy and peace. We are to enjoy every minute of this life, this life belongs to us.
Whatever we go through in life we are to trust in God, follow His instructions. Know that HE is watching us every step of it and HE is making sure we are fine. Even in the silent times, He is there, and when death is screaming in your ears, we are to tune them out and keep our eyes on Him - our creator, our beloved. The deathly voices can kill your destiny, it can kill the very thing that was designed just for you.
So what are your dreams, what are your desires? Dig deep, find them, pursue them, and work to get them because it belongs to you. When storms try to hover over them, just know that the sun will shine upon them again. Enjoy the ride - this life!



(References: John 10:10, 1 Peter 2:9)

Planting Seeds - Watch them Grow

"Planting Seeds - Watch them Grow"

The seeds we planted yesterday, plant today, and plant tomorrow will spring up some how, some way, some time and it will be of our production. When we see the seed start to spring forth, we can see the reflection of who we really are. 

The bible tells us in Galatians that what we plant will eventually grows rather if its good or bad. Lets just say I've had my share of planting both. Some weren't very nice and boy did it turn out U.G.L.Y - dead!! But I also can proudly say I've planted very good seed onto others and its definitely an honor being part of their growth. So good that recently one was able to sow back into my life. I remember for quite some time I would do what I can to say the right things, the correct council  in times of her need. I can also say now she has grown and has been able to sow back into my life in time of need. My point is that EVERYTHING we do, every action we take, every decision we make, and every word we speak onto others will eventually come to life. 

What we plant will most likely spring a double portion of it. (Good or Bad) In Mark 4 Jesus tells us that some will spring up to a hundred times more. So if you've been working on something, don't give up because eventually you will see life come forth. If you know you've planted some not "so pretty little flowers", accept it, learn from it, and move on to do better. Opportunities surround us everyday, so start  planting fruitful righteous seed! 

Galatians 6:7 - Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

A few different areas you can plant seed:

 ~ Finances: Give or Rob

 ~ Words: Life or Death

~ Actions: Serve or Steal others

~ What you actually do to others: Your True Motives

(Emotionally / Mentally / Physically) 

(References Mark 4 and Galatians 6) 

Shout out to my sis -in - law for allowing me to sow into her life, Love you girl. Lets runs this race and fight the good fight! 

  

The Sound of Love

“The Sound of Love”

Recently, one morning I had the opportunity to go for a run on the ocean shores. I like to listen to music while I run mainly to distract myself from time. This morning run was very special because my Father was going to show me something much deeper than usual. As I decided to not put my head phones but rather listen… He spoke! As my ears tuned into the roaring sound of the waves, I heard “I LOVE YOU!” The roaring sound from the deep ocean was a furious sound of Love; the waves that are none stop, but always saying, “I Love you.” That’s how God love is for us, it never ends, it never changes, and it is always there. As I responded to this deep furious love, the waves started getting louder and louder, the splashes starting getting closer and closer. As we tell The Father, I love you…. HE responds immediately with this excitement, with this joy, with this deep passionate love and says, “I LOVE YOU BACK, I LOVE YOU MORE, and I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!” This is amazing love, a love that touches every continent in this world, a love that washes us clean daily, a love that doesn’t remember the past, a love that knows our deepest desire and wants to fulfill just that, a love that never ends…..

I cannot express the love that was shown to me that day; words really don’t describe this extravagant love. Just know that whatever failures you faced yesterday or today doesn’t matter, the blood that was shed on the cross is like an ocean that washes you clean and it is never remembered again. I encourage you to take step out and with boldness tell our Heavenly Father you need His love in your life today.  

Ephesians 3 - I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Micah 7:19 - He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

1 Corinthians 13 - Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

"Dear Pilot - Teach me how to fly."

"Dear Pilot - Teach me how to fly."

"Hey Captain, I want to fly with you, be your co-pilot, take me on a ride or two, maybe all of them....” The response to my request was, "I've been waiting for you to ask me!"

I recently took a flight to Orlando Florida, with one stop in Atlanta Georgia. It was the worst, but probably the best experience I had to go through. Just to let you in my little flying journey that was originally only supposed to be for five hours ended up being an eight hour trip. I was supposed to be at my destination at 10pm but didn't arrive until 3am. It got really delayed due to really bad thunderstorms, and tornado's. As I waited, I watched how only the co-pilot would come out to inform the airline representative how much longer the wait would be. He kept pushing the estimated time further and further back. Not one time did I see the Pilot come out; he stayed on the plane, receiving the information from the storm, and waiting to make the call to start boarding the people to take us to our destination.
I have to admit that the pilot knew exactly what he was doing, but everyone was so upset, very impatient, frustrated, tired, and angry. But one thing they failed to understand was he was keeping us safe, from a fatal accident and/or any damage to us. The Captain aka Pilot had the ultimate authority and he was the only one that was calling all the shots. The co-pilot was just giving the message, letting us know the pilot has not left and is also waiting as we were waiting too. I would say the co-pilot was a very helpful apprentice, although some were starting to get mad at the co-pilot and the airline representative wanting to blame them for the delay.

