Category Archives: Repentance

Christian Living, Forgiveness, Repentance, Salvation

I’m Happy!

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It is Friday morning as I begin to write for our Monday time together. I’ve been in my office (if you don’t know it’s a multi purpose room across the hall from where we sleep. A really easy commute to work :) Know what I mean? Anyway I’ve been here) since 9:25 this morning. Not that all that matters.

So in my on-line Bible study homework, Leah has us studying holiness. She asked that we identify people and/or things that cause us to not practice holiness. Like it or not, the answer is ME. No aggravating soul or malfunctioning piece of equipment can cause me to sin UNLESS I choose  to. I don’t like that much, but facts are facts.

And before coming to the office this morning, DADDY GOD and I were conversing about things and I came to this conclusion: Acting in ungodly ways may be a bit more easy to do than we have previously imagined. Let me explain myself.

We think of ungodly acts as immoral, cruel sins that other folks do. And without a doubt that is true. And before I go on, let me say I am not here to put a guilt trip on anyone — not even my beloved! Without reservation I tell you I am convinced that guilt comes from the devil (Conviction comes from ABBA and there’s a HUGE difference) and any time we, anyone, attempts to use ‘guilt’ to coerce/manipulate man, woman, or child into making changes (even good ones)  or behaving the way we want them to we are using a tool from Satan’s tool box — and we need to put it away and not use it again! ABBA has much better tools for us to use!!

 But back to ungodly being more than we may have until now allowed ourselves to believe it is. Try this on for size.

ANYTHING we do that God would NOT do is ungodly.

Do you really think JESUS left His socks on the floor in the den for His mother to pick up and put in the laundry room? Do you really think when He was finished with the screwdriver, He just laid in down and walked off and left it there for Joseph to put away?  Neither do I! And when we do such things — you got it! That’s ungodly.

I’m just saying. . .  . 

1 Peter 1: (New King James Version)15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

1 John 1: (New King James Version)8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In these last some odd days or weeks I have become much more aware of the depraved state of the heart of man, particularly my own. It may be surprising to some, I am not depressed about it. Rather, I am rejoicing that I see it!  You see we sin a whole lot more than we think we do. We are much more undone than we think we are. So why am I rejoicing at this? Because more and more I KNOW Romans 8:1 is true. Romans 8: (New King James Version)1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

So when I see and admit the depravity of my own flesh I rejoice all the more that I am forgiven and my precious sweet JESUS is taking great interest in me to crucify my flesh so He can live through me. And to the degree that I allow Him to do so, is the degree that I rejoice the more and more.

I know this makes no sense to the natural mind, but you know what –I don’t care! Because it makes perfect, holy, godly sense to the mind of CHRIST within me. And I’m happy! Actually I’m Asher!!

Thank You. Thank You, ABBA, for making me asher!! And when this post reaches the eyes of our IDOKs I pray they will get asher too! I love You, ABBA, in JESUS Name, I love You. You know our hearts and our prayers for all our PRAYING FOR THESE and our IDOK Troops and this great Nation in need of repentance. Amen and amen.    

Until then  + + +
Kathie

Christian Living, Repentance, Salvation

The Day

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Do not live for today, live for The Day.

That is a one sentence summary of today’s (Sunday) message given by my Pastor at Satsuma First Baptist this morning. I am still digesting probably the most powerful, most affective, effective for me message I have heard since my salvation. Even though I knew as I was listening that my Pastor was doing a superb job delivering his monologue, yet my focus was not on the great job he was doing but on the holy, awesome GOD he was talking about. Ive heard it said when a good preacher finishes you leave the sanctuary saying that was a good message; but when a great preacher finishes you leave saying what an Awesome God!

I have a great preacher/pastor! And I have the Awesome God!

The Day.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the LORD Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air, and so we shall always be with the LORD. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

And I dare say if these words do not comfort you, you best be finding out why you are not comforted by them.

