Beloved, I Hear You

 

Beloved, 

I hear you. The Holy Spirit groans to me for the healing of those whom you are praying for. I love you and your family. You shall be and are protected by your faith. Stay in the shadow of Father God. He is protecting you. He hears the Holy Spirit groaning through me. The Holy Spirit feels the weight of your care and concern for others. Give me that burden so you may feel joy. I will carry the burden. Let your light shine!

Romans 8:26 NKJV

[26] Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 

Psalms 17:7-8 NKJV

[7] Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You From those who rise up against them. [8] Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,

Matthew 11:28 NKJV

[28] Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Let the Light Shine Out of Darkness

The Lord spoke these words to my heart this morning. 

You are mine now and forever. Be a light casting back darkness. Do not worry. Do not doubt. You are mine and I am yours. I will shine through you, a dayspring from on high.

I don't know about you, but I have been in need of some reassurance from my Heavenly Father.

It is so difficult to let my light shine and not worry when I see all the pictures from around the world concerning the COVID-19 virus, healthcare shortages and of all things, toilet paper shortages!

Who would have ever thought you'd have to stand in line to buy one 12 pack of toilet paper?

Think we will see a TP black market? lol I love seeing the posts on social media when a friend finds toilet paper. Humor and knowing that I belong to Jesus now and forever keeps me from worrying. I'm going to let the sunlight of the Son shine through me and keep the dark thoughts out of my head!

Here is some scripture to help you out:

John 17:6-10
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted  them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.

Luke 11:36
Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

James 1:6
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

A Prayer Warrior Week

Whew! This week has been an on-the-knees, pray the word aloud week! 
Bill and I went to the 4 way stop in the center of town Thursday evening to pray for our community. This is the third month and three of us showed up. Bill and I wore our eye-catching Christian Motorcyclists Association colors so that passing folk would know we were there for Jesus. Bill, Sundi Jo and I received a lot of looks from people as we prepared to pray on the east corner of the 4 way for our community and the surrounding communities. It is my hope that someone will ask one of us," I saw you at the 4 way stop. What were you doing?" When this happens we can have a conversation about prayer and Jesus. Yep, this is evangelism outreach and/or discipleship my friends.
This is also spiritual warfare. 
What do you believe about spiritual warfare? I believe we live in Satan's world and that we are in a battle to bring people to Jesus Christ. This is the great commission: to go and tell people about Jesus Christ in the world around us. When we follow this way of life, we will run into the enemy, the ruler of this world whom even Jesus had to face and defeat. Our enemy's mission is to keep people from coming to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. He wants to keep you in the dark, literally and figuratively. To this end, he places obstacles in the paths of believers to try and separate us from our Jesus by keeping us busy, swamped with drama, and overrun with temptations. Satan also places obstacles in the paths of unbelievers who are beginning to see the light of Jesus and begin walking toward him. 
Grabbing my Shield and Sword
 I have been grabbing my shield of faith and Sword of the Spirit all week to extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy who is trying to discourage a sister in ministry, trying to keep a lamb of God from completely breaking free of Satan's chains, and to stop the umbrella of prayer from being lifted within the center of our community. 
Yes, I have been engaged in spiritual warfare all week AND I believe my prayers are answered. Did you catch that? My prayers ARE answered - maybe not today, tomorrow, or a month from now, but they will be answered in God's timeframe. This is faith in action. This is submitting to God. This is knowing who I am; I am a child of God and he is always good. 
Yes, I know that I sound like a crazy person to many of you.
I don't care. I know who I am through Jesus Christ and I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. Yes, I am a spirit-led, redeemed follower of Jesus Christ and I know who I am through Jesus Christ. 

• I am a coheir of the kingdom
• I have the mind of Christ
• I have a wise counselor
• I can send Satan fleeing
• I am a prayer warrior in the kingdom of God
• I am a fervently dedicated servant of Jesus Christ

Do you know who you are in the kingdom of God? 
The New Testament tells us who we are through Jesus Christ. The Old Testament tells us the history of God's people and why he sent Jesus as the Messiah. If you don't know Jesus or who you are as a Christian, read the New Testament to discover the truth of letting Jesus into your life. 

