Has your path come to an end? Roadblock? Brick wall? End of a relationship? End of a job or career? What do you do next? Is it too late to start over? Are you just too tired or feel you are too old? Have you lost all of your friends because of some situation and life is just too painful? How can you go on? Starting Over!

In general, life is hard when most everything goes right. Our society is not very forgiving at all. There seems to be a lawyer around every corner waiting to capitalize on someone’s mistakes. No forgiveness available or at least that is what it seems. If you’ve ever let someone down, made a huge mistake or just plain hurt someone, even unintentionally and everyone else comes to the rescue of the other person, woe unto you. You are not alone. Our society loves heroes. We are not unlike the Greek society with its hero worship. The only problem with heroes is that they must be perfect or they will be brought down by the same people who lift them up.

When we are young, we are taught that we can do anything with our lives that we want. Dream big and make it happen. So we get out of grade school, maybe attend college and then we are ready to live our dream. Some of us get married and even start a family. Then all of a sudden the bottom drops out and reality sets in. What happened? Why didn’t I see this coming? You look down on the floor where your dreams lay all shattered to pieces. You feel rejected and hurt. Some of your friends were only around when things were going well, now they are no where to be found. You dial their number but the phone only rings until you get the recording. All alone. Oh yeah, there are people all around you, but they can’t even see you and what’s inside. I know, I’ve been there too and more than once. So what are you going to do. You are at a crossroads and it does matter what you choose. Your choice can help you get on to a better place or take you right back around the mountain and through this mess further down the road.

I wish we were all born with parents who are walking with the Lord. I wish we had all the answers before we move out on our own. “Life is a journey and your choices carve the paths for you to walk.” I have a wallpaper with this quote to help remind me of this truth. You can also download it for free to help you. It is also a truth that our ancestor’s choices have already carved the beginnings of our paths, good or bad. They are called generational curses or generational blessings. We don’t all start out equal, but through our choices we can obtain true freedom and life. It is up to us individually. Some of us have a harder road than others. Some of us have to go back and apply the blood of Jesus and forgiveness to our ancestral bloodline and ancestors  to break generational curses. Some of us can just carry on in the blessings that our ancestors have created for us. I was determined to break the bloodline at my point in the generation. I want my children to live on in the blessings of the Lord. I don’t want them to go through the hardships I’ve endured. I am determined to give them a head start to a better life.

So, just what is all this starting over all about. I believe that one of the key elements to succeeding from this point on is taking a full inventory of where you are and how you got there. You may not know a lot of the answers right now, but the willingness to look truthfully is necessary to start rebuilding or repairing your foundation. Something happened that destroyed the building you were building (your dream). If this has happened more than once, it really is worth some searching deep within your heart.

If you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ, this is the starting place. Please check out my other posts to find out how to walk with Him or start reading the Bible in the New Testament. If you know of someone who is living the Christian life and not just giving lip service, ask them. If you already know the Lord, keep walking with Him. Don’t give up. If we never come to the end of a road, we don’t know there is a different direction to take and a better way to walk. In reality, this may be a good turning point in your life.

There are many things that can cause a dream to be shattered. There are simply storms that beat against us, just as hurricanes do when they come ashore. These type of things just happen. If our lives are built on the right foundation, we will weather these storms quite well, if not, the weak places will be exposed. Depending on how weak our foundation is, the whole house may collapse and then we have a mess.

Jesus talked a lot about building our lives on the right foundation. You may be thinking, what does all of this have to do with me? Everything! If you are going to rebuild, it needs to be on the right foundation so that this doesn’t happen again. Right? If you are not interested in changing your life, you might as well stop reading now. You are not ready yet. Of course, it might be good to know a little more in case you are ready to change the next time you come around this mountain of yours. Pride doesn’t like to admit it is wrong. It isn’t teachable. It likes to point the finger at every one else, but in the end we are all responsible for our own lives and the choices we make. So, what are you going to do? How long are you going to lay there feeling sorry for yourself? Woe is me. If you are feeling this way, say hello to self-pity. This is a debilitating spirit that will suck the life right out of you and it is very good friends with pride. They walk together and they would love it if you would be their friend. They don’t want you to succeed, nor find the truth. It’s your choice, do you want them around or not.

If you have made the decision to go on and I assume you have if you’ve read this far, let’s look at some of the things that might have been factors in bringing the house down. First, let’s look at the choices you’ve made and why you made them.

Generational curses can cause us to fall into the same traps and pits our ancestors have fallen into. If we have judged them, then we are certain to come under the same things. To break a curse, you need to forgive your ancestors and ask the Lord to forgive them also. Then in Jesus’ Name, break the curse and ask for the Lord’s blessing on your life. Now, if this is a habitual thing, it may take a while to break out of the habit, but don’t give up. One thing we have to understand is that without the Lord we can’t do anything. It is by His grace we are saved and by His grace we live every day. We don’t deserve it, but He gives it to us freely. I am so glad. I used to be so proud of what I thought I could do until the day came that I couldn’t do anything right. What a humbling experience that was. It reminds me of Nebuchanezzer in the Bible when he was cast out into the fields to eat grass like cattle. The fortunate ones are those who are humbled in this life before eternity.

