tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61519627632202475502024-03-13T22:21:46.750-07:00Beks Spot..Issue's of the heart.rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-31286831326131801272010-10-07T07:43:00.001-07:002010-10-07T08:25:23.884-07:00Shout the walls down!I've been observing quite a bit in church lately, therefore I am writing this with a troubled heart. The Bible talks about freedom to dance, to sing, to shout, to rejoice etc. We sing songs about the freedom to do these things, yet we stand there stiff as a board barely squeezing the words out of our mouths. What good is that doing you or God? Worship is a pure expression of love to God. Honoring Him for who He is and acknowledging what He has done for us. He's done it all! It's our chance to thank Him and praise Him and rejoice! Why is it that we do none of these things anymore? I could give you so many scriptures where the Bible talks about forms of worship and the freedom that comes with it.<br /><br />There are times of reverence and quietness in the Lord, and then there are times for rejoicing and shouting and praising God for what He has done! (That is the difference between "worship" and "praise". They aren't the same thing and they are both very important for different reasons.) The victory that is in your life! Um, allow me to say that word again.. VICTORY! Really? When you go to a sports event and your team is victorious do you seriously stand there with no movement or emotion and barely muster out enough energy to say "Oh... yay." Wow. No, I don't think you do that. I hate sports, but if I ever get dragged to an event I am overwhelmed with the energy and I can't help but shout along with everyone else. Next thing I know I am taken away with the moment and excitement! Ok, so God is God. He is GOD! And we can't even give him a little shout?<br /><br />Another thing, when the worship leader says "Shout to God," why do we clap? Clapping isn't shouting and there is an importance in the "shout"... The book if Joshua is a really good book, read it sometime, but it talks about Joshua and the Israelites taking the land and in Chapter 6 the Lord gives specific instructions on how they were going to get into Jericho:<br /><span style="font-family: courier new;"><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Joshua 6:1 "</span></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.</span><span style="font-family: courier new;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"<br /></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Per the Lord's instructions, theyobeyed him and marched around the city. Now look at this!<br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family: lucida grande;">Joshua 6:15-16, 20 "On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!"..."When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city."</span><br /><br />"Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!.. the wall collapsed!" Look what victory they had when they shouted! The walls came down! The walls that were up, letting no one in. That is a miracle! How many walls in our lives do you suppose would come tumbling down if we shouted?<br /><br />I have been on both spectrums in a praise and worship environment before. I was once that person who stood stiff in refusal to make a move or a sound. Maybe it was out of fear of what people would say about me or how they would look at me. Especially when everyone around you is just as quiet. Why be the odd bird? Just be quiet like everyone else and you will be just fine. I've now come out to the other side where I don't care what anyone thinks and if I need to shout, then by-golly I'm gonna shout! That's my victory right there that I could be passing up!<br /><br />If a whole congregation of people came together and truly worshipped the Lord recklessly and expressed ourselves however we felt to do so, what sort of work do you think the Lord would be free to do? If we came into that room KNOWING that we already have the victory! The battle has already been won! The walls of Jericho have come crashing down and we are free to run in and take the city! EEEEven if, our circumstances look miserable, we feel tired and cast-down, or we are majorly subconcious about our outfits today and "omg is everyone staring at me right now?.. Who does she think she is coming to church today?".. duh. We all have our "things" in life.. But I am telling you from <span style="font-style: italic;">experience, </span>what is it hurting you to let loose, trust God a little bit and shout, dance, scream, rejoice, do whatever, and see if He won't come? He HAS to come! You're applying your faith through your act of worship and believing that He has already done what He said He has! What a slap in the face to God when we don't act like we know He's done something for us.<br /><br />I don't know about you, but I just made myself excited and now I want to go shout and dance! Ha! But really, if ever I have felt strong about an issue then this is it. Because I let myself go years feeling all bound up and beat up in insecurity or unworthiness. No more! There will be none of that! So I dare you... next time you are worshipping in a congregation or even if you just go home and try it out by yourself.. let yourself be free in His presence and shout and dance and jump and rejoice and PRAISE Him! It may feel weird at first or even that you are faking it.. but I promise you.. you will hit that place and it will be like a mighty rushing river. And that is the place where you can get all that God has for you!<br /><br />Be encouraged and rejoice in the Lord today!!!<br /><span style="font-family: courier new;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-91273855728878501562010-06-29T06:51:00.001-07:002010-06-29T08:53:50.176-07:00"I can't get away from myself"I heard someone laughingly say, "I can't get away from myself." That statement turned on a light switch for me. So many times I think that maybe if I go over here and do this, or talk to this person, or take up this hobby, I will be happy and won't feel so uncomfortable with what state I am currently in. That happiness lasts for a little while but then I am right back down to where I was. I am still me. Whatever it is that is causing this discomfort in me, is still there. No matter what you do or where you go, you can't escape yourself.<br /><br />Sometimes people think that once they've screwed up enough where they are living, if they move somewhere that no one knows them, they have a chance to wipe their slate clean. This can be true. BUT, it can also be a matter of time before you build up that same life in that town, that you just left behind somewhere else. It's because you're running, from yourself. And yourself, will always be there.<br /><br />I'm convinced that people who keep finding themselves in the same destructive situations is because they repeat patterns in their lives. They don't change what they do. You can't expect different results if you keep doing what you've always done. It's such a simple truth, but sometimes we miss the simple ones.<br /><br />Anyone who knows me and has read my writings enough, know that I'm not here to point fingers, but merely enlighten everyone on truths that I find out for myself and ABOUT myself in hopes that they may be able to reach someone else facing the same thing.<br /><br />I can say this for myself, and I also have friends, who, face themselves, from time to time and get angry. Angry with choices they KEEP making that aren't good for them. I have a running joke with a friend that "I'm a masochist." It's funny, but sadly enough, is true. Why do I, and so many other people out there, put themselves in situations that knowingly hurt them. Why do we follow patterns of destruction and how do we change?<br /><br />It's easy to blame other people or circumstances, but really, we can avoid these patterns. It takes one action of doing something different to start the journey of change. The journey of change from, "I can't get away from myself".. to "I'm happy with where I'm going."<br /><br />Everyone has their own shortcomings, weaknesses, and issues. Some may be different than others, and some be the same as yours. We all know what we face daily, weekly, yearly.. even when no one else does. And unless you have walked in someone else's shoe's, it is impossible to judge them for how they handle their life. But there is one thing we all can have in common, and that is doing what is necessary to change unwanted patterns in our lives. It is all about choice. If you are standing in the fire, get out! Don't just stand there and say, "Ahh, this is hot. I wish I wasn't standing in this fire right now. I wish someone would just come get me out of this." No! You just, get out! Walk away.. and realize, really? Was I just standing in that fire for that long when all I had to do was walk away?! Pretty simple, yeah?<br /><br />I know the areas in my life that I need to clean up, and I know the roads and alleys that I need to avoid. The question is, do you know those areas in your life? Knowing is half the battle, as they say. Doing something about it is the other half. Let's do something!!!rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-78423190955792004262010-01-07T08:38:00.000-08:002010-01-07T09:01:44.740-08:00Patience and Trust Work TogetherMy mind never has been able to quite grasp the concept of, "wait and see." I have never been much of a patient person. I need to see instant results and I need the answer to a question 5 seconds ago. I never was good at working out because after 3 visits I didn't see any results. I love a nice tan but I can't force myself to lay there for 15 minutes and I especially can't keep going back after the 5th time with still looking white. So I give up. If I try to do something and I don't have it mastered in 5 minutes I quit. If I don't know something then I probably just won't ever know it if it involves me taking time to learn it. I want to already know it! Does this paint a pretty good picture of my patience level? I hear the journey to the destination is where life is lived, but I hate the journey. I just want to sleep through it and wake up on the other side. This has always been my personality and I am finally being faced with the decision to change this rather large character flaw.