A Year of Blessing

It’s been so long since I’ve written on a regular basis. So much has happened!

First, I want to share that I finished reading the Bible recently for 2022. I did something different this year. Normally I read from cover to cover, that’s it. This year, I started in the New Testament, going from Matthew to Revelation and then went back to the Old Testament. I used “Faithful Promises of God” to take me day by day and want to share that you don’t have to start at the beginning of the Bible (or “Faithful Promises”) to read though the Bible. I’ve read so many years from front to back that I needed a change. And I want to encourage you to do what you have to in order to read through the Bible! This year I used the New King James Version and next year I think I am going to use the New Living Bible.

For those who are new, I would encourage you to go back in this blog to January 16, 2021, “Give Him the Shame of Your Past”. It will help you understand a bit more of what I am about to share. I find myself opening up to my reading audience in this past year or so. Well, I may have contemplated writing about my own life but I have always had a problem with rejection and once I start opening up, I know some will reject.

I have had some “Christians” ask me, “How can you do…” whichever sin I’d fallen into. So many look at a person and think their lives are much easier and they’ve never gone through hardships or pain. Well, I am here to tell you that we should never look at another person with those judgmental eyes because you are bringing condemnation upon yourself and your family. You are sowing judgment and it will come back on you at some point.

I had something happen to me one time and I had a family member exclaim, “We’re so embarrassed of your behavior.” Within about 12 years, their son went through the same thing I had gone through. Don’t judge, have compassion on those who are struggling!

Luke 6:43-45 says, “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

In many churches we have those who were raised in the church, who have not known the struggles of addiction or adultery, or robbery or even murder. The list could go on and on but I hope you understand what I am saying.

Oftentimes, they don’t have empathy when someone sins but yet, look how Jesus handled the sinner. Their lack of grace is apparent and their haughtiness stands out as they look down their noses in disgust at the “sinner”. The Scripture says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23)

All…not just the person who does not walk with God but all! So many surrender their lives to Christ and it takes years to fight to the temptations of their past life. Sometimes they fall short but God is always there to pick them up in love when they repent. People are not so kind. No wonder many Christians are looked at as hypocrites.

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Only when we humble ourselves in repentance and see our own filthiness can we grasp the mighty act of Jesus giving His life for one such as I! He is the sacrificial lamb, He washed away my sins with His blood. We are forgiven! Each day we need to go to Him with a confessing heart.

And so it goes, just like the Israelites of the Old Testament, even on our journey with the Lord by our side, we fall. We sometimes forget that He has our best interest at heart and we decide to go our own way…maybe we think we are just helping God. The Old Testament says the Israelites did what was right in their own eyes. It happens to us too. It’s only a matter of time before we realize we are walking in sin and we come to the Father, we confess our sin and ask Him to forgive us. He knows our heart, He is there waiting. These things happen so that we can learn lessons and grow in our walk with Christ.

It is important that we learn those lessons! I have struggled with being judgmental big time since late March when I found out that my stalker killed himself. Yes, you read that right! I kept asking myself why he didn’t come and apologize for what he’d done before ending his life. Of course, there are no answers and God has been lovingly shaping me to be more Christlike. And I still have a long way to go. I will never know why he did such a thing. What I do know is that God had worked on my heart and I prayed for him every day. God owes me no answers but I owe Him my life.

It's these life lessons that change us. It’s these life lessons that move us to seeking Him more each day. And how do we seek Him more? Through reading the Bible daily as He speaks to us through His Word. And through prayer as we talk with Him in adoration of what He’s done for us and in petitions for others (even those who are not nice to us).

My desire for each of you is to know Christ and the power of His love more this year than last and next year to continue to grow, no matter how painful it can be at times.

Sometimes it’s hard to share what you are going through because you are afraid of being judged. I want you to know that I am here to listen. Contact me through my email address (it’s on the first page of the blog) or through A Fae Original on Facebook and we can set up a time to talk. It helps to talk, it helps to be open with someone safe. I am trusting that each of you will take what I’ve shared and search your own life to see if there is some area in your life that God is wanting you to surrender to Him.

You Will Be Judged

Day 210

Read: Ezekiel 22-24

“Then confront them with their detestable practices, for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them. They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths. On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it.” (Eze 23:36b-39a NIV)

Oh the sadness of the above verses because, once again, this is exactly what the United States has been doing. Detestable practices: turning oneself over to idols, sacrificing their children (government schools and etc.), turning the churches over to the government (501C3). Ezekiel was met with closed ears. Will anyone listen? We are sacrificing our children to abortion for the sake of a woman’s rights! Women make bad choices and when they end up pregnant, they then kill the baby, so they can continue their evil lifestyle. They have become their own idol always lusting for more. And the churches who have sold their souls to the government for tax exemption purposes are now told what they can preach and what they cannot. Getting a favor from the government will always come at a price! !

“You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign Lord.” (Eze 24:14b NIV)

Prayer: Search me, O God, for You alone know my heart! Enlighten my mind with Your truth that I may turn away from the sins I commit. Fill my mind and my heart with remorse for my wrong doings and forgive me. May my sorrow for my behavior be a constant reminder to do Your will. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Wisdom of Obeying

In chapter 11 of Deuteronomy we find Moses reminding the adults (who were children when they left Egypt and had experienced their parents’ rebellion and the consequences of the 40 years in the desert) to “love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments and His commandments always.” (see v 1 and again in v 13)

In verse 14 Moses continues to tell them the blessings (which are also consequences) of the people who “earnestly obey My commandments” (also see v 13)

In verses 16-17, we see the consequences of not obeying.

Verses 18-19 “you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, speaking to them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

And today? Are these commands only for that time? Or should we not heed these words and obey with a willing heart?

“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known. (Deut 11: 26-28)

Is this where some Christians come up with people who are suffering have sin in their lives or are the consequences thereof? But we must go to the New Testament teachings and understand what Jesus taught concerning pain and suffering.

Just read James 1 to grasp why God allows difficult times in our lives. As much as those times cause great suffering, it is allowed for us to draw upon the strength of Christ Jesus as we persevere towards completeness in Him alone.

The Old and New Testament go hand in hand and must be read together to understand the wisdom our Heavenly Father is showing us and we grow towards that day when we will be complete in Him before the throne.

A nation without moral law becomes a nation of fools who reject God and His word. For how can we know what morality is unless we have a set standard? And praise be to God, He has given us such a standard, the Holy Bible. But unless we read it, it is useless and we do become fools. As you read Proverbs, you will see that being a fool is a huge disgrace and a slap in the face.

Deuteronomy 8:8 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments…” We are there! We have forgotten and are suffering the consequences. When will we wake up, repent and turn from our wickedness? Surrender is so difficult for many but for those who surrender their lives to Jesus, eternity is something to look forward to.