Angela’s Thoughts

Today, as I was reading I ran across this scripture.

^“The backslider in heart [from God and from fearing God] shall be filled with [the fruit of] his own ways, and a good man shall be satisfied with [the fruit of] his ways [with the holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights].” Proverbs 14:14 Amplified Version

Often times, I stop and think, “Am I doing okay?  Am I living the way God wants me to live?”  I feel like we should daily take a look at where we are with God.  Am I going forward or backwards?  Did today seem less like I was living for God than yesterday?  Do I feel good about what God accomplished through me today?  Why or Why not?  Did I feel urged to do something and do it?  Or not do it?  What have I done for the kingdom today?

But at times we analyze the faults so much that we fail to see the good of what God is doing in and through us!

This scripture has made me, again, think about what the final product is of my day.  Is it my “own fruit”?  or is it a satisfaction that I have followed the Lord and therefore the “fruit” is good?  As the Amplified Version states it… “and a good man shall be satisfied with [the fruit of] his ways [with the holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights].”  To me, this is beautiful.  Because often as I look over a day, I think, “Wow, God seemed to be continually leading me, I had this thought, or that thought… and they were good, pure, right.”  And, my heart does feel delighted and satisfied with what God accomplished through me.

So many question, How does it really feel to live for God?  How do you know your are doing all you can?  How do you keep going and stop questioning?

I place my trust in the ONE True God!  His name is Jesus!  And as I pray throughout the day, and as I think upon Him… I can see how He changes my mind, thought patterns and responses.  He is real, and He cares about our every day lives.  Try Him!  Think about Him throughout the day… Would He be able to sit beside you and do what you do?  Would He be able to sit beside you and watch what you watch?  Would He be able to go where you go? Would He feel the need to leave? Or would He be comfortable with you?

And maybe your answer of the day will be, “Wow… He did that through me… And my normal response would have been this, but I felt Him lead me to do it in a different way… I’ve been feeling thankful, when I am normally depressed.. I feel satisfied with my day (with God) and not that I just wandered through it…” and that is when you will feel the delight of what your fruit has produced!  Take time to be thankful that you are delighting in the Lord!  It is a good feeling! 

Hallelujah!  We had an awesome Bible Study last night.  And for any of you who weren’t able to be there… I’m sorry!  It was great.  Bro. Kevin talked about how God is the Tree of Life!  You will have to contact him for his notes!!!

Tonight, we are going to have an altar working seminar at our church.  Friday night we will be working the altars at the Sonic Flood Concert in Fremont, Michigan.  We are excited to see what God will be doing!

“Make a Joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.  Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  For the Lord is good; his mercy is everylasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Worshiping God.. is also to our benefit.  When we worship Him and put Him in His rightful place.. it helps us to realize, how great and awesome He really is!  Then we can see that we are His creation, His sheep.  How He loves us, how He will take care of us!

I was able to get to my reading and prayer today, but not much study time!

Kelsea and I had a busy day, and are heading for an even busier one tomorrow.  9:20 Dr. appt for Kelsea, 12 noon Bible study, 3:30 Hershey Dr. appt. and then church at 7.    Hopefully, it will be spaced out enough that I will get to breath in between… which is why I had a Dr. appt today.

Last night, we had an awesome move of God in our service.  There are those times when He just comes in and you can almost see the cloud of His glory.  You would have to be dead not to feel His presence in these types of services.

I was praying with a young lady… and I remember saying, “Lord, If my breathing never gets better, but you answer this womans prayer, and provide for her need… then I know that You will give me strength to endure.”   I don’t necessarily want to live in a condition where I am constantly trying to catch my next breath… but my health is not near as important as seeing someone come to God with a repentant heart and seeking His will for their life.

As Pastor preached last night, sometimes God takes us to places, so that He has our complete attention and we turn to Him.  All around me, I am seeing that people are in a constant need of more… better jobs, a job, healing… just so many things.  And God is standing there, saying, “I am here.  Try me.  I have everything you need.”

I’m so thankful that the God I serve is personal.  He knows me better than I know myself, and if I have issues with my breathing… then He knows them, and there is none greater than He.    I know in whom I trust!