Secondly, some of the decisions you made might have been based on wrong information, emotions or rebellious decisions. In this case, we learn from our mistakes, ask the Lord for forgiveness, grace and His wisdom to help you to get back on track. If we have wronged anyone, it is beneficial to ask their forgiveness and to make restitution if possible. If they refuse, just leave it in the Lord’s hands to work out in His timing. The main thing is that we do what we can to make amends. Life is really this simple with the Lord. It is our emotions that try to lie to us and get us all tangled up.

I ended up changing careers at the age of 42. I went back to school and received a degree in Multimedia and Web Design. I never thought I would do this. I thought things would turn out different. I am so glad that things don’t always go my way. When I give up and give in, I find that He has a better plan and a better way for me. Some times it takes a while to see it, but it is always true.

I hope this has been encouraging to you. I don’t wish any of the hard times I’ve been through on anyone. I wish that everyone could just walk in the blessings, but I know that this isn’t always possible. So, if you are in a place of starting over, may the Lord give you the courage and strength to overcome. You will find a blessing if you choose to do things His way. Keep your head up. You do matter and your life isn’t in vain. Remember, there are others watching you and reading the story book of your life. If you overcome, they will be able to find strength in your struggle and it won’t be in vain. Others really want to know the truth, but it takes special people to choose to endure the hardships, pave new roads and trails so that others may be able to find Him. Again I say, don’t give up. Your rewards are waiting for you. Join with me in wanting to hear the Lord’s words to us at the end of our lives on earth, “Well done, my good and faithful servants.” Like Keith Green’s song, “Song To My Parents”  He sings this verse, “I only just want to see you there.” Check out this other song by Keith Green, “Make my life a prayer to You.”

Joseph James

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Notice I didn’t reverse the words of the title. This post is not just about divorce, but it is also about separation. In our society today, we have two types of marriage; one with a license and common law. We also have a relationship, where a man and woman live together and are thereby not legally married. The divorce and separation I am talking about are based upon these three.

We live in a world of hurting and broken people. Each one of us seeks to be loved for who we are. We think that if we can find just the right person, we will live happily ever after. Being that our world is also very fast-paced, it is no wonder we don’t take the time to think things through. We want instant gratification but this comes at a serious cost. Wounded people can be very dangerous. They can become like animals in their thinking and actually harm others. So what do we do?

I believe we have to start with ourselves, with our own heart and life. What do we want in life? How are we going to get it? What price are we willing to pay? How will it affect those we love? If you have gone through a divorce or separation like I have, you know that there are wounds in your heart. You also feel rejected, torn, shattered and bruised. You might have even lost some trust in the other gender and wonder if you will be able to overcome or trust again. Sometimes we also feel that we still must keep up with the world, so we don’t take the necessary time to look inside. This is a mistake. If we don’t get some healing for these areas of our lives, we are destined to go down the same paths. Every similar looking situation we get involved in, will cause us to react rather than respond and then here we go again.

People think that if they just live together, it will be different. If things get bad they can just leave. While this may be true in the eyes of the law, it isn’t true in the hearts of those involved. Not only that, but each one could be thinking, why won’t this person commit to me, am I not the right one and all sorts of thinking along this line.

We could try to harden our hearts and keep others at a distance, but this only works for a short period of time. It doesn’t bring the healing we need and actually propels us in the opposite direction. We could even party all the time and not have to look at anything seriously, but sooner or later reality will hit, if we live long enough. This is really looking gloomy. What do we do? How can we get out of this place?

I believe that everyone is born with the need to be loved and accepted. We try to find it in those around us starting with our parents and siblings. The only problem is that we seek unconditional love and we won’t find this in any human being. Everyone will eventually let us down. The only One who can love us unconditionally is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord created us and He knows what we need. I am not talking about some mere theory or fine sounding words. I am talking about a personal relationship with communication. I know it personally, because this is the way I live. Please check out the poem I wrote last week called, “I Wish.”

Through having a relationship with the Lord for many years, I know that He loves me unconditionally and will never leave me or separate Himself from me. He cares. When He died on the cross, He forgave me for every sin I would ever commit. He might not like every choice I make and those choices might cause me pain, but He is still going to be there for me. I choose to forgive those who cause me pain because I don’t want to live with judgment and bitterness in my life. I choose to reach out for His healing touch so that I might be made whole. If I am healed, I can help others and have meaningful relationships. I understand their weaknesses and short-comings and I am all right with that. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. I choose to walk in His grace, mercy and love that says, “it’s going to be okay, come on, walk with me, I’ll help you.” Will there be misunderstandings and conflicts? Yes! We are different, but we can find ways to walk with each other especially if we get rid of pride, envy, jealousy and all these kinds of things. When you really understand just who you really are in Him, these things begin to just fall away. There is no need to be the top dog to survive. There is a better way and what has been true for me can be for you if you want it.

