Follow my lead, they say, but where are they going? Who are our heroes and mentors? Are they actors or real people? Do they have a real relationship with the Lord or do they have charisma? Where are they going? Follow my lead.

There are many, many voices in the wind. There are many preachers saying different things. Who is telling the truth? Who do we believe? There is an old saying that I really like. “To thine own self be true.” Did you know that when we leave this earth and enter eternity and face Jesus, that He isn’t going to ask us if we obeyed so and so. He is going to ask us if we obeyed and walked with Him. Yes, it is true there are mentors we are to imitate as they mirror Christ, but in the end, we alone are responsible for our walk. How did we react or respond to the circumstances around us? Did we receive the healing that was available for us? Did we get to know the Lord and let Him know us? Did we become His friend as well as He ours?

Life is about a personal relationship with Him. How does He speak to us? What does He say? He knows us and He knows what we need. Do we listen for His voice? Have we heard Him say that He loves us? When was the last time? There are things we can miss in our lifetime and it really not matter, but if we miss having a relationship with Him we will have lost everything.

Do we know that He treats us each as individuals and not as a number like this world system? He has a specific plan and purpose for our life that will bring us total fulfillment and joy. Those, who are living the life they were created to live, are the happiest people around. How do we get there? What can we do?

Follow His lead! Get to know Him. Ask Him to make Himself known to us and then listen and watch. Coincidences are not coincidences. Miracles happen all the time. Watch the little things. Pay attention to the details. Where is the peace? Is there a calm in the midst of the storm? This kind of life is an adventure because we never know what will happen next. There are ups and downs, twists and turns and we can expectantly wonder what is coming around the next corner. Check it out. Ask Him if He is real. Start following Him and see what happens next.

People let us down all the time, but He never will. Things might not happen as we believe they should, but it will always be better in the end. His thoughts are higher and His ways are higher than ours. He sees further down the road and He knows what we need. Trust, fix our eyes on Him and walk. Follow My Lead!

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Have you ever heard the term, one day at a time? Does it seem like something that might have made sense a generation or two ago? Is your life so busy and hectic that you don’t seem to have time for anything else, especially to rest? You are not alone. Day By Day.

There’s another saying that was spoken around the time that computers were first coming on the scene. They are going to save us so much time that we are going to have more time for other things. Have you heard that before? Well, the truth is they do save us a lot of time and money. The only problem is that someone forgot to tell our society.

We are being caught in this whirlwind that has nothing to do with the Lord. As computers become increasingly faster, people want to do more and increase their wealth and power over others. The speed by which society moves now would be blinding to someone who died in the early 1900’s. Why don’t we have more time to relax and do the things in our lives that are most important? Excuse me. Stop the world and let me off. There is another way to live.

Crime and violence are on the increase. Some of our children are so caught up in games that some of them don’t have any comprehension of reality. Some of these, who are so involved in violent gaming, have lost a sense of reality. They don’t understand that if you shoot someone in real life, they don’t just get up again and continue on after the game is over. Some who play racing games take their game on to the real street and end up dead or killing someone else. It is only after some catastrophe that reality starts to sink in. My friends aren’t coming back, they’re dead. The more entertainment conscious we become, the more we stray from reality.

We don’t have to have what everyone else has. Not everything is beneficial for us or our children. Besides, most of these things are very expensive and cost us more of the precious time that we don’t have, to acquire. I think the highest cost that we can pay is time missed from our family and friends. If you don’t get a certain item that you want, so what, it is just a thing. If we missed a family member’s special day or gathering, it is lost forever. We can’t go back and do it over.

The best things in life are free. Did we really stop long enough to let that statement sink in. It is true. There is nothing greater than taking the time to love, encourage, help or mentor someone. The rewards are more than we can imagine.

We have been told a lie and now we come to the moment of truth, what are we going to do about it? We’ve built our homes, bought our fancy vehicles, studied at the best schools, got the best jobs, filled these homes with all kinds of things and for what purpose? The emptiness is still there. Why is the emptiness there when everything else is full? Now we are stuck, because if we are like most people we still owe money on everything. So, it is off to work we go to do it all over again.

There is a way to stop. There is a way to fill the emptiness inside. There is an end to all of the chaos. Peace! Let the Lord’s word slowly come over us. Let us be still for a moment. Relax. This is a reality and we can come to this place as often as we want. Rest our soul and find out what really matters.