Today, as I was reading in Judges, I got stuck on a few verses… because my mind started pulling together various thoughts.  You know how that works.  It is like an “AHA” moment.

In Joshua, as the children of Israel took possession of the land, they drove out the inhabitance of that land (in most instances).  But in the beginning of Judges, you see the statement, “did not drive out the …” over and over again.  Then, you see in Judges 2:10, that “there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”

Why?  They dwelt among those that were already inhabiting the cities.  They began to worship their gods (idols) and they began to take their daughters to be their wives.

In Judges 2:14, it says, “the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies“  During this time, God raise up judges.  God was with the judges, and delivered them out of the hand of the enemies while the judges were alive.  But when the judge was dead, the children of Israel returned unto their corrupt ways.  Again, the anger of the Lord was hot against them… he said, “Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died.  That through them I may prove Israel, whether to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.”

What struck me was …  Why did they settle to share the land that was given to them?  Why didn’t they do, as they had done when taking Bezek or Zephath?   Where did their fight go? As the children of Israel dwelt among these nations, they became more like them.  They accepted their ways, they accepted their gods.  They never became stronger by dwelling among them.

Often we accept things because… well it seems “kind” to do.  Where would these inhabitance go, if we force them out? That is confrontational!  We need to all get along with each other.  This is a “feeling” that is being pushed through society today.  And, I am one of the ones that deals with being non-confrontational.  I don’t like having a head to head with anyone.  But, when the word of God is being pushed around, and used for peoples own agendas… something rises up within me.  We have to be strong enough to say… “This is what I believe and I’m not sorry for it.”  Why should I be sorry for what I believe?  When the Word of God is what I believe?  I understand forgiveness and mercy and grace.  I don’t want to be the judge of others… but I do have to judge myself!  Where do I stand?  What do I believe?  Does it line up with the Word of God?

Am I going to become like the children of Israel?  Where I begin to do and think like this world?   That I am no different?  That I anger God?

Maybe the children of Israel … were just tired of fighting, just ready to settle down, just wanting to be seen as kind instead of always declaring who they were.

But at what point though… do we stop fighting?  At what point, do we lay down our sword?  At what time do we take off our armor?  At what point to we take off our shoes… and become really comfortable?

I think I have given myself a lot to think about… and hopefully for you too!

We are living in a time when the Lord’s coming is closer than it has ever been before.  We may not know the exact moment…. but we do recognize the prophesy being fulfilled all around us enough to know that it is soon.   There are still so many lost.  So many that are seeking… hungry and thirsty, we need to find them.  We need to make sure that we are visible to them.

Our country is going through many changes. Physical, financial, moral and emotional changes.  In the physical, the scientist are trying to figure out how “global warming” will affect our water supply over the next 100 years.   A top story on US Water News states, “Drought is spreading fast across the US with 43 percent of the country now under drought conditions.”  And, in a post in the Scripps News, about a recent study, “We considered the question: Can the river deliver water at the levels currently scheduled if the climate changes as we expect it to. The answer is no.”

Here we are talking about the physical.  But just as much as we need that water to live life here on earth, we need the living water for our spiritual life.  In John 4:10-15, Jesus is talking to the women at the well.  She said, “How is it that thou a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”  Jesus answers, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

To begin with, they weren’t on the same page.  She was thinking of the physical.  She was in the carnal.  But the Lord knew what she really needed.  She needed more than just to rely on the water in this well.  She needed more than what the world could offer her.  So many times, we allow the status of the world to be the status of our spiritual life.  We don’t give God room to work, because we draw (our physical water) from this world… when we should be drawing all of our needs from Him.

Jesus answered and said unto her, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.  BUT whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Her response was one that we are hearing today… if we just listen, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”

There are so many hungry, thirsty, waiting…   Isaiah 58:11 says, “And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.“  Isn’t that beautiful?  But wait, verse 12 says, “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

Interestingly enough, Dr. Barnett, a scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California calls the waters of Colorado River “the life’s blood of today’s modern Southwest society and economy.”  Shouldn’t we be talking about Jesus, the Living Water, as our souls life blood!”  Are we the repairers of the breach?  Are we those that will raise up the foundations of many generations?  There is living water available still.  We need to continue to plant the seed, water and let God give the increase.  Let’s not hide during this time of drought… because of the drought there is an opportunity for a great REVIVAL!  Let’s give them Jesus, the living water that they will never thirst again!