Simply ask the Lord to show Himself to you and help you get to know Him. Read the bible and ask Him to help you understand it. If you don’t have one, just go to this online site and choose one. Ask Him to speak to you and heal your hurts and wounds. Begin to walk down this path of life with Him and you will begin to see something you’ve never seen before or imagined. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy or those who only want to bring you down. They simply don’t know. Once you have received healing and are being made whole, you won’t make the kinds of choices you did before out of weakness, but now you can choose from a place of strength and this will make all the difference.

People will always let you down. Don’t put them up on the pedestals to fall. We are all human and we all make mistakes. Most people who commit crimes, if they had to do it all over again, they would probably not have done it. They just got caught up in the moment and the emotion of the time and just reacted. I am not excusing their actions because there are consequences. We put degrees on different types of crimes, but the ones that usually hurt the most are not called crimes at all. We hurt others everyday, by our actions or careless words. Some of these go deeper than any physical crime. There are consequences for these too, sometimes we just don’t see them as clearly. How many times have you hurt someone with your actions or words? Are we really that much different? We play the blame games. We separate from friends over menial things. We betray confidence and trust of others. We gossip and bring others down while trying to make ourselves look good. It goes on and on. Only we can make a change to our life.

Dare to make a change in your life today. Seek the Lord and find a new way. Become the person you were created to be and walk the path you are meant to walk. Find fulfillment in what you do. Do things for the right reasons. Be truthful and be at peace. The Lord knows everything anyway, so why try to hide. It feels good to get it off your chest and you will feel lighter afterward. Find others who believe the way you do and walk with them. Encourage each other and help one another. May the Lord bless you abundantly and overflow your heart with His love. Enjoy your new life and then help others find it too.

Joseph James

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What is my dream? Why do I do the things I do? Why do I even care? Why do I get up in the morning what is this compassion in my heart all about? This is what it is all about. It is a vision from the Lord. It is my dream and it compels me on.

In the late 80’s, I was talking with a friend of mine one evening outside of his business. I had just picked up the guitar about a year earlier and began to play it. I started by playing choruses of praise and worship to the Lord. It seemed like almost immediately, the Lord started giving me songs to write. I have almost 200 that I’ve written to date now. Our conversation started with me singing my songs in different places and people coming around for help. What would we do with them? How could we help and where would we send them? It is not right to help someone find the answer and then just leave them. But it also wouldn’t be right to just send them to others who don’t care. This was my dilemma and it still is today.

These times of being alone in worship and praise led me deeper into the Lord’s heart. His anointing would come on me so heavy, I could barely stand and would have to sit down. A few years later in another city, I was in a fellowship with others. We were in prayer and I saw a vision of the Lord. I saw Him on the other side of a desert and I started running towards Him. It seemed like I got about half way to Him and I was up on this ridge. All of a sudden He pointed back over my shoulder. I stopped running and looked back. I saw multitudes of people way behind me where I had started running. He simply said these words to me, “This time you can ‘t come any further without them.” I was shocked and to this day I hold this vision in my mind. This was about 15 years ago and the passion and zeal are just as strong. How do we go on from here? I’ve even gone back to school and learned how to build this web site and write in this blog. What is the Lord doing? How is He going to bring this about?

I like to help others. If you’ve read my other posts, you know I like to encourage. Where are His people? I am not talking about those who have high profiles like the TV preachers. I am talking about believers who are simply walking with Him everyday and are virtually unknown. As in the days of Paul, there are those who are building their own kingdoms and there are a lot of people getting hurt in the process. How will the body of Christ ever come together to accomplish the Lord’s desire. How do we bring healing to those who need it? How can we help others make enough money to feed their families? How can we help them find their purpose in life?

It is easy to complain about our government and about corporate America and all the greed and power hungry people. There are so many bandwagons, which one do we jump on? There are so many distractions and programs to join. Where is the time for anything else?

Here is one answer that I believe can change the world. We, as believers, have everything we need to change our lives and the ones around us. There shouldn’t be any lack among us. The prototype we should follow is in Acts 2. Even though our economy is in a down turn, we can be profitable. If we establish businesses His way, we will have more business than we can handle. We can minister to those who walk in and ask for help. We can train those without skills or teach others new skills. We can provide shelter for those who want to change their lives. We don’t have to do things the worldly way, we can reach out in love. We can pay people what they are worth. We don’t need to build monuments up to the sky. We need to build each other up. What would happen if we let go of the fears that surround us and reach out? Insurance concerns keep many from reaching out. We must rely upon the Lord for His protection. The Lord has inventions He wants to give us. He has business strategies that haven’t been seen yet.

