Poetry: Forgiveness In Haiku Form

 The brook is babbling,

"Let it go, let go now!"

Water under bridge.

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Forgiveness is often not easy at all. Because of what many of us have endured, we feel like we just can't. Our hearts and minds are not able to forgive what we may feel is unforgiveable or is a long-standing hurt. 

Those who love the Lord know that our power to forgive comes through our determination to walk in the light as he is in the light, to seek his face daily and to draw nigh to him. When we purpose daily to glorify God, uplift Jesus and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit, there is nothing that we can't come to forgive. Notice the word come. 

The ability to forgive a hurt(s) may not come immediately. It may take delving into the scriptures, several prayer and fasting sessions or some laying on of hands, anointing with oil and prayer by more advanced Christians. It may take any combination of these, or none of these. We know that some Christians are delivered from unforgiveness upon choosing to forgive and believe God. 

Whatever it takes and however long, it is our choices to believe that will allow the Holy Spirit to work. Forgiveness is a choice. When we choose it, the Holy Spirit can then soften and heal our hearts and lead us to do what Christ died to give to us. We are forgiven of all, past, present and future. We believe that. We must learn to forgive. 

Ephesians 4:32

Matthew 6:14

Philippians 4:13

Psalm 147:3

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(c)Sandra Johnson/Draw Nigh To Hope

Daily Living God's Way Everyday

I pray every morning that as I go about my affairs, I will see myself and my life as God sees them. The way that God sees me is with understanding, love, compassion and hope. For God knows the thoughts that he thinks towards me, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give me a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I also pray for the strength to allow the love that God has shed abroad in my heart to flow out to my enemies, to pray always for those who use me and plan spitefully against me. (Matthew 5:44)

I pray daily to be committed to never repaying evil for evil in any way, form or fashion; not through thoughts, words or deeds. I pray to always be of a mind to overcome evil with good, to trust my Dear Father and to walk in his light. (I John 1:7)

Trust God Acknowledge God Commit It To God

Is there something that you're trying to do all alone, as you've always done? Are you taking that step without the guidance that is available to you? Have you forgotten that Our Father is always ready to assist you in your decisions, directions and pursuits? 

Do you realize that Jesus wants you to give him the things that concern you and that he is favorably talking to Our Father about you? 

Have you learned that the Holy Spirit will comfort you as you face that new plan or goal, if you invite him in and listen to him? Have you learned that he will guide you on the path so that you don't have to worry about the direction in which you are going?

Trust God today.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and learn not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Commit your works unto the Lord and your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:3

Commit your way unto the Lord, trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5

Trust God Acknowledge God Commit It To God

How To Wait On God

Waiting on God means that when opportunities appear and we make a faithful effort to take advantage of them, then they slip away just as we touch them with our fingertips, we let them go.

Waiting on God means that when doors open and we make faithful efforts to take advantage of them and walk through, and they close just as our feet touch the threshold, we walk away.

When what looks like blessings begin to not materialize, we don't ramp up our efforts and begin to strain, stress and pressure ourselves to obtain, retain and make them happen. We abandon them and wait on Our Father. 

These experiences are his way of helping us to become sensitive to his Holy Spirit's guidance. We are learning to tell the difference between the Spirit's movement and our efforts. God will impress upon us when we need to push forward. We have to learn to detect when we are determined to push forward but God has not led us to.

The difference between the prompting of the Spirit and what we are inclined to do is unmistakable. What we are inclined to do we can easily adopt as the Spirit. We have to be taught by God to not mistake our desires for the Spirit's leading. There's a fine line between them but Our Father is teaching us to recognize it.

Wait on him.

Enjoy Each Blessing Fully Poem

ENJOY EACH BLESSING FULLY

 

It seems to me that rarely

Do they come along on time.

We want to get one blessing

So another can align.

 

It seems that life is often

Just a waiting game, you see.

We wait for this to happen,

Then we feel that we can be.

 

But rarely does it happen

That our blessings fall in line,

With what we want to happen

In our fairly finite minds.

 

For God is of the infinite,

The infinite is Him.

And though we may think otherwise,

His plans are not a whim.

 

His plans are not haphazardly

Patched up to make our lives.

The blessings, when they happen,

Are on time and God-devised.

