BROKEN BRIDGES

Relationships seem to begin well, after some time they can be very complicated. Two different people trying to connect with each other, with the goal to become one in each other. So often what we find is conflict and then it goes unresolved. Once so excited, talking on the phone for hours at a time, never seemingly getting enough of each other. So what happened? How did things go wrong? What changed? What led to saying things we will regret! the cold shoulder, anger, tears, resentment, and hopelessness!

Can it be repaired? Do I want to repair it? He changed, she is not the same person. I’m no longer attracted. I cant forgive. I cant forget. My heart is hard, I cant go on! So few avoid this from happening, so few live the dream we all start with. Our vision of a relationship in our mind, that ever so quickly crumbles.

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

This scripture is very challenging when it is the last thing you feel like doing. Our battle is against principalities. We are called to choose and not live by our feelings.

Ephesians 6:12King James Version (KJV)

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Principalities want you to work off of feelings rather than love. Feelings are the hook! Like a fish caught fighting for its life. Caught by the bait of pride, fear, insecurities, lies, anger, and fooled by the shinny lure of misunderstanding! If only we could see to the heart like God. I believe it was purposed for us not to see to the heart. I believe we are purposed to battle with feelings. Because our battles begin in the mind and if we are convinced in our mind the enemy has its hold.

Might I say relationships are not about feelings but a choice, a choice to love. A commitment to do what is right regardless of the other person. The choice to love when you feel the person doesn’t deserve your love, as we do not deserve Gods love.

When we walk by our feelings it is like a blind man feeling his way around in the darkness. We must walk by the word of God which is the lamp to our feet. At first the feelings we have are not good but as we walk by faith and the word of God our sick heart heals and feelings that were dead come alive in Christ. So we must walk by faith not by sight or feelings.

Men are so built to lead but what happens when the women starts giving honey do list, or telling her husband not to do this or that! The man puffs up his frustrations, because you know, he is the man, he should lead! He struggles with disrespect rather then understanding relationships are about serving, Remaining humble, being gentle, leading by softening his character. Not listening to the negative thoughts about her in his head. Instead renewing his mind to the mind of Christ.

When a relationship is lost and there seems no hope to fix it, I can tell you there is always hope. You must start to dig up the bad that you sowed. So that you can begin planting new seed. because Gods word says you reap what you sow.

Dig up your hard heart, resentment, and anger. Dig up the lies in your head. Put on Christ and begin by sacrificing. Sacrifice your time, give up things to God and your relationship without him or her knowing. Serve them, seek to understand the true heart of their bad behavior, rather than living in misunderstanding. Care about how they feel, choose to care for them as you desire to be cared for, even if you don’t feel it. Most people act badly when they are hiding hurt. The crazy thing is if we take the time to find out whats really going on we can usually fix it quickly.

Ephesians 4:29

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Proverbs 4:23

Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

Philippians 2:3

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves

I am a work in progress, sharing my walk with you through this blog!

SHINE

Isaiah 60

Expanded Bible

Jerusalem Will Be Great

60 “Jerusalem, ·get up [arise] and shine, because your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord shines on you.
² [^LLook; ^TBehold] Darkness ·now covers [or will cover] the earth;
    deep darkness covers ·her people [the nations].
But the Lord shines on you,
    and people see his glory [^Chis manifest presence] ·around [upon] you.
³ Nations will come to your light;
    kings will come to ·the brightness of your sunrise [or your radiance].

Isaiah had a powerful message to give to the people of God which I believe stands even more today! There are messages all through the bible telling us to shine and I think we read it and at the moment think how powerful but never light the fire. If we do light the fire most of the time we have the shade over the light. I believe this happens for many reasons. First I think most Christians do not really know what it means to SHINE! How do we SHINE?

shine

v. shone  or shined, shin·ing, shines

 

To emit light.

 To reflect light; glint or glisten.

 To distinguish oneself in an activity or a field; excel.

 To be immediately apparent: Delight shone in her eyes.

 To aim or cast the beam or glow of (a light).

 past tense and past participle shined To make glossy or bright by polishing.

 Brightness from a source of light; radiance.

Brightness from reflected light; luster.

Excellence in quality or appearance; splendor.

To reflect light! We are to reflect the light of Christ. Again how do we do it? First we have to understand what we are using to reflect the light. We use our hearts to reflect the light of Christ. We must position our hearts in such a way that His light reflects from our heart. So first our hearts have to be positioned towards Him. Getting our hearts into focus, think about it, have you ever tried to reflect the sun with a magnify glass to burn a piece of paper? You have to get it into perfect focus and then it begins to smoke and then burn. His word is the magnify glass, our hearts are the paper. We need to get our hearts smoking in Gods word. Do you remember the two men that were walking on the road when Jesus resurrected? After Jesus left them, one of them  said, didn’t His words burn in our hearts? His word needs to smoke in our hearts to begin to burn.

1. To aim or cast the beam or glow of (a light). Once you have your heart smoking and burning in His love and truth, you have to refocus the light. Intentionally aim the light. How do we aim the light? Wherever the light is shinning on your heart you aim it. So for example the word of God brings conviction in a certain area in your life, you intentionally refocus the light on that area bringing even more light to it, which can be done by confessing your sin and acknowledging it. Repenting causing the sin to burn away by Gods truth. Then casting the beam or glow from your spirit that is now free from the heavy burden. Now shown on your face from your smile and the sparkling of your eyes because His spirit will emanate from your eyes the more you reflect His light (His Truth).