I have been given a plan and I know others have them too. This web site and my design company are only the beginning of what I have seen. This can happen in more than one country, in more than one state and in more than one city at the same time. All it takes is someone who is willing. It is my prayer that the Lord would bring us together to establish His kingdom. So many are so caught up in their own lives that they can’t see beyond their own home. As I share some of these things with others, I see the sparks in their hearts, but it is going to take more than this. It is going to take commitment. We have to trust the Lord to take care of us and to protect us. Now, more than ever, people want change. The world is getting smaller and we have the chance to join hands around the world and help each other.

What is your dream? What are you passionate about? Has the Lord given you a vision? Do you need help? My purpose in establishing this blog is to encourage anyone who would read it. It doesn’t matter who you are, Jesus wants you to know that He cares for you. We may live in different cities and countries and may never get to see each other, but we can encourage each other. We can pray for each other. Together, we can make this world a better place to live. Together we can see miracles take place. Together, the Lord’s love can be shared with those who don’t know Him. Who are our brothers and sisters? We have yet to discover them. They may be closer than we think. You may be at the bottom, but it doesn’t mean you have to stay there.

Feel free to comment or send an email via the contact page. I’ll post what I believe is appropriate and will answer as much as I can by personal email. There are a lot of us in the same place, yet in different locations geographically. If you’ve received healing from the Lord, pass it on. If you need healing, ask Him. Most importantly, know that the Lord loves you and He has a plan and purpose for your life. Don’t give up. Give out of what you have and He will add more back. If it’s encouragement then encourage. Whatever it is, don’t keep others from receiving a blessing.

Joseph

Comments

• I wish I could have grown up in the perfect family,
• With a mother and father who love me so dearly,
• With brothers and sisters who play instead of fight,
• With each day a joyous adventure and peace through the night.

• I wish I could have grown up in a world full of love,
• One without wars, sin, grief, murder or strife,
• Where it’s safe to walk the streets and live in homes without locks,
• Where everyone is full of love and each one like a friend.

• This would be perfect, and then it would never end,
• But in my world, a dream is all this will ever be,
• Each one does his best just trying to make it through,
• Yet, this one has the potential to be the greater of the two.

• It’s in these places, we find out if true love exists,
• Without mercy and forgiveness, it’s only shallow at best.
• How can we know its depths if it’s never tested and tried?
• It only shines and glows when, by the storm, it’s purified.

• I thought there were many who loved me or so they did say,
• But when the storms came, they ran off and went away.
• “Where are you? I thought you were my friend.”
• But they were all gone when I had looked again.

• “Where did you come from, I didn’t know you were there?
• I thought I knew everyone, but what is your name?”
• “I am the Lord, and I’ve always been near,
• I’ve never left you, you are precious and dear.”

• My tears fell like rain as I ran to embrace,
• His love surrounded me and His peace and grace.
• He is all I need, we’re together each day,
• He healed all my wounds, in His presence I’ll stay.

• Now, I have new friends and I know them by name,
• I know their limits and failures and I love them the same.
• Humans are fragile and weak at their best,
• But Jesus is perfect and His love passes the test.
• [joseph james]

We care about you. There are some neat things on our site that are free for you. Take a look. We will be adding my book so you can read it on the site in the near future for free. There are wallpapers and music also. Find the way of Love and walk with Him. Let Him change your life, just come as you are. Explore what real Love is and you will never be the same nor will you ever want to go back to where you are now. Here’s to you and a new day in your life. It is our hope that you find encouragement on our site. Freely we have received and where it is possible, freely we give. May the Lord pour His blessings into your life today as you seek to walk closer with Him. He loves you more than you can ever know or understand.

Joseph

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Human Being or Human Doing, which one are we? My wife introduced me to this concept years ago and it set me free. As I was meditating this morning, I realized I was starting to go back into the Human Doing mode. So what is the difference and how do we know when we crossover? Human Being or Human Doing!

I believe the Lord created us as Human Beings. In the Garden of Eden, we simply had to just be. It was a place of fellowshipping with the Lord Himself and walking with Him in the cool of the day. We can also see this picture with Mary and Martha when Jesus came to visit. Mary was in the mode of human being while Martha was in the mode of human doing. Martha complains to Jesus about Mary, but it was Martha whom He corrected.

Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

This is a very important part of our lives. Are we a human being or are we a human doing. Far too often, I think most of us are like Martha. We get so caught up in the things we are supposed to be doing that we forget about love. Love doesn’t care about all the mistakes we make or that we have to be perfect, it just is. Listen to this song by Margaret Becker called “Just Come In.” I bought this album and listened to it over and over again until I got this message inside of my heart. It has set me free and helped me to understand Father’s love for me. Check it out. Everytime I listen to it, it still goes deep and ministers to me. Get in a quiet place and just let Holy Spirit minister to your heart. I guarantee your life will be changed. Things, cares and distractions will simply fall away. Invite Him into your heart and let Him pour His love in and change your life forever. This is the message of love. I wish everyone could get this. It would change the Body of Christ and the world.