Who cares if someone has a better house, a better job, a better car, better toys than we do. The truth is someone else always will anyway. No matter how far we went or how deep we are, there is a way out. I absolutely believe that if we would start our own businesses and run them according to the Lord’s ways, we wouldn’t have much competition, we would be profitable, we wouldn’t have to be stressed, nor would we have to compete in the marketplace. Read Deuteronomy 28 about blessings and curses. Which would you rather have? I am not saying it will be easy, but it will be different. The Lord has the answers we need. We can choose to try to find them in the world and get totally stressed or we can humbly come to Him, rest and receive from Him.

How much time could we save if we received our answers directly from Him? How much anguish could we save by receiving a dream from Him instead of trying to create some scheme to make a living for our family? How blessed would we be if we didn’t have any medical problems? How blessed would we be if our children were trained the right way to live and then did it?

Stop the world system in my life and let me off. I won’t do it anymore. I might choose to help someone or company for a greater purpose, but I refuse to get caught up in the system. There is a better way. Come out and be free. Find the truth and then walk in it. I can operate within the system without it controlling me. There are things that are going to take place in our world. There are good things and bad things. There always has and there will be for another period of time. We have the choice of how we will respond or react to it. These choices carve the paths for us to walk. (Take a look at the photomontage I created with this quote on the home page of this site. Click on the image to enlarge it.) You are welcome to use it on your desktop and to share the link with others. The choice belongs to us. Don’t let anyone else think they can make it for you. If God gives us the choice, who is it that thinks they are mightier than He to override our freedom to choose. When the bully says we have no choice, we simply reply, “Yes, we do. We have the choice to give in to you or the choice to stand our ground, but either way it is our choice.”

Dare to dream and spend some time on yourself today. It may change your life for eternity. Look around you and see if there is someone who could use an extra hand or an encouraging word. You can’t outgive the Lord. You will always get back more than you give, especially where it counts the most. Share your laughter, your smile, your gratefulness with someone today. Watch as you light a candle in their eyes and see if it doesn’t increase the brightness in yours. Make the choice and walk your path to your destiny, the path that was laid before you were born. Be encouraged today and have a wonderful life.

Joseph

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Who is my enemy? Is it the person next to me? Is it a corrupt government? Is it a terrorist? Who is our enemy?

As the Lord dropped the title for this post in my mind, I began to meditate on it. I began to realize that the first answers that popped into my mind were incorrect. Almost as soon as I began to write I thought of the scripture, Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle (fight) is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” I wrote a post previously on the Armor of God and this verse is right in the midst of it. One thing that is very interesting is the only post I receive any spam on is the Armor of God. The enemy doesn’t want us to know how to fight and where to focus this fight. He wants us to fight and destroy each other. This way we fight his fight for him. We need to turn it around on him.

Every day we are bombarded with news headlines and propaganda. We are led to believe that certain individuals, groups and countries are our enemies. Sometimes it is difficult to stay focused on the truth. Something I am going to start doing, because I just received the revelation, is start looking for who my brothers and sisters are? Where are they? When can I meet them? As brothers and sisters in Christ, we have a big family. Some we won’t meet until we enter eternity or until the Lord establishes His kingdom on this earth, but what about now? I meet new brothers and sisters all the time. Some have even been my enemy in the flesh or so I thought. It is possible that someone reading this blog will become my new brother or sister and that would be wonderful.

I always think of Saul of Tarsus when I think of an enemy who became a brother. Acts 9:1-31. Here was this man going zealously after the Christians. He was a man of the law and He hated the Jesus people. He even witnessed the stoning of Stephen and the mention of his name put fear in most Christian’s hearts. Then Jesus showed up and the rest is history. His life changed in an instant, his eyes were opened and now the same zeal that persecuted the Christians was now proclaiming the Gospel. How awesome is our God! Sing it and shout it because it is true. The person we are having the most difficult time with can be our closest friend tomorrow. It happens all the time. Who is our enemy?

Our greatest enemy is fear. I remember when I was bound by fear. I stayed in this one little area of my life because it was safe. Tragedy was the main thing that brought me there. It took several years to get out of that place. While in that place, I realized who I was and just how much I could accomplish with human hands, absolutely nothing. The Lord never left me during that time, in fact, he sent others to me to help. If you were to look at my life during that time, you might have judged the situation differently. Herein lies the problem with our judgments and opinions. We can’t, nor do we know what someone else is really going through unless we go through it also.