Today… in all honesty, I feel nauseous, have a horrible headache and am extremely exhausted.  I don’t know why for the last week or so, I have been so drained.  But I still find time to be with the Lord.  He is so good to me!

My scripture reading took me to Joshua 22:21-23:16.  There is a portion that stood out to me.  It says, “Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of Moses, that ye turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.”  It goes on to say, “One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.  Else if ye do in any wise go back and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you.  Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.”  He then reminds them, “…ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof.  Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the Lord your God promised you, so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.  When ye have trangressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.”

In my years, (which really isn’t all that long) I have seen so many who have become more like the world instead of drawing closer to God, and becoming more like Him.  They say that certain things aren’t necessary.  I remember when they believed that Baptism was necessary, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost was necessary.  They didn’t start out giving up these beliefs but it is where their journey took them.  They started out by letting go of the things they felt they no longer needed to be obedient to… moral values and separation unto God.  They mixed and mingled so much that you can no longer tell they are any different from the world.  And an even sadder thing… they no longer recognize the real presence and power of God.

In the past 5 years, I have watched as people come and they experience God as they have never experienced Him before.  They see that there really is power in worship, that worship isn’t a show, it may get ugly… but true worship brings the anointing and power of God.  Sometimes the anointing is so thick… you feel you could reach out and touch it!   Have you ever felt that way?  If so, how long has it been?  If not, why?  It is for everyone!

Now is not the time to back away from what we know is true.  Now is not the time to give a little here or there!  But NOW is the time to stand true in what the Word of God says.  Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  Stay separated unto God.  Don’t be ashamed that people noticed you are different.  I pray I am different!  If I were like everyone else, why would they want what I have?  What would convince them that I have anything different from them?

Lord, I pray that you help me to always stand true to You.  God, let me feel your urging  to do right, when I am in the direction of doing wrong.  Lord, let my heart desire more of You, and not desire the things of this world.  Help me not to conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of my mind.  Never let me forget how strong Your anointing is.  Never let me draw so far away that I forget how powerful You are.  Never let me feel complacent with a show, or with a crowd.  Lord, let my goal always be to connect with You and allow you to correct when I am in error.  I want to know You.  I want to be more like You.  I don’t want to be cast away from You.  You are my God!

Something to think over…

As I read today, my eyes fell to Psalm 86:9-13, “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.  For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.  Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.  For great is thy mercy toward me, and thou has delivered my soul from the lowest hell.”

The amplified version says, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk and live in your truth; direct and unite my heart [solely, reverently] to fear and honor your name.”

I pray that I am pliable, desiring to be taught and directed by God in His way!  What about you?

Today, while reading Joshua 13-14, where God instructed Joshua to divide the      promised land to the remaining tribes that had not yet obtained their inheritance, I was struck again with the thought of how Moses never saw the promised land.

Why?  In Numbers 20:1-12, when the children of Israel were complaining about not having water to drink, God told Moses to take his rod, and speak unto the rock before the congregation and it shall bring forth his water.    In verses 10-11, “And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly…” Verse 12, “And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”

He was given a simple and clear command.  Yet, he didn’t obey the Lord.  I Samuel 15:22 says, “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

Obeying is better than sacrifice!  But yet, there are so many things in the Bible that people just can’t seem to grasp… God just wants obedience!  Do we really have to have a reason for everything that is in His word?  Is His word not enough?

Acts 5:29, Peter answers the high priest, saying, “We ought to obey God rather than man.“  One thing I find interesting is that some say that the words of Jesus are the words that they follow.  Great.  Good.  But… aren’t all the words of Jesus written by men inspired by God.  Wouldn’t the words written in the Epistles be just as much from God as the red letter words written in the Gospels and Acts 1?  They both being written by man, but inspired of God.  Why do we have any other words than those of Christ if they aren’t as important?