We need to do things out of love for each other, not because we feel we have to do it. Love causes us to soar on high, while expectations cause us to get frustrated and angry. When I find myself frustrated and angry, I back off because I’ve walked away from love. I want to do things for my family because I love them and not because of expectation by them or myself. I want to do things for the Lord because I love Him, not out of expectation. Here is another song for you to listen to, it is one of my favorites. It is by Rich Mullins, “Hold Me Jesus.”

I hope this post ministers to you and changes your life. Let me know how you are doing or being. For privacy, please use the form on our contact page or for your comments to be seen, just click on comments at the bottom of this post and sign in.

We care about you. There are some neat things on our site that are free for you. Take a look. We will be adding my book so you can read it on the site in the near future for free. There are wallpapers and music also. Find the way of Love and walk with Him. Let Him change your life, just come as you are. Explore what real Love is and you will never be the same nor will you ever want to go back to where you are now. Here’s to you and a new day in your life. Become a human being and not a human doing. May the Lord fill you with His love and surround you with His favor as with a shield. You are not alone.

Joseph

Comments

Who I am. Who am I? Who are you? Why are we here? When I think of these questions I think back to when I heard a song by Supertramp called, “The Logical Song.” One of the main lines of the song is, “Can someone please, just tell me who I am?” If you’ve never heard of it, you can google it to find a site to listen to it. The album came out in 1979 and we still ask the same questions today. Who am I? I bought the album as soon as I could and would cruise up and down the streets in my home town at night just listening to it. It was just me, the music and the wind blowing through my open windows in the cool night air. This was the question on my mind during my teenage years, “Who am I?” Why do we do the things we do? Why do we have to conform to these worldly standards? We don’t have to conform, there is a better way. Throughout all of history, good changes come when people dare to stand up with a better way. Before we can do that, we must find a better way. Who I am!

I watch people and interact with them everyday. It is very interesting. Sometimes the Lord allows me to see inside to their hearts. Sometimes I see happiness and other times deep hurt and wounds. Sometimes I am able to pray specifically for individuals and they are totally unaware of it. Some are very intense while others seem to not have a care in the world, yet every day each one must meet with reality. I am talking about the times when we are all alone with our own thoughts. The noise of the day is long gone and now there is quiet. I believe we use the noise and music to drown out those moments of reality if we can. We know deep inside that we don’t have the answers but we really want someone to love and care for us. If we could just find the right person. Maybe next time things will work out better. Maybe if I can just get a better job or make more money. Maybe . . .

I searched and searched for years for all the right answers. I grew up in a denominational church so I knew of the Lord at an early age. I even remember talking to Him. I asked Him to come into my heart at the age of 16, but I still couldn’t get things right. I had all of these questions and no matter who I asked, I only found a few answers. I also had a lot of zeal and I was young. One of the turning points in my early walk came when I found the scriptures about healing. I asked my leaders in the church, why don’t we just lay hands on the sick and thet get well. We just always prayed, “If it is the Lord’s will . . .” It is the Lord’s will that we get healed. I begin to see that people didn’t believe what they said they believe and I felt like they lied to me. So off I went on this journey of searching for the truth again. I had had too many lies in my life from too many people I thought I could trust. Just where could I find the truth? I searched through many other church groups and found that they were all the same, just a different name and some different beliefs, but they all stopped short of just believing what the Lord says in the Bible.

Some well-meaning people have told me that this is the way it is and no one has all of the truth. I understand that, but my problem with them is that they were not open to continuing the journey and discovering the multi-faceted walk of the Lord. They stopped short of their destination and just camped. I don’t know if they just got tired or weary, but just like the Israelites they decided not to take some of the promise land, they settled for a spot on the outside. I can’t do that. I am determined to walk in everything the Lord has for me and my generation. I am determined to pass this on to the next generation. I so want to hear the words from the Lord at the end of my life, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” I so want to see each and every person touch Him at least once in their life and see that He is good, faithful and true. Then they can make their own choice. I don’t want to see any bullied. There are enough of these people in the world. They should never be in the Church of Jesus Christ.

I have found something so wonderful and I just want to share. The Lord is not in to having His people separated by cliques. They believe they know the way and condemn everyone else who doesn’t believe the way they do. Rubbish! There is more to this walk and journey than this. True love, His love reaches out to everyone who asks. True love understands where each individual is in their heart and life and loves them anyway. True love has compassion on those who can’t help themselves as well as the selfish, greedy business owner that no one wants to be around. True believers know they are on a journey of discovering more truth as He reveals it to them. They know deep inside there are still areas and wounds that need to be healed for them to be free. True believers know His love, His compassion and desire to see them totally healed, saved, delivered and free. This doesn’t come by way of head knowledge and just memorizing the scriptures. The devil has the scriptures memorized and believes but that doesn’t make him a Christian. If it did, he’d be saved and all of our problems would be over. Having a relationship with the Lord is more than just knowing the scriptures, it comes by walking with Him, listening to His voice and obeying Him above everything else. Who are my mother and brothers? Everyone who has a relationship with Him. I meet people all the time for the first time, but it seems like we’ve known each other for years. The interesting thing is they know Him too.

