WOW~! It's a NEW YEAR again... HAPPY 2022!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR... again... feels like I just wrote it... (and looking at this blog I did)

I originally tried to focus more on my writing and it being one of the cre8tive outlets that I would use more in 2021... and again, that wasn't done as well as I had hoped. Thankfully, I have other outlets and did use my writing in other ways (I did set up an Instagram with @mitzshewrote after one of my favourite TV shows growing up Murder She Wrote, where Jessica Fletcher (aka Angela Lansbury) was a mystery writer.) 

However, this year of not writing here on the blog was not seen as a failure. I did also grow in other areas, and of course, we all know that even though 2020 was an interesting year, 2021 was also interesting and had its own ups and downs. As we grow older, we see that time seems to fly by quicker. The old saying was always "Time flies when you're having fun", but clearly I don't have to tell you that 2021 was not all fun and games (and I love games)! But seriously, this year seemed to fly by. 

As 2020 came to a close, and 2021 began, we were still bogged down by the Cov!d pandemic and the effects of it, whether it hit your home, close to home, or at least someone you knew. Whether or not you believe in the complete pandemic, there obviously has been a lot of things attached to it that have changed the world we live in. (Not going to get into it - move on!)

As 2022 begins, I am in a more contemplative state of mind and have had a lot of days of relaxation and time to myself (which is yes unusual)... but it reminds me that God is the ONLY one who brought us through. Although things around us have changed greatly, He has NOT changed. He isn't surprised by what is happening. Whether you believe in Him or not, He is there, and He is the One who sits on the High Throne. As believers, we can boldly go before that throne due to His love and grace. This year is a year to help bring in the Prodigals and the Lost souls to the Kingdom... time is moving quickly and time, as we know it here on earth, is quickly coming to an end.

NOW is the time... TODAY is the day of salvation... January 1st, 2022... is the PERFECT day for you to begin your FIRST STEPS (or steps again) with the FATHER, His Son JESUS, and our comforter and guide HOLY SPIRIT!! In the story of the PRODIGAL SON, which I just re-read in one of my devotions, it says, "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him." (Luke 15:20) You have to do your part and take the first step towards the Father, whether it's a first step or a u-turn back, and then God in His great love and compassion will run to you! IF THIS IS YOU... then take the time to "come to {your} senses" (Luke 15:17) and come (back) to the Father in repentance. We are ALL sinners, and we all have felt those feelings of unworthiness. But the Father calls us back as a SON, not just a servant!

Now, maybe you are like me, still a sinner who is saved by grace, but you haven't truly run from the Father, you've stuck close like the older brother. (He still sinned in his own ways, but the Father forgave him). Where was the older son while all this was happening?? In verse 25 it says, "Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working...". The older son was working and doing his part. Taking care of the fields was his responsibility. The verse continues, "When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on." Then he hears the news of his brother returning home, and goes into a form of self-pity. Instead of being happy that his brother has returned (and can now take some of the responsibility for the work), he wallows in his own self-pity. Self-pity leads to our own fall, which can lead to anger, depression and despair. The Scriptures say that "The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in." (Luke 15:28) BUT GOD...  His father came out and begged him... and again wallowing and his anger turned to depression, and he complains to the father about all that he has done for him, and that he never even got a young goat for a feast with his friends. The father then reminds him that ALL he had was always the sons all along. The Scripture says "His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours." (Luke 15:31) So, the older son could have had a young goat for a feast with his friends... he could have had anything that belonged to the father; to the family (other than the wealth inheritance that was given to the younger son earlier in the chapter).

Now normally, this parable is spoken of or taught, in regards to the Prodigal Son, or in regards to the Father welcoming the son home and it is compared to the Father welcoming those who have strayed from the faith... the Prodigal Son has been compared allegorically to those who once loved the Father and were 'Christ-followers' who have now walked away from their beliefs. The Father obviously is God the Father. He has so much love and compassion for all to come to know Him and be in a relationship with Him, as a 'son'. The older son should be happy for a lost soul to come back to the Father. But this time around (& I'm sure I've thought about it before, but it hit me this time), I'm stuck on the fact of the older son and those words found in the 31st verse above, "Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours." The older son was faithful to the father, therefore like a believer who has been faithful to the Father, doing the work and staying by Him. In the parable, the older son at that moment was mad about a young goat for a feast, but really, the father said 'EVERYTHING that I have is yours'... so it got me thinking, what else does the FATHER have for us that we have not 'asked for' or just taken hold of... because everything that He has is ours.