Bullies, cowards, terrorists and the like live in fear. They all fit into the same category of fear and it is only degrees of violence that separate them from one another. They would like us to think otherwise, however it takes courage and a strong character to admit things, especially that we might be wrong. What will people think? How will they react? Will I will be exposed again?

Who are these people? They’re the ones who most likely have been crushed by someone close, maybe abused, ridiculed, and told a bunch of lies. They are hurt, broken, and bruised and they are really looking for love. Everyone is looking for true love. How will they ever find it if no one shows them? Why do they fight and how can they be so violent? I believe they are like a wounded dog that feels cornered. It doesn’t matter who the next person is that approaches them, they are going to strike out, even if that person came only to help. Now the person that came to help can assess the situation in two different ways. Number one, they might give up and walk away wounded themselves and think that the person doesn’t stand a chance. Number two, another person might be able to see through all the pain, grief, and brokenness and reach out anyway while taking every blow from the person. Once the wounded one sees that they won’t get hit back, they start to receive some comfort. After a period of time a relationship develops and the wounds get healed. If everything continues to go well, they can become whole. Remember the demoniac in the gospels. This person was totally given over to demonic spirits. He was a totally different person when Jesus set him free. Mark 5:1-20.

Who will be that person? Who will dare to reach out to others no matter the cost? Who will share the love of Christ? Is another soul worth it? How can we do this? Walk with the Lord, lay down our lives and let Him live through us. Is it easy, no. It is impossible without Him. Is it worth it? Only you know the answer to this question. Who is your brother? Who is your sister? Who is your enemy?

Please don’t get the wrong impression from this message. I am not saying we shouldn’t have laws and justice. We need these things and it is right. I am saying that as far as it is within our means and with the Lord’s direction, we should extend His love towards those who might not deserve it. Please catch the spirit of the message, love. Love is gentle and firm. God’s love is different from our definition of love.

My friend, one person can make a difference. Saul (Paul), witnessed the stoning of Stephen who forgave all those in attendance. Later on, this one person wrote most of the New Testament. There are many stories of one person who has made a difference. May we also be like them. May our treasure be in heaven and may we hear the words, “Well done, My good and faithful servants.”

Joseph

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Are we covered in fig leaves? Do we find ways to protect ourselves and hide our actions? Do we feel naked and exposed unless we do something about it? FIG LEAVES!

Genesis 3:6 Some of the first times I read this chapter, I couldn’t figure out why the Lord would want us naked. Why didn’t He want us to know good and evil? I was looking from my perspective backwards in time. It wasn’t until I asked for His understanding that I began to get the message. I began to realize, that up until this point, Adam and Eve were covered totally in the glory of the Lord. They lived in innocence. I then began to meditate on the words of Jesus in the gospels.

Matthew 18:2-4 ” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

In this passage, I believe Jesus is calling us back to a time in Eden. Unless we become like children we will never enter. How do you become like a child again? In one of my previous posts, “Like A Child“, I discussed being born again. I want to go on from there so that we can find out the relevance of the fig leaves. In verse 4, He mentions “humble himself like this child.” Well, I thought, the opposite of humility is pride. That’s it! They were filled with pride. Adam and Eve committed the same sin as did their tempter, Lucifer, the devil. They could become like God, knowing good and evil.

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the GREATEST in the kingdom of heaven.” What, on earth, does this mean? Our society, in general, is built on pride, competition, greed, lust, etc. How do we humble ourselves in the Lord’s sight and not look stupid to the world? It isn’t possible. The great king David of Israel, humbled himself before the Lord and all of Israel. His wife was humiliated and despised him because she thought that kings weren’t supposed to do this. David chose to honor his Lord and King. Read the following and see how David answered her and how the Lord judged her. Pride is very dangerous.

2 Samuel 6:14-16 “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.”

2 Samuel 6:20-23 “When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, ‘How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!’ David said to Michal, ‘It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.’ And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Children and innocence, how do we do this. Children put their faith in their parents. They trust them unconditionally. They believe they are protected. They know they are loved. They love to play, dance, and have fun. They don’t even care to wear clothes. They don’t hide things well and it is hard for them to keep secrets. Wow! There is a gem here. Parents are responsible for their children up to a certain age. They are totally covered and protected. Where are we?

