Broken Or Made Whole?

Recently I heard people speaking and sharing the idea that we as Christians are vile and worms in comparison to God, they repeated this idea several times. I had not heard that for a long time and I have to admit it was a good thing to hear...not because I believe it, but to challenge me to research what I do believe and why! =) 
     Sometimes we can fall into a habit of just believing what we believe because we have believed it for a long time! It becomes a habit. =/
     It is good to go back and refresh our understanding. So today I have spent a great deal of time reading and rereading why I do not believe I am vile! I believe I am a new creation! Yes, I was vile but the Lord has cleansed me and in Him, I am a new creation! 
     As a Christian, we know that we are made from dust, and we know that outside of being covered by Jesus' blood we have no forgiveness, no hope, and a very dismal future. We know that in ourselves there is no good thing! 
          BUT~~

     As a Christian, we also know that we are covered by Jesus' blood! We know we are forgiven! We know that we are eternal beings with a hope and a great future! We know we are children of the One True King! We know we have been set free from our sinful nature and that our Father is working to bring us to all good things! We know that we are seated at the right hand of the Father, that we are in Christ and He is in us!
     I'm writing this to encourage you to recognize that before you believed and trusted in Jesus, yes, you were vile and broken! You were without hope! without forgiveness! but please don't stay there! Move into the Sonship, move into your new self, you have been made whole! He didn't bring you out of your brokenness so that you could spend your time thinking about how bad you were before, He brought you out so you could become a part of the Kingdom and touch the world! Hear your calling! Move forward!

Jesus did His part in covering you, now do your part in living in Him and Him in you!

If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing.1 John 1:9 CJB

Since all have sinned and come short of earning God’s praise. By God’s grace, without earning it, all are granted the status of being considered righteous before him, through the act redeeming us from our enslavement to sin that was accomplished by the Messiah Yeshua. God put Yeshua forward as the kapparah (propitiation, sacrifice)for sin through his faithfulness in respect to his bloody sacrificial death. This vindicated God’s righteousness; because, in his forbearance, he had passed over [with neither punishment nor remission] the sins people had committed in the past; and it vindicates his righteousness in the present age by showing that he is righteous himself and is also the one who makes people righteous on the ground of Yeshua’s faithfulness. Romans 3:23-26 CJB

But God is so rich in mercy and loves us with such intense love that, even when we were dead because of our acts of disobedience, he brought us to life along with the Messiah — it is by grace that you have been delivered. That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua and seated us with Him in heaven, Ephesians 2:4-6 CJB

He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. It is through his Son that we have redemption — that is, our sins have been forgiven. Colossians 1:13-14 CJB

Therefore, just as you received the Messiah Yeshua as Lord, keep living your life united with him. Remain deeply rooted in him; continue being built up in him and confirmed in your trust, the way you were taught, so that you overflow in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

He then adds,“ ‘And their sins and their wickednesses
I will remember no more.’ Hebrews 10:17 CJB

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

He has removed our sins from us
as far as the east is from the west. Psalms 103:12 CJB

Grow Up! Build Up!

Lane and I had an experience that has stirred this subject so you can blame the other people involved for this teaching! I don't know why the Lord always lets Lane be encouraging and gives me the tough "in your face" teachings to share! Anyways~ 
     We went to the store which will remain nameless, but know that it is the store that everyone in the world goes to and they can be met there 24 hours a day(Never go there looking sloppy or you'll run into everyone!). 
     As we encountered these people who we have "encountered" before, I asked how they were doing they proceeded to tell us every physical ailment they were enduring, the ones their spouse was enduring, (their children and grandchildren's health was also covered) their past medical tests and future doctors appointments. Plus any mysterious problems that nobody could understand. All the time they were sharing these things they were smiling like a child with a good report card, they were so proud of having so many problems to share!~  
     I had forgotten this was their pattern but every time we see them they give us a rundown of their health status.
     My question is why? Why are they happy they can share so many physical problems? Why is there a pride in them that they are walking examples of poor health? I do believe it probably started as children, maybe the only time they received attention was when they were sick? Who knows?
     But as adults, scripture tells us to grow up!

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, Ephesians 4:14-15
 We are to change the patterns we learned as children, we are to focus on the true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, good repute, excellence, anything worthy of praise. 

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8

And I would encourage you to build one another up when you have chance encounters, share what the Lord is doing, how He has blessed you, speak truth and life!