<br /><br />Yep. So God is teaching me patience. It's so not fun. Good one God. I thought I had all my little ducks in a row and all my eggs in my one little basket. Sometime when I wasn't looking my eggs were emptied and my ducks scattered! I now realize I know nothing. Hahah! You know when people say that life never goes as you planned it? Yeah, I totally thought I was exempt from that statement. I went from thinking I knew exactly how things were going to play out in my life to now questioning every little thing. This is where you have to remember that God is in control. As soon as you start getting a little freaked and want to start taking matters into your own hands your life's equilibrium gets knocked off. Give it back on over to the Lord and save yourself some time. :)<br /><br />So patience and trust are holding hands right now. I'm trying to learn to do both. I want do this for myself. I want to trust God enough, to be patient. Does that make sense? It's just become very evident to me how patience and trust really do work together. You can't be patient if you don't trust. Anyway, repetitious. But it's true if you really think about it.<br /><br />Life is all about the journey and finding where God wants you. Putting the right people in your path for reason's we sometimes don't know. Placing us in jobs that we can't seem to understand what God has in mind there. Choosing career paths that you can't seem to figure out how that comes into play with your gifts. But God really does know what's going on down here and on a personal level with you. He knows every little detail. He knows what makes us happy and what makes us sad. Sometimes because of things I have been through in my lfie I tend to focus so much on protecting myself from pain that I miss out on the here and now. Hey, there's where patience and trust comes in again! ;)<br /><br />So I just want to encourage everyone, as well as myself right now, to hang on. Be patient. Trust God to take care of the details and in the mean time don't be afraid if you don't have all the answers. One step at a time. One day at a time. And when your heart is in the right place and your eye is on the Lord, He won't let you fall. :)rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-84456211259101909362009-12-09T09:20:00.001-08:002009-12-09T09:42:21.889-08:00"System Restore"Lately I am so amazed by God. Seriously, He is showing Himself to be so real in my life. To know God is so different than to hear about Him. Going to church your whole life doesn't mean you really truly know God. You have to establish your OWN relationship with Him for it to mean anything at all. And we are so free to be able to do that.<br /><br />I have made a lot of mistakes over the past few years and let myself fall into the trap that so many people fall into. Condemnation. Sometimes it's hard to get out of it because you accept a false sense of responsibility for all of your "wrongs." The kingdom of heaven is different than the kingdom of this earth. We are taught to own up to our mistakes, accept responsibility and pay the consequences. With God, he paid for our mistakes on the cross. He accepted full responsibility for our sins and shortcomings and He says we are forgiven when we repent. So pretty much, when you are forgiven, then you are forgiven. No need in beating yourself up over your mistakes anymore. God loves you, now love yourself.<br /><br />Letting go of the condemnation has freed me up so much. To know that I AM worthy because HE is worthy. To know that I am good enough because He created me and placed me here for such a time as this. To know that no mistake I have ever made can keep me from the blessings He has for my life.<br /><br />I got the image of a computer the other day. After years and years your computer gets filled with excess files, sometimes viruses, and just extra stuff that doesn't really need to be there. So you do what is called a "system restore" where you wipe your hard drive clean and it restores it back to its original condition. The Lord showed me that as an example of what He wants to do in me. Through the years based on circumstances that maybe we had no control over, different "strongholds" may have formed inside of us causing us to make future mistakes etc. So with that being said, He wants to restore us back to the original version that He created us to be. Getting rid of the things that shouldn't be there but keeping different traits that make up who we are. When you do a system restore on the computer it keeps those certain important programs like Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office, etc. Humanly speaking, those "programs" are gifts, talents, and important characteristics that make us who we are.<br /><br />I hope that made sense because when He showed me that analogy it made a ton of sense to me! We are taught about change, and becoming who God wants us to be etc. Dying to our flesh and letting our spirit reign hallelujah amen. Haha.. but until you actually understand what that means, it seems kindof difficult to begin the changing process. It isn't that God doesn't like who you are and He thinks you need to be someone different. It isn't about changing who YOU are. It's about changing the things inside of you that wasn't supposed to be there to begin with and replacing them with the quality God intended to be there. Once you realize that and you get it on the inside of you, it will change your perspective of change. It will make you want to do what is necessary to "change." Change is good. Don't be afraid to change. Now more than ever, I am excited for my "system restore" and I am ready to take on whatever God gives me. The future is getting closer everyday. Why waste the present on things that won't benefit your future?<br /><br /><br />Be encouraged :)rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-46964497456885770622009-11-06T06:53:00.000-08:002009-11-06T07:05:20.106-08:00You can have as much as you want!It's sometimes unreal to think that you can have as much of God as you want. Think about someone that to you seems so close to God and they just seem to be super tight with Him. You can have even more of a relationship with God than that. He has so much of Himself to reveal. So much to Him that so many people don't know. He loves us. No love that you know in a human sense can compare to the love that He loves us with. There's no way to measure it. There's no way to comprehend it. But the more you press into seeking God's face; asking Him questions about Himself, about how much He loves you, what He wants you to do that day, who He wants you to talk to, little things He reveals to you... the more you seek Him and find it out, the more your life will be changed and the more joy you will feel.<br /><br />For quite sometime I was living in a place where I felt like a film was covering me. I couldn't see through it, I couldn't feel anything but I wanted to get out of it and I knew that outside this "film" would be a better life. My life was transformed from darkness to light when I chose to dive into God and lay down the things He was asking me to lay down at that time. Obedience. I can never stress enough how important obedience is. You will be miserable until you do what He wants you to do. And what He wants you to do is something that will only better yourself! Just do it! It's worth it! Nothing compares to knowing you are walking where He is leading you. God doesn't change His mind. If he wants you to do something, and you don't do it, He's not going to give up, change His mind, and find something else for you to do. He's pretty much not a quitter and He never changes. So unless you want to run around the mountain 3 or 4 times, give in and surrender to the Maker and Creator of all life and make yourself a bond slave to Him.<br /><br />Be obedient because you love Him, not because it's a chore. Seek His face to know, not because you should. Live a holy life because it's necessary, not because religion tells you to. Remember that He loves you, and nothing in this world, I mean NOTHING.. no drug, no relationship, no high, no amount of money, no NOTHING compares to the presence and the fulfillment of God. Stop searching and look up to Him. He's just waiting for you.. He has so many adventures He wants to take you on.. live life. Not this carnal life, but live life with Him. He will make it worth it!<br /><br />:Drebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-32162566650180869952009-11-05T10:10:00.001-08:002009-11-05T11:41:24.111-08:00The devil is a liar!!When God heals you of something the devil will try to make you think you've still "got it." When God sets you free from something the devil will try to make you think you're not free and throw those feelings back at you. The devil is a liar! Seriously, he will try to throw symptoms back on you to make you start doubting what God has done. But those symptoms, thoughts or feelings are all a lie. It isn't truth. For one thing, the devil can't "do" anything to you. He can only make you believe what he is telling you is true. When you believe it, it'll come to pass. Whether it be good or bad.<br /><br />Right now in my psychology class I am reading about the "Learning" process in psychology. Ivan Pavlov discovered in the 1920's that a certain stimuli causes a reaction. When something is done to you and you react a certain way, then when that something happens again you will automatically react that way because you learned to adapt to that situation or whatever it is. For example, many people may not know that I have suffered from anxiety issues for years. Especially when it comes to the doctor. When I was younger, I was at the doctor and I passed out. They said it was from a blood sugar problem, then another doctor mentioned it was anxiety. So after I was told that I had a sugar problem I constantly watched what I ate, felt I had to eat 30 snacks a day, and I would start feeling like I was going to pass out every time I felt like I was hungry. Then when I was told it was anxiety I would be in certain situations where I would get nervous etc. and I would feel that I was going to have an anxiety attack and pass out. So because I passed out, I associated that fear with every doctor visit. I had trained my mind to think that way and my body to react that way.