 

Don't try to rearrange them,

Choosing pleasure in just some.

Enjoy each separate blessing

To the fullest, as they come.

(c)Draw Nigh To Hope

Pray & Sleep On It

~ Proverbs 15:1 Are you angry, upset or disappointed in someone? Do you want or need to respond to them? Don't do it until you pray. Also, sleep on it for at least one night if possible. It will make a world of difference in your response, your relationship with God and in your Christian walk. ~

Grateful To Know Jesus

 ~ Dear Father: I'm thankful to be in the Kingdom of Your Dear Son. Help me to continue to grow in faith and obedience. In his name I pray. Amen. ~

Pray Before Action

 ~ Dear Father: Thank you for leading me to pray before action so that I can divert disaster. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. ~

Don't Hesitate To Receive

Walking with God should keep us in a position to receive. Our Father will give into our bosoms many types of things in various ways. Many of us Christians are so afraid of offending God that we offend him everyday. We don't want to receive money when it is offered to us. We will reject it or delay receiving it. 

Ecclesiastes 10:19 says that money answers all things. I agree with the explanation at the Biblical answers website, Got Questions,

Here is the whole proverb: “A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything” (Ecclesiastes 10:19). The Bible is not teaching here that we should focus on partying and making money; rather, it is making a broader point about wisdom vs. foolishness.

This scripture shows the importance of money compared to certain lifestyles and pursuits. It is pointing out that we should take money seriously. God does. 

In Deuteronomy 8:18 we are told to remember Our Father for he is the one who gives us power to get wealth to establish his covenant with us. He fulfills his promises and he will bring wealth to us in various ways. One of the ways is through receiving gifts of money, not only earning it.  

Proverbs 13:22, the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. Money can come to us through unrighteous people. God can wrench it from them and pass it to us, in various ways. Does it matter how it was earned or what you may think of the person? No. There is no blood money with God, The Father. The Blood of His Dear Son has cleansed it on the way to us.

I'm sharing these scriptures to make the point that as followers of Christ learning to do things God's way, we should not be afraid of receiving money when someone offers it to us. We should not reject it, deny it or slander it. If we know God, it is from God. We should always be in the position to swiftly receive from God.

Don't be pious and hyper-religious and waste time saying you have to ask God first. Don't delay by saying you have to wait on God about it. Don't be so holy and blind that you can't receive from God. That is foolishness. 

Receive immediately from God when someone offers you a gift, money or otherwise. Receive with humility, gratefulness and obedience. The door will close on that gift if you delay too long. You'll lose your opportunity. Maybe you'll be wiser at the next opportunity that comes through Our Heavenly Father.

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary VII

This morning was a morning when I did not feel like praying. How many of those mornings have you had lately? I felt so sluggish emotionally. So down. So weary. So hopeless. I made myself get on my knees, on my prayer pillow so my knees wouldn't hurt. 

I made myself thank God for all that he has done for me, the things of which I was unaware. I thanked him for what he is doing, the things of which I am unaware. We know in our hearts that Our Father is always working things out on our behalf, don't we?

Basically, I made myself repeat things that I believe, no matter how I feel. My prayer wasn't long and when I pray like this I feel so bad. I almost feel like my prayer is fake, except I know that it is not. It is the prayer of a devoted person who refuses to give up on God. 

You're tired of praying and weary and can't pray another day? 

1. Make yourself repeat truths that you believe. 
2. Confirmations which are not based on how you feel. 
3. Declarations that stand on the never-ending hope that springs alive in you.  
4. Scriptures that you have memorized and hid in your heart and have come to believe are true, because they have been engrafted in you. 

Fight for your prayer life! Don't let it die! It is your supersonic, personal line of communication to the Most High God, Our Beloved Father. Repeat, repeat, repeat what you know in your heart of hearts! The repetition will carry you through until you can pray unique, targeted prayers again. All are valuable to God and can be used by his Holy Spirit and by Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.  

Receive more inspiration through my prayer series:

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary I

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary II

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary III

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary IV

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary V

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary VI

Listen To The Holy Spirit & The Bible

This morning at the Lakewood Church service, Lisa Osteen Comes said: 

If you don't know The Word, Satan will use that against you!