When we become born again, we become as children again. As we lay down our lives and take off our filthy rags, we put on the Lord’s righteousness. We become clothed in Him. Once again, we are naked, but now we are clothed in His glory. This is the way it was in the beginning. Pride exposes us, humility covers us. Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” If we humble ourselves and become transparent before the Lord and others we will receive grace. The Lord loves us and He protects us. We can choose to cover ourselves or we can let Him cover us.

I want to walk in His glory. I want to be innocent of evil. How can we be tempted if we can’t see the temptation? I know that I am only seeing a small portion of this, but I want to go deeper. How can we walk this earth clothed in His glory? How can we walk alongside this world system and not be crushed by it? How can we let Him shield us from all the insults, misunderstandings, hatred and violence? How can we become as a child again? What about all the wounds, the broken promises, the broken relationships, the judgments, and all the other things that have hindered our walk? How can we get past it all? We must lay it all down. We can be healed. We can be made whole. We can overcome. We can walk as we were meant to walk. Jesus made a way. I know who I am and I am familiar with filthy rags. I know who He is and I choose to be clothed in His righteousness. I don’t need to defend myself, He will. FIG LEAVES? No, thanks!

As humans, none of us are perfect, but we expect everyone else to be. Heroes are only so until their weaknesses are exposed and then we drag them through the mud. Let’s be real. Our humanity is all we have. Only in Him can we be righteous. Extend grace, mercy and love to those around you. Everyone knows we all make mistakes, why can we just admit them from the start. May your life be blessed. May you find what it is you are looking for in your life. Be encouraged, you are not alone.

Joseph

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Who was the cupbearer? In Genesis 40-41, he was cupbearer to Pharoah. What does this have to do with us, plenty. Do you feel like you are in a prison and might have been put there and you didn’t do anything wrong, but you are stuck? Join the crowd. At some point in our lives we can feel trapped and sometimes this is more than once.

These are usually low periods of times in our lives. Sometimes we feel loneliness, despair, grief and depression. In these times it is hard for us to even focus on helping someone else. This was where Joseph found himself. He was in prison, trapped, lonely, and away from his family, yet he still managed to reach out and help those around him. No matter where he was in this desperate journey of his, he didn’t stop being himself or sharing his gift. In fact, it was this particular time that was going to get him out of his prison.

If you go back and read the section about his life, you will find that the Lord gave him a dream. The dream was of his family bowing down to him. Now, he had been thrown in prison and it seemed like his dream would never be fulfilled. He was in a dead end place. How would his destiny ever be fulfilled? He was going backwards, not forwards. Why didn’t he just give up and be like everyone else? I believe it was the dream that compelled him on. He could sense his destiny and wouldn’t let anything or anyone keep him from obtaining it.

He learned patience and understanding while he was in prison. He began to see things from the Lord’s perspective. This was his training ground. He preparation for being second in command was complete by the time he was raised to rule alongside of Pharaoh of Egypt. He knew how to trust the Lord in every situation no matter how long it took.

In everything you do, give it your best. Keep sharing and loving. Don’t react to problems and things that don’t go your way, but rather search for understanding and wisdom. Relationships and problems can help us strengthen our spirit and soul. They can be like the weights in a fitness center. As we struggle through each one, we can get stronger. As we gain understanding, we gain patience. When we begin to understand the ways of God, we can rest from our own struggles. We begin to realize that He can see the whole picture and trust that He has our timing down to the perfect moment. He hasn’t forgotten us. He has a special place for us and it is greater than we can ever imagine. Read the story of Esther. Be encouraged today and may the presence of the Lord fill you with everything you need. Laugh at your problems, because they are in the process of being solved. Is there a cup bearer in your life? Reach out and touch someone.

Joseph

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What kind of house are we building? Where are we building it? We wouldn’t just build it anywhere, right? Have we considered our spiritual house? How are we building it? What kind is it? What kind of foundation does it have? Since our spiritual house will last for eternity, surely we are giving it more thought and preparation, aren’t we?

In the natural realm we live in, we have to make certain choices about our homes before we build them. If we are going to be safe in them, we must make sure of the ground we build on that it will provide a secure foundation. A foundation that is built on shifting ground has a limited time of existence before the whole thing collapses. If you’ve seen any of the homes that have fallen into swollen rivers or landslides off of cliffs, you might have a better understanding of what I am talking about. One thing that’s for sure is no matter where we build, we will encounter storms of some kind. They are simply everywhere. Now, some areas have more than others, but everyone goes through them.