Removing the shade from your light is very important. Many people struggle doing this. Removing the shade means you have to share your light (His Light). Sharing can be difficult for many of us. Sharing is the greatest act of love and love is light. I have found that giving simple testimony to people causes my light to reflect Him. I aim His light towards others especially if I have walked through something very difficult with God and through that time God did so many things inside my heart that I now have something to give. What I now have to give is a talent and the word of God says not to bury our talents. If you overcome a stronghold you now have a talent in that area that reflects Gods light and Glory. Give your light away by reflecting His love to others.

This can also be done in your marriage, for example lets say your marriage is struggling and Gods light ( Gods Word) Causes the pride in your heart to burn. You refocus His light to your spouse with Humility and you aim His light ( His Love) at your spouse and once again your marriage begins to SHINE! Isaiah was and is telling us to emit light. Excellence in quality or appearance; splendor.

God bless you and may your heart smoke and burn the light and love of Christ. May God bless you and SHINE upon you!

SHINE can be purchased at our store www.fullofrosesinspirationals.com

OH JACOB OH ISRAEL

I wrote the poem out of Isaiah 41,42,43 The spirit of God was speaking to me and prophesying to me powerfully when He led me to pull certain segments of scripture from the three. This became a very powerful song that my ministry partner Paul Montgomery put to music. One day I hope I can share it with you. It is one of the most powerful worship songs I have ever heard.

We Christians are Israel to God, His new Jerusalem! This is Gods song to us! Did you know God sings? Did You know He sings over us? I am convinced He does. Read the words and picture Him singing this love song to you. His banner over us is love and if we are created in His image than I am convinced God sings and He sings over us. Every time  I listen to this song with my heart open, I cannot hold back the tears. His presence comes reconfirming His incredible love for us. We are supposed to be worshiping Him, and we do! He is the creator of worship and He worships His creation. His deep love for us, If we could even go that deep we couldn’t contain it in theses earthly bodies. Think about how we worship our children. When they make our hearts sing. The deep joy we feel inside, the incredible smile they bring to our faces. As God is hand crafting you, molding the clay of your heart, He pours living water over you, to soften you, to shape you into His image. He sings over you His love. The amazing thing about this song is, as I am singing it, knowing He is singing it to me, the worship that comes from my heart to Him meets in an incredible middle. It becomes a colliding of hearts, Gods to ours.

It’s not all about Gods Judgement and His correcting of our sinful ways. It is so easy to read the bible especially the Old Testament and see Gods anger and judgement. The Bible needs to be viewed as a whole. If you see the Bible in its entirety you cannot miss the incredible love story. A champion, a knight, a prince rescuing His bride, the bride of Christ, Oh Jacob Oh Israel!!!!!!

May you hear His voice from heaven singing over you, may your hearts so ever be blessed of His songs, His whisper, His banner of love over you.

Oh Jacob Oh Israel can be purchased at our store, a portion of the proceeds go to helping those in need. www.fullofrosesinspirationals.com

WAITING WITH AN EMPTY NET (PART TWO) THE ALTER OF DREAMS

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

John:21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.^[a] It happened this way: ² Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus^[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. ³ “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴ Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

⁵ He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

“No,” they answered. Is this how you feel? I know it is how I feel some of the time. I have all of these dreams and hopes, most of them come from visions God has placed in my heart. I am a risk taker, I live by faith. There are times I get disappointed by God. Things He has done to direct my path that I know I am suppose to be doing, yet, they don’t work out as I thought they would.  I know what it is like to fish all night only to come up empty. Are my dreams to unrealistic? Are they to big for God? I don’t think so. I want you to think of His words to peter and other disciples.

⁵ He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

Is there a chance Jesus is asking you and I this same question? If so what can we do? First look at the definition of disciple.

Disciple: One who excepts and assists in spreading the teachings of another.

We must be discipled before we can disciple. So lets look at Gods word and see His plans for us.

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

A Letter to the Exiles

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.^[b] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

His plan is to prosper us. Bless us! So what happened next with peter and the disciples?

John 21: ⁶ He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”

He said to change the direction. Meaning try something else. So I will tell you where Jesus led me.

Ecclesiastes 1:12

New International Version (NIV)

¹² I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! ¹⁴ I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Son of David, King Solomon says all is vanity, meaningless! So could it mean that God isn’t filling our nets because it could be harmful to us. Could there be a lesson from Jesus to you and I, His students? Could the something else be surrendering our dreams, our will to His? I believe so! I believe deep work needs to take place in us before God can do His greatest works in us. Character comes before blessing. Maturity before responsibility.

Matthew 10:³⁷

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Saints here is what I did today. I went to a quiet place in my room. I got down on my hands and knees, closed my eyes and built an alter before the Lord. I imagined all of my dreams and hopes as I placed them in the invisible bowl in front of me. It was a very intimate moment. I felt the loss of each thing I place in the bowl. I felt incredible humility. Surrendering to the will of my Lord Jesus Christ. Dieing to myself and my dreams as I picked up the bowl and raised it above my head and gave it all to him. I believe I was casting the net to the other side, off of my side over to His. I then placed the bowl back on the ground and asked Him to fill it with His will. I picked up the bowl once again, this time I drank it.

Saints may the Lord bless you! If you choose to cast your nets to the other side I pray your teacher Christ will bless you deeply. Be encouraged and may your life be meaningful.

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