Choose Life

Good morning my wonderful friends :) Let's talk about life. I love life. I love living it, I love enjoying it, I love that I can have it and live it regardless of my circumstances.

Let's 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 eleven 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. Be a Life speaker :)

Get to the Root

When my spine is out of adjustment, I will suffer from a migraine headache. I can take medication to ease the headache, but medication only treats the symptom, not the problem. When I began having migraine headaches, at the age of 11, my mother began seeking out physicians to explain the pain. I was administered several tests by several different doctors and their conclusions were the same. I was going to suffer with migraines and that was just my luck. My mother was not satisfied with that answer and eventually, I'm not sure why, she took me to a chiropractor. Well, to make a long story short, as long as I received adjustments I suffered no headaches. I could be in the midst of a migraine, go to the chiropractor, get adjusted, and leave his office migraine free. He treated the root of my issue, not just the symptom.

I see so many times in my Christian walk, lives that are burdened with so many things. People suffer from depression, anger, confusion, anxiety, fear, and so on and so on. When an individual is asked why he or she are heavy with such things they generally can not tell you why. Or they give you a reason they "think" they are dealing with these issues. Some people tell you it's a chemical issue.

I have found from my own life that there is a root to everything. Last year when I was dealing with a great deal of anger, I became angry over every little incident. One day after a meeting with our leadership, Pastor and Michelle cornered me in the church office and asked what was going on with me. I told them I didn't know and I was full of anger. I didn't have to tell them of my anger, they saw it, they confronted it, and they began to pray. This was the beginning of the process of finding out and dealing with the root of my anger. (FYI - my anger had nothing to do with my Pastors:).

Friends, the root of your issue needs to be addressed. Sometimes the root is so painful to face that we would rather just stay depressed or angry. But I promise you that if you allow the Holy Spirit to work and you cover the "root" with God's Word, you will be given much freedom. God desires to give you an abundant life, not a life of anxiety or fear. How can you live an abundant life if your "root" isn't dealt with? Let me share with you as well that the root of the issue may be something that happened to you 20 years ago. You maybe have repressed it so much that you aren't even aware of its affect on you. My answer? Pray. When you sincerely go to the Lord with a desire for complete freedom, he will give it to you. Begin a good soul searching. Begin asking questions. The Holy Spirit is sure to answer.

Whenever I begin to become angry now, I begin asking questions about why. Why am I really angry? What is the root? And the root is what I deal with.

The Word tells us that anxiety is the root of depression. Proverbs 12:25. If you're suffering from depression and you take an anti-depressant, let me ask you something - why are you still depressed? Because depression is spiritual not physical. I'm not saying there aren't chemical issues with some people. Most likely there are. But God didn't create the majority of His children with a chemical issue. He created them for abundant life and if you aren't dealing with the root of your issue, you are going to suffer depression. No pill or drug will cure a spiritual issue.

Get to the root friends, The roots will either cause the tree to stand or it will cause the tree to blow over. Please don't hesitate to email me (angie@strongtoweroutreach.net) if you have any questions or if you want prayer. I would be more than happy to pray with any of you.

Be blessed. Be free. Dig up those roots!