• 1 Corinthians 1:18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

• Hebrews 12:2

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

• John 14:16-17

16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

• Ephesians 6:11-12

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

• Ephesians 6:16-18

16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

• 1 John 4:4

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

• Galatians 4:7

So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

• James 4:7

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

My Word for 2018 is Jesus, or a Christian New Year's Resolution

Hello all,
You may have noticed that I haven't posted a lot from Dec.4 to Dec. 31. I spent the holiday season focusing on family, friends, and holiday events. However, today is the beginning of a new year and it is time to begin writing again.
I read a post on "Out of the Ashes", a FB public group, that was asking the members to post one word for 2018 as they received their word through prayer. 

My word was immediately given to me - Jesus.  Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Redeemer, Jesus the Teacher, Jesus the Servant, Jesus the Fisher of Men, Jesus the Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Son of God, Jesus the Lord of my Life.
Jesus is in the beginning, middle, and end of my day.
That doesn't mean I don't fall short of his example though. I do. Daily. It is so hard to walk down the narrow path of faith and think of myself as a stranger in this life. I find myself concerned with things that have no bearing on my life as a follower of Jesus.

My actions and behaviors do not always reflect the loving light of Jesus Christ. So what do I do?

1. Ask for Jesus to help me and strengthen my ability to reflect his love and lifestyle as a servant of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit every day. 
2. Stop beating myself up mentally when I fall short and do my best to not repeat the error. Let the error teach me and not condemn me. Condemnation is Satan trying to widen the gap between myself and Jesus. I am not letting him succeed. 
3. Focus on what I am doing right. This simple activity will increase my spiritual connection with the Lord and keep Satan from trapping me into thoughts of condemnation. 
4. Evaluate my activities regularly and not let myself get caught up in busyness that stops me from reading my bible, meditating on the bible, and being a servant. This isn't an excuse to skip out on what the Lord calls me to do, but a way to keep me from getting caught up in activities that don't serve Jesus in anyway. 
5. I need to be a servant of the Lord that is actively asking people if they know Jesus and not a busy part of an organization that isn't fulfilling the needs of orphans, widows, homeless, and hurting people. Unconditional love for the unlovable is part of being a new person filled with the Holy Spirit.
6. Read my bible regularly. All of the bible, not just part of the bible. The bible is the "Sword of the Spirit" and can teach me how to think, act, and keep my mind focused on the new woman that I am. I will grow spiritually this way and begin to find myself speaking the word in my daily life, not quoting, but speaking the word as naturally as breathing. 

Jesus is my word and my way of life for 2018. 

I will continue to be a coheir of the kingdom of God and do my best to reflect the unconditional love and light as a follower of Jesus Christ. 

The Holy Spirit is my counselor, the bible is my instructional manual, and my Jesus will strengthen me to be his servant. 

Happy New Year and may the Lord bless you and keep you through the coming year,
Sallee Bonham