I am so torn and grieved at the body of Christ. It is so easy for us to fight each other when the rest of the world needs our help and love. Who cares if someone else is raised up by the Lord. They are responsible for how they handle their life. If your relationship with the Lord isn’t right, don’t go blasting someone else who is desperately trying to walk with Him. They may not get it all right, but they have the main thing right. They are walking and heading in the right direction. If their heart is right, it is an easy thing for Father to help them get the rest in place. The issue is the heart, not perfection. Look through the scriptures and you will find that there was only ONE who was perfect and He was crucified for us who are human. WE HAVE TO STOP USING THE WORD OF THE LORD (SWORDS), TO KILL AND WOUND EACH OTHER. His word is to bring healing to the nations. I am not saying you have to leave the fellowship you are with. I am saying, don’t sell yourself short of attaining to the fullness of what He wants you to walk in. It is your choices that you will be accountable for, not someone elses opinions about what you need to do.

I am so encouraged to see the outpouring of the Lord in Florida, with Todd Bentley. All over the world people are getting touched by the Lord and the preacher man has tatoos all over his body. This is an offense to the religious crowd. For some reason, we think ministers ought to be perfect, rubbish again. I was in a move of God in San Antonio in 1994. The presence of the Lord was so strong we fell flat in His presence. Lives were changed. My life changed and His presence never left me. I can still feel it when I worship Him. Talk about reality, this is reality. He is real. Meet Him and your life will never be the same. You don’t know what you are missing until you find it. How does one find the truth? We find the truth when we search for it with our WHOLE HEART.

Feel free to check out our web site. We will be changing some things in the coming months. My work load is heavy right now with our VaryMedia design business, so I will continue to change things when I can. We are going to create a Flash book for the “Destiny Path of Life, Book 1, The Journy Begins,” book. Everyone can read it on the website for free or download it from our shopping cart for a nominal price. I will continue to write approximately twice a week in the blog. Keep checking back for articles that might interest you or someone else and then pass it on to others. Feel free to comment on a post, but keep in mind when you do to either ask questions about what you read for help and/or make suggestions or share your experiences in the same attitude of truly wanting to help others. I will not allow comments that are written to inflate someone’s ego or bring hurt to someone else. We are here to help. Keep smiling, keep going, you can’t lose if you keep on going. Choose to make a difference in someone’s life today, and watch it bring you more joy. “Life is a journey, and it is your choices that carve the paths for you to walk!“

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Soften my heart, O Lord, make it ever true. This is my cry and this is my song. If you’re like me, sometimes we can get to a place where we turn on the cruise control. Everything seems to be going great and then we catch a glimpse of our heart. A situation arises and we don’t like the way we handled it. It wasn’t a good thing. What happened? It was a hardened heart. How could this be? Easy, it was one of those things from a while back and now it is simply time to deal with it. Soften My Heart!

What do we do when we are faced with situations in our lives? How do we keep on walking when the circumstances tear at our hearts, maybe even crush us again? It doesn’t only happen once, but over and over again. How do we make it through? I believe we have one of three choices we can make. One that was easy for me to make was to run away in fear and hopefully I could run far enough to never have to deal with that situation again, but somehow it always came back even if it was in a different form. Another thing we can do is to simply harden our hearts to the situation. It is kind of like a soldier on the battlefield. He’s out there and he knows that killing is wrong but he also has to protect his country and his family and so he may choose to block it all out instead of allow the Lord to help him get through it. We can find ourselves hardening our hearts to the situation so that we can’t feel any emotions in it. It becomes a locked room in our heart and woe to the one who tries to help or touch it. This is how we know there is hardness inside, these places are untouchable and we end up hurting the ones we love. The other way to deal with situations is to simply face them with the Lord. We simply need to trust Him to bring us through. Will we feel any pain or fear? Most likely, but if we make it through, wrapped in His love, the whole situation strengthens us. If we get wounded, then we need to let His healing mend our heart. We won’t have to walk all the way around the mountain again.

I’ve come a long way in my journey with Him and it seems like there is a long way to go. I decided a long time ago that I wanted to be free. The more healed I get the freer I am to be me. It no longer matters what others think. It only matters what He thinks about me. As my heart gets softer, others feel safer to get closer. As we get closer, the walls come down and we are more real with each other. As we are more real with each other, community starts to form. We know each others weaknesses and we know each others strengths and we are okay with each other. The group becomes stronger because our strengths are multiplied and our weaknesses are diminished. We must come to a place of being vulnerable with others. I am not saying we do this with everyone. We need to use wisdom. Let the Lord guide you and remember Judas. The Lord let him stay close until the end to accomplish the Father’s plan. So it is with us. There will be Judas’ in our lives. They have every right to make the right choices, but for some reason they let the enemy use them. We all have choices and we do hurt others unintentionally sometimes. We are human and not robots. We get tired sometimes and things just go wrong. That’s why there is forgiveness, love, grace, and mercy. Let’s choose to forgive and let the Lord cover us. He’s the only One Who can protect us anyway.