The problem with us today, is that we have been taught that everything is okay… or that there really isn’t right or wrong… it is only opinion.  My Bible tells me different.  And the wild thing is.. His commandments are so easy to live by, His leading and directing is so true and RIGHT… but we have our own opinion.  We have our own understanding.  Surely, the brains God gave us are to make decisions as to what His word says.

So, let’s think about that.  Are our children born with the brains to just make decisions?  Or, do they need leading and directing… sometimes correction?  God uses our lives… things that we live daily… to help us understand the relationship He wants with us.  Weren’t we taught to obey our parents?  Doesn’t the Bible tell us in Colossians 3:20, “Children obey your parents in all things: for this is wellpleasing to the Lord.”  As well, Colossians 3:18-23 in full… tell wives to submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord, husbands love your wives, and be not bitter against them, father’s provoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged, servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh… not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.  Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.

And it goes even further… verse 25, “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done:  and there is no respect of persons.”

These are only a few of the scriptures directing us to do or live something.  The Bible is full of scriptures directing and leading us on what to do for salvation and how to live a life right before God.  I’m not perfect. I daily ask for forgiveness for my sin.  But I am striving to be obedient in all I do.

Lord, if You say it, help me to be willing to do it with the right spirit and in obedience to what You ask of me.  I know that what You ask isn’t necessarily what I understand.  But I have faith in You and know that You have created me and You know what is best for me.  Help me to be willing and not continually question.  Help me to take Your word for what it is, and not try to change it for my own comfort or agenda.  Amen.

I had a dream last night.

I can’t remember all of it… but I remember that it struck my spirit.

I remember driving in a car and pulling over to a lot that had cars parked in it. There might have been a church in the background. Some people walked up, men, (actually I don’t remember seeing any women in the dream), and one of them collapsed to his knees.  The others looked at me, and then all at once there were men everywhere.  I remember them all being in suits, like they were dressed for a special occasion.  Then they all, at one time, fell to their knees and bent down their heads between their knees.  Complete silence.  I remember wondering if they were alive or dead.  I don’t know.  But I also felt a pulling upward.

I woke with an urgency to pray for those that are lost and dying.  I woke with an urgency to change my schedule and do something more for God.  We talk about the coming of God, but do we believe it?  Do we really believe in our heart that God is returning for His church?  Or have we become so immune to it because we have heard it for years?  I may see the coming of God in my lifetime… or I may not… Does that really matter?  Isn’t the point to be always watching and waiting?  Isn’t the point to reach as many people as we can while we are here.  I don’t know what my dream meant, if it meant anything… but I know what I felt!

I am writing this, because so often something happens in our life and we pass it by, we forget it.  We may think on it for a while, but then it is a thought replaced by the next idea or thought.  I didn’t want to forget this.  I don’t want to pass this by.  I want to accept that it might have been God urging me to do something before the world collapses around me, and I look around and see all those that could have been reached!

Lord, I pray that you continue to work in me.  Let me be pliable, and willing to be in your hands.  Let my life glorify you.  In Jesus Name!  Amen

Today, I am trying to get back into the groove of posting!

It has been a while, and I have missed it.  It seems so many other things begin to take time away from devotions and just journalling… it is time to start afresh.

Last night in Bible Study, Pastor taught on Light.  It was an awesome study, and really opened my vision!   For without light there is no vision!

So much has happened since I last posted, and I don’t know if I should catch up with everything or if I should just start anew.

A few things that have happened was our 6th Anniversary service at the church.  I can’t believe that we have been here for 6 years already.  God has been good!  With each year, we are seeing more people finding the need for Christ in their lives.  I love the new converts! I love discipling (because in all honesty that never ends)!  And, I love the saints that have been around for a while, now watching the newer ones, and experiencing that reviving in their spirit!

There have been miracles – healing, infilling of the Holy Ghost, baptism!  I am so thankful that the God that I serve is ALIVE!  He has risen.  He is no longer in a tomb!  He is with me even now.

I pray that God blesses you through out today!