Don’t you ever wonder why some things in our lives seem so delayed? Why things you thought were the right thing turned out to actually be completely different from what you envisioned? Trying to simply understand the trials, struggles, or oppositions that come your way. It is so normal to get frustrated, angry, loose hope, blame others for failures in our lives, and the list goes on…….. Simply because that’s how life itself has taught us to react, when in reality we can actually do a lot of learning, and bring something very good out of something that is very bad. How you may ask? Easy! Ask the pilot aka Teacher to teach you how to fly. Even in a midst of a storm, you can enjoy yourselves by just waiting patiently and know that it is ALWAYS for your own good and there is ALWAYS a purpose. While the Captain teaches the “co-pilot” how to fly, the learner has to be fully and totally engaged with the teacher/Pilot. Even as a co-pilot, they always have to have a student mentality to keep all flying trips safe, and on time. The co-pilot is fully aware of all areas where a flight can go completely bad and end fatal, BUT that doesn’t stop him, he continues to listen to the Pilot’s instructions….even when they have to wait. When the pilot says its time, they follow orders with no hesitation.

The word tells us to consider it pure joy when we face many conflicts.  

“JOY!” PLEASE – LIKE - REALLY?!?! <- Sarcasm

How can one have “JOY”, when losing a job, losing a love one, losing health, the list can go on and on right? Ask the teacher “JESUS” to teach you how fly (be joyful through your storm). Just as a co-pilot we are to be fully and totally engaged to Father. Not worry about what can go wrong, not worry about how much you have to wait, and not go off on your own and do your own thing so that it can bring harm to you and others. Simply ASK the teacher to get you through whatever it is you’re facing, be prepared to get fully engage in Him, and be determined! Jesus IS JOY, He IS HAPPINESS, He IS LOVE, and HE will NEVER leave us stranded. He is ALWAYS right there with us, and we can enjoy this life no matter what we face. It is all there freely given.

James 1:2-5 Faith and Endurance - Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.

(References: James 1 and Proverbs 3)

Do You Love Me?

"Do You Love Me?" 
This is a common question that many this day have to ask over and over and never get anything in return. It is asked for affirmation due to the lack of the cruel responses, due to betrayal,  brokenness, denial, etc. This question is so common that even Jesus asked one of his disciples, after His Resurrection. See God already knew this world was going to need to know His Love. 
"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?" Jesus asked Peter three times. Peter, after repeating himself for the third time he said, "YES Lord you know I Love You." Peter really understood then what Jesus was asking of Him. Peter understood what Jesus did at the cross for him and all humankind, he knew there was no greater love than that alone. Peter knew it was done so that all can be glorified with him at the end of it all. So what was Jesus really asking him/us? 
1. Will you Love Me more than anything, more than others, will you sacrifice everything for me?  
2. Will you Love Me enough to preach the Gospel, not be ashamed, no matter what will you share and freely spread My love?  
3. Will you Love Me enough,  be there for those who are in deep need of help, even those against you?  
See the Love Jesus was asking cannot come from us, but only through Him.  To love from our own effort is much difficult, it isn't real, it will fail us and others. BUT to love with the Love of Christ, not only we become complete with fullness as to who we are, we grasp our identity in Christ as sons and daughters, ruler-ships with power and authority. We become captivated in "True Love."  
"Son of Jonah" - The name Jonah means "Dove", in which we find is relating to the Holy Spirit, the one that Jesus promises us to bring comfort, guidance, and authority. Jonah's book was one that gave Gods direction evolving his kingdom, to understand the working of mercy and compassion among humankind.  
God gives us guidance in 1 Corinthians 13 to actually be successful in Loving the way He demands us to.  To Love Jesus it takes the following: 
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. His Love will never fail.... 
"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me.?" Jesus is asking us today. Today is when we can make a decision, to leave selfish and self seeking desires behind; and Truly experience phenomenal, never ending over flowing Love. Even in the darkest moments of our lives when we see nothing but hate, that love can be flourished even more in us. When there is nothing but darkness surrounding you, Jesus is asking you "LOVE ME", so I can take you out of this brokenness, and take you into LIFE and abundance. Once we accept His Love with our hearts and not just our words, we then can face a world of brokenness, bring hope and express Love the way it was intended. His Love will give us strength to face everything that comes our way. His Love will NEVER fail you!  

 (Reference: John Chapter 21 and 1 Corinthians Chapter 13.)

Speak Life Into Others

“Speaking life into others - life into the dry bones.”

“Breathe life into the dry spirit, and they shall know the Lord.”

We are in the midst of a generation that knows very little of “Life” and know too much of dead promises. The prophet Ezekiel is a perfect example of what we face in today’s circumstances. Although he seen death around him, he was given instructions to speak life. We see desperation everyday around us; will we remain silent or take the authority freely given to us and SPEAK LIFE – life that truly lives in freedom, joy, Love, in HIS Love -Jesus?
We see how Jesus is the one that brings life and along with that He Brings abundance. Be determined to speak life over others and over every area in your life that seems dead and watch as you birth life!

In the following we see how God uses the prophets “breath” to bring life. What is our Breath; it’s our voice, our words. If we have life in us, it is our duty to bring life into our surroundings; it is selfish if we keep it to ourselves!

2 Kings 4:32-35 - The prophet breaths life into the child. He prayed first then leaned over into the boy let God breath life through him.
When Elisha arrived at the house, there was the child lying dead on his bed. - He went in by himself and closed the door. Then he prayed to the LORD. - He got up on the bed and spread his body out over the boy; he put his mouth on the boy's mouth, his eyes over the boy's eyes, and the palms of his hands against the boy's palms. He bent down over him, and the boy's skin grew warm. - Elisha went back and walked around in the house. Then he got up on the bed again and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

Ezekiel 37 4:7 - Prophesy life into the dry bones.
4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”’ 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.
26-28 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”
Ezekiel 34 - the irresponsible Sheppard’s that do not care for their flock.

Matthew 9 - having the authority of Jesus Christ to heal, and deliver.
When the crowd saw this, they were afraid and honored God who had given such authority to men. - We have the authority!