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Exodus 33:14 “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  I will not be writing a Blog for the first time since I started writing. I am taking a vacay! This will include a break from writing my daily Blog. I will start back up on October 1, 2018. Thanks for following me and understanding. I look forward to telling you all about it! God Bless.
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I guess I am feeling a bit introspective. We have been re-doing the hardwood floors in our house, sanding them down to the bare wood and then re-staining them to their original luster. Then, we painted all the baseboards with high gloss enamel. For obvious reasons, I have not been able to stay in the house and breathe all the fumes. So, for about a year--since we have a large house with 3 floors, I have been staying at another location. Just cleaning up all the dust and repainting the walls, enlarging a master bedroom bath, and putting in a washer and dryer upstairs has been a huge undertaking. Yesterday, we moved back home.  It is like moving into a new house. I did not realize how much stuff we had. Everything that went back on the floors had to have felt put on the legs. We decided to only keep the things we truly loved. It was so hard making all the decisions. This is what started me down the path of thinking about heaven. We come into the world with nothing and leave, taking nothing with us. God has this moving thing down.  Matthew 6:10 (KJV) "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."  John 14:2 (KJV) "“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” Our Daddy God loves us so much He has taken care of all the arrangements. The only thing He asks of us, is that we prepare ourselves. Our responsibility is to prepare our hearts. Our responsibility is to get to know our Heavenly Father and to learn His language, learn to love what He loves and hate what He hates. We take care of our earthly house and He takes care of our home for eternity. Action Step: Get your house in order. Prepare your heart. Get to know your Heavenly Father by reading His word and talking to Him in prayer. Learn to recognize His voice. When you know it is He that is speaking with you, obey His instructions. He loves us and is preparing a place for us.
Hebrews 12:1 (Good News translation) "As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us."  Life is not a sprint, it is a Marathon. We begin running the moment we take our first breath. I can't remember and neither can you that moment, but I wonder how many of us wanted to go back where we came from? Probably all of us. Those bright lights were probably not what we were looking for, and all that action? We were on the stage of life and it was curtain time. Since that moment we have all been running. Most never know where they are heading. Once we are born again of the spirit we know the direction we are headed. We find a greater purpose to run. We learn we never have to run alone. The word of God begins to unfold the course of life. When we get weary we know where to run. When we fall down we know who will be there to pick us up. We run with purpose.  1 Corinthians 9:24 (NLT) "Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!"  "Enthusiasm without knowledge is like running in the dark. Get on fire for God and men will come to see you burn." - John Wesley "If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm." - Vince Lombardi The monotony of life can get the best of all of us. If on the treadmill we grow weary and quit, then we will never have the stamina to run in the hard times. Each new day brings with it more pavement, more valleys, more hills, but we keep running so that we might know God. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) When we run the race set before us we understand what Jesus endured for our sakes. When we understand and see what Jesus went through, we fall more in love with Him, it's easier to praise Him in our own darkness, and we show Him to others by our example.
Action Step: Stay in the race. Don't give up. Rejoice in the uphill moments. Encourage the other runners on the trail. When you fall down, get back up. When you seem to be running on empty, fill up on the word of God. Take somebody with you who doesn't know the course. Life is a marathon and as the Body of Christ we run together, never alone. So, if you see someone running alone introduce them to the friend that will never leave them--one day they may be cheering you on. Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  There have been plenty of opportunities since the world began for us to give up. Everyday we face obstacles that try our patience and our faith. I watched a video today of Bees saving one of their own after falling into a honey extractor. They worked hard and they worked together. They saved their own from certain death. I thought about the impending storm Florence. I thought of all the homes, businesses and families in the coastal areas. I thought to myself if we all gathered together and prayed for one another as hard as the bees did, we could know for certainty that God would hear our prayers, and the faith to move the mountain would also calm the storm.   Action Step: Every time you hear the news prophesying death and destruction, bind those words and praise God for turning the storm back out to sea. Use your blood bought authority to speak to the storm. Refuse to give up! See it and seize it! Hold on to the promises of God that are in His word. Quote the scriptures above and watch the storm subside! Then give God all the glory.