A Joy Filled Woman

Satan the Movie Star - James 4:7

         
In the final battle of Transformers: The Movie
Optimus Prime and Megatron stand face to face with each other. After a moment, Optimus Prime tells his enemy,"One  shall stand, one shall fall." The battle begins and the rock n roll lyrics tell us, "you got the power" as the giant machines crash, smash, and bash each other. Optimus Prime and Megatron hurl each other around until finally, Megatron is lying on the ground and a wounded Optimus Prime is the weary winner.
Satan the Movie Star
Christians have succumbed to a movie version of Satan that portrays him as being a big, powerful enemy who can easily toss God's people around in a battle. We have to sweat and struggle to win against our towering, formidable enemy just like Optimus Prime struggled against Megatron. However, this is not true! We Christians have been deceived, and who is the biggest deceiver there is? That is right, Satan.
A Good Soldier Will Submit, or Follow Orders
The word, submit, has a military meaning. A good soldier follows the orders of his commanding officer without questioning him. A good soldier resists, or stands fast in a battle because he is following his orders. Our weapons are not fists, feet, knives, guns, or other weapons. Our weapons are knowledge of the Bible, prayer, and reliance on God.
Submit to God
When Christians submit to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee. Yes, that's right, Satan will take flight, fly away, scamper off, or run away.  This is not just an assurance from a Biblical writer; it is a promise of God. So let us get this television movie version of Satan OUT of our thinking. It is a lie. Again, I ask you, who is the biggest deceiver and liar in the Bible? That is right, it is our foe who rules this world. BUT he cannot defeat us when we have submitted to our heavenly Father and resisted him. When a spirit-led, coheir of the heavenly kingdom is wearing the armor of God and stands up against the enemy; he will flee, run away, take flight, or scamper off. Satan cannot make Christians do anything.
And the Victor Is A Child of God
I feel like standing up and cheering aloud. Oh yeah! I am the winner in this fight every time! I can just picture myself standing toe to toe with the Deceiver and claiming God's promise by saying, " I am holding fast against you. You cannot defeat me because I am a child of God!" Then the enemy will turn around and scamper away in full flight from the power of God's promise that I just proclaimed aloud. Amen? 

Stand Firm, Stand Strong

The Sunday sermon had me saying,"Amen" softly to myself. 
Bill heard me and turned his head just enough for me to see his face and smiled at me each time I said it.  Honestly, Jesus was in the house! I could feel the Holy Spirit swell inside me and fill me with joy.

I wish I could convey that moment to you!
Listening  to one of God's called pastors giving a sermon using the Sword of the Spirit and letting the Spirit of God through Jesus Christ be in control is unmistakable. To me, the excitement of the indwelling Holy Spirit being joyful because the gospel is being preached feels like an internal bubble that expands as it is filled with the truth and joy of the Word. Leaving church, I felt light and joyful from worshipping the Lord through his holy word and singing praises to Him. 

Taking Notes
I love immersing myself in the Bible and studying what it says so I take notes during sermons. I carry 3 x 5 index cards and a couple of pens in the pocket of my bible cover so that I can take notes during sermons, or just to write a thought down. Sunday, I used the scripture insert from the bulletin that is provided for taking notes during the sermon. My notes are below. 

Sunday Sermon Notes - July 9, 2017

First, the background information about Paul when he wrote to Ephesus. 
Paul was under arrest and chained to a Roman soldier 24 hours a day when he wrote the Ephesian church. Therefore he used military terms for the spiritual battle that each of us must face alone and together as the body of Christ. 

Our pastor started out with Ephesians 5:21:
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

And then he moved on to Ephesians 6:10-14

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 

Click on the verse number to see the parallel bible versions and commentaries at biblehub.com. 

Our pastor emphasized three points from the verses in Ephesians 6:

• Stand strong in God's might.
• Stand armored against evil.
• Stand firm through everything

Standing firm within the body of Christ means to:

• Trust each other
• Join and work together
• Practice discipline and be coordinated
• Pour love out upon each other and others
• Pray

Seek God and God will Speak

Psalm 8:1-4

1 O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth! who have set your glory above the heavens.

2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have you ordained strength because of your enemies, that you might still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained;

4 What is man, that you are mindful of him? and the son of man, that you visit him?

• Lord I find you in the sunrise, the sunset, and the passing clouds in the sky.
• You give your strength to the weakest. I have your strength to still those who stand before me and have ill will.
• Lord, I find you in all of your creations, from the tiniest flower to the expanse of the night sky full of fireworks.
• I am so small, yet you are mindful of me. You visit the son of man. You are infinite, yet you pay attention to the smallest of your creations. 

Psalm 19:1-2

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.

