What Jesus Has Been Doing In My Life

A few years ago, I quit my job in order to stay at home with my children. I have no regrets, but it is humbling in some ways. In the past, I NEVER had to worry about money. Now, I have to make a lot of sacrifices. A LOT. I'm fine with that. There is a trade off.
 However, there are times when I ask myself hard questions. What am I doing with my life? When I die, will I have left a mark? Will I be remembered by anyone?
Jesus reminded me that what society deems as successful, often looks nothing like what He considers successful. "What good is it, if a man gains the whole world, but yet loses his soul?" And still He whispers, "The least shall be the greatest, and the greatest shall be the least," reminding me that success, whether in the workplace or the home, is measured by how much we are willing to love and serve others.

Lately, Jesus  has been doing a work in my life. I tend to go through phases where I get distracted. I lose my purpose, my vision. There have been times when I have kept Jesus in the rear view mirror.
The result has been a lack of peace, a struggle with anxiety, and a well of love that has often run dry.

I can always tell when my heart is failing. I look at my speech. I cuss (a lot).  I struggle with anger. I rush. I get impatient. I am quick to yell. I hurt others with my words and my actions. It is on these days that I feel that I have truly failed as a human being.

But, God.

I am so thankful that God always steers me back to Him. I recently went through an experience that brought me to my knees, and now Jesus is directly in front of me where He belongs.

He is restoring my peace. I've tried to stop cursing on my own, but I ALWAYS fail, but God. When He truly changes our heart, He changes our speech as well. The anger is gone.  The impatience. He truly does make us into a new creation.

Lately, I have found immense comfort in Psalms 23.
It talks about how He makes us lie down in green grass, and he restores our soul. He brings us out of the darkness and into His Light.

Yesterday, I was talking to Jesus about Joy. He is restoring my peace, but I sometimes seem to lack joy. I felt the need to reread some of my writings when Jesus first consumed my life. There was a very real joy that came from simply loving others.

There is true joy in serving others. It is the purpose. It is why we are here - To love one another.
To help one another. There is joy in that. As I began to realize this all over again, I felt joy for the first time in a very long time.

Whoever is reading  this, Jesus can turn things around for you. He can give you beauty for ashes,
He can exchange your pain and turn it into purpose. He can restore your soul. He can make you lie down in green grass, and lead you beside the still waters.

He loves us.

 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.



Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.Proverbs 16:24

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone Colossans 4:6

Taming the Tongue

3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

How to Find Joy

Lately, Jesus has been restoring me. One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Psalms 23. It talks about Jesus leading us into still water and making us lie down in green grass. It always brings me comfort.
Despite having found a new peace in my life, today I found myself in tears because I seem to lack joy.
Tonight, I was sitting in the silence (well, I have a toddler, so it wasn't too silent)Jesus reminded me of what my early walk with Him looked like. I used to leave flowers on  random cars.I sent random love letters of hope in the mail. I used to visit the elderly in nursing homes. I used to find peace, and purpose, and JOY in loving others and helping others. I once found JOY in pointing others to Christ through LOVE.

I miss that. Jesus reminded me that there is JOY is loving and serving others. Love is the purpose. The greatest gift.
Tonight, I am praying that He cultivate Joy in me and in you. I pray that you find your Joy.

HOW TO GET RICH IN MINISTRY : A SPOOF

1. Sit yourself in the Seat of Moses (position of authority), give yourself an "honorific title," and put yourself "over the flock "even though Jesus condemned those who gave themselves positions of authority and honorific titles. (Matthew 23:8-12, Luke 20:46-47, Matthew 23:2)

2. Write a book that is wrapped in Christianese but has nothing to do with the gospel  Make sure it is a book that caters to fear. Fear sells and appeals to the masses. Throw in an occassional bible verse to make is sound "authentic." 2 Timothy 4:3

3. Demand a tithe, even though tithes were food that went to the Levitical Priests of Israel, the widow, the poor, the orphan, and the traveler. Instead, make tithing all about you. Don't teach that the New Covenant model for giving is to give "what one has decided in one's heart" or "as one is able." 2 Corinthians 9:7

4. Take verses about tithing curses out of context so that you can scare believers into giving to you. (For the context of Malachi, click here) Don't tell New Covenant believers that Jesus became the curse for us (Galatians 3:13) Instead, use Malachi as a means to extort them for money. (even though tithes were food)

5. Tell the congregation that "your church" is the storehouse, even though the bible says that Jesus doesn't dwell in temples made with human hands, and the storehouse in the bible was a literal place to store food.