The world presses upon us to agree with them. God calls us to come out from among them, and then tells us to be separate.(2 Corth. 6:17) If we allow ourselves to come into agreement with the world, we will lose our power in the world. Everyone can join into the earthly chorus and say, "A storm is coming-a storm is coming-it's going to be bad-it's going to be bad", over and over again or we can pray and say what we want to have. The choice is ours. We know that Jesus has proven that He can calm a storm. The disciples called out to Jesus, and He simply spoke words. "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm." (Mark 4:39)  The weather and the world keep saying this Florence will be like Hazel. I keep saying go back out to sea. I keep saying defuse and turn, peace be still. I believe I am not the only one. I believe there are those that are praying. Yesterday, Florence went from a category 4 to a 3. Let's use our words to bring things that are not, into reality.  Faith in God will move mountains. If faith will move the mountain then surely it can move whatever it is that is in our way. Matthew 17:20 (NIV) "He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Again we can see the power of what we say. No wonder satan wants to use our mouth. If satan can get out mouth, he gets the power that works in and through us. He gets our authority.  Action Step: Say what you want. Refuse to let the devil use your mouth. Refuse to get into agreement with the world. Speak peace to any and all situations that come to bring a storm into your life whether it be a storm concerning the weather, politics, culture or the flesh. Speak life!
For those of you going through the storm right now, or for those of you that have loved ones going through the storm, I dedicate today's Blog. Please forward this to everyone you know going through a storm. There are scriptures below, that they can begin to claim for themselves, and we can claim for them and for ourselves. Let us encourage one another before the storm. The day after 9/11 we all united. Today 9/12 lets unite together, like we did then... for one another. Prayer changes things. James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 1Peter 1:6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Even when it seems like your world is falling apart, God has a purpose for your trial. Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Deuteronomy 4:30 When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice. Mark 4:17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Romans 2:9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 1Samuel 26:24 Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” After 9/11 we saw a better nation for those that chose to become better not bitter, chose to remember and not forget. We all go through storms in life. We all have trials and tribulations. However, we do not have to go through these times alone. God promises to go through everything we go through. He promises never to leave us or forsake us.  Take time out of your busyness to pray, for the Lord to make a way where there is no way. Speak to this storm to go back out to sea. Ask the Lord for mercy and grace for all, that could or may be affected by the storm. Pray for those living in the area of the storm, but also those that have plans and purposes, that this storm could affect. For all the people that are sent to give aid and helps at this time, police, military, medical personal, pilots, EMT's, fireman, etc.  Sometimes people think that trials are the same thing as temptations. These are not the same thing. What is the difference between a “trial” and a “temptation”? According to the dictionary, a trial is “a test of faith, patience, or stamina by suffering or temptation.” A temptation is “an enticement to do something wrong by promise of pleasure or gain.” It is “the act of tempting, especially to evil.” Temptation comes from evil desires inside us, not from God. It begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and allow it to become an action. People who live for God sometimes wonder why they still have temptations. Does God tempt them? No. God tests people but he does not tempt them by trying to seduce them into sin. But God does allow Satan to tempt people in order to refine their faith and help them grow in their dependence on Christ. Don’t ever confuse temptation with God’s testing your faith (trials) as a way to strengthen it. “James 1 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." Trials will indeed come our way. If you are not facing a trial right now, Praise God! But be ready because one is sure to come your way. God never allows us to go through more than we can handle.  Action Step: Pray for those going through these storms. Let's unite like we did after 9/11, and work together as a people. God commands the blessing where there is unity. Jesus does not steal, kill and destroy. Jesus came that we would have life and life more abundantly. Let us pray then, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Let's speak to the storm and command it to be gone in Jesus name. Let's not wait till the storm is over to unite. Let's unite now!