2 Day to day utters speech, and night to night shows knowledge.

• God will speak to me day and night, through his handiwork that is all around me. The heavens themselves show me the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 6:19
20 For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

• God owns me because Jesus paid the price on the cross. I will live in a manner which will glorify God in my body and my spirit. All of me belongs to God.

Jeremiah 29:13
13 And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

• I have found the Lord because I sought him with all my heart. 
• Thank-you Lord for speaking to me through your people, creations, the Holy Bible and through the Holy Spirit.

Worship In The Spirit and Truth - John 4:23-24

23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Spiritual worship is that where the heart is offered to God, and where we do not depend on external forms for acceptance.                            Barnes Notes on the Bible

Worshiping in the Spirit and in Truth Is:

• in our spirit, or inwardly in our minds and hearts
• adoring his majesty
• revering his power
• humbled before his purity
• confiding in his mercy
• praising him for his benefits
• loving him for his extraordinary and transcendent love to us
• being subject to his authority
• obedient to his will
• devoted to his glory
• and striving after a closer union with him
• and a more full conformity to him. 

And all this is through the enlightening, energizing, and comforting influences of his Spirit, the Holy Spirit.                                                                                    adapted from the Benson Commentary

Attitude is Everything in Christ

Chopped!

This morning as I watched "Chopped," the attitude of each chopped competitor caught my attention. 
The losing chef of the appetizer round said, "I failed, but I did learn a few things."
In contrast, the chopped chef of the entree round said,"Being on "Chopped" has been the greatest experience of my life. I have learned so much."
What a difference in attitude!
Both contestants had identical experiences; they competed on a cooking show and each was chopped after competing in a round of cooking the basket ingredients. The first chef gave a lukewarm acknowledgement of having learned something after saying, " I failed." The second chef only saw an amazing experience and an opportunity to learn.
A reminder of my lukewarm attitude
The difference with which each participant accepted not winning struck me as being a significant reminder of  my old self and my new self in my relationship with Jesus Christ. What a perfect illustration for having a lukewarm attitude for Jesus versus having a completely positive attitude for living life with Jesus to its fullest.

Revelation 3:15-16 
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.

I grew up knowing about Jesus. 
As a small child, I loved Jesus with all my heart. As I grew into puberty, my relationship with Jesus became an emotional and religious one. After leaving home, I relied on people, alcohol, and drugs to fulfill my needs. Living this way in the world, cooled my love for Jesus because I didn't have an indwelling Holy Spirit. What I had was a head full of bible knowledge and an empty place where the Holy Spirit should be. 

Matthew 24:12
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 
Revelation 2:4

Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love. 

A Prodigal Daughter Returns

Although I returned to reading my bible and attending church at age 30, my relationship with Jesus didn't extend into all areas of my life. I continued to rely on alcohol and living an ungodly life on Monday to Saturday.  In short, I had not completely submitted to God, or forgiven myself for making bad choices during my twenties. 
Filled with the Holy Spirit
At age 35, after two years of sobriety, I did change my life, leave alcohol behind,and asked Jesus to come into my life as my Lord and my Savior. At my baptism, I heard an internal snap and was filled with immense happiness. I no longer had an empty place where the Holy Spirit should be. 

Romans 6:6
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin.
Romans 12:9

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; hold to that which is good

An Answer to Prayer
During my late husband's illness, I learned to quickly turn to the Lord in prayer. Prayer sustained me through his 12 year battle with illness. The Lord gave me a strength that was well beyond my own abilities as I dealt with children, a sick husband, college classes, and working full-time. Acquaintances would remark that they didn't know how I managed to make it through these tough issues. My answer was always the same, "It is Jesus and not me." During the last six months of his illness, we dealt with a rebellious teenager. Copious amounts of prayer and the Holy Spirit saw me through this difficult time. My love for Jesus had grown tremendously, but I still didn't realize just how much God and Jesus love me. However, I was living a life that reflected my love of Jesus. 