• I woke up this morning, felt His hand on my heart,
• The pain was subsiding as His love poured in,
• Today is a new day, it’s a brand new start,
• No matter what happens, He’ll be with me again.

Soften our hearts, O lord. This is a word for the hour we live in. Lord, shower our hearts with Your love and change us through and through. Our nation and our world need Your love, help us be the vessels for Your love to flow to a dying and needy people. Let the distractions fall away from us so that we might see clearly the way You have marked for us to walk. Bring us all together as we begin to walk. Let our hands be linked together in love as we share Your love. You, O Lord are magnificent. Your glory knows no bounds.

Joseph James

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The Eagles wrote a song called “Life In The Fast Lane” in the 70’s. I believe the next line went like this. “Slowly makes you lose your mind.” There are a lot of songs out there with the correct observations and they also ask the right questions. It’s what helps us to identify with others and helps us not feel so alone. The only problem with a lot of these songs is that they don’t give us any answers. I remember the songs and I used to like listening to them and also dancing to them. I just got caught up in the emotions around me as did everyone else and just hoped for a better day. This is simply how it is for a lot of people. You do what you can to make it through another day and you hope that the weekend will have some fun and good times. Life In The Fast Lane.

The title of this post has been in my mind for the past 3 days. I was wondering what I would write about as I sat down to write, this is how it developed. It brought me back to my teenage years. Most of those times have been a blur. I wasn’t very popular in high school and most of the time I felt off-balance. We just went to my wife’s class reunion and it’s interesting to see that others didn’t think of us the way we thought they did. Not only that, but we’ve all changed over the years and are different now. The bottom line is this, we all change everyday and we need to give others the benefit of the doubt that tomorrow they may also be a different, perhaps even a better person than what we saw today. Let us not judge each other harshly.

The world is constantly changing. What do we need to do to stay on top or just keep up with it? Do we allow it to take all of our precious time and energy? How can we ever find the balance? I used to use this phrase a lot, “stop the world and let me off.” Then I was off for a while and realized that this wasn’t the proper balance either. We are to live in the world but not be captivated and imprisoned by it. How in the world do we do that?

Our world teaches us to be self-sufficient, not to rely on others. Pull up your bootstraps and get going. These types of teachings are contrary to the ways of the Lord. Scripture tells us we need to be interdependent on each other. We all have different gifts and talents. We all have strengths and weaknesses. Only when we become vulnerable to each other and share our lives with each other, will things around us change. The Lord didn’t make us to be islands by ourselves, or to be self-sufficient, if you will. Church is a community of believers around the world. It shouldn’t matter where we go, if we meet a brother or sister, it should be like we’ve known them for a long time. Believers who have nothing to prove are the safest to be around. Who cares if someone has the latest revelation from the Lord? If they can’t share it from the foundation of true love, I don’t care to hear it. (Please catch the spirit of what I am saying here.) I would rather live without the revelation among a group of believers who love each other than hear the latest revelations and prophecies through gongs and clanging cymbals. I’ve been around long enough and I choose to not waste my time supporting someone’s ego trip. It has to stop. There are too many people out here dying for help. I will not help someone build a monument to themselves. I will, however, spend my time and dedication to helping others receive the help they need to be loved, healed, saved and delivered.

Imagine this scenario - Imagine people who are loved, healed, saved and free. Now, imagine all of these people doing the things that come naturally to them because of the gift of the Lord on their lives. Imagine them totally fulfilled and happy. Now, imagine all of these people fitting together like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Now, stand back far enough and look at the image that is created. This is the image of the Lord. One big family, all helping each other, this is the church. This family has everything it needs and there is no lack. They don’t need to live in the fast lane, because they don’t need to do everything for themselves. This is a look at the church in the book of Acts and this is where we need to focus as our goal.

If we are believers, we have to eventually come to a place of trusting the Lord enough to be vulnerable to others He has placed in our lives. Will they hurt us and fail us? Probably! Do we need them? Yes! Do they need us? Yes! Will everything be okay? Most likely. Will some walk away from us? Yes! Will others take their places? Yes! Will some become our best friends? Yes! Will some become our enemies? Likely! On the flip side of this, some of these things will happen anyway, especially the bad outcomes. Why not choose the Lord’s way and walk in love, healing, peace, grace and mercy.