Okay, so we are sure about the foundation and the ground isn’t going to swallow us up. Now, what kind of material are we going to build with. The first thing we need to do is understand the climate where we are building. Is it prone to hurricanes? Is it prone to earthquakes? Is it prone to snow storms? Is it a moist or dry climate? All of these things will factor in to the materials we use for the walls and roof. If we are getting someone else to build it for us, we will make sure we have someone who is trustworthy and knows what they are doing.

Now, having said all of this I hope you can see where we are going with this analogy. There are two scriptures that come to my mind as I am writing. As I found the first I noticed two more that will help also. They are: Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

In the above passage, Jesus is talking about the foundation of our spiritual home. He is the Rock. He is the Word. His Word is Truth. When the foundation of our life is built upon this truth, our spiritual home can be built upon an immovable rock that can withstand the fiercest of storms.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”

Here Paul is talking about the materials we use on top of our foundation. Are we building with our own fleshly standards and our own strength, hence the wood, hay and straw or are we building with the materials that have been tested in the fire. Have we given Him our ways to let Him help us do things His way. Are we building in grace, peace, love, joy, mercy or are we building out of pride, fear, lust, perfection, greed, power, etc? What does our house look like? Is it made of gold, silver and costly stones, or is it simply something we have built with our own hands and understanding? Will it stand the test of fires and the storms that come our way or will it be reduced to ashes?

Matthew 7:15-23 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?”

Who do we get to help us build our house? Jesus talks about false prophets and how to know them. Paul talks about jealousy and quarreling among the believers. Which denomination or preacher do you follow? Is there pride and jealousy among the group, person or ourselves? We must listen to Holy Spirit and He will guide us to the truth in everything. No matter how great a person follows the Lord, always remember they are human. Don’t put anyone upon a pedestal, we are only setting them up to fall. Rather, walk with others as they will walk with us. If they are going down a different path, we should bless them in their journey. There are others whose paths will cross ours. Some we are to meet briefly while others will walk with us for a lifetime. Let us not hold on so tightly to relationships, but like the dove, set it free. There is enough love to go around.

Someone reading this has gotten themselves into a relationship that isn’t right. You are bound and have lost your freedom. You have lost your joy and have considered other alternatives. Jesus sees and is preparing a way for you to get free. Trust Him now. When you see the opening, go. Spend time with Him and make sure you hear His voice. If this is for you, you will feel His peace. May you feel His presence as you read this. May you find the strength to walk with Him and change your course. Walk towards the light. Find the truth and never let it go. You can do it. You are not alone.

Joseph

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Have you ever found yourself trying this relationship or trying another one over and over again while thinking, “Maybe, just maybe this is the one?” Or perhaps, if you are married, you think, “I wish I would have married someone else.” You find yourself trying to fill a void in your heart that seems impossible to fill. No matter how much you open up and no matter how close and intimate you get, there is still a LOUD cry for help deep inside of you. Can’t someone, anyone see me Where I Am?

You, my friend are not alone. I used to go through this a lot. Boy, if I could just find the right person for me, everything would just work out well. Or maybe, if I could just find the thing I like to do and get paid for doing it. Sound good? Yes it does, but it doesn’t work. No human relationship will ever fill that void in your heart. In fact, it was never meant to fill it. There is only One who can fill that void in your life, not sex, not drugs, not money, not power, etc. Sooner or later these false things will take us down a path we will regret. At best, we lose a lot of time. At worst, we can lose our life or the life of someone we love.

So what can we do. The one person who has made a difference in my life is Jesus Christ. I am not talking about someone who lived 2000 years ago and is now dead. I am not talking about someone you just believe in that takes on a mystical persona. I am talking about someone who is real, alive and wants to have a true relationship with you. Sound unbelievable? That’s okay. Many have thought that too. So now we find ourselves at a crossroads. Pride or humility, which one is going to win right now? Here’s the battle. Pride says I can’t believe in this, what will everyone say about me. This can’t be true, I am a rational person. If you can’t see it, it must not be real. What about all the people who are successful, listen to them, they know how to do it. Humility says maybe I don’t know everything and what would it hurt to check it out. Who cares what my friends think, I need to find the truth. If I find the truth, maybe I can help my friends. It would be good to be able to help them, I really do love them.