"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Luke 6:45

Acts 8:9-24

Today's scriptures told the story of Simon, 
1. Simon was a man that had been practicing magic in the city where he lived. 
2. Simon heard Phillip, a disciple of Jesus preaching about God's kingdom and the name of Jesus, 
3. Simon was convicted and repented.
4. Simon stayed by Phillip's side going everywhere he went.
5. Peter and John came to the town where Phillip was preaching.
6. The baptism of the Holy Spirit fell on the ones that Peter and John placed hands on and filled each of them.
7. Simon saw how the Holy Spirit was released and he wanted the ability and offered to pay Peter and John to give him the ability "so that I also can lay my hands on everyone to receive the Holy Spirit.”.
8. Peter rebuked Simon! 
9. Peter told Simon that he was going to hell along with his money! 
10. Peter told Simon that he would never be part of their ministry because his heart was wrong...but that if he prayed he might be forgiven.

In this scripture I have been convicted that we have elevated people and their feelings above God's holiness, we are more concerned in offending a person than we are of protecting the honor of our Saviour! I cannot imagine any Christian of today saying the things to Simon that Peter said! Yet Peter walked in the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter's very shadow was a healing power! 

Lord I do pray that You will forgive my shortcomings, forgive me when I have not stood firm for Your honor! Forgive me when my heart has been wrong and not right with You! Please Holy Spirit come and create a right, steadfast spirit and a clean, pure heart in me! Help me to have understanding and wisdom. Give me courage to walk how You would have me walk, to speak what You would have me to say! I love You Lord, thank You for loving me! In Jesus' name~ 






Acts 8:9-24 Now, there was a man who lived there who was steeped in sorcery. For some time he had astounded the people of Samaria with his magic, boasting to be someone great.Everyone, from the least to the greatest among them, was dazzled by his sorcery, saying, “This man is the greatest wizard of all! The divine power of God walks among us!” For many years everyone was in awe of him because of his astonishing displays of the magic arts.

But as Philip preached the wonderful news of God’s kingdom realm, and the name of Jesus the Anointed One, many believed his message and were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon believed and was baptized! Wherever Philip went, Simon was right by his side, astounded by all the miracles, signs, and enormous displays of power that he witnessed.

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God’s message of life, they sent Peter and John to pray over them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. For they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and were yet to have the Holy Spirit fall upon them. As soon as Peter and John arrived, they laid their hands on the Samaritan believers, one after another, and the Holy Spirit fell and filled each one of them!

When Simon saw how the Holy Spirit was released through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he approached them and offered them money, saying, “I want this power too. I’m willing to pay you for the anointing that you have, so that I also can lay my hands on everyone to receive the Holy Spirit.”

Peter rebuked him and said, “Your money will go with you to destruction! How could you even think that you could purchase God’s supernatural gift with money? You will never have this gift or take part in this ministry, for your heart is not right with God. Repent this moment for allowing such wickedness to fill you. Plead with the Lord that perhaps he would forgive you the treachery of your heart. For I discern that jealous envy has poisoned you and binds you as a captive to sin.”

Simon begged, “Peter, please pray to God for me. Plead with him so that nothing you just said over me may come to pass!”

Wisdom and Hope

We are all always growing older, right? With age there is always change, some good, some not what we would seek.
     An older woman friend of mine and I were talking about this subject and she shared how each decade of life brings changes to our bodies. Being younger and maybe not quite as mature as she, I said: "it must be hard to go through your body breaking down". 
     My friend stopped for a moment as if she were listening to an inner voice and then spoke words of great wisdom that I have not yet forgotten. 
     To my youth orientated statement about bodies breaking down she shared what the inner voice had shared with her, '"You are a child of God. Life is not about learning to deal with your body breaking down, it is about recognizing each new change as an ingredient to create the "Masterpiece" that you are to become"'.
     As we go through the changes of our bodies aging there are new challenges and we do slow down, but we are not to see it as a bad thing, but a good thing! If our bodies didn't slow down we would not be able to be more still to hear, think, see and understand the life that we are rushing through in our younger years. 
     Instead of how sad that we slow down it would be truly sad if we continued to rush through life with the energy of a two-year-old, we would never gain understanding! Or if we continued in the passion of a 16-year-old we would not develop patience, many good things come with the slowing down of maturity. 
     As our bodies change we grapple with new challenges, we master them and then face the next change until we become a Masterpiece of understanding, patience, perseverance, proven character, and hope. 
     Don't pursue the aging process but neither discount it or criticize it, it has a purpose....to refine us and to bring us to hope! 



And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5 NASB

I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced that the One who began this glorious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you and will put his finishing touches to it until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ! Philippians 1:6 TPT