6. DO NOT TEACH on the priesthood of all believers. People need to think that you are more special so that you can keep getting paid for your exclusive and divine knowledge. You are a mediator, after all. Nevermind the fact that the Lord is OUR shepherd, and the Bible says that Christ is OUR ONLY mediator. Dont let the believers read 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 that states that "no one part of the Body is more important than the other" and don't let them fully understand that it is the HOLY Spirit that leads us into all truth. Instead, tell them that YOU are the one who "feeds them spiritually" so that they won't comprehend that "HE ALONE GIVES OUR DAILY BREAD."

7. Boast about your special anointing and how you hear from God, even though the bible says that we are all anointed, and the Holy Spirit speaks to each of us.

8. Preach an ear tickling doctrine. After all, the bible says that people will gather around a great many teachers to hear what their tickling ears want to hear 2 Timothy 4:3 Do not take the whole council of scripture, just preach what appeals to the most people so that they will stick around and continue tithing to YOUR "ministry."

9. Sell God's blessings even though the Bible clearly says that God's blessings are not for sale and the apostles rebuked Simon the Sorcorer for trying to buy the gift of God with money (ACTS 8:20)

10. Tell everyone to "plant a seed" in your ministry, and then tell them that reap a one hundred fold harvest. Don't tell everyone that "the seed in the Bible refers to the Word of God and not money"  Don't mention that the harvest in the bible refers to human souls  and do not let them realize that we should give "expecting nothing in return."

11. Take the writings of Paul out of context so that you get more money out of the sheep. Preach about how Paul received donations and gifts. Don't tell the believers that Paul took up a collection for believers who starving because of a famine in the land. And most certainly, don't preach about Paul "working with hands as a tent maker so as NOT to be a burden on the church"2 Thessolonians 3:8

12. Use "forsake not the assembling verse in Hebrews" and make it apply to church attendance, even though that is not why the verse was written. Drill mandatory chuch attendance in people so that they will continue to pay you YOUR tithe and keep the religious system running. Do not tell the people that "chuch is not a building" and that the role of a pastor is a function and not an office. Do not tell people to "go and make disciples of others" or to preach the good news. Instead, just keep them coming to hear YOUR sermons.

13. Set yourself up as king,but call yourself a "servant." In the book of  1 Samuel, the people demanded a king. God warned against it, and told the people that a king would "take ten percent of their wealth."1 Samuel 8:13 However, they begged for a king and God gave them  Saul.
 Kings take and demand money from others so that they can live lavishly. True Shepherds follow Jesus and not religious leaders. True shepherds give to the flock, instead of hoarding wealth.

14. DO Not let the believers know that the New Covenant model for giving is sharing. (Acts 4:35, See Feeding of the 5000)  Galatians 6:2  Then, you may be held accountable for your actions, and the people may catch on that you are a false shepherd.

15. Do not let people that the church is a people, not an organization or a religion. Don't let them know that church according to the Book of Acts was a vibrant community of Believer who broke bread together and fellowshipped in homes. If the people caught wind of that, the religious system would be in jeapordy and people might start helping one another out, instead of building more buildings and paying "special" clergy

16. Tell the congregation that you are their "spiritual covering" even though the Bible clearly says that Christ is our covering. ( 1 Corinthians 11:3  ) Tell them that if they "leave YOUR covering" then something bad will happen to them, or the "wolves will get them." Make sure to keep your mouth closed as much as possible, so they won't know that YOU are the wolf!-


17. Preach the prosperity gospel. Tell everyone that God wants them to be rich. Sell God's blessings. Just don't preach out the verse where Jesus flipped the tables of the moneychangers in the bible. Drive around in the finest car and build a huge house. People will pay for what they want to hear, and you are benefactor!

18. DO not tell people that a "pastor' is not a position of authority, but it is a function, and it simply means to serve. (example, Jesus) THE LORD IS OUR SHEPHERD!

The Sheep are Feeding The Shepherds

CALLING OUT MINISTRIES FOR SELLING GOD'S BLESSINGS -FIRSTFRUITS

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