So that’s The Day.

Then what?

This what!

2 Corinthians 5: (New International Version, ©2011)10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.  11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

And, in my opinion, what is the worst thing a Christian can do? Fail to allow the Holy Spirit through us by prayer, love, word and deed to persuade others that The Day is coming and they must prepare for that Day.

1 Corinthians 3 (New King James Version)10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

I think I am more keenly aware today than ever that when The Day comes I do not want to be saved ‘yet so as through fire’. When that glorious time comes to lay crowns at the Beautiful Feet of JESUS, I want some to give HIM!!!!

Words are too little, LORD, to say how grateful I am for what You have done this day for me toward The Day. Thank You. And now as this day is closing and these thoughts are nearly prepared for posting, I thank You for allowing me to write them and share them. I pray, HOLY SPIRIT, that You will use this to minister to every person who comes here to read and pray. Thank You for tending our IDOK Troops and our Praying For These in JESUS Name.  Amen and amen.

Until Then + + +,
Kathie

Forgiveness, Repentance

Got Milk?

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May I just throw some notes on this page for your Monday review?

Doing my workbook assignment has given me a chance to visit several books of Holy Writ today and I’ve had a really good time!

One such reading was at Joshua 7: 1-26 and I made some notes and highlighted a couple verses as follows (more or less):

v. 9 “ For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?” (NASB)

Joshua was praying here after a serious military defeat and, I think, Joshua got a little emotional and had some temporary memory loss.  :)  I think he was afraid (but then who wouldn’t be) and forgot Who he was talking to. So I’m sitting here safely in my chair, how many millenniums later, talk about arm-chair quarterbacking! –  and thinking had he remembered God’s promise to Abraham he would have prayed differently. He might have said to himself as he prepared to pray, ‘okay, we will not be completely destroyed, the Messiah has been promised to us. But something is definitely big time wrong here, we need to do something, but what?’

But, honesty and integrity demand that I ask myself, would I, do I, when I am deep in the ‘trenches’ of fear, defeat, failure, disappointment, loss, lack, etc., etc. remember the promises YAHWEH has made to me?  How about you?

And I could end right here and it would be a word for all of us to remember. Remember and do better. And I want that for us. To learn to do better. And we will.

But then you would wonder why the title is ‘Got Milk?’.

You see this military defeat was brought about because there was sin in the camp.

The LORD responded to Joshua’s prayer, in part, this way:

13.   . . . you cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” (NASB)

Would you like to know what I get from this for us today? Good. Remember that commercial, ‘Got milk?’ Yes? Well, . . .

Got practicing, hidden sin in your heart (life)?

Then you can expect defeat.

We cannot expect the lavish favor of God upon our lives when we are harboring sin of any kind within our hearts or our practice.  Neither can we expect to meet additional temptation without defeat if we are practicing hidden sin.
Our only hope is to R E P E N T.
And then we will be strengthened and blessed.

1 John 1: (New International Version, ©2010)9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Now THAT is good news! GREAT news!  Big sins, little sins (in our estimation), ALL sins — when we repent (that is finally agree with Him that it is sin and be willing to turn from it), HE will forgive and cleanse! And we get to start over again!

Got Milk? Deal with it before it sours and makes a really stinky mess!

I am grateful, ABBA, that You are LORD over all things; all that concerns us as well as those things that we are not even privy to, to concern us. I commend now our Readers to You for blessings. Thank You for this lesson. I pray You will use it to bless and minister in JESUS’ name. I bring as well our IDOK Troops, and every concern of every Reader now and for as long as Readers come to these pages, asking that You tend us as You will to honor JESUS and conform us to His Image. Amen and amen.

For those of you who read from your email inboxes and have not visited THE WHITE STONE online for a while, let me invite you to visit again.  I hope you will find some fun things and encouraging ones as well.

Until Tuesday!

Kathie

Scripture passages above were obtained from Biblegateway.com