Mean Christians?

Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

Romans 12:9

You ever have those days when it just seems like everyone is being mean or rude?  It is as though you have a bull's eye mark on your back that says, "Attack me, yes! Attack me!!"  LOL LOL 

I understand these type of days and they can be so annoying.  Normally, for myself, it takes place out in the "secular" world and in everyday life and interaction with people that do not "walk in/with the Lord."  Yet there are days that Christians treat other Christians the same way the world would treat us, if not worse!  Lord have mercy!

Now before you think I am writing against anyone, I'm not.  I write against myself because I certainly have been guilty of this.  I have withheld compliments at times just because the person I should have given it to was irking me that day.  I have PURPOSELY avoided people in the long hallways of my church due to some dumb hormonal day I was having.  

And there have been times (too embarrassed to mention how many) but yes, there have been MANY times that I have just been.......(sucking in my breath)..... RUDE.  

EWWWWW. 

I usually get an "ewwwwwww" about an hour later, when the Holy Spirit comes looking for me.  I don't like the EWWWWWW from the Holy Ghost.  But he is so faithful to correct us on this earth when we grieve him.  I can tell you that my number one prayer to God isn't about money or things or issues with others.  No.  My number one issue is WITH MYSELF and my EWWWW moments.  

Here is a sample conversation initiated by the Holy Spirit when I am trying to tune him out after offending someone:

"You know you were rude to 'so-and-so' today.  It was not correct and you need to repent."  

"Holy Spirit, can't I get a break?  I am having a terrible day.  The cramps are bothering me, the husband is annoying me, the kids have burnt my last nerve, and I am bloated.  Can't I just get a break?  I will get better tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?  Who promised you tomorrow?  Furthermore, how do you know that the person you have offended purposely will even be around tomorrow??"

(Normally there is about an hour of silence after this type of rebuke...and then after I get to my senses..here is my reply.  Usually by this point, I am a red-faced, crying mess. Because his words have PIERCED my heart. Truth DOES hurt.)

"(((sighhhhhhhhhhhh))).  Holy Spirit, it is true.  I purposely went out of my way to be rude and nasty.  I ask you to kill off every part of me that is just UGLY and EWWWWW.  Forgive me, Lord Jesus, and wash me clean of my filth.  Lord God, I ask you to go to 'so-and-so' and heal them, even bless them Lord, bless them!!  I repent and I pray that they would find it in their hearts to forgive me.  Amen."

So if you have offended others either purposely or not, just rest in this:  You're NOT alone.  I am right there with you.  But that is not the good part.  What is good about two people making the same mistake?  Nothing EXCEPT the grace, the mercy, and the forgiveness of God that those two may rejoice in.  

Let us try (ouch) to really go out of our way NOT to be fake, but to LOVE genuinely.  Even when it hurts...

Amen.

Forgiveness

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

John 1:9

I live my life based on this scripture.   With the tons of mistakes I make, I am thankful that I can go to my Father and ask for forgiveness.  

There are certain things that have a terrible grip on my heart.  I have issues with a lot of wrongs that have been done to me.  I am still processing them before the Lord.  Trust me, I mostly process the ugliness that is inside of ME and not others.  I don't have the time to look at others when my own eye has a tree trunk hanging out of it.

I hate when I sin against the Lord.  No matter how that sin is: verbal or in my thoughts and actions.  I cant stand sinning against the Lord.  It makes me feel like a dirty, rotten shoe.  HOWEVER, there is confession with a repentant heart.  But that is the problem; sometimes I feel justified in my sin.  But the closer I get to Jesus, the more I see that there is NO excuse for it.  

I just pray as I go through more fires of refinement that I would stop repeating the same old mistakes. I am very grateful to God that I am not where I used to be.  But as impatient as we are sometimes, I sure would like the fast way to where I need to be!!!

Please keep me in your prayers.  

Love ya,

Anna

What is a miktam????

"Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you. 
   I say to God, "Be my Lord!" 
      Without you, nothing makes sense." Psalm 16:1

This Psalm is called a "miktam".  The meaning of "miktam" is not really known, except that it is connected to six psalms that are psalms of lament.  David was pouring out his heart in these writings.  