"God Bless You." We all say it when someone sneezes, but why? The saying, "God bless you" in response to a sneeze is of ancient origin, and there are a variety of stories about where it first came from. The practice of saying, “God bless you,” when someone sneezes does not come from the Bible, nor is there any mention of the practice in the Bible. However, the saying God bless you was used both by Hebrews (Numbers 6:24) and the early Christians as a benediction. The practice of blessing someone after a sneeze is probably as old as the first century. The origin of the practice is most likely rooted in superstition: the belief that a sneeze is the body trying to rid itself of evil spirits, the thought that the heart stops beating when a person sneezes, or the fear that a sneeze somehow opens the body to evil spirits. In these cases, saying, “God bless you,” was a kind of protection or good luck charm that shielded the sneezer from being invaded by spirits or affected by evil. Other cultures have a similar response to sneezes, believing that a sneeze could signal ill health: they might say, “Salud” (Spanish for “health”) or “Gesundheit” (German for “health”) or “Sláinte” (Irish Gaelic for “good health”) or “Jeebo” (Bengali for “stay alive”). During a plague that occurred in Italy in AD 590, sneezing was, or was thought to be, a sign that someone was getting sick with the plague. There is a legend/tradition that Pope Gregory I commanded that, any time a sneeze was heard, the sneezer was to be blessed by saying, “God bless you,” (and making the sign of the cross over his mouth) as protection against the plague. Again, there is no biblical validity to such superstition. At the same time, there is no biblical reason to believe it is sinful to bless someone after a sneeze—in fact, it might just be a good time to extend a kind word and say, “God bless you.” So what is a sneeze anyway? A sneeze is a reflex that is triggered when nerve endings inside the mucous membrane of the nose are stimulated. Did you know ...
 With the winter fu season, and cold weather upon us, I thought it would be interesting to find out why you think people say, "God bless you", when someone sneezes? It is not enough to just cover our mouths, we also need to wash our hands after covering our mouth. Many germs are spread when we sneeze. Look at this next picture:  Action Step: When you sneeze, cover your mouth. Sneezing in your elbow is great if your hands are full, or you have no place to wash them. Be sure to then wash your clothes when you get home, as germs can remain alive for days. Wash your hands often. Shopping carts, steering wheels, coffee pot handles, vending machines as well as bathrooms and cell phones are all breeding grounds for virus's and germs.
God bless you is always appropriate, but so is good hygiene practices. Out of the pack I have always been fast. After my first child and again after my second and third, I could still do a mile in 4:56 seconds. We did not have Track when I was growing up in my High School years. I feel as though I missed out on something, but it doesn't matter now. I enjoy running. I do not enjoy the pain. I'm not talking about what you feel while running. It is what I feel the day after running and the day after that, and the day after that. It usually takes about three days for the soreness to subside. However, I have learned, just keep running. The more I run the less sore I get and the quicker I recover. But, I have learned to pace myself.  Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," We are all in the Race of our life. Some of us are fast. We are sprinters. Others of us are long distance runners. Some of us like to run and others would prefer the sidelines. Never the less, here we are. Born for purpose. Grasping for significance. Knowing we are all limited by time. We run the race of life as those who have gone on before us. When our time on this earth is over, we will obtain the rewards if we have run lawfully the race set before us. 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NIV) "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."  Acton Step: Today, encourage your fellow runners. Today, run along side someone who needs you to pace them. They will not forget you. I remember a man who use to tell me I start out of the shoot too fast. He ask me to stay with him and run the first few miles with him. He knew I wouldn't be able to keep the pace throughout the long vigorous course without pacing myself. So, together we ran. He paced me. He slowed me down. Then after a few miles he said, "Go ahead now. You got this!" I took off and was able to finish strong. I owed the medal to him. It was enough for him just knowing he was part of my journey.