<br /><br />How that factors in to a spiritual principal I will tell you. It's about how we train ourselves to think and what we allow ourselves to believe. It's really simple. Believe the Word. If God says you are healed, then you are healed. So believe it. Don't believe and rely on the symptoms that are telling you otherwise. The devil is a liar and don't forget that. Also remember, like I said before, he can't do anything to you and he can't force you to do something. He can only lie and make you believe it. Simple as that.<br /><br />So there is a little simple truth for you today :)rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-3189277350097779042009-10-29T08:35:00.000-07:002009-10-29T09:09:11.364-07:00Look at the time!It has been nearly a year since I have written anything. That's a pretty long time for someone who finds her healing in writing. The last 2 years and more recently the last 9 months have been a very trying time in my life. Writing is my safe haven and an honest look inside myself. When you feel ugly you avoid all mirrors. I felt ugly inside so I avoided to the mirror into my soul. Writing. All the avoidance and here I am. Back again. I have come out on the other side and my life is a testimony to the goodness and love of God.<br /><br />I could go on a start talking about all the things I have said in previous blogs, but you can just go read those. It's just an honest time to give God all the glory. For months I was in complete and utter disobedience but I felt that it was near impossible to pull myself back on the path of righteousness. All it took was once decision to be made. The hardest decision to make, as I had tried making it at least 10 times before. But I knew, if I didn't do this now, my life was headed for a black hole and I was about to miss my exit for the road to fulfill my purpose in life! I was living my lfe, but not the way I was intended. The good that came from it was a lesson learned and an opportunity to hopefully save others from falling into the pit that I stumbled into.<br /><br />When we mosey down a trail we know we shouldn't, we get lost. It's like walking in the woods right at dusk. You decide to go down a trail that looks gorgeous to the eye but you have that warning that it's getting dark and you should stay focused on the path you were on. But you allow yourself to get enticed out of curiosity down this dark path. Before you know it, it is completely dark and you have no idea where you are. It seems impossible to find the path you were originally on because the farther down this enticing path you walk, the darker it has gotten. There is a way to find that path, it just takes awhile, and a little cuts and bruises through the sticks and pricks! That is exactly what it felt like for me. But all along that journey I would get little nudges from God pointing me back to the right direction. I would grab what He gave me and follow a little ways, then I would get scared. I thought, "no, this can't be right.. I will keep trying to find it on my own." That's what takes the longest to find your way back. When you don't trust the hand that leads you; you trust your own hand. If I would have followed Him from the first nudge He gave me, then it wouldn't have taken me 10 times to try and find my way back.<br /><br />Trusting the Lord can be difficult when you don't know where He's going to take you. But that's why it's called "trust". After going through what I went through I can say, it doesn't matter where He takes you, it's better than anywhere you could take yourself. No matter how difficult what He is asking you to do may seem, it's only difficult to your flesh. Your spirit leaps for joy to do what He asks of you. The hard thing I had to do was to help me. Of course I could only see through my pain at the time and it didn't make any sense. Even when I knew what I needed to do I didn't want to because it was easier for me to disobey and be somewhat content in my flesh, than to obey and walk through the refining fire!<br /><br />Although this explanation wasn't specific on my decisions or what it was that He asked of me, the principal applies to all of us. Trust God and know that He knows. Haha, that's pretty simple! What's pleasurable for the flesh is painful to the spirit, and what's exciting for the spirit is devastating to the flesh! We have to live by the spirit and mortify the deeds of the flesh! My dad recently told me that to mortify means "to kill with starvation." We have to starve our flesh so it will die and our spirit will rule!<br /><br />Thankful to God for so many things... I am humbled and in awe of Him.rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-10750765439492188872008-12-29T12:31:00.000-08:002008-12-29T12:32:30.090-08:00Forgive. Obey.I am amazed. God never ever ceases to amaze me. He never lets me down. He never gives up on me. Even when I have dropped myself off on the side of the road miles back and called it quits. He is still pushing me along and believing in me. Your heart. It's where it all lies. When God calls you He never forgets. He never quits hoping you will succeed. You are the only one who can stop you. No person and no devil has the power to make you stop. I have heard that a hundred times but it only makes the most sense to me now. For so long I have been walking with my head held low and blaming myself over and over. Taking responsibilty yet not repenting and moving forward.<br /><br />People would push me and tell me to keep going and not give up. Tell me the voices I hear are enemy whispers and not of mine own heart. I have always had a heart for good and right and justice. Yet I opened the door for wickedness when I accepted hatred. Harboring unforgiveness leads to devils to control and steal areas of your life. I felt hopeless and that my chance was lost. Anger in ways I have never experienced. Out of nowhere I would get such rage and anger. Every little thing would blow my top and I hated it. I was hurting the people I loved. I was sabatoging my life. It simply was falling apart. Everything I knew of my life and had expected up until now had failed. Everything God had promised me, when I would take action towards it, would crumble away into nothing but disappointment. After facing disappointing expectations all your life you tend to get tired. So you don't try anymore. At least that was me. I'm still fighting and struggling, but today I had insight...<br /><br />I stopped trying. Bottom line. I saw my life that I knew, go on ahead without me and leaving me in the dust, I watched it speed by. People in my life, moved on. Things in my life, no longer existed. I thought I had messed everything up. But really, why? I hadn't done anything wrong to cause me to be cast into a sea of no return. I struggle to understand why my mind had turned against me and why my heart longed to be set free. I finally understood today that it's not me. It never was me. I was listening to lies and voices. They were so strong I believed they were my thoughts. I have been in direct disobedience to the Lord. He has been telling me something to do and I haven't. I am in constant torment and I even started resenting everyone who was succeeding. Friends. People I loved and were close with once, I resented. Why is it fair for them to be doing so great and I am drowning in my own worthlessness? So much hoplessness do I face daily, and it's only because I have chosen to continuously listen to the lies. Therefore it is spreading and affecting every other area of my life it can grasp.<br /><br />We all face different things. Whatever level we are on, we fight. But we choose. And because of one disappointment I isolated myself completely from my life and the people and things in it where all I had left was my ugly self. I want free. Being bound inside yourself is very unsettling. But I am suffering from two things. Unforgiveness and disobedience. You can't live peacefully with either one, much less both! My pastor always says to forgive.. God loves them. Even when we don't and might have a good reason to strongly hate someone or hold a grudge, all we are doing is hurting ourselves. And I can honestly say first hand that I know it is the truth. And when you know God has told you something, and you on purpose do not do it, you will be miserable until you do. So save yourself time and heartache and take care of some loose ends. I know no one is perfect and that is why I am confidant I can freely share this information with you. It is my hopes that it will find you at a place to give you an extra push, just like it was revealed to me.rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-60011206039190900452008-11-21T09:21:00.003-08:002008-11-21T09:21:45.837-08:00forgive.We have all experienced a little bit of unforgiveness towards someone in our life. At one point or another. Maybe even some of us have leaned toward the threshholds of hatred. I know for me I have strongly disliked someone before due to something they have done to me or maybe they did nothing at all. But most recently I have allowed severe bitterness and literal hatred come into my heart toward a person. I can't stand to hear their name, to see think about them, or even see their face. My insides churn and my blood pressure starts rising. Maybe some of you can relate. I have noticed that allowing that hatred to enter in my heart has opened doors to other things. Bitterness in general. I started resenting other people for their success. Before you all go into shock just relax. I'm being open to hopefully bring some freedom to you.<br /><br />I noticed that now more than ever this hatred consumes my life. This person controls me. And they have no idea. I held on to what they did to me and now I am holding onto this person and letting them control my emotions and feelings. When you have something like this that you carry around with you your life is not complete and full. It steals from you. You can't fully enjoy a day.<br /><br />It got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I hated that I hated. That wasn't me. It wasn't who I was. But I justified it by what they did to me. But I was slowing dying on the inside. I was being eaten up with bitterness. I wanted free from it. It came to the day where I was sitting at work listening to music and not thinking about a thing when they popped into my head. I got that overwhelming sense of anxiety and my stomach jumped into my throat. I knew I had to let go and start forgiving in my heart. After all, forgiveness is a heart decision, not just an "I forgive you." So I said, "Lord, bless them," just as Gary Carpenter once told the story of his road to forgiveness. Even as I said it, I knew I didn't mean it but I said, "Lord, I hate this. I can't do this and I don't want this to control me anymore." I heard as clear as ever, "I love them too. They are my child just as much as you are." I felt tears well up inside of me. As much as I was hurt by this person, my God loves them.