Choose Life

I want to go to Deuteronomy 30:19. It states, "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendant's may live..." A year or so ago when I found myself in the darkest dungeon of my Christian walk, I had to blatantly choose life for myself. I knew that God had set both life and death before me, but all I sensed, saw and experienced at the time was death. I didn't realize that I was choosing death for myself. No, I wasn't choosing the circumstances in my life at that time, but I was choosing to allow the death of the circumstance to bring death to every part of me. I was dying emotionally, spiritually, and ultimately I was dying physically. When death comes to us emotionally and spiritually, it is only a matter of time before that death is seen upon us in physical form.

So, how did I begin to choose life for myself? Well, life comes only by the Word of God. Not by reading it, but by applying it. Even though my circumstances smelled of death, I had to begin to speak life to myself. Have you ever met someone who says they read their Bible, go to church, or pray for hours, but there is no abundant life in them? That's because they are either lying (!), or they are not applying what they are reading and being taught. I have met many people in my life that say they pray for hours, but there is no proof of victory in their lives. Unfortunately, many people read the Bible thinking its a good thing to do, but in essence it is their life source and applying it is more important than reading it.

Any word that you speak either to yourself or to another is either producing life or producing death. Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit." The Message Bible states it this way, "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit - you choose." Well, I'm guessing you're a little like I am, and you want to choose some good yummy fruit, not bitter poison for your life. The only way to eat the good fruit is by speaking the words of life according to God. Any word that opposes His truths is death and will bring death to you, to your spouse, to your children, and to your grand children!

Did you follow in Deut. 30:19 that your words, choosing either blessing or cursing, will affect your descendants? I know for my children I want life. I choose blessing for my children. I've experienced death and I choose life for me and for them. I don't want them to have to fight with the things I've had to fight with. For instance, my children will never hear me say they are stupid, fat, ugly, less capable than someone else, or not capable of success in an area they have interest. Justin has made comments to me that he would like to travel with a worship team as his "career." That is what is in his heart. I don't tell him that he can't make any money that way, or that he can't raise a family while he's traveling. He'll never hear me say, "well dream on Justin, that's about impossible." No way! I say, "Justin, you are a blessing to me and to God. If your desire is to serve him by traveling with a worship team and that is his will for your life, then we're going to believe it for you." Levi is ten and still says he's going to play in the NBA. I have never one time told him that that dream won't happen. Levi can make that dream happen if he works hard enough to achieve it. My boys hear life words from me and that's what I intend to continue pouring into them. And you should do the same with your children. I know sometimes we wonder if their brains are attached, but I promise you they are, and they need life words from us!! Speak Life.

One more thing before I finish. When you speak words such as; I can't, that's impossible, it will never happen, my bills will never be paid, my body will never be healed, my spouse will never change, God doesn't care, I'll never get out of this pit, etc., know that these types of statements are death to you. You must always find God's Word for your situation, meditate upon that Word and make it alive to you. Believe that Word for you regardless of how you feel. Feeling are temporary, they come and go. God's Word is eternal. It shall NEVER pass.

Be blessed my friends. Choose life.

HELP

This is in response to Elder Burden's message yesterday morning titled, "Are Christians allowed to use the 4 letter word?" I initially thought he was going to talk about love or maybe fear, but his 4 letter word was HELP! and yes, we as Christians are not only allowed to use the word, but encouraged to do so. While Elder Burden was speaking, I was thinking of a situation with Levi a week ago Friday. Levi called me Friday morning and asked if I was on my way home because his stomach was hurting him and he didn't feel well. I told him I was on my way and as soon as I got home I checked on him and told him to lie down because he was obviously hurting. He was having stomach cramps and I could tell by the look on his face that he was not well and that there was probably more to come. Within 2 hours he was in the bathroom and I could tell he was getting sick. I waited a few minutes and then strolled to the bathroom door to see if he needed me. As I stood by the door, I heard Levi crying out to God with these words, "Help me, Jesus. Help me, Jesus." I stood outside the bathroom door with tears running down my face because my little baby was hurting and in the middle of his pain he was crying out to Jesus for help. I had Seth open the door for me (it was locked) and I walked in on Levi in the middle of his mess. He was covered in bodily fluids as was the floor, and the bathroom sink. His clothes and body were covered and he was an absolute mess. The smell was putrid (don't mean to be gross, but I'm making a point). I had to open all the windows in the house to even begin to air out the smell. I proceeded to tell him everything was going to be fine. I made him bath water, stripped him down and began to clean up his mess.

Regardless of the mess we are in, we can cry out to our Jesus. No matter how ugly the mess, how much we're covered in it and no matter how bad it smells, we can hold onto the truth that Jesus will hear our cry for help. Not only does he hear, but he'll be there to hold us, clean us up and move us out. And Jesus is so awesome that he won't just clean us up once, he'll clean us up over and over again. Just like Levi. This initial mess was only the beginning of the messes I cleaned up on this particular Friday and will clean up for his entire childhood.

Thank you Elder Burden for speaking such an incredible truth to us.

Thank you Jesus for allowing us to cry out to you when we're covered in filth and we're right smack in the middle of the biggest, dirtiest, smelliest messes we've ever been in. Thank you for having our answers and for making us clean in you.

Your True Self 2

Defining yourself. Your true self. John the Baptist was not apprehensive in defining his true self. He stated the facts, " I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord."' John 1:23. The cause of such boldness and confidence within John the Baptist could be the sum of many known truths that John accepted.

He accepted the fact that he was given authority to "make straight the way." He knew his assignment and went forth in his calling and purpose. In order for you or for me to become our true selves, we must fulfill our assignments and go forth in our callings and purposes. John walked in his given authority and his actions showed his acceptance of this authority. Like John, we too have been given authority. Jesus calls his disciples together in Luke 9:1 and gives them "power and authority over all demons, and to cure all diseases." We, too, are His disciples and have power and authority over all the enemy.

This means we don't have to accept in our lives what is not of God. We have authority over our thoughts, our actions and behaviors, and over every minute of every day. You and I have been given the authority to cast down any thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We are commanded to do so in 2 Cor. 10:5. You and I have the authority to say no. This is a truth that took me years to accept and apply. If the action I am performing or the thought I am pondering is unlike God, then I have the authority to change it. I use the authority given to me by Jesus to say, no! I will not behave in such a manner and I will choose the mind of Christ!
(Phil. 2:5) If you and I define ourselves by any other definition then that of God's, then our thoughts are exalting themselves against the knowledge of God and we are commanded by Him to cast them down. We take authority over our thoughts.

We were given authority for the edification of the Body of Christ, 2 Cor. 10:8. John the Baptist may have felt very unqualified to be the voice bearing witness of the coming Messiah. If he had lacked confidence and had not fulfilled his purpose, then many individuals of that day would not have known of the coming Light of Life. The lack of confidence in our lives will keep us hindered and our purposes will not be fulfilled. The Body of Christ will not receive its proper edification. The confidence killer? Condemnation. If our heart does not condemn us then we have confidence toward God, 1 John 3:21. If we are lacking confidence then we must ask ourselves,and God, in what area are we living in condemnation? The Holy Spirit will speak very clearly to you, as He did me, the area of your life where you are still dealing with condemnation.

It has been a blessing to speak into you this evening. I pray you are on a continual path of discovering your true self!

You have authority in Jesus Christ my friends! Take that authority and Be Confident!