These are just some things to think about. I know that most of us are scattered around the world. I also know that this can seem to be impossible to accomplish, but it’s not. With the Lord, all things are possible. It only takes one person to change a nation, now imagine hundreds and thousands, what kinds of change would this produce. One can view this as a glass half full or glass half empty scenario. If the glass is half full, then we are waiting on it to be filled to overflowing, thus waiting on blessings and miracles. If one views the glass as half empty, then we are waiting for it to be emptied and desolate. Expectation versus disappointment is the focus and that is the direction we will go based upon our choice.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I choose to believe that while I am on this earth, I can make a difference for the good. While I am going through storms and misunderstandings I know the Lord has the power, desire and ability to change situations and peoples hearts. I enjoy seeing people touched by His love. I like seeing them smile. They are worth it and so are you. Together, we can all help each other to find our purpose and achieve our destinies. Tell someone you love them each and every day. Let others know how special they are to you. Don’t take it for granted that they know how you think, they don’t! Keep it simple. Don’t make it a guessing game. I know this isn’t always easy. I know that in the midst of the storm or deep in the desert, it’s hard to ever see a way out. The storm does end and there is a place of refreshment. Hand someone an umbrella or help them find a place of shelter in the storm and give someone a drink of water in the desert. Make it a better place for others to journey through. The early pioneers of the United States carved paths through the forests and mountains. It took a long time and was very tiring and sometimes discouraging. Now we have highways going through these same places. This is the way it is in life. We can make it easier for others to get through. We can all meet at the same place. We can help one another, but someone has to be the first to reach out and make a difference. Will it cost you something? Of course, but then it will anyway no matter what choice you make. Will it be you? Step into the river of the Lord and let Him carry you into His purposes. Check out my other post called “Hurting People.” Don’t let anything keep you from your destiny.

Joseph

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Life in the Spirit or life in the flesh, we all have a choice to make everyday. It is similar to the glass half empty or half full illustration I used in a previous post. Life in the Spirit is a great place to walk every day, but how does one get there. Does it happen overnight? How can I attain it? Life in the Spirit!

What have you heard about the Lord Jesus Christ? Of all that you have heard, what do you know to be the truth? Why? Have you personally studied His Word or do you believe what you’ve heard someone else say? All of these things matter if you want to live your life in the Spirit. First of all, we can’t live our lives on someone else’s faith. It just doesn’t happen. Ultimately, another human being will fail us. There is only One Who is perfect and only One Who will never leave us and His name is Jesus Christ. We need to get to know Him personally.

What is life in the flesh? This is living according to our own beliefs, standards, others opinions, doctrines, the law and everything else written and expressed by man. Life in the Spirit, on the contrary, is based upon the truth, grace, mercy, love, and all the attributes of Holy Spirit. Life in the Spirit is when we walk on a path that is above the snakeline. Even in the natural, there is a limit to how high of an altitude snakes will live. It is also true in the spirit. Take a journey through the Bible and focus on the lives of the patriarchs, the prophets and the disciples. They operated in a realm that was higher than the standards of the normal people around them.

We can live in a place of total trust and reliance on the truth that the Lord is in control of our lives, if we have surrendered and given Him our lives. We can live like a child does with its parents in total trust, confidence and protection. If we hold back areas of our lives from Him because of fear, these areas are exposed to the enemy. Fear is the opposite of love, because the word says that perfect love casts out all fear. Where we have fear in our lives, we haven’t opened up and let His love come in. The more we become wrapped in His love, the higher the path we walk. When we attain that level of love where we are confident in His ability and desire to protect and love us, there is absolutely nothing the enemy can do to hurt us. We become totally dead to the ways of this world, but totally alive in Him. We can see with His eyes and feel with His heart. Our understanding takes on a different perspective because we start to see things from His view. His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are too.

I have admitted many times all of the fears I used to walk with because of the things I’ve walked through. It took a long time to get to a place of faith. It took me a long time to come to the realization that Father really loved me and that He wouldn’t ever reject me. Each trial I walked through with Him increased my faith, because it didn’t matter how many turned away from me and rejected me, He stayed by my side and loved me. This is what changed me. This is why I am so compassionate that others experience His love. I know that if they can just get a taste or a glimpse, they won’t stop until they get it all. It will change your life and you’ll never be the same. The emptiness inside will be gone forever and love will take its place.

This is why I write posts, books, music and create the artwork I do. I want everyone to at least have a chance to taste of His goodness, to experience His love and walk down this path called Life. In my opinion, there is nothing greater than to know that we are loved, accepted and that we have a purpose and a destiny. The Lord created us for greatness, why would we want to accept second best.

Come on, reach down inside and with all of your strength and dare to believe. Reach out for your miracle and don’t stop until you get it. It’s yours, don’t let anyone steal it from you with their opinions, doctrines and false teachings. Look for the truth, search for it with all of your heart and you will find it. May you have an absolutely wonderful day today. If you want an encouraging wallpaper, just click here and download it free. Focus on Him and everything else will lose its hold on you. He loves you. Do you know it?

Joseph

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