The Holy Spirit wants us to lay the crowns we obtain during this life, at the feet of Jesus--but He wants to pace us. He wants to run along side of us, with us. The Holy Spirit is the one who sets the pace. Trust God's word to be true. He will never leave us or forsake us. Regardless, of what others say, it does matter how you start the race if you want to finish well. Run the race set before you and remember you do not have to run it alone. I started back to the gym and everything on me hurts. I hurt going up and down stairs from squats. My shoulders and back hurt. My abdominals hurt. Even my backside hurts. Come to think of it, I think my fingers and toes hurt. I want to get back my strength and stability I once enjoyed. I lost both from being sedentary for two short years. I don't know who originally said, "If you don't use it, you loose it"? However, it is a principle I see in the Bible, in the parable of the talents. I have decided to use what I've got and believe God for more.  It's hard to believe 35 years ago I was an ACE certified personal trainer, teaching at NIOSH and DOE, as well as at a local gym. Some days I taught 4 classes. I was able to run marathons and get up and go to work the next day. Not now. During my assessment I ran a mile and a half, (30 laps) in a little over 17 minutes. I wasn't racing I was just jogging. It made me wonder what I could do if I would really run? I then wondered what we could do as Christians if we really worked at winning the lost, and getting the Body of Christ in shape? I aim to find out!  Below is an article I found helpful on the web to get my spiritual life in shape. The Bible tells us bodily exercise profits little. Well, I will take the little. I am already feeling leaner and stronger. So, just imagine what the results will be when you become spiritually fit.
The 12 Spiritual Disciplines: Essential Tools for Spiritual Growth The spiritual disciplines are means by which individuals and communities can very literally “practice” their faith. They are tools by which Christians seek to know God, yield to the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying power, and surrender to the Divine Will in their lives. The disciplines can be instrumental tools as we seek to “tune” ourselves to God’s desires and see his kingdom as he sees it. These holy actions have been practiced by believers since the earliest times, and are firmly rooted in Christ’s commands and examples in the Gospels.Author and pastor Richard Foster identifies 12 crucial spiritual disciplines. These are further organized into sections: inward, outward, and corporate practices. Disciplines of Personal Development (Inward)
The Natural Man
The disciplines can help clear the path and bring us back into line-of-sight with the Savior. Examples of How Real Change HappensThe Disciplined Christian can know God’s ways though study… He or she spends time soaking in Scripture, becoming intimately familiar with its message, learning the history of God’s church, and gaining understanding of the practical implications of theology. The Disciplined Christian is reminded of the source of all blessing and sustenance through fasting… Abstaining from food, time commitments and distractions, from anything that takes focus from Jesus brings clarity, focus, and humility. The Disciplined Christian can slow down through simplicity… Seeking the kingdom of God first ultimately causes the believer to cast aside anything that is not holy. The pursuit of wealth and power are the antithesis of the kingdom that Jesus models. The Disciplined Christian can hear God’s voice more clearly through solitude… Alone time with God helps provide room for silence, waiting on God, and hearing the sometimes still, small voice of his Spirit. The Disciplined Christian is grieved by sin through confession… Personal and corporate confession provide a way to confront, admit, be convicted of, and deal with sin in the context of a supportive community and ministers of grace. The Disciplined Christian puts God in the highest place through worship… The believer joins with others in praise and thanksgiving, placing Jesus in the supreme place of honor in his or her life. Conclusion: These 12 spiritual disciplines help to combat the sinful nature and our naturalistic world view. They can bring the believer into a mental, emotional, and spiritual state of higher awareness of God, his nature, and his kingdom. These tools are one way for individuals and communities to begin to bring their focus back to the Holy One and seek his will. Buy Foster’s book, The Celebration of Discipline, on Amazon Action Step: Do something everyday. Lift more weight. Run a little further. Work to be a little bit faster. Do something physical, but don't forget to keep your spiritual man in shape as well. Practice the above disciplines and watch the changes it will make in your life! 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  Now, more than ever we need to let Christ be seen in and through us. It is time for us to truly be the living sacrifices we were called to be. If we believe the Gospel then, we must live and move and have our being in Christ letting the Gospel shine through us. Stand up for what we believe. Read the Bible. Pray. Fast. Forgive. Work while it is day. Galatians 2:20 (KJV) "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  Action Step: Live like the Christian you are called to be. Pray like you have never prayed before for the leaders of this nation, your pastors, your family, friends and yes--even your enemies. Make it a point to live sacrificially. Read your Bible everyday even though you may believe that you can't understand it, or it is too hard. Just do it! The faith of the next generation depends on us!
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AuthorRena Perozich is a wife, mother, nonna, mentor, author, and encourager. Her life's purpose is to become all God has called her to be and to encourage others to do the same. Learn more. Categories |
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