<br /><br />So where ever pain finds you right now. Where ever bitterness or hurt finds you. Realize, you have got to let it go. It isn't worth wasting your life. This person is controlling you and they aren't even losing sleep over it at night. God loves them too. Grasp that reality. It might change the way you see them. Where I am now, I know I haven't made it free and clear of hatred, but it's a process. Everytime they pop into my head I'm going to ask the Lord to bless them. Eventually, I will get there and learn to love that person. Maybe you need to forgive yourself for something. It's just the same. Life is too short to waste on hate.rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-61130979379843051322008-11-21T09:21:00.001-08:002008-11-21T09:21:20.116-08:00don't worry about it.I beat myself up. Every single day. I listen and bow to the thoughts that I'm not doing enough. No matter what I do it isn't good enough. No matter how hard I try, I fail. Everyday I listen and bow to these thoughts. Everyday I think about how things could be better. What can I do to make ME better? Then the hope disappears from clouded visions of being too far away from my chance at being rescued.<br /><br />We all must take responsibility for our lives. The decision is ours. Every single day. We have choices to make. Why then does it seem so difficult to make the right ones sometimes. Why does it seem like no matter what you do you fail. No matter what direction you turn there is opposition to succeed. We all want things out of life. We all have dreams and desires. We all have special talents and gifts. It's easy to get swept away with the rythym of this world and accept things the way they are.<br /><br />In my years of life, I have learned something time and time again. We control our life. We control which direction it takes. Sure, circumstances can be out of our reach, but it's how we react to them that makes us who we are. I know I reiterate all the time about choices and decisions, but really, thats the bottom line of our life. People who blame God or blame the devil for their life is a mistake. There is going to be a voice you follow. There is going to be a road you travel. There is going to be a thousand directions your life can take, but you choose. No one else can do it for you. Not even a higher power.<br /><br />I am where I am right now because of the choices I have made. Maybe some people don't agree with my life and maybe some people would judge me in their hearts. But let me tell you something.. you don't know. You don't know what the person next to you has to deal with every day. You don't know what has happened to that person to cause them to make a decision they have made. You don't know a persons heart. Regardless of their actions, their heart might be crying out for something different. So don't judge someone else for where they are. Are you so much better? But we are all here to encourage one another. Don't confuse encouragement and judgement. I'm guilty of judging in the past. But I have to realize that I don't know the whole story about people sometimes. Even people who look fantastic and like they've got it all together, could be dying inside. So, my point is, you never know. Just something for us all to think about.<br /><br />Just be encouraged. Make the right choices to go where you want to go. Even if you make a wrong decision, it's no mistake. It's something to learn from. But don't give up. Keep trying. Keep goingrebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-37006288983031749142008-11-21T09:20:00.002-08:002008-11-21T09:21:01.409-08:00what's your choice?It is such a joy to know that you are on the path God has laid out for you. I can honestly say nothing feels better. There are times when things get tough. That's for sure. But when you keep your eye on the prize and grasp hold of your vision and never let go, there is a godly hope that can't be destroyed.<br /><br />I have a friend who always asks another friend of mine, "what has God been teaching you?" She always gets frustrated with that question because it becomes repetitious, but if you think about it, it's a fantastic question to ask. If you don't have an answer, it's because you aren't listening. If we push out the noise of this world, and tune our ears to the voice of God, we will learn that He is waiting to teach us something everyday. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and He is waiting. He has nothing better to do than teach us. So how terrible that for most of our lives we never give Him the chance.<br /><br />As I have been stating lately, God has been teaching me the realty of how much of God we can have. All my life, being raised in church, you tend to go with the motions at times. You do what you do because you know it's right. It's what you've been taught. Have you ever stood back, out of religion, and thought of this whole walk is merely a relationship? It's not a religion. Christianity is NOT a religion. It is a relationship. So how do you obtain a relationship with someone? You learn of them, spend time with them, until you know them so well you know what they are thinking, what they are feeling. How to please them, make them happy, and know their heart. That's Christianity. A relationship with the God-head. Our Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. There is no formula on how to spend time with Him either. Some might say, read the Bible for an hour a day, worship in private for 30 minutes, and prayer for an hour. Ok, that's great. At least you have a schedule, but that's a formula.<br /><br />God is not a formula. And I am learning that more and more. He has said, and I have heard for many years but am just now coming to the "knowing", that you can have as much of God as you want. That means, anytime of the day, any amount of time, anywhere you are, God is there. You can have Him. Whatever you need and want. You can seek Him and learn of Him and get to know Him better and better and more and more. Every single day.There is no limit. The best part about it, is it's our choice. We choose. I like how my pastor puts it when he explains free will. He says God didn't make us like robots to say, "I love you." It would be like hearing His self on a recording saying "I love you" over and over. He takes pleasure in our own choice to worship Him.<br /><br />He has made Himself available to us. We just have to go after Him. But when we go after Him, He comes after us just the same. When we seek Him, He rescues us. When we praise Him, He wraps us in His arms. When we ask Him questions, He reveals Himself. When we love Him, He pours mountains of love on us. There is no secret to our Father. None the less, He is satisfied with however much of Him we want. Because He just loves us. And wants us to choose. If we choose to marry Tom and He wants us to marry Bob, He will bless us with whatever He can. It wasn't His perfect will. But it comes back down to choosing. If we choose to go into the children's ministry but He called us to missions, He will bless what He can. Even if we give a cold cup of water in His name He will reward us.<br /><br />So with all that said, it boils down to choice. Once again. It IS our life. We can choose. We have that freedom. But I think we can all say we want to choose right. We want to have the best life available. But in choice, there is sacrifice. Always. To follow God completley, we have to lay down our lives. If we follow our own desires, we are laying down God's. So either way, choice involves sacrifice. Think about it. What is your choice?rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-49237691040444603302008-11-21T09:20:00.001-08:002008-11-21T09:20:19.421-08:00when and how?..rescued.Do you ever find yourself doing something where you say, "that's not me." Or, "why did I just do that? It's like I had no control." I find myself getting caught up on those moments very often lately. It's as if I let one thing sway me until one day I stop and look back and wonder how I got so far. It's like dipping your foot in the ocean and testing the waters to see how much more you can handle until finally you become less distracted by what is drawing you further in, and pay attention to why you have been drawn in. That is when you look behind you and realize you are a hundred feet from shore and stuck in the deep end with no floatie!<br />That is a tactic of the devil. Progressive. A little here and a little there until BAM! There you are. The enemy has no power to make us do anything. All he can do is put thoughts into our minds. If we yield to those thoughts and give into temptation then that is when we get into a mess. He entices us with the things we want, desire, or lust after. If we aren't prepared then we can be swept away and not even realize it. We stay focused on what we want; what looks good, and not on what is right; or where we need to be going.<br />So many people waste literally years of their lives because of one small harmless enticement they engaged in. Giving in once with no or little consequence only makes it easier to give in again. When you have a heart to do the right thing and follow where God leads, then you can only travel down this "lusts of the flesh" road for so long before it literally begins to eat at you. Weigh you down. Make you miserable. And show you what you are truely missing out on.<br />As humans we need to be entertained. We need to do things we enjoy and things to make us happy and keep us going. There are a million things thrown at us everyday that appears to be "just what you need" according to society and media. This world has so much to offer... to our flesh. BUT.. the Kingdom of God has more to offer than any earthly thing could fulfill. It's really hard sometimes to stay focused on what lies ahead for us. The important things. God gave us life for a chance to live on this earth and freely do as we please. Make our own choices. Enjoy life! But it is what we do here, or, don't do here, that determines our reward in heaven!