Out with the Old

“Moving Forward” by Israel Houghton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM8eVnrf8OQ

Oh, hey, what a moment You have brought me to?
Such a freedom I have found in You
You're the healer who makes all things new, yeah, yeah, yeah

I'm not going back, I'm moving ahead
Here to declare to You my past is over in You
All things are made new, surrendered my life to Christ
I'm moving, moving forward, oh

You have risen with all power in Your hands
You have given me a second chance
Hallelujah, hallelujah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh

I'm not going back, I'm moving ahead
Here to declare to You my past is over in You
All things are made new, surrendered my life to Christ
I'm moving

Not going back, moving ahead
Here to declare to You, my past is over in You
All things are made new, surrendered my life to Christ
I'm moving, moving forward
Said I'm moving forward, oh yeah

Singing You make all things new
Yes, You make all things new and I will follow You forward, oh
You make all things new
You make all things new and I will follow You forward

You make all things new
Yes, You make all things new and I will follow You forward
You make all things new
Yes, You make all things new and I will follow You forward

I will follow You forward, yeah, oh, oh

(retrieved online via google)

Deciding I Should Correct Indestructible Pleasures,

Learning I am a New Example for others -

DISCIP-LINE

 the ocean renews itself every time a wave hits the shore
North Shore Kauai

Life must be renewed. As women, every month our menstrual cycle is renewed. Annually we have Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. In Spring, the new leaves on trees begin to appear, being renewed. In the Fall, the old leaves fall away.

Our minds must be renewed according to scripture (Rom 12:2 - Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. NLT).

Old things must pass away as it does every fall, with the death of a loved one who is advanced in years, as it is with our menstrual cycle.

What does this have to do with Discipline? Moving forward?

We have to discipline ourselves to pray, study the word of God and praise God no matter the circumstances in order to know the word of God so that we can pray the will of God. We must embrace change. We must surrender our will to that of the Father. Allow the Holy Spirit to be our lead and our guide.

How can we stay on the path God has for us, Jer 29:11-12, if we do not go to the Lord to ask His direction at all times through prayer. God brings us to many moments in Him, are we listening for them, watching for them, allowing our hearts to be changed by Him in order to enjoy those moments.

If we stay humble and disciplined, God will show us favor with Himself and with man. We must be obedient. We must walk according to His way, His will whether it feels good or not.

Sometimes I do not like to wake up early because I like to sleep. I must be disciplined to wake up early in order to spend time with the Lord before I start my day through praying and studying the word of God. If I don’t do so, I will not have a good day. I will not have the word of God hidden in my heart to keep me as I meet various people and meet various situations with people. I must seek Him early in the morning. I must give Him first place in my life through discipline. If I don’t discipline myself, the Lord will have no problem disciplining me because He loves me. If He disciplines me, He will wake me up at 0 dark thirty to pray, read my word or for Him to speak to my heart. Once I am obedient in that, He may allow me to get the rest that I need. It is so much better when I do it than when He has to do it…I love my Daddy anyhow.

How can we grow if we do not release the past, release the fear, releasing faith instead and embracing the new? We have to allow God to heal the broken pieces of our lives, tie a knot in the rope, so that we can be repaired and grow closer to Him. Growing closer to Him allows us to enjoy His presence like never before. His presence will give us peace and joy, it will surround us with grace and favor, and it will change us, shape us and mold us to be who we are called to be in Him.

We have to lose the shackles that easily bind us up. Those things that the enemy meant for bad, yet God turned around for our good so that we can have a greater anointing in Him.

At times we have to look back to see where we have been, learn from it and move forward. We cannot stay in the past. We can use the past for our testimonies, learning from our mistakes and our successes, yet we must be disciplined enough to say ‘Yes’ Lord and do what He has called us to do at this time and at this season. There will be a blessing in the obedience and joyful acceptance of what He is doing in and through you. Others will be blessed by your presence.

You will be blessed by your obedience and the residue of your obedience by those people that God allows to cross your path.

If it were not for the Lord, you would not be where you are at today, so give Him some praise for what He has brought you through in 2011 and look forward to His governing in 2012.

Watch and see what the Lord will do, write it all down and watch!

© princess joyful

 

“I won’t go back” by William McDowell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZNj8B6z64U

I've been changed
Healed
Freed
Delivered

I've found joy
Peace
Grace
And favor

[William McDowell] I've been changed [Choir] I've been changed
[William McDowell] In the presence of the lord, I have been: Healed
[William McDowell] Freed; [Choir] freed
[William McDowell] Delivered; [Choir] delivered

[William McDowell] In your presence of the lord:
I've found joy
Peace
[William McDowell] Grace; [Choir] Grace
[William McDowell] And favor; [Choir] and favor

[William McDowell] And right now; [Choir] right now is the moment
[William McDowell] Today; Today is the day
[William McDowell] I've been changed; [Choir] I've been changed
[William McDowell] I've been changed; [Choir] I've been changed
[William McDowell] And I have waited; [Choir] I have waited for this moment to come
And I won't let it pass me by...