I always hear of different preachers or teachers speaking of "open heavens", and the verse that has come up a lot in recent teachings is "we have not, because we ask not" (James 4:2)

So let 2022 be a year of new chapters, clean slates, salvations/lost being found, prodigals returning, and believers asking and receiving more and more from the Father... 

BE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING!

Happy 2022 Blessings to you and yours!

 

Roamin Through Romans... Part 2

Hi Readers!!

Today we are looking at Romans 1:13-17 in our Romans Adventure...



New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Using a short section of Chapter 1, we are looking at why Paul has come. He has wanted to come to them many times, but it was not the appointed time of God for him to come until the time he did. Too often in our lives, we want to do things and we step out thinking we are doing it through faith, and sometimes we are doing it in our own strength instead of in the strength and wisdom of God. Even good things like ministry or things that are of God, can still be wrong if it's in the wrong timing. Esther was a perfect example of this... there is a scripture verse that Esther quotes, 'for such a time as this'. God desires us to do His will but that also includes doing it in His timing. Sometimes we try to rush God, or sometimes we even lag behind Him. Jonah is another example of this, I remember a lesson that I once heard on Jonah, and in his story (found coincidentally in the book of Jonah) he runs away from God, runs ahead of God, and runs with God. That always stuck with me, and I think of it when I have different ideas (even in church/ministry things) where I think it would be a great idea, but it may not be the right timing for it to happen. However, there is also a catch if you wait too long to do it. He may just call someone else to do it, and then you are left standing dumb-founded, thinking that God has left you alone. Our main goal in anything we do, should be for it to bring GLORY to the Father, and to Him alone. It is alright for us to get praise or glory, encouragement or a 'wehoo' or pat on the back when we complete a task, or do something that is great... but all the praise and glory should then go back to God. A humble heart is a happy heart... "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5) Paul did a lot of things for the glory of God, and in the verse he says 'that I might have a harvest' but really it is God who receives the harvest, we are just His hands and feet obediently doing what He asked us to.

Paul is obligated both to Greeks and Non-Greeks, the wise and the foolish. He comes preaching to EVERYONE... because when Jesus came He made a way for the Jew, and the Gentile. He is letting them know where he stands officially. For once he was a persecuter of God's Holy people, and now he is a leader for God, doing the will of Him who sent him. He is letting them know that he is NOT ashamed of the gospel, nor anything that goes along with it. The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. He is letting the Gentiles know that they are no longer lost, that they can believe and be made righteous too, just as he was. When one believes in God and the Gospel, a new life is given, and through the gospel a righteousness from God can and will be revealed. It can only be believed and revealed through FAITH though. One has to have the FAITH to believe, and then all things can be revealed to you. The righteous SHALL live by faith. Paul is a prime example, as his life before Christ was going in a 'DOWNWARD SPIRAL', but now that he has chosen to believe, and has had an encounter and EXPERIENCED the REAL GOD for himself, he now has the FAITH to believe and to go forth gathering a harvest of souls for the Kingdom.

Where does your FAITH lie? Do you think it's all a FAIRYTALE? Do you yourself persecute or make fun of Christians or believers? Are you a Christian who has 'worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator'? Are you RUNNING AWAY from God, RUNNING TO God, RUNNING AHEAD of God, or RUNNING WITH God? Or are you like Paul, trying to LISTEN for the voice of God, trying to do His Will, and seeking the harvest of souls for the Kingdom? Ask the LORD to show you where you are, and to help you get to where you NEED to be with Him! He's always there, and He will NEVER EVER leave us or forsake us. We may turn our backs on Him, but we just need to turn around again, and HE will run to us with open arms, as the father did in the Prodigal Son story. (See Luke 15:11-32) If you are a RUNAWAY son or daughter, read the story, and then RUN BACK to Him.

Check out this video, a song by Klaus (featuring Kari Jobe) - let the words sink in and let Holy Spirit minister to you as you listen and hear the music and words.


May the LORD bless you today and always!
See ya tomorrow... Click HERE to take you to the NEXT message...

(opens in a NEW window)

"A Clear Conscience"

Day #105 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live." Job 27:6 NIV

Whenever I hear the word 'conscience', my first thought is of the movie Pinocchio, where lil' Jiminy Cricket is Pinocchio's conscience. When Pinocchio chose to do wrong, Jiminy was upset, but had to let Pinocchio undergo the consequences because of his choice. Jiminy Cricket was there for Pinocchio, yet the temptations of the characters Lampwick and Honest John led him to follow evil desires, which led him to captivity with Stromboli, and life as a 'donkey boy' at Pleasure Island, instead of freedom and great living with his creator Geppetto.