Philippians 1:9
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment

Do you know how much God loves you?
At that time, I loved the Lord, but I still didn't understand how much He loved me, or how much deeper that relationship could be if I would completely submit myself to His Lordship and forgive myself for the past that I could not change. 

Philemon 1:6
That the communication of your faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Widowhood
After my husband's death, I went through a period of readjustment, bereavement, and living in the world. However, my Heavenly Father wasn't going to let go of me.  He put several bold, Christian women into my life to disciple me so that I could learn about the true depths of his love. 
A Revelation of Love
Two years later, after untold hours of bible study, prayer, and fellowship with these women, I finally had a revelation about how much Jesus loves me, I belong to Jesus Christ and not to myself. He took my sin upon himself and the minute I asked him to come into my life, I was forgiven. Finally, I learned to live a joyous life with Jesus to its fullest extent. Today, Jesus is the greatest experience of my life and He is all and in all areas of my life. 

Colossians 3:10-11
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Satan Causes Trials, NOT God

Satan, the prince of this world, gives you trials.
How you live life gives you trials. God is for you, not against you! #godisgood #godloves

Hebrews 10: 14 - 18 
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts,and I will write them on their minds.”
Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”
And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

Jesus' sacrifice made us perfect and holy. 
Today, followers of Jesus are under a new covenant because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The Holy Spirit resides inside all who have submitted to God and asked Jesus Christ to come into their lives. The Holy Spirit puts the new covenant laws in our hearts and writes them on our minds. 

There is no need to give trials to those who already have the Holy Spirit! Our sins are forgiven and sacrifice for sin is no longer needed. 

Trials are not from God. Trials are from the ruler of this present world.

Ephesians 6:12 
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The bible is very clear that the ruler of this world is Satan. This is the enemy who will try to wiggle into your life and cause trials to assault you. This is the enemy who will whisper to you in the dark and try to sway your thinking away from God. 

Satan's battle plan is to stop the co-heirs of the kingdom of God from claiming their inheritance. It is that simple.  

Do You Know Who You Are in Jesus?

I have been listening to Todd White preach via YouTube.
It has been such a blessing! I needed a spiritual refueling and I have received one. Thank you Jesus for giving me what I needed. Thank you Father God.
For years now, my main goal has been to be a servant for Jesus Christ.
I LOVE JESUS! Yes, I want to yell it outloud!
I am valued. I am loved by the King. 
My sins are gone, washed clean by the blood of Jesus. He picked me up out of the miry clay, washed me off, and set me to his purposes when I became willing to be his servant.
I didn't know how much he loved me for a long time.
The Bible was just a book to be studied and read. Yes, that is how my Christianity looked for a long time. Not any more!

Today I am filled with the Holy Spirit.
Today I know God loves me.
Today I know Jesus died for ME.
Today I I just want to be a servant for my master, Jesus Christ.
Today I am filled with JOY.

• Dust off your bible and start reading the New Testament. 
• Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and guide you as you read. 
• Let Christ live in you and become a beacon of love for Jesus.

If you don't know who you are in Jesus Christ, you need to set aside a couple of hours and listen to this video. 
Todd White - Know Who You Are In Christ

Verse of the Week - Romans 8:26 - October 23, 2016

How happy I am that the Holy Spirit dwells in me! 

The Holy Spirit intercedes for me  with God. I may not know what to pray, but the Holy Spirit does.

Sometimes, the only words that I pray is, "Help me, Father." 

In times like this, the Spirit is interceding for me, too. After all, who knows my mind and heart better than the living Spirit of God that dwells within me? 

My Heart is Sad

Additionally, my heart is sad for my brothers and sisters who are living in persecution around the world and the growing immorality all around me. The Holy Spirit takes this sadness I bear and intercedes for me in unspoken groaning to our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus.

Honestly if you are a spirit-filled and a spirit-led child of God, sadness for the state of this world should be in your heart too. This doesn't mean you should be visibly sad, just aware of the inroads the Enemy has made in society around the world.