Now, once you have gone through this major battle and have won, the next part is easy. The hardest part is always making the decision. Just ask the Lord to make Himself real to you. First of all, you can’t come to the Lord unless the Father is drawing you. John 6:44 & 65 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Take a look at the whole chapter, it is worth it. By you even having this war means He is drawing you close and would like to make Himself known to you. Get ready to meet the greatest friend you will ever have. Allow Him and He will become more real than anyone else around you. Your life will take on new meaning and suddenly every good relationship you have with others will become that much deeper. You will discover that some of your friends aren’t really your friends at all and others who don’t seem to be will become closer than those around you now. You will see everything differently. You will see through the eyes of love.

Take a look at some of my other posts for a deeper walk with Him. Talk to others who know Him. Ask Him to help you on your new journey and to put others in your path to help you and that you might help. Enjoy true life. Experience the things you were created to do and enjoy. “Life is a journey and it is your choices that carve out the path you walk.” Go ahead, take a chance, you are worth it. May you be blessed abundantly as you journey down this path of life.

Joseph

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What do you remember about your childhood? Were they days of love and laughter or have you forgotten most of it because of the hardships and problems? Can you remember the good times?

Children are a gift from God. They come into the world totally helpless and dependent on their parents. Will they receive love, neglect, or possibly abandonment? That depends mostly on the parents and which part of the world they are living. For the sake of this story, let us imagine that a child is brought into this world into a loving family. This family also has the wealth to provide everything that will be needed for the child. This is the start of a wonderful life for this child.

In the beginning years the baby is nurtured in love by the mother and father. They make sure they have the time to spend with the child. They choose to tell the child the truth about things as it is growing up. They don’t give in to fairy tales and false customs. The child learns that if its parents tell it something, he can count on it being the truth, because mom and dad would have said they didn’t know the answer if they didn’t. The child has been in a constant atmosphere of love. When he does wrong he was corrected so that boundaries are set. This child has security, stability and love. As he grows older, he is subjected to other people and their ideals. Now with the foundation that was established by his parents, he knows he can get good counsel from them, so the young man doesn’t hesitate to run things by them. His parents aren’t afraid to let him try and fail, however, they keep a watch to make sure he is protected.

How do you think this child will do when he becomes a man? He understands that not everyone is the same. He has developed compassion for others. He knows that not everything is the truth, yet he understands that people need to be loved. He has no need to prove himself to others because he is secure in who he has become. His goal in life is to simply walk and make a difference. It is to journey down the path the Lord has for Him and to reach out in His love. He is a very humble person, and won’t be moved by others shouts and challenges. He knows what is important and the things that are distractions. His parents have raised him well.

Wouldn’t you have loved to have been raised this way? It really doesn’t seem fair that we weren’t? But we still can? How? This is how Father wants to raise us. Luke 18: 16-16 ‘People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”‘

John 3:3-9 ‘In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, one of Israel’s teachers and he didn’t understand this. It doesn’t matter if we didn’t have the best family growing up, here is a chance to have what we always needed in the first place. When we ask Jesus to come into our lives and change us, we become born again. We become a child in the Kingdom of God. We are surrounded by His attributes of love, peace, mercy, grace, loving kindness, etc. This is Who He is. Father is the perfect loving Father. He knows everything and He will speak the truth to us through Jesus, Holy Spirit and His angels. The Holy Bible contains His words to us. As we read, Holy Spirit interprets them to us. The Word was given to man by Holy Spirit and He is the one Who can show us what it means. Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” If we accept it, we can grow up in His love, no matter what age we are on this planet. The soul is ageless. It is only our physical bodies that will see decay. Our soul and spirit will live for eternity.

The good news is that Father loves us so much that He sent His Son to save us. We can be a part of His family. We can experience True Love and security. He will tell us the truth and not lie to us. He pours out His love, grace and mercy on us so that we can live our lives to their full. He wants us to have a relationship with Him like the parents of the child I talked about above. He wants the best for us and His provisions are unlimited.

Dare to find out what True Love is all about. Find the family that really cares. Ask Him to show you the truth. Ask Him to help you to trust again. He was betrayed by a friend, he really does understand. Ask Him about rejection, He was rejected by His own people. Ask Him about His Father’s love, He knows it well. Dare to walk with Him and get to know Him. Dare to walk with Him and be His friend. Dare to give your life to Him and find something more wonderful than you could have ever imagined. Live your life to its full and let no one keep you down. Be blessed today and everyday in His love.

Joseph

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