<br />So today, just be encouraged. It's ok to have desires for earthen things. We all do. And if you give in to them, watch out--don't get religous on me-- but that's ok too. That's what grace is there for. God knooooows that we can't do stuff right on our own. We have the adamic nature--the first man Adam. So that is why God provides grace; to substitute our weakness for His strength. The supernatural ability to do what is right and necessary to succeed. And He is willingly waiting every single day to apply more grace to our lives if we ask Him.<br />I noticed that I was beginning to have false humility or even a portion of pride when it came to that area. I would think, "what's the point of asking for more grace if I know I'm gonna mess up again AND that I even want to mess up again." It doesn't matter. Grace is always there to be activated no matter what! Even if we don't feel worthy or think it's pointless. OR if we think we can fix it on our own. I sometimes feel embarrassed and think that somehow if I try to fix it on my own then I am showing God that I really can do this. Like I'm trying to prove something to Him. Even still, I end up failing. And find myself hurt, confused, and like a failure. Swallow the pride and eat the false humility and just accept that you are nothing without Him and His grace is the only thing that will get you through. After all, we were destined to fail until we became rescued by Jesus and now we have been born again to win!rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-36497665558377676882008-11-21T09:17:00.003-08:002008-11-21T09:19:54.204-08:00Is it worth it?Being a disciple must have been the greatest thing on Earth! To follow Jesus. To be chosen to walk around and be known as a follower of the Christ. Go with Him everywhere, see His miracles, hear His teachings, and be front and center in the action! They even got to walk in His power and see miracles from their own hands. Their life seemed amazing. Easy. Walking with the Lord and trusting Him everyday. Leaning on His strength and not worrying about a thing. Not that perfect. They all had their doubts and fears like we do. But walking side by side with the Lord in flesh seemed like nothing else was as perfect.<br /><br />The Bible says MANY are called but FEW are chosen. Who calls? God. Who chooses? Us. We choose if we walk the narrow path that we have been called to. It goes along with free will. If you notice, there were very few disciples. Ever wonder why that is? The sacrifice. They paid a price to walk with the Lord. They left their jobs, their families, their hobbies, their animals, and some even lost their names, identities. They chose that life. They gave up everything. Literally, everything, to follow Jesus. Wow. To think about it, it's like I don't even know what else to say at this point.<br /><br />They gave up their identity and their lives. You know what, God is requiring the same from us if we want to be his disciples, or followers. What we hold dear to us, we must lay it down. Our life as we know it will be turned upside down if we follow Him. Our life is not our own any longer and we become "dead to this world and alive unto God." But we don't have to!! It's our choice how far into we God we go. But there are levels, and the highest level is the highest price. The best thing is, what we give up in this world is all temporary and it will all vanish and turn into nothing. We gain everything when we follow God with our lives.<br /><br />Let me tell you from experience. This giving up thing is not easy. It's so hard. So hard. Certain areas in all of our lives, God will ask us to give something up that won't be too hard. Then there will be those things that feels like you are ripping in to pieces. Although we aren't flesh walking with Jesus like the disciples did, and it seemed like it might have been easier for them, it's just the same if not easier for us. We have the Holy Spirit. We have a new nature. We can walk with the same exact power, and do miracles and mighty things that Jesus never even got to do on this Earth! So rejoice!<br /><br />So if you feel like I did not so long ago, and you think it isn't worth it, let me tell you. It is so worth it. When you lay down your life and become an open vessel and humble servant to Lord and make it known your life is His now and not your own, then you will began changing and become transformed. The grace to succeed that comes with obedience will mesmorize you! And when you are standing before a blind 5 year old little girl and you watch God heal her with your hands, you will look back at what seemed like unbearable pain and suffering now, and say, "It was all worth it." I want to be that person. Will you join me in the race? Lay down your life, pick up your cross, and run, don't walk, RUN after Jesus!rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-1270097936804211282008-11-21T09:17:00.001-08:002008-11-21T09:17:30.486-08:00In disgust..Sometimes I wonder what I am doing. I attend a few church services a week. Enough to feel ok about myself and my life. Even lately, I haven't been going to church as much as I used to, or even as much as I should. We've heard it for years. The whole analogy, just because you go to McDonalds doesn't make you a hamburger, and just because you live in a garage doesn't make you a car. So just because you go to church doesn't make you a Christian. You can sit in a presence of God filled service and get the goosebumps, be content with a few tears of joy you got from a prayer line. Then go home and go back to your old ways. We all know about it. We all have suffered from being guilty of this very thing at least once in our life. If you deny it you are lying. We're human.<br /><br />Years and years of teaching. Years of gained knowledge from being in church, reading the Word, and even the small amounts of time spent with God alone. We gain something. Then we become what is known as a "fat christian." We do nothing with what we have. We sit in our own waste and get fat. We are accountable for everything we know. But we do nothing about it. I'm not trying to point fingers. I'm actually pointing it at myself. I'm mostly having us all examine our lives. American Christianity is so spoiled. We know more than most and more than we realize. So no one has an excuse not to do what has been asked of us. We all have ministries. In the workplace, at the grocery store, the gas station, and the swimming pool! There are hurting people everywhere! Look around you for crying out loud! Let people see the Jesus in you and take every moment as an opportunity to bring healing to someone's life. Stop making excuses. Being selfish and too busy and wrapped up in your own life. What's the point. Nothing here matters. It's all temporal. The only thing eternal is life.<br /><br />I sit here looking at pictures of my pastor ministering in Brazil right now. A young girl had a disease where she had a growth problem. My pastor prayed for her, and in the next few services, or days, I can't remember exactly, she was in pain. Her bones were growing and she grew 3 inches. Everyone at the church could witness because they knew her. So you can't tell me that isn't God. But what makes me sick is that I am living in my own little confined life worrying about what shoes to buy or how my hair looks, or what I should eat today for the 10th time, when my pastor sits in his closet for hours and prays and seeks God, and doesn't eat for days from fasting to kill his flesh so that he can go to Brazil and have God use him and such miracles. Um, I feel pretty low right now. Not in condemnation because God sees us all where we are at. But in motivation and disgust to do something different. Seriously. We don't have to stay the way we are in our ugly selves. Mostly, there are hurting and dying people out there that God loves sooo incredibly much and He is counting on us to reach out to them. It's the greatest call on a life. And we are all called to it. So I hope this kicked you into gear a little bit like the sight of those pictures of Brazil did me.rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-30060415092563049142008-11-21T09:15:00.002-08:002008-11-21T09:16:08.683-08:00It troubles me..I am very troubled in my spirit. I think we can all agree that music is powerful. We can hear a song with a catchy tune and be humming it for days. We can sing lyrics that if we really think about it, they make no sense. But it sticks. We as humans were made that way. What's funny to me is that satan, when he was an angel, was in charge of Heavens glorious music. That was his "speciality" if you will. He knew what pleasure it brought God and all who worshipped Him.<br /><br />Confession. The Bible says simply, "you get what you say." Words are seeds. If you constantly confess sickness over your life, you therefore will end up sick. If you constantly confess prosperity, then you will be financially blessed. It's basic principals I think we have all been taught.<br /><br />Take those two things and add them together. Confession IN music. I was in the car on the way back to work from my lunch break. I had the radio station playing that does the "lunch time cardio jams" and I was driving along chillin. This song came on and immediately the music caught my ear. The guitar gave me chills, then the words started. Immediately I began crying. It grieved my spirit. It was a song I had heard once before and it got caught in my head for the whole day. I refused to listen to it anytime it ever played again....<br /><br />A girl sings it. Here is a taste of the lyrics, "I kissed a girl and I liked it, the taste of her cherry chap stick. I kissed a girl just to try it, I hope my boyfriend don't mind it. It felt so wrong, it felt so right." The whole songs speaks about confusion but enjoyment. As I said.. I was grieved!!! It has such a catchy tune that you find yourself singing it. Um, confession? Go around singing that all day long and loving it, find yourself buying the c.d. just for that song. Listen to it 20 times a day, then tell me you don't start having lesbain desires!<br /><br />This is just a song you might say. I say this is serious. Satan knows how music works. And we are being brainwashed. Subliminal messages if you will. So many young girls, at the age of exploring and confusion will buy this song and love it. Have it as a ringtone. And we sit back and wonder why our world is so messed up!! I still refuse to listen to that song. It's catchy and I refuse to sing those words. It truely breaks my heart. I realize now more than ever why God tells us to be careful what we hear. Now, more than ever, as the times change and society changes, we really have to be careful what we let in.