WOW! It isn't until you think about things, and allow 'revelation from the Spirit' to become part of your thinking. Obviously your first thought is Pinocchio is like Jonah, who gets swallowed by a fish and lives to tell about it... but really it pertains to every person today. Pinocchio of course is the easiest to compare with, as he is just like us. Every man, woman, boy and girl has been created, and has choices to make. Geppetto of course is like God, he is the creator and loves his little Pinocchio no matter what. Jiminy Cricket & the Blue Fairy are a bit of the Holy Spirit, and the Son. Holy Spirit has been given to us to keep us making the correct choices in life, when we follow the will of the Father, we are making correct choices -- however when we make wrong choices and follow evil desires, we then have a guilty conscience, as Jiminy felt guilty for leaving him in his time of need. (Holy Spirit never leaves us -- same as Jiminy tried to search everywhere for him, and stuck beside him in the end) Stromboli is similar in sorts to the devil, and of course 'Pleasure Island' is like hell. Lampy and Honest John and the sort are just evil temptations that come our way from the devil himself. We will be held captive in our sin, and eventually fall into life in 'Pleasure Island' -- what seems pleasureable to the world, yet is a place of gnashing teeth and no pleasure at all.

Super cool thoughts eh? Obviously I do believe that Disney put alliterations into his movies, and one can pull different spiritual ideas into even things that are not so nice. Disney movies are a great 'fight' for the Christian and Non-Christian alike. People are always heard complaining about the 'evil' and the 'darkness', etc in the movies -- but its the truth of what is in the world, shown in a way to get even a young child to understand. Watching the movie Pinocchio for example, would make a young child today say, 'Well duh don't talk to strangers!', but our teens  & adults today are led by evil desires that drag them away and entice them, and they laugh at movies like Pinocchio, 'well that wouldn't happen in real life'... but in fact it is!

There's a Scripture in the Bible that says, "When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (James 1:13-15) 

When your conscience/righteousness/integrity is questioned because of choices you have made, you need to try to make it right. We need to try to maintain our conscience/righteousness/integrity throughout whatever circumstances may befall us. Even when in cases where we are 'disciplined' for our actions, thoughts or words, we need to maintain our thoughts, words and actions and do not continue to choose 'wrong' thoughts, words or deeds. We need to walk in forgiveness and repentance, not bitterness. In everything we do, we need to choose to be 'better', not 'bitter'. (A saying that has come and gone and come around again in the Christian sphere, so I don't know who to give credit to, except I know it was 'Holy Spirit inspired' -- how come we don't write that, why do we always have to give credit to 'man'? ~~ another thought, another devotional.)

To keep a clear conscience we need to study the Word of God, and keep right relationship with the Creator, our Father in Heaven. Pinocchio had a great relationship with his father, but because of the relationships he had with Lampwick, Honest John, and Stromboli the feelings of guilt and unworthiness come up -- his integrity and character is now in question. He thinks his father won't love him anymore -- he lies to make himself feel better, and that makes his nose grow, and others can see that one lie leads to another, which leads further into sin. But one touch of the truth changes the circumstances, which leads him back into his father's loving arms, and then the Blue Fairy comes to make him a 'real boy'. When we allow God to love us for who we are and not what we've done, we become 'real' with God -- He clothes us in His robes of salvation and righteousness, and we again can have a truly unique relationship with the Father. Which brings us into another parable from the Bible - the Prodigal Son. No matter what the one son chose to do, or what kind of trouble he was in, he returned to the father, and the father ran to him with open arms accepting him back into the relationship that was once (and always will be) his. In the case of Pinocchio, I guess 'Figaro' could be seen as the other brother. LOL!

So no matter what we've done, or what we are tempted by - sin is sin and we have to figure out what our own temptations are, or where our own 'boiling points' are, what 'buttons' can be pushed to make us choose the wrong choices our of frustration. "Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or removes your relish for spiritual things -- that is sin to you." ~ Susanna Wesley

So allow God to cleanse and restore you, if you are on the road to 'Pleasure Island', or in the captivity of 'Stromboli'... and even if you are just walking with 'Lampy' or 'Honest John'... or tempted to walk with them -- Let God and His Holy Spirit lead, guide, direct and comfort you. Sometimes we feel discouraged in times of discipline or correction, but in the end we know it is done out of love, and that God our Father has BIG plans for us, and He can't wait until we choose His way and walk those out!

"God desires that we become spiritually healthy enough through faith to have a conscience that rightly interprets the work of the Holy Spirit." ~ Beth Moore

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!