Many of the answers that you are seeking are in the Bible. Just open it up when you feel discouraged.

When I open up the Bible each morning, I feel like I am sitting with Jesus.

I feel that the Bible is the closest thing that we have to God on earth. I know we have the Holy Spirit and He is the presence of God in us. I can feel him but I can't touch him. I can touch the Bible.

Fall in love with the Bible. It will change your life. As you read, the Holy Spirit will help you to understand. Get a version that is easier for you to understand. The Holy Spirit will give you spiritual wisdom and insight.

What the Holy Spirit hears from the Father he will transmit to us. We sense the answer in our spirits and it's registered in our minds. Like a thought, something we need to know, something to pray for or an answer to a prayer. It's like an impression that you can't get away from and that you know did not come from you. A still, small voice.

The Apostle Paul describes God's voice as a perception. Everyone was saved on the ship during a hurricane because Paul listened.

Philip, the disciple, heard the voice of The Spirit that sent him to help the Ethiopian man in the chariot. Because Philip listened, he was able to explain the Gospel to him and he was saved and chose to be baptized on the spot.  

God's plans are higher than our plans. There were many times that God interrupted my plans and the outcome was much better than I could ever have imagined.

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Bearing Our Crosses For Jesus

We who are growing in Christ are called to suffer with him because we are heirs to the throne and joint heirs with the Savior. What does it mean to suffer with Christ? It is not a concept that our fleshly being readily accepts. The word suffer does not denote fun and pleasure. 

To suffer with Christ means that, through the experiences that God allows into our lives, we are able to identify with what Christ felt. Even more important is that we are able to perceive, through difficult experiences, that Christ knows how we are feeling. Why is this important? Because it sets us up for spiritual riches in the New Heaven and the New Earth and for the best rewards. 

It sets us up to rule with Christ. Even though this is at the end of time, it is what those who love Christ are living for. No matter how attached we become to this world, no matter how immersed we have to become in it to survive and thrive, we are always living for Christ's return to claim us. 

Our Father allows trying experiences into our lives so that we can better relate to what Jesus did for us. You have heard it said that Only what's done for Christ will last. It is not only about accepting Jesus as Savior, but also about being able to relate to his obedience to the Father at his own hurt. Since all that Jesus did was for us at Father God's request, it is the Father's will that we experience a little of what Christ did. 

While none of us have been called to be crucified on a cross, God allows symbolic crosses, in the way of highly-challenging experiences, into our lives. These experiences can be somewhat minor or devastating.  He wants us to bear the experiences on behalf of his beloved and obedient Son. Through developing a personal perception of what Christ endured, we become one with him. Not only does this please Our Father but it comforts us to know that we are understanding more about what the Lamb of God suffered.

Does your flesh want to fight with someone to show them that they can't do you that way? Let them do it. Jesus had to let the soldiers do him that way. We don't even know the extent of all that he had to suffer, for it was much more than what has been revealed to us in the Bible.

Is someone trying to take something away from you that they are not entitled to and your fleshly spirit rises up to fight for it? Let them take it. Jesus had to let them take his garments from him and  divide them, and so much more did he have to allow them to take.

Do you feel alone in your trials, as if the whole world is against you and winning? Accept your feelings and continue on in fellowship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for you are not alone. Jesus felt the hatred of so very many who were against him and he had to endure as Our Father allowed them to continue with their evil plans against him.

You don't want them to feel like they are winning against you so you want to fight them? Let them think they are winning. Jesus had to be unfairly judged and convicted. Every step of the way of his suffering he had to let them all think they were winning. He had to let them think they were winning as he suffered and died on the cross. 

You want to speak up for yourself and argue with them? Don't be deceived by your flesh. Don't become enraged and allow sickness to come upon you because of what God is allowing them to do. Jesus did not open his mouth when he was mistreated and unfairly charged, judged and sentenced. He had to allow himself to be quiet. Most of all, he had to suffer allowing them to have their way with him, as if they were in control. 