<br /><br />I think as christians, it's important that we keep our guard up and that we allow ourselves to become intercessors for this generation. "My heart isn't for the youth" you might say. Well you might as well just get over that grandma! Things are different than when you were growing up and the bad music you listened to was the Beach Boys. Today is evil. And our children, our teens, our youth, are being tossed around the atmosphere and bounced back and forth with what society tells them is "hot"! They are our next leaders. These children that are "kissing girls just to try it" will be senators, doctors, and huge corporation owners someday. Your future is in their hands. And I hate to tell you, but things are only going to get worse from here. So stop judging them! For crying out loud. Stop judging our youth and use the authority you have been given for crying out loud and pray for them! They need you. Don't judge. Pray. And be careful what you allow in your hearts.rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-28215917966325998672008-11-21T09:15:00.001-08:002008-11-21T09:15:17.158-08:00Free will. Blessing or curse?Sometimes I think it isn't fair to have a free will. It's like it's almost punishment. I would rather be made to do something than have the option to make the wrong decision. The idea that path of my life and the direction it takes is scarey. One thing I am learning though is when you live for God that He will bless whatever you put your hand to. The Bible says if even you give a cup of cold water in His name you will have a reward. And people live that kind of life all the time.<br /><br />It's what the Bible means when it says there is God's good, acceptable, and perfect will. I used to overlook that until I found out the true meaning of it. We have the right to chose where our life goes. God will bless it either way. You can live in His good will, His acceptable will, or His perfect will. I like to think that His perfect will is that path very few people take. It's where they die to themselves completely. They die to their dreams and desires and live every single day to hear God's voice in everything they do. I would also think that the average Christian lives in the good will. They go to church, are good people, have families and good jobs. They love God and live for Him, but within their own comforts and agenda's. Enough to ease their conscience that they are "Christians." And then there is the acceptable will folks. They're the ones that are doing something for God. Maybe they thought because one time they spoke at a youth function and everyone loved it so much they thought they should preach. So they build this whole ministry on a foundation of talent to speak in front of a group of people. They are doing the work of the Lord and reaching many people for His kingdom. But they were never called to preach. They were called to be a minister in the workplace! (for the sake of an example.)<br /><br />So you might be kinda lost right now. But my whole point is to make you squirm a little and figure out what category you fit in. You know what, what brings God pleasure most is our obedience. We can worship Him and pray all day long, feel better about ourselves for spending "quality time" with Him, but if there is something He has been wanting us to do and we have still failed to do it, would He enjoy our "I love you's" more or our obedience of what He asked. Any parent could probably answer that question! Now, of course God loves our worship and petitions and He will accept that anyway. He loves us where we are and He always will. It is our choice how far in God we go. It is our choice how obedient we become. It is our choice to live the good, acceptable, or perfect will of God. Either way, He will still love us the same. He will still bless what we do for Him. If all we ever do is love Him and live the simple Christian life, He will love us even then. It isn't about what works we do for Him, how much recognition we recieve, how much fame we achieve. It's about our fellowship with Him. Obedience to His word. You have to take one step at a time to get where you are going. If you try to take too many you will trip over your feet and fall.<br /><br />Not to go down a rabbit trail, but just remember. Bottom line. He loves us. He meets us where we are. All He wants is us. But we choose. How much we want of Him. Don't seek the gifts. Don't seek the fame and satisfaction in ministry. Seek Him. Every day, every day. Whatever life you choose for yourself, know that He is still there to bless it. So, is free will such a bad thing after all?rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-24159345556091398522008-11-21T09:13:00.000-08:002008-11-21T09:14:50.090-08:00The waves are crashing.I feel completely jaded. Carried away with the waves and washed up on shore. Over and over again. I leap into the ocean and find myself being tossed onto shored along with the jelly fish and seashells. All they do is exist and lay there. Probably from exaustion. Trying to resist the natural currents pushing them out of their water onto dryer land. I'm tired of being tossled in the waves, I want to ride them. I want to be in sync with the rapid motions of whistful serenity. That's what life is all about...<br /><br />My life has been just very that lately. My heart feels as if it continually gets trampled on. My mistake is where I've been placing my heart to begin with. After so many years, so many heartaches, and so many bad decisions, one would think they would keep their heart in an iron box with a lock on it. I suppose I do in a sense. I keep the wrong part in the box and let the sensitive vulnerable side have the side of the box with the breathing hole.<br /><br />I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm tired of jumping in with all I am and all that I have just to turn around and be washed up again, broken hearted and bruised from the crashing waves. Guard your heart. Protect it as much as you can. I understand more and more why the Bible clearly tells us that. There's obviously things we can't avoid from happening but we can hide ourselves under the wings of the Almighty loving and wonderful God. I want to ride the waves, not be carried away by them.rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-71588023946263113982008-11-21T09:12:00.003-08:002008-11-21T09:12:52.643-08:00I laugh in the face of emotions!Everything was going wrong. I woke up late. I scurried to the bathroom and stumbled into the shower. I scribbled my makeup on and ratted my hair. I slapped some toothpaste on my teeth and jerked a bottle of water out of the fridge. I ran down the stairs frantically to make it to work on time when I missed the last step and landed right on my back side, breaking my shoe. I was emabarrassed, irritated and frustrated! I walked at a very fast pace to my car and quickly sped out of the parking lot before anyone could see me. I hit every red light, I got behind every slow car, and I got stuck in the gas station parking lot while trying to grab some fruit and call it breakfast. I was late for work and this was not a good morning. Could the day possibly get any worse?<br /><br />Well it could actually. All that really wasn't that bad. What was bad was the way my emotions reacted to everything. I was irritated, flustered and frustrated. But why do we have to let a bad morning set the course for our entire day? Believe it or not, people do it every single day. They let one small inconvenience and the way it makes them feel, tell them, this is how you are going to feel today. Hmm, I call that being controlled by your emotions. Which is not good. The Bible talks about not being moved by what we see or feel. When we are led by our emotions and not by our spirit that's when we get in trouble.<br /><br />So I decided to put my emotions in check and not be controlled by them. I will not let a small inconvenience steal my peace and joy today! The Bible speaks of a joy that no one can take away. Because of our free will we choose each day how or day will go and how we let things affect us. If we are not moved by feelings, which goes in concordance to our faith, then why will we let something change our mood? In all things give thanks. So it's a fabulous thing to know that we can have such peace and joy in Christ that we don't have to let anything affect us. The storms can be raging around us and all hell in our lives can be breaking lose, but we still make that decision of how we will react. When we know that unshakeable peace that is available to us through His grace then of course we will pick the good day!! So have a good day and tell your emotions who's boss! :Drebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-52310762242274909782008-11-21T09:12:00.001-08:002008-11-21T09:12:33.573-08:00I laugh in the face of emotions.Everything was going wrong. I woke up late. I scurried to the bathroom and stumbled into the shower. I scribbled my makeup on and ratted my hair. I slapped some toothpaste on my teeth and jerked a bottle of water out of the fridge. I ran down the stairs frantically to make it to work on time when I missed the last step and landed right on my back side, breaking my shoe. I was emabarrassed, irritated and frustrated! I walked at a very fast pace to my car and quickly sped out of the parking lot before anyone could see me. I hit every red light, I got behind every slow car, and I got stuck in the gas station parking lot while trying to grab some fruit and call it breakfast. I was late for work and this was not a good morning. Could the day possibly get any worse?<br /><br />Well it could actually. All that really wasn't that bad. What was bad was the way my emotions reacted to everything. I was irritated, flustered and frustrated. But why do we have to let a bad morning set the course for our entire day? Believe it or not, people do it every single day. They let one small inconvenience and the way it makes them feel, tell them, this is how you are going to feel today. Hmm, I call that being controlled by your emotions. Which is not good. The Bible talks about not being moved by what we see or feel. When we are led by our emotions and not by our spirit that's when we get in trouble.