There are days when we are soaring on the mountaintops (yay, yay, hip, hip, hooray LOL) and there are days when we lament.  Somedays I wake up in a "lament" mood.  I can't explain it!  Sunshine could be pouring through my blinds and everything "looks" right but my soul is lamenting (mourning, regretful, sorrowful).  


Sometimes I know why, other times I feel as though I am interceding for others and their problems.  Of course, I also have "those days" where I am a walking "miktam" myself.  Maybe that's why there is no clear definition of this Hebrew word--"miktam" really has no understanding!

So the next time someone asks you in that snippy tone, "Hey, what's wrong with you?" You can reply, "Oh, nothing, I am just miktamming." Hahhahahahahha that will throw them through a loop for sure and teach them not to mess with Ms. Miktam.

Seriously, the good part about a miktam is the Creator understands.  And when it boils down to it, isn't that all that really matters?  David 'miktammed' six different times.  If I could imagine what that looked like in modern day language, it would look something like this:

"Lord, I have no idea why I am so down today.  Maybe it is the bill collectors (in David's case it was the Philistines), maybe it's the hormones, maybe it's the cleaning up...I don't know but I feel like a miktam, Lord.  Please help me get through this day, Father, please!!!" 

AND DADDY WOULD PROBABLY RESPOND WITH:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."- Matthew 11:28

(or in today's modern language) 

"Girl, don't be miktamming on me!!  Rise up your soul and sing and give glory to the Lord!!!"

Wherever you are today, just remember Daddy is right there with you!

Shalom!

:-)

Rest in Peace

Death is so very bitter sweet.

My husband lost one of his closest friends on Monday due to a sudden, massive heart attack.  He was in excellent physical condition, always worked out, and took good care of himself.  Eli was only 47 years old. He leaves behind his wife, Kitty, of 28 years, and two boys, Eli Jr., 19, and Nicholas, 11.

This has been a very long, exhausting week, mentally and physically, as we watched our close friend laid to rest.  Tracy just had dinner with him on Saturday...and he was gone on Monday.  Lord have mercy.  Please keep them in your prayers.  Please pray for my husband as well who has taken his passing very hard.  Amen.

In remembrance of Elias Rivera.  

May the Lord comfort all of us who mourn the loss of such a wonderful person.  

Unto the Lamb

Sometimes you just gotta stop what you're doing and worship God.

This is one of my "favorite videos of the group "Christ for the Nations" singing the song entitled, "Unto the Lamb."  What a declaration this song makes in the Heavenly realm!

Jesus is coming back.  His return is so close...the signs are all around us.  Let us be found with oil in our lamps.

God bless!  Enjoy the worship!

To God be the Glory

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isaiah 26:3

I have to say today was an almost perfect day.  I say almost because my cake fell apart, LOL.  Just kidding---I am not that shallow!  

I started the day in prayer and I simply asked God for peace.  I cannot begin to describe the amount of peace that flowed my way.  Now this has happened to me before, but it seems that the intensity increases with new visitations from the Lord by way of His Divine Peace.  

My day had its share of issues.  My husband always forgets to eat thus bringing down his blood sugar.  And God help us all when the man's blood sugar is down.  Talk about a crank-pot!  Irregardless of his attitude, I felt peace.  

I had a TON of housework to do...and it was all done.  In peace.  

My kids were casting weird looks my way, cautiously watching me to see if they were gonna step on the land mine!  LOL LOL not that I do that much these days but if they push me enough, they will hear me!  They are older now, wiser..more mature..so there is not much to yell about like before.  Thank GOD.  

Getting back to my peace---I am so happy I was given a heavy dose of it because now I know why people pray for it all the time.  It is like a warm blanket on a very cold day.  I felt gloriously calm.  It was supernatural for lack of better words.  All I can say is I needed a day like today and I thank God for it!

How about you?  Are you surrounded with peace today?  Try and be the peace in someone else's life by saying a kind word or helping in some way.  Although we can't force people to be peaceful, we sure can give some away.  

God bless you!