When our spirits rise up in a fleshly attitude against him/her/them, whoever is afflicting and maligning us, we must submit to the circumstances that God has allowed to come upon us. In this way, we choose to crucify the flesh and walk in the spirit, understanding that we are submitting not to them but to Our Heavenly Father. It takes bowing in humiliation, like Christ did. It never feels good but obedience to The Most High God is not founded in the feelings of the flesh. Bowing in humiliation and submitting to God is based in knowledge, acceptance and yielding. It is an informed decision.

We know when God is doing this special work in us because the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and ears to what is happening. The Holy Spirit does not do the work for us however, because we would not learn and grow in that way. We have to do the work of cutting our flesh off from what it wants to do, denying it and crucifying it. This causes us to suffer because we can't have our way, our fleshly way. 

We suffer as Christ did as we submit to and obey God in these unfair circumstances. This is bearing symbolic crosses for Christ and suffering with him. God has promised to take care of us when we submit to him and let them think that they are having their way. 

Let The Old Man Die

Let's be obedient to God to our hurt. To the hurt of our flesh. Jesus was obedient to God to his hurt. What he endured for us was hurtful to the human part of him, as well as to the spiritual, divine part. His flesh shrunk from what he had to do. He came here to do it but he experienced dread, just like we do. 

He was so distressed that he asked his Father three times if it could be done some other way. Like the obedient Son that he is, he ended his supplication with Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done. 

We are not even being asked to allow our bodies to be abused, scourged and nailed to a cross. We're only being asked to allow our old man to die. Daily.

Ephesians 4:22-24

Romans 6:6-12

II Corinthians 5:17-19

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Our Prayers For Others

When we pray consistently for someone, God will often give us something that he wants us to do for that person. If so, it will be something that is consistent with how he wants to answer our prayer. It may be something that we'd never think of doing for that person. 

It may be something that we are reluctant to do. It may be something that is difficult or it may be fairly easy. It may be something that aligns with what we are already doing in our lives or it may cause us to stretch a little. It may be something that will obviously bless us in our journey, or maybe not obviously. 

When we pray for someone, though we may know some things about them, we don't know the extent of their needs. We don't know what it will take for God to answer our prayers for them and for his will to be done in their lives. Just be prepared to obey the Holy Spirit's surprising request and prompting. When God uses us in his plans for people that we pray for, we can be assured that it will not only bless them but us as well. 

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Whom Did God Tell Not To Eat The Fruit?

Christians debate on whether or not God told both Adam and Eve to not eat from the Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil in The Garden. Here is a view on it by Rev. Dr. Christopher R. Smith, who is an an ordained minister, writer and a biblical scholar. This post from his Good Question blog seems thorough and accurate. It's a good answer that leads me to ponder my next question of why Adam did not stop Eve, since he was with her when she ate.

Did God give the command not to eat from the tree only to Adam? 

The Rev. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is an an ordained minister, a writer, and a biblical scholar. He was active in parish and student ministry for twenty-five years. He has a B.A. from Harvard in English and American Literature and Language, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell, and a Ph.D. in the History of Christian Life and Thought, with a minor concentration in Bible, from Boston College, in the joint program with Andover Newton Theological School.

Obedient By Choice

The Holy Spirit is the voice of authority and the voice of knowledge within. When he speaks, the growing Christian automatically hears and does, with contentment.

We are obedient because we want to be, not because we have to be. We are contented to obey because we know that not only will God be glorified but we will be blessed richly.

It is a pleasure to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit because of the wealth of knowledge and wisdom that we can partake of. Those resources make a difference. 

Knowing God is supposed to make a difference in our lives. Those who love God covet that difference. We embrace the authority of God's Holy Spirit because we want to live in the blessings of God. We want to daily experience the difference that knowing God can bring. We are obedient to the authority of God's Holy Spirit because we choose to be.

A Little Leaven Leavens The Whole Person

Evil spirits always want to entice us with what we should not have but it's rarely in the form of an outright transgression. It's usually something on the thin line between what is acceptable and what is not, something that our flesh can slip past our reborn spirits. 

Paul, in Galatians 5:7-8, says, "You were doing well in your faith." He then asks, "Who persuaded you to not continue in the truth? It was not God the Father who called you to follow his Son Jesus." He goes on to share that he believes that through the Lord they will understand and remember the truth about the leaven of lies and seduction. 