Can you picture the Holy Spirit groaning our sadness to God in heaven for the state of his creation?  

Verse of the Week - Ephesians 1:13 - October 16, 2016

Having believed is the key here. I believe the gospel of my salvation, the Holy Bible. I believe the truth that it contains. My life is lived according to the Bible and because I believe, I am marked with a seal, the Holy Spirit. 

I don't know about you, but I am in awe of the fact that I am sealed as a child of God by the Holy Spirit. 

Using wax seals on stationary, or important documents, has gone out of fashion. However, we still mark important documents with a watermark that reads important, confidential, or even top secret. These watermarks are incorporated as part of the documents. 

Think about this, the Holy Spirit is like an invisible watermark that is imprinted upon each bible-believing, child of God. The Holy Spirit isn't visible, but our actions should reflect his presence. Do my actions let others see that I am sealed with the Holy Spirit? I surely hope so. 

Putting Off the Old Self and Putting On the New Self

Tonight I am reading Ephesians 4:17-18, and 4:22-24.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 

Putting off my old self was difficult.
Verses 17 and 18 describe me perfectly before I became a spirit-filled, joyful follower of Jesus Christ. Putting off my old self did not happen overnight. My darkened understanding, or stinking thinking, was an ingrained way of thinking.

It took years before I could put off most of my old self,
because I kept trying to take control of my life over and over again. Every time I did this, Jesus let me do it. One positive sign was that I  became quicker at giving myself back to Jesus. Finally, I was able to let Him drive and  I became a passenger who was along for the ride.  However, I still have deceitful desires that keep trying to creep back into my mind. I combat this with prayer and scripture.

God has given me personal revelations through the scriptures that I read. 
One such revelation is that I have been made new and have come to  realize that I am holy. When I surrendered all of me to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit flooded into me and took up residence. My body contains the Holy Spirit and therefore, I am holy.

• Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.

• 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

My Attitude Has Changed
My attitude has changed and  is no longer that of my old self, but my old self continues to let me know that it is there if I let up on spending time with the Lord in prayer and studying my bible.

Today, I thirst to read the Bible.
My bible is dog-eared, creased, and wrinkled because of this thirst. I know it contains all the tools that I need to live my new life. It keeps the old me from resurfacing and softens my heart.

My Bible is Alive
Additionally, my bible is alive with the stories of men and women who lived, breathed, ate, and slept just like me. None of them were without fault. In fact, some of them were quite flawed. However, they completed many important tasks of the Lord in spite of their faults and flaws.

Perfection isn't a requirement to work for God. 
In fact, all He requires of me is to be willing to put Him first before all other pursuits. God wants to be number one in my life and he wants me to be obedient to the plan he has for me. My focus has to stay on God.

Have a Blessed Fourth of July!

I love my country, the United States of America. May the Spirit of Lord be found with you and keep you safe over the 2016 Fourth of July, or Independence Day, holiday weekend. Enjoy the time with your friends and family! May God bless America.
Sallee Bonham
A Joy Filled Woman

Verse of the Week - 1 Corinthians 12:3 - June 26, 2016

Matthew Henry made the following points in his bible commentary:

• No man can call Christ Lord, with believing dependence upon him, unless that faith is wrought by the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit. 

Note: Wrought means to have an effect or influence, as on a person or on the mind or feelings of a person. 

• No man could believe with his heart, or prove by a miracle, that Jesus was Christ, unless by the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit.
•  There are various gifts...but all proceed from one God, one Lord, one Spirit; that is, from the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the origin of all spiritual blessings. 
• No man has them (various gifts) merely for himself. 
• The more he profits others, the more will they turn to his own account. 

Verse of the Week - Luke 11:13 - June 19, 2016

Photo by Cassandra Buchmiller  Photo editing by Sallee Bonham

Bagnall Dam, MO

I grew up going to Bagnall Dam at Lake of the Ozarks because my grandma had a cabin down river from the dam. Occasionally, my mom and dad would take us to the dam by boat. 