<br /><br />So I decided to put my emotions in check and not be controlled by them. I will not let a small inconvenience steal my peace and joy today! The Bible speaks of a joy that no one can take away. Because of our free will we choose each day how or day will go and how we let things affect us. If we are not moved by feelings, which goes in concordance to our faith, then why will we let something change our mood? In all things give thanks. So it's a fabulous thing to know that we can have such peace and joy in Christ that we don't have to let anything affect us. The storms can be raging around us and all hell in our lives can be breaking lose, but we still make that decision of how we will react. When we know that unshakeable peace that is available to us through His grace then of course we will pick the good day!! So have a good day and tell your emotions who's boss! :Drebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-51957657904065853632008-11-21T09:11:00.004-08:002008-11-21T09:12:04.839-08:00What we desire.To let something die means to cut off it's life. Not to bring it back. When there are things in your life that you need to get rid of, like what I discussed previously, then you just have to let it die. There is nothing but consequences in bringing them back to life.<br /><br />The other day when I was contemplating playing around with the things I cut out of my life, a scripture passage popped into my mind very strongly. I was thinking about it for a few days. It goes back to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lot and his family in the book of Genesis.<br /><br />The people from the town demanded to sleep with the angels visiting Lots home; while instead he offered them his daughters. The angels took care of the evil men pressuring Lot. They told Lot to gather his entire family for they would take them out of the city. They were sent on assignment to destroy the city. It was such a horrible, sinful place. So Lot gathered his family and was sent to flee the city by dawn or they too would be punished and destroyed. The Lord was merciful to them and told them to flee to the mountains and never look back. Key words.<br /><br />Genesis 19:24-26 says, "24 Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. 26 But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." It's funny to me how verse 26 is short and to the point then it moves on to something else and you can completely overlook the most important verse in this passage. "But Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt" is the verse that came so vibrantly to my mind. And that's when I fully understood...<br /><br />She looked back because she desired what was there. That is why she turned into a pillar of salt. She was destroyed. Yes, physically she left the place, but her heart still desired it and that is what destroyed her. So all that to say this. With those sinful desires in your life, or those imperfections that we strive to rise above and move beyond, we can still be destroyed by them if we look back to see what we're missing. We're not missing anything. So we shouldn't long for something we let go of. We should move forward and never EVER look back. There is only greatness in God. There is absolutely nothing this world could offer that is better than what God has to offer. So, once you let go of whatever it is you know you need to let go of, don't look back. We have enough seasoning in this world. We don't need anymore salt! haharebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-14591416547704303422008-11-21T09:11:00.003-08:002008-11-21T09:11:43.100-08:00I want, I need, so I ask.I was shopping after work yesterday and was extremely bummed that I couldn't find anything cute, cheap, and something that fit. What is this world coming to!!! I was walking down an aisle in between the skirts and the half a piece of fabric they call shirts, when i heard it. A mother speaking very loudly, more than likely embarrassing her daughter because I know I was embarrassed for her. She said, "no, I'm not going to buy you something from Abercrombie when you're going to grow out of it in a week!" I looked over as the girl quickly dropped her stare to the floor in utter disappointment. "I'm not made of money you know," her mother continued. As I got a better look they were both not the most attractive I've seen, and the girl's clothes were ratty and didn't match. My heart was broken.<br /><br />I remember growing up when I would hear that phrase time after time, "I'm not made of money", or "money doesn't grow on trees." I used to get so upset at my parents. I couldn't understand the concept of not getting what I wanted. I mean, all my friends did, so why not me? There was one time I remember I wanted a certain brand so badly but we couldn't afford it so my mom played a makeshift fashion designer and sewed on a label. I know my parents always wanted to give me the best, but they gave me the best they could. As a parent, I know you would love to give your children everything they wanted and anything to make them happy. Reality is, you can't afford to do that most of the time, and if they always got what they wanted they wouldn't learn to appreciate anything.<br /><br />Matthew 7:11 says, " So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." Much like the mother in the store, I'm sure she wanted to give her daughter a credit card to go to Abercrombie so her daughter could look better than all the kids and they would think, man I wish I had her parents. But she couldn't afford to do it so she reacted in anger towards her daughter probably in frustration of knowing she has late bills, 5 kids who need clothes, and a dead end job. For benefit of telling a story. But Matthew tells us above, "those who ask him." Whether we be the child or the parent in this situation, we are still God's child. He will give good gifts to whoever asks Him.<br /><br />People have grown up in religion thinking that God is the kind that wants the slash a whip and tell you to get back in line when you mess up. That He is sitting up there debating if you "deserve" something that you are asking for, and all He is doing is teaching you a lesson. WHAT? Really? Not even close. Come on people. GOD IS LOVE. Really, if that was the only thing you ever heard then you are doing good. If you can focus on just that then maybe that will blow your theologies out of the water that God is a God of wrath! He is a Father. If even the sinful dad's on this earth can go out and buy Abercrombie for their kids then don't you think a loving, wonderful, and perfect Father can do even more than that!?<br /><br />This isn't about buying clothes or even just material gifts, but it is to show that we don't rely on our boss to provide for us. We don't need to rely on our spouse to provide for us. We don't need to rely on our parents to provide for us. God is our only provider. The Bible also says in Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." All you have to do is ask and believe. It's your's. Learn to believe that God loves you and only wants the best for you. Not only will He provide the things you need, but the things that you want according to His will. So you have no need to worry and don't you dare take credit for what you have. It's by His generous hand that you are blessed.rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-85035383466419779782008-11-21T09:11:00.001-08:002008-11-21T09:11:23.985-08:00Leave it in the past.You can't help but wonder sometimes where you might be if you had made some different decisions in the past. One simple decision that you think nothing of can change the whole course of your life. Who would have thought a job that I took 3 years ago, and quit 2 years ago would still be affecting my life? I can't help but wonder if I could have saved myself several years of heartache just by choosing to work somewhere else. But who would have known the outcome?<br /><br />You can't ever worry about what might have been. You can't use your if's, and's or but's. Those are not aloud in life. Life is only present and future. The past is forever gone and there is nothing you can do to change it. Granted, your present is a result of your past. Therefore your future shall be a result of your present. So why worry about the past when what you should worry about is your future inevitably making your present extremely important. What are you doing with you're "right now?" How many wasted days do we let go by in saying, "Oh I will just do it tomorrow." NOW is the time for change. For NOW the Kingdom is at hand. Everything you need is available to you NOW. Healing, forgiveness, freedom, blessings, and love. It's all available to you now. It doesn't matter what you did 5 minutes ago much less 5 years ago. Let go. Move on. It's a new day. It's a new minute. You can't undo what you did an hour ago. But you can start anew this hour.<br /><br />I have spent too many months and even years punishing myself for the mistakes I have made. Why am I punishing me when God doesn't even punish me? God see's us differently than we see ourself and you should see yourself the way God see's you. I want to always walk with a repentive heart but I also know I am human and will fail every now and then. But that is where God's grace comes in to pick me up and give me the extra that I need to keep moving in what He wants for me.<br /><br />So I am bringing another challenge to the table today. I'm sure there are things in every one of our lives that we wish we could change. There are probably still things that some of us are holding on to that we need to let go of. Some unforgiveness for ourselves. Like I said, you can't change the past but you can pave the way for your future. So start new today. Let go of some things. I pray that the Lord shows you things throughout the day that you need to let go of. There are higher levels He wants to take you and you are the only one keeping it from happening. Romans 8:27 says, "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God." In other words, let the Holy Spirit search your heart and show you. His searching lines up with the will of God and the mind of Christ. So what better person to have search the crevices of your heart than part of the God head?!rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-52057880101019486572008-11-21T09:10:00.004-08:002008-11-21T09:11:03.842-08:00Your strength, or His?There is another part to what God spoke to me the other night. There is a place in Him where you don't have to feel beaten up and condemned for your failures and your mess ups. We all do stupid things everyday. Some of us have our outgoing image or our happy face that we put on everyday for the world to see. Inside though, we are crying and kicking and screaming. Some of us are dealing with hidden sin, insecurities and strongholds that we can't rid ourselves of.