We may think that little, questionable indulgences are not that bad but a little leaven will eventually leaven the whole attitude and direction of the person. It will cripple our walks in Christ. (Galatians 5:9) Succumbing to those minor fleshly desires will wreak havoc in our spiritual lives over time. 

Temptation and enticement to subtle, ungodly things are not insignificant. Evil spirits are not out to play with us. They are out to destroy us in as many ways and from as many directions as they can. The more that we brush off accepting small allurements and discount receiving little inducements the more destruction that rulers of the darkness of this world can do. Just as we eat and drink the Word of God everyday, they eat and drink plans for our destruction every day.  

When we work with God as he shows us the little issues, we allow our spiritual eyes to be opened so that we can see what the enemy is doing. We can perceive evil influence and control in our lives. We can obtain the answers that we need and information on directions to take regarding issues in our lives. Leavening takes over. That's what it's designed to do. Depending on what the leaven is, it can also be beneficial.

Adding the leaven of the Word by reading and studying it everyday will transform us. The Holy Word is living, like leaven, and will cause us to become more like Christ and draw closer to God. We don't have to be overcome by all of the Christian practices and traditions that we are judged for not being able to keep. When we focus upon putting the Word inside of us, we will please God and grow in him. A little leaven leavens the whole person, for bad or for good.

A Way Out Or A Way Through?

The Lord promised in his Word, Psalm 23, that he would prepare a place before us in the presence of our enemies. This scripture was illuminated to me by the Holy Spirit and I discerned that it is not saying, necessarily, that God will remove the enemies from our lives. Maybe he will. Maybe he won't. Maybe he will at the time he has appointed. When we read this scripture however, we want immediate deliverance from our enemies' attacks.

We want so badly (especially those of us who have been suffering attacks for so long) for that passage to mean that God is going to wave his divine hand and say POOF! and the enemies and their attacks will be gone. Psalm 23 is revealing that the enemies are present to see our advancement, deliverance, success and favor in the midst of their evil. Thou shalt prepare a table in the presence of my enemies.

These people under the influence of rulers of the darkness of this world may or may not care. Seeing God's favor on us may make an immediate difference in their lives but it mostly likely will not. People who are bent on following the influence of principalities and powers are not quick to see their wrong.

We were there at one time, living reprobate lives, subject to any wicked thing against others, no matter how good we thought we were. We hurt people overtly and covertly, purposely and unconsciously. We know that it takes the timing of the Holy Spirit to bring us into His marvelous light of truth and set us on the path of transformation. It's up to God when and how our enemies are blocked from their access to us. 

We are quick to embrace a way out but is that best at this time? Is it God's good, acceptable and perfect will for us to have a way out on this stretch of our journey? When it is not the appointed time, a way out keeps us weak. A way through, alternatively, builds our faith and spiritual strength. 

After the way through comes the way out. I want increased faith to walk in the freedom of Christ and more power to destroy the works of the devil, don't you? That's the ultimate goal, the building up of our most holy faith and the reception of power from on high, no matter what our enemies are doing. 

Father Teach Us About Charity

Dear Father: 

Help us to receive a deeper understanding of the ways that we should allow charity to reign in our lives, for we know that it involves more than our initial thoughts on what love is. Thank you for the knowledge and help us to be more obedient. Amen!

To Be Right Or To Be A Light?

The problem is that we want to be right instead of letting our lights shine. Being right means to be drawn into debates and arguments with people who wrongly criticize us. It can lead us to discouragement and neglect on the path that God has us on. When we argue and retaliate with those who subtly and covertly attack us we are basically agreeing with them. 

Letting our lights shine means to overlook the negative criticism and oppression of others and to respond kindly. It means to keep doing what we're doing and to stay in the center of the path that God has us on. We are to keep pressing on and to not look to the right hand or the left. This means to not get involved with defending ourselves and repaying evil for evil by cutting others down in like kind. 

You know what that statement says, The greatest revenge is massive success!"  We shouldn't be focused on revenge at all because that belongs to God. That quote is simply a soothing balm and positive motivation to not waste time and energy debating and retaliating. We need to keep to the mission or business that God has given each of us. Being the light means to respond to attempts to stop us with Godly grace, prompted by the Holy Spirit and to keep moving forward and looking ahead. Who cares about being right when there are so many benefits to being a light?