At the dam, 

a small amount of water trickles through the flood gates at the dam all the time to generate power. However, when the electric company receives a request for more power during peak demand times, the flood gates are opened wider and this allows more water to gush through the flood gates to generate more power. 

Luke 11 states that even bad people know how to give good gifts to their children. 

Everyone can let a small amount of good enter their lives,  just like a dam always trickles a small amount of water to generate power.

Likewise, Christians have a trickle of the Holy Spirit flow into them the minute that they turn to Jesus and our Father in heaven. 

However, when we ask our Father in heaven to receive the Holy Spirit,
He opens up the spiritual flood gates and allows the Holy Spirit to surge forth into us. The Holy Spirit then counsels and empowers us to become more like our Father in Heaven. 

Taking a Time Out at Jesus' Feet

Congestive heart failure. That is the diagnosis an extended family member received. The good part of this news is that the diagnosis isn't terminal and my family member knows Jesus.

However, I really need to take a spiritual time out with Jesus. This bit of song is running through my mind:

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Oh how I love Jesus,

           because He first loved me.

Yes, Jesus loves me and oh how I love him!

Appeal

Lord Jesus, just let me feel the peace and serenity that flows from you to me through the Holy Spirit as I spend some time with you this morning, just sitting at your feet. 

Prayer

Lord, I am asking you to extend your hand to heal my family member and I am asking this in your mighty name, Jesus. Amen

Acts 4:29-30 NASB

 29“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 

Tired, Worn Out, and Standing on Scripture

An overloaded schedule has finally caught up to me and I need some down time to rest and heal.

Can you identify? I am feeling my mortality today.

However, I know that faith and the Holy Spirit heals because the bible verses below tell me this is true.

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith: be it to you even as you will. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.   Matthew 15:28 AKJV

11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.   Romans 8:11 AKJV

The Canaanite woman had great faith.
She believed Jesus had the power to heal her daughter and set out to gain a healing for her daughter. She followed behind Jesus and the disciples, crying out for that help.She couldn't be ignored and her faith was rewarded with a healed daughter.

The phrase "quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you" continues to catch my attention  today.
The Holy Spirit is in me. No doubt about that. Now to believe the scripture and know, with no doubt, KNOW that the Holy Spirit is quickening my mortal body.

Today, I will continue to cry out to Jesus in prayer and believe that my mortal body is being quickened by the Holy Spirit. These feelings will pass. They are temporary. My energy will return. 

All parents want to comfort their children and take joy from seeing them happy and healthy. Our Father in heaven is no different. I just need to rest and ponder these two scriptures for awhile.

Love Your Church Family as Yourself

Church members are a family.
Through Jesus, we are born again into a family that has one common thread - we all accept Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives. Additionally, brothers and sisters in faith share a love of Jesus which should extend to each other. However, siblings in faith do not always get along.

Hurt feelings, angry feelings, and snappy words are all harmful to the family of God.
Guess who is thrilled with dissension among a church family? Yes, you know the answer - Satan, the master of dissension and deception. Remember the slogan,"What Would Jesus Do?, or WWJD." That slogan is a simple way for brothers and sisters in faith to decide how to handle difficult situations with each other.

In our heart, each of us knows what Jesus would do. In fact, if we are listening, the Holy Spirit himself, our communicator between the Son and ourselves, will tell us exactly what to do. At that point, it is up to each individual to decide if he or she is willing to follow the wise counselor's guiding, or not.

Additionally, the Bible tells us over and over that we are to love one another.
Let go of grudges, revenge, and anger right now! In the end, God and Jesus will judge the right and wrong of things. Love your church family as yourself and spread some peace, love, and joy today!

1 Peter 2:17 NIV
Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor

Romans 12:10 NIV
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves

Leviticus 19:18 NIV
"'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

1 John 4:21 NIV
And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister