<![CDATA[Encouraging You Today - Rejoice!]]>Sat, 02 Sep 2023 01:28:50 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Healing]]>Sat, 17 Sep 2016 09:21:50 GMThttps://www.encouragingyoutoday.org/rejoice/healing
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When I received a diagnosis and went to make a note of it in my calendar, a scripture came to mind ever so quietly, "Why sit we here till we die?" (Story about the lepers in 2 Kings 7).
When I received a diagnosis and went to make a note of it in my calendar, a scripture came to mind ever so quietly, "Why sit we here till we die?" (Story about the lepers in 2 Kings 7). Another example God brought to mind was when the disciples saw Jesus talking with Elijha and Moses, they wanted to build an alter to remember the "moment", Jesus told them "No". What both of these passages of scripture ministered to me was that if I dwell on what man says, I can get stuck RIGHT there...missing what God has for me as I press toward the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The 1st Matrix provides another awesome visual. Once Neo realizes that while in the realm others consider to be reality, the only way he could physically die was in his mind - As a man thinks in his heart, so he becomes (Proverbs 23:7). Neo got up off the ground, turned and looked at the enemy he was fighting and gave them the hand sign to "bring it!" The enemy started shooting and he put one hand behind his back and the other he raised to stop the bullets from hitting him. Instead, an invisible wall stopped the bullets and he plucked one, looked at it and let go of it, causing the other bullets to fall to the ground - which represent the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16). Those bullets could NOT touch him!

I hope this makes sense to you...I said all of this to challenge you. Do NOT allow your faith to rest in the wisdom of man. Instead, put ALL faith in the Power of God! (1 Corinthians 2:5). He IS faithful to complete that which HE started! (Philippians 1:6)

STAY encouraged! Surround yourself with the Word of God all over your house with sticky notes. I call it get you some "You saids". The way Jesus defeated the enemy after His 40 day fast was with, "It is written..." You said's present God's promises back to Him. NOT to remind Him of His own Word...It is to remind US of what belongs to and is rightfully our inheritance as Children of THE Most High God, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
]]><![CDATA["Reaching into Garbage"]]>Sun, 24 May 2015 02:37:39 GMThttps://www.encouragingyoutoday.org/rejoice/reaching-into-garbage
"Just like a dog returning to it's own vomit" (2 Peter2:22).
I read something on Facebook that noted, "I just saw a man reach into the garbage can and got food and something to drink...it could have been me".
I hear and understand that, as well as my heart goes out to the individual. A lot of people say, "I am one paycheck away from being him/her". When in all actuality, you are closer than you think.

When we go back to something that God has delivered us from - as scripture describes it as a dog returning to its own vomit - we are spiritually "poor/suffering" and going back to the "trash" as well. I know I myself have experienced this - on a number of occasions. But instead of dwelling on the return to vomit, I focus on how much faster I get it back on track than the last time!
]]><![CDATA[God Is In Control]]>Sun, 15 Mar 2015 00:54:35 GMThttps://www.encouragingyoutoday.org/rejoice/god-is-in-control
Today is gonna be a good day! Why? Because God is in control! He is bigger, stronger, more patient, loving, kind, extender of grace and mercy than anyone else! He has already made provision for today - it is up to me to accept it...to take each day as one day at a time.
Living in the present has proven invaluable to me. It helps to shed a lot of worry - something I had not realized until today has been a constant companion. Anything that takes your focus off of God and puts it on a/the situation IS worry.

I also recently realized that I had allowed pride to seep in. When I went job hunting initially, I was quick to make sure everyone knew that I had a Masters degree and that I was not going to settle for just any rue-da-poo job. After all, I AM a child of the King! What I failed to realize is that the same rue-da-poo job might be what God would have me to do. My place of reference - a starting point. Failing to be led by the Spirit of God is a sure fire condition for failure. Once I got quiet - or shall I say quieted myself - I realized that God was indeed calling me to FCC again. Once I accepted that, a peace that passed all understanding overtook me...and joy! I am so excited to get started again! I am not sure of how long I will be doing FCC - I just know for right now, this is where GOD has me at. I choose to rest in today - to focus on today and take it one day at a time!

        "But I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead"
(Philippians 3:13).

       "When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon closed door that we do not see the one which has opened to us" (Alexander Graham Bell).

       "Its only a two-letter word, but that little word - "if" - stalls our growth and holds us back. When we "if" our lives away, we are giving away our power"
("Stress Less and Enjoy Each Day").                                                                  

        "When we have a iffy perspective on life, we choose to ride down a road filled with stop signs rather than enjoying our present. You are stopped and can't move forward when 'if only' starts [or ends] our day"
("Choosing Contentment" - David Zerfoss).

]]><![CDATA[Brokenness]]>Mon, 29 Dec 2014 00:51:18 GMThttps://www.encouragingyoutoday.org/rejoice/sun-dec-28-2014
It's been a minute since I posted on this page. Been going through some things that have truly been humbling and have afforded me the opportunity to be broken.
Brokenness at first is a horrible process...so it seems. But when you come out on the other side? My God!!!! Direction becomes clear, vision is attainable and you realize without this process, you would still be floundering!

Prayer:
God, I thank you for the opportunity to go THROUGH this trial - not around it, under it, or even over it - for THROUGH it is where I grow in You! Thank You for Your faithfulness...for being right there with me...softly encouraging me. You truly are an awesome God!

John 6:63 "The Spirit is the one who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." (LEB)
]]><![CDATA[Stumble To Walk]]>Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:32:01 GMThttps://www.encouragingyoutoday.org/rejoice/stumble-to-walk
"The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall for the Lord upholds him with His hand."    (Psalm 37:23-24 NIV)                                                                             
What a wonderful verse. It gives me a picture of holding a toddlers hands who is learning to walk. You give them just enough slack to offer them freedom yet still know you are there. They can choose to let go and wobble or stay in the comfort of your hands. If they stumble, you are right there to sure up their balance. A toddler is fearless as fear is a taught reaction - one they have yet learn.

God is the same way with us. We can choose to hold on to Him for balance, or let go and wobble away...striking out on our own. If we hold on however, allowing Him to lead and guide us - to trust in Him - He is able to lead us on a path of eternal life - one full of peace, joy, love, surrender, vulnerability, submission, tenderness, self-control, and so on.

The above scripture also reminds me of a message preached by one of the Elders in our church. It was about "Keeping it moving. Don't get stagnate...even if it is one step, albeit small or big, KEEP IT MOVING!"

Another message brought forth on the same day was about getting "MAD: Meditate, Analyze, and Decide". Meditating on something causes you to analyze it and then you should make a decision --> KEEP IT MOVING!

I now realize that all of the steps I took a few months ago to submit my resume, apply for jobs, and visit an employment agency, were all steps leading me to being sure of my next career move. I had to take those steps. To allow myself to be vulnerable, to receive rejection as well as acceptance in the form of not getting a job or being offered a job. I had to learn that I do have something to offer society beyond working in a child care setting - although I know ministering to children is one of my callings. I don't necessarily understand why God would call me to such a task, but I choose to bask in His Glory while doing it in excellence - just like when you take your first steps outside on a beautiful day. The temperature is just right, a nice breeze, and you look up at the sky that is so blue you feel like it goes on endlessly. You are basking in God's  beauty!

Prayer:
I bask in Your calling for my life Lord! For You said that I am fearfully and wonderfully made! I trust that You know EXACTLY what You are doing. I forgive and release myself NOW from any mistakes that I will make and make a decision to learn from them and allow them to propel me on the journey YOU have me on. Thank You Father for placing your confidence in me - Thank You for believing in me - even when I could not believe in myself. I CHOOSE to treat each and every mistake as a learning opportunity - both past and present!
]]><![CDATA[Woman in the Mirror]]>Mon, 21 Apr 2014 00:18:41 GMThttps://www.encouragingyoutoday.org/rejoice/help-me-to-face-me
“Lord, help me to face me...
The good...the bad...and the ugly. All of me! The me nobody sees but You. The me only You can love. The me that at times is starved for attention. The me that feels it is my job to fix those around me.
Father, You said that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You said that I am the head and not the tail – above only and not beneath. When You created me, You created a masterpiece – one that is marvelous in Your eyes!
I realize that in the same way I have been urging others around me to not sign for the packages from the enemy – I have a few that I need to return myself! It is okay to be frustrated…it is what I do with that frustration that matters. Do I act on it? And if so, is it in a positive or negative way. How can I respond better next time? Things that make me go hmmmmm!
]]><![CDATA[It's Time]]>Wed, 20 Nov 2013 22:44:22 GMThttps://www.encouragingyoutoday.org/rejoice/its-time
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
                                                                 Romans 8:5-11
Too often we get caught up in living our lives according to our negative thoughts; thoughts as simple as, “I don’t feel like doing this.” It is when we decide to deny those thoughts that we have the victory.

"The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; because the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God".
If we think back on those times when our day is not going according to planned; all kinds of negative thoughts are going through our head. Do you know these thoughts originated from our flesh which is our old sinful nature when we belong to Christ? Our flesh is attempting to have us resurrect it by bombarding us with thoughts about what we should have done or how we could have handled things differently, and all these thoughts totally going against who we now are in Christ Jesus. How do we stop ourselves from resurrecting our flesh in situations like these? We allow the Spirit of God who dwells on the inside of us, to bubble forth with thoughts of victory. We choose to focus on the things of God, according to Philippians 4:8.

"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the
Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have
the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in
you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness".

Praise God! This is a promise from God Himself to us! We are already have what it takes to be controlled by the Spirit because it is God Himself living in us! Our spirit is alive BECAUSE of righteousness, we ALREADY have a right standing with God! HALLELUJAH! Then, to throw any doubt out, God goes on to say:

"And if the same Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is
living in you, He (the Spirit) who raised Christ from the dead will
also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you".

Praise your Holy name God!
We have just discovered a truth that will sustain and keep us free of negative thoughts if we so choose it to do so! But HOW
do we do it? We do it according to Romans 13:14 which states:

"Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not
think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

In other words, decide to put on the mind of Christ and refuse to think about anything that attempts to get you to resurrect your old sinful nature!

(Words in italics are added for emphasis)
All scriptures are from the NIV translation
]]><![CDATA[Of Great Price]]>Wed, 19 Jan 2005 22:58:55 GMThttps://www.encouragingyoutoday.org/rejoice/of-great-price
Why are you continuing to promote your flesh, (your old way of thinking), when your flesh is the one that is dying daily.  Your recreated human spirit, which is the real you, is being renewed (renovated) day by day. 
The Bible says that in the sight of God, a meek and quiet spirit is of great price.  Are you allowing who is on the inside of you to come to the forefront?  Think about it.  Who is it that God says you are?  I watched a man teaching on television today that made this very real to me.  The man said that inside of Saul was a Paul, inside of Jacob was an Israel, and inside of Abram was an Abraham.  When God looked at His above named children, He saw the real them.  He was not caught up in who man said they were or who they even perceived themselves to be.  He saw them as new creations, and that is why He renamed them.

I am afforded the awesome opportunity to work with children on a daily basis.  In this career, I am allowed to see the possibilities of a recreated human spirit.  Children have not been tainted with circumstances, views or opinions.  They love unconditionally, trust explicitly, and express extravagantly, enjoying who they are.  They observe the world with the eyes of God, hear with the ears of God, touch with the hands of God, and live in the faith of God.

When a parent tells a child they will do something, belief is written all over that child’s face and they continue to remind the loved one of what they were told.  Expectancy of the promise is in their hearts so much, they will not accept anything less.  Think of when you were a child.  A parent promised you your favorite toy, yet never delivered.  Even today, you hold onto that promise.

A child operates in the purist form of humility, mastering in it.  They realize their parents’ power and authority and know them as a place of refuge.  Whether hurting or in need of a hug; running to a parent is their primary choice.  Even if their parent is upset, the child refuses to allow what is temporary to affect their eternal, boldly going before their parent to remind them of the promises that have been made.  Could this be why Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven?”

If you adopt children’s way of thinking, their tenacity, and determination, you will see how it is possible to live life from your recreated human spirit rather than out of your flesh that is dying daily.  You will begin to focus and think on the things that will promote you in life and propel you in your walk with Christ.  You will use circumstances that could normally destroy a nonbeliever, to push you into another personal breakthrough.

Scripture references:
2 Corinthians 4:16, 1 Peter 3:4, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Matthew 18:3, Philippians 4:8

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