<br /><br />For the past few years I have let my behind be kicked time and time again by the same thing. I would come around the mountain and it would pop up in my face again. Everytime I felt like I would kick it, it would kick me! When I thought I had once and for all gotten rid of it, it would rear its ugly face again! When you hate something so much and its in your face for 3 years straight, and you feel like you are doing all you can but nothing is stopping it, you might start feeling like a failure. You can't do anything right. Why can't you beat this thing?<br /><br />Well if anyone knows about feeling like a piece of dirt in that area it's me. But one thing I finally realized, or should I just say, God revealed to me, is the truth of doing things in your own strength. For years I have heard, "you are doing it in your own strenght!" I would get so frustrated because I would think but how? How do you know when you are and how do you not?! I couldn't fully understand that. Even now I still have more I would like to learn in that area. I understand the concept of not taking the care of a problem, giving it to God, and letting Him handle it. But in practical application how do you do it? Well I got it! ....<br /><br />You admit that you are nothing. You can't do it on your own. You are a screw up. BUT, because of the cross God's grace is there to sustain you. To hold you up. To fight your battles for you. There is nothing you can do without God anyway. So laying in my bathtub crying because I wanted rid of this problem, God's love calmed me down and let me see that He is not afraid of my mess up's. He see's my heart. He knows I want to change and that is all that He needs to do the work. When I take the care of the problem; feeling guilty, beating myself up, feeling like I can't do it, then I have just taken God's ability to do it for me. I have no faith in myself that I can do it. But I have faith that God can do it. He already did. Everything I need was provided at the cross. So my measly little problem is nothing He hasn't seen before and nothing He won't see again. He knows how to take care of it. I just have to trust Him.<br /><br />Before I would get all fired up and get that I CAN attitude. Then I would fall right back into my mess and feel like a failure all over again. This time, I will press in, seek God's face and if I mess up then I will cover it with the Blood, move on and keep going. You've heard it many times; the analogy of falling of the horse, but brush yourself off and keep going. That's what it is. But by giving it to God and not doing it in your strength is when you say, I can't do this, I probably will mess up, but I trust you God. The more I seek you, the more I love you, the easier it will be and less of a desire for other things I will have. Don't make excuses to sin, that's not what I'm saying. But if you are sincerely trying, God see's that and honors an honest heart. Let Him be your everything. Don't worry about fixing your life. That's His job. Just seek His face, His ways, His smile, and His desires and everything else will be taken care of!rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-11307834357541078812008-11-21T09:10:00.003-08:002008-11-21T09:10:41.826-08:00He really does love us!I had a really delightful weekend. I decided to take a nice long, hot bath. Thinking about the weekend and some other random things; I was minding my own business. All of a sudden I felt God. He came. He showed up. I began to cry and He began to speak to me. He reached down and touched my heart in the sweetest way. He spoke personal things over me and also something I wanted to share with all of you because what He spoke to me personally, He is saying to every one of us.<br /><br />He loves us. He really, really loves us. You are his child. His baby. His pride and joy. You were kidnapped by someone so evil and God the Father sent His son. His only son to come down to a sinful world to rescue you. To bring you back home to the family. He weighed all of his options and even factored in the possibility of you not ever accepting Him and recieving His love, but He came anyway. He gave up everything. He sacrificed His very life to save you. To rescue you. To bring you home because His Father loves you, and He loves you.<br /><br />All He wants is you. You are the most important thing to Him. He waited thousands of years for your existance. Can't you see His excitement to your birth. He delights Himself in you. He knows every little detail about you. And He loves it all. Your weaknesses and your strengths; they don't scare Him. He's God. He made the sunset, the mountains, the rivers and the flowers all for your enjoyment. He made YOU to love Him and to be loved by Him. He made the earth we live on for our enjoyment. What brings us pleasure brings Him so much joy.<br /><br />He wants to know you here. Here on earth. Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus now. Not just a ticket to heaven and an escape from the pits of hell. The whole reason Jesus died was to not only save you from hell's grasp, but to save you and bring you back to the family from which you come from. What if you were a baby and a horrible killer kidnapped you from your family. You were rescued and someone paid the ultimate price to bring you home and you were so grateful. You cried and rejoiced and was so thankful to be home to the family that loves you. Then, you left and never talked to your family unless you needed something. You would remember every now and then what was done to rescue you, but you would quickly forget and think on other things that were "more important." All along, your dad is sitting in his rocking chair, (for benefit of a visual) and waiting. Waiting for you to come sit on his lap and let him be your dad. Everyone tells him it's hopeless. You aren't going to come home. But He doesn't give up on you. He doesn't care. He's not giving up. And he will wait for years with open arms until you come home and kiss him on the cheek.....<br /><br />.....That is our God. Our heavenly Father. That is how He is. And even more loving than we can even grasp the concept of. So many of us worry about the gifts and talents we were given. We focus so much on being in the ministry or being used of God and thinking that will fulfill us and that will take the place of God. No way. Not true. Those callings on our lives are a gift for us. God is giving us an opportunity to be used by Him. But it should never replace our personal relationship with Him. If you seek after the gifts and not God then you shall surely fail. Because like I said, our calling is just a gift, not the relationship. All He cares about is you. Only you. He only wants you.<br /><br />I really hope that you took that and grasped what was said. That was God speaking to me. I had a tiny revelation of His love last night and I pray that you too will have your own experience with Him. =)rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151962763220247550.post-38924214056354974122008-11-21T09:10:00.001-08:002008-11-21T09:10:15.105-08:00Hey you! Be you!"That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong."---William J.H. Boetcker<br /><br />This is my new quote! It is very true. We should never compromise our beliefs and what we stand for to make another person happy. We should never hide behind who we are out of fear of what others might think of us. When we don't let the person we are shine, we become miserable. Maybe some of us don't really know who we are because we let everyone else our whole lives tell us. Maybe we don't know what we want because other people have made decisions for us. Maybe we don't know what to do because other people have told us what to do.<br /><br />What about those of us who DO know who we are, what we want, and where we're going? Will we still be intimidated by the world and back down? You should surround yourself with people you bring out the best in you. Not the worst. Yes there are people along the way that aren't going to like everything you do, or even like everything about you, but that doesn't mean you should stop being who you are.<br /><br />I was in a relationship a few years back. I would say it was pretty serious. But from the fact that I was really young and believed anything a guy said, at that point I didn't really know how to be agressive. As the relationship increased I decreased. Who I was quickly faded into who he was. We had nothing in common in every area imaginable. Our interests, our taste in music, the foods we enjoyed, the places we liked, the friends we had were all completely different. You might think, then why were you with him? I'd like to know the answer to that myself! Anyway, my point is I sacrificed everything I liked and everything I was for him. Until I was transformed into his ways. I was completely miserable but overlooked it. I tried to convince myself I was happy. But who I was on the inside was screaming to be let out of this tiny box it was shoved into. When we finally broke up and I could be myself again without feeling guilty, I could finally breathe!<br /><br />That is one example, but I really feel like a lot of us deal with that same feeling in many different circumstances. There is nothing wrong with the way you are. I might have to say it again. There is, nothing, wrong, with the way you are! Don't be afraid to be yourself!!!! If you are in a relationship where you feel like you are in a box, then it's not right. If you are around people that don't encourage your talents or participate in your interests, then get around new people. If you have to stoop so low that you are ashamed of what you like and what you believe and what you do, then re-examine why you subject yourself to that!<br /><br />Read this again and have a great weekend!rebisabettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06045169101865816923noreply@blogger.com0