[Chorus]
[William McDowell] So we say
[Choir] I won't go back, can't go back, to the way it used to be
Before your presence; came and changed me
[William McDowell] Say I won't
[Choir] I won't go back, I can't go back, to the way it used to be
Before your presence came and changed me

[Verse 2]
[Choir]
All my shame
Guilt
Sins
[William McDowell] They've been forgiven, [Choir] Forgiven

No more chains
Fear
[William McDowell] My past [Choir] My past [William McDowell] is over [Choir] is over

[William McDowell] Say right now; [Choir] right now is the moment
[William McDowell] Today; Today is the day
[William McDowell] I've been changed; [Choir] I've been changed
[William McDowell] Come on someone declare that, I've been changed; [Choir] I've been changed
[William McDowell] I have waited; [Choir] I have waited for this moment [William McDowell] this moment right here I have waited all my life [Choir] to come
And I won't let it pass me by...

[Chorus]
[William McDowell] So we say
[Choir] I won't go back, can't go back, to the way it used to be
Before your presence came and changed me
[William McDowell] Would you lift up your voices as loud as you can and say?
[Choir] I won't go back, can't go back, to the way it used to be
Before your presence came and changed me
[William McDowell] Come on, somebody, lift your voice and declare it and say
[Choir] I won't go back, can't go back, to the way it used to be
Before your presence came and changed me
[William McDowell] Somebody say... I won't go back, say
[Choir soft] I won't go back, can't go back, to the way it used to be
Before your presence came and changed me

(retrieved online via google)

All roads lead to God!

Have you ever wondered why you do the things you do? What about the things that come to you so naturally? We all have a path to walk, according to the divine plan that God has for us. (Jer 29:11)

Many times, when we take that step of faith (Heb 11:1) we begin the journey that God has planned for us without really knowing where we will end up. I never would have dreamed that I would end up living in Japan, North eastern Japan, mind you, in the Northern Pacific Ocean, so far away, in my mind, from my home, my place of birth, Barbados, a small island nation in the middle of the Caribbean Sea on the Western side and on the Eastern shore by the Atlantic Ocean. The middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The closest Caribbean island nation to the African continent. Wow…

God knew me before I was formed in my mother’s womb. He knew that on this day, I would be here. Thankful, joyful, faithful, loving Him as only I can love Him. Just truly grateful for who He is in my life. My Creator. My Healer. My Restorer. My Rescuer. My Waymaker. My Provider. My Banner. My Protector. My Guide. My Teacher.

What can separate me from God? Nothing.  Rom 8:38 - 39 state, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I know that no matter what happens in my life, whether a supervisor despises me, a stranger has ill will or ill thoughts towards me, an acquaintance wishes evil upon me, God has full knowledge and control over me, over my life and will use my enemies as my footstool. All things work together for the good of those who are in Christ Jesus, those who Love God, those who are called according to His purpose – my paraphrase. (Rom 8:28)

Ps 136 is so defining for me of who God is, especially when I believe in my heart that “His faithful love endures forever and I continually give Him thanks. He is the Creator, the Conqueror and the Compassionate One:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.

⁴ Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁵ Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁶ Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁷ Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
⁸ the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
⁹ and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever.

¹⁰ Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹¹ He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹² He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹³ Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁴ He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁵ but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁶ Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.

¹⁷ Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁸ He killed powerful kings—
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁰ and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever.
²¹ God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
His faithful love endures forever.
²² a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever.

²³ He remembered us in our weakness.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁴ He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁵ He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever.

We have nothing to fear when we walk with God. We are to first have Faith. Then we must Believe. We must also Trust. Then we have Hope. Then we stay in Prayer and Praise. Sometimes we must renew our minds. We must have the vision that God has given to us. We must accept it. We must be content where we are at on the way to where we are going.

 

Have Faith – Heb 11:1 -- Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. (NLT)

Trust – Prov 3;5-6 -- Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (NLT)

Believe – Mark 11:23 - 24 -- I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. (NLT)

Forgive – Mark 11: 25 -- But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. (NLT)

Pray – Matt 6:33 -- Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (NLT)

Pray, Praise and Peace – Phil 4:6- 7 -- Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (NLT)

We live with Love for others at all times. Unconditional Love. Unfailing Love.

When we walk with God, we are not perfect, we are not fearful. He is the only perfect one. He gives us Love. He gives us Power. He gives us a Sound Mind. He perfects us in His timing according to His divine will and divine plan for our lives. We are walking out our soul salvation. We are allowing Him to make us over by reading our word. He Transforms Us. He Restores Us. We are allowing Him to do a new thing by singing His praises. What we put into our heart will come out of our mouth. Our actions will tell the story of our lives.

Our legacy will be based upon the things we do. We speak life to our situations. In the beginning God spoke. The earth was created. What are you speaking today? What you speak frames the life that you live and experience.

Faith – Do you have it?           (Matt 17:20)                                    

Vision – Do you write it down?        (Hab 2:2)                      

Renewal – Are you reading your word daily? (Ps 1:2)

No matter what you are dealing with today, God sees, God hears, God knows and if you bow your knees, let go of your pride, ask Him for help, submit to Him, All roads will lead to the One who Created you for His purpose and His plan.

He Is, I AM!

scripture verses are taken from www.biblegateway.com

© Princess of Faith 2011.

Resting in the arms of God

Are you ready to continue to rest in Him?

There is nothing like being at rest in God, especially when you know He is all you have. He supplies your every need, there is no lack in your house, you are in your right mind and all is well. At least seemingly on the outside it appears that way. On the inside, your thoughts have overtaken you. You are praying unceasingly, asking for guidance, direction, hearing only silence.

You begin your journey, knowing that your responsibility is to trust God, to continue to depend on Him and to fear not. Then He gives you a vision, so vivid that it is prophetic for you. You ponder it, meditate on it, get some feedback on the meaning, yet you know in your spirit that God is saying so much to you. It is colorful, full of promise and hope, the future is going to unfold before your eyes, with you as a participant without having to do much of anything.

You attend church on Sundays, read a few novels, and do what you have to do to get ready for where He has taken you. The word that God gave you personally comes up again – Confidence. A word that you live by is a part of the sermon – Excellence. A word that you know and God has trained you in is delivered – Humility. What can I say, God is reassuring me, comforting me and letting me know I am on the right track and He has it all under control. I love my Daddy and I praise Him continually for loving me, even when He is protecting me from me and my sinful nature and desires…

It is not about me. It is all about Him and the plans He has for me (Jer 29:11).

It is all about doing His will, no matter what others try to make you think about you, causing you to live in fear and not faith (Is 41:10).

It is knowing that He will perfect you since He called you and chose you to perform the mission He has given you (Rom 8:28).
 

We must have faith. (Heb 11:1)

We must make our petitions known. (Jer 33:3)

We must persevere and be persistent.

We must pursue Jesus – crying out, calling out to Him, daily. (Ps 18:6)

We must believe. (Mark 11:24)

We must trust. (Prov 3: 5-6)

We must overcome the obstacles that will come.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd8noCRtWQo - Take Rest in Me - Deitrick Haddon

He will take care of me and you because you/me/we are the apple of His eye and He loves us so!

©PrincessJoyful

Rejection is a beast

Well, I have been rather silent because some things have been resonating in my spirit and I have had to sit and be still. As I sat, I prayed, worshipped and just spent time in study and the word, still doing the will of God in that season. It is important to sit at the Master's feet, just soaking up what He is speaking. I listened to this song and it spoke to my heart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9VSQXBKLwQ 

He has spoken...Confidence, Trust, Believe, Hope

This week was rough on many levels. My heart is hurting. I want to crawl under a rock, and just let go, never to return to this place. O the tears...The sense of rejection, whether it is from friends, family, job, even spiritually, is a beast. It hurts like hell. It causes pain that you thought you would never feel again in your life. At the end of the distraught and hurt and pain, there is a rainbow. I am still looking at the rainbow, it has not totally manifested in my life yet GOD! I know that God has a purpose and plan for me so I am speaking Life to myself and I am holding on. Are you holding on? I can still Dream. I can still have Hope. I can still have Faith. It is all in the perspective of how we deal with the rejection. The enemy thought he had me and had my focus. God has my focus even through the hurt and the pain. A miracle is on its way to my life. God is still in control of Me, my heart, my mind, my soul, my life.

Submitting to the Lord in everything, Totally Submitted, is the life that I want, giving myself away so that God can use me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ofQmeao9I

When all chips are down, God is up to something.

The scriptures that I am holding onto are Gal 6: 9 - 10, "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith." and 1 Jn 5:14 - "And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him."

I cannot make it without God and I have to crawl into His bosom at this time. No fear, Only Faith. Walking according to His word, not my feelings or what I see. It is not an easy road, but I know that My God will supply all of My needs because I am sold out to Him, my Mind is made up, and I will go Through because there is no where else for me to go. I will continue in Him. With all the emotional pain, the anger, the disappointment, there is still no place like being in the arms of My Daddy, who gently loves me and keeps my feet on solid ground because He is carrying me when I am weak. God takes everything that I was and makes me who I am, He is still making me because I am allowing Him to, as I worship Him.

I had a great conversation with a friend who told me that when others see me, meaning perfect strangers, I don't show any weakness. He told me I carry myself as if I have it all together. I smiled. I told him that you know I don't have it all together when my nails are raggedy and my hair is over a week old and looking like I need some help. None of us are perfect and I will be the first to tell you I am no where near perfect. I guess when I am feeling my worse, people still see the strength that I have from God. I have been told that I need to soften up because I can be intimidating. I have to look like a wounded deer as I am too strong. Not sure how God is going to work this in my life, yet I know He is! I have heard these statements too much in the last month for God not to be working on it in my life. I am such a private person that only those who know me intimately know the naked and true me, the one who cries at a the sign of anything, the one who will give you the last that she has, the one who will bend over backwards and fight for you and with you, the one who will be loyal to the end and love you unconditionally, the quiet one who will sit and wait patiently on you, the one you can call at any hour with a need and I will try everything in my power to meet it, the compassionate one who loves to share and take care of things. Preparation is not lost time...I am being prepared!!!

God is so strong. God loves us so much. I love my God! I love You!

God has a way of speaking to us through song and it has been a wonderful worship experience.

my Daddy, my Protector, my Healer, my Waymaker, my Righteousness, my Source, my Banner, my Provider, my Prince of Peace.

Daily Helps and Encouragement

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.

If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.

If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.



                                                    A DAILY SURVIVAL KIT:

--TOOTHPICK: To remind you to pick out the good qualities in others. See Matthew 7:1

--RUBBER BAND: To remind you to be flexible; things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out.  See Romans8:28

--BANDAID: To remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else`s.
See Colossians 3:12-14

--PENCIL: To remind you to list your blessings everyday.  See Ephesians1:3

--ERASER: To remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it`s okay.
See Genesis 50:15-21

--CHEWING GUM: To remind you to stick with it, and you can accomplish anything. See Phillippians 4:13

--MINT: - To remind you that you are worth a mint.
 See John 3:16-17

--CANDY KISS: To remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday.
See 1 John 4:7

--TEA BAG: To remind you to relax daily and go over that list of blessings.
See 1 Thessolonians 5:18


                                                           Encouragement

For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for each one....

You say: "It`s impossible"  God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

You say: "I`m too tired"  God says: I will give you rest  (Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: "Nobody really loves me" God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)

You say: "I can`t go on" God says: My grace is sufficient       (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: "I can`t figure things out" God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say: "I can`t do it"  God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

You say: "I`m not able"  God says: I am able  (II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: "It`s not worth it"  God says: It will be worth it  (Roman 8:28)

You say: "I can`t forgive myself" God says: I FORGIVE YOU      (I John 1:9& Romans 8:1)

You say: "I can`t manage"  God says: I will supply all your needs   (Philippians 4:19)

You say: "I`m afraid"  God says: Ihave not given you a spirit of fear  (II Timothy 1:7)

You say: "I`m always worried and frustrated"     God says: Cast all your cares on ME     (I Peter 5:7)

You say: "I don`t have enough faith" God says: I`ve given everyone a measure of faith    (Romans 12:3)

You say: "I`m not smart enough" God says: I give you wisdom  (I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: "I feel all alone" God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

Be still...standing still

What do I mean, be still...standing still... The word of God tells us in Ps 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God!  I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” - NLT.

I have had this scripture hidden in my heart since I lived in HI, 2001, yet it was only in the last few weeks that I saw part b...

When the Lord told me to be still, I knew for me, it meant be quiet, do nothing, say nothing, think nothing, just BE STILL...when I am standing still, I feel as if He is working everything out that I desire, His presence is so covering me that there is nothing that I have to do, say, think, JUST STAND on His Promises and know that "I can do ALL things through Him who Strengthens me". Being still and standing still for me then is truly a trust and faith walk with the Lord, my Daddy, my Father, My Provider, My Waymaker, My Healer, My Strength, believing that He is working everything out For My Good.

I have to trust and know that when I am still, being obedient, He is in the background doing everything that He wants to do for me, things that I have asked Him for and those that He just wants to bless me with. I am so excited that all I have to do is open my heart to Him, keep my eyes focused on Him and sit back, relax, continue to read His word, continue to pray, continue to seek His Face and allow Him to truly be God in my Life. Allowing Him to do all the work...

As I have been pondering this statement, "being still...standing still", it has been interesting because in the books of Nehemiah and Esther, it was the same King who allowed his butler to go to rebuild the city of his people and blessed the man who sat at the gate in rags. He did not hesitate to support his butler and give him what he needed. The king could have said no when he heard the troubles of his butler, instead he sent him with stuff to rebuild his family land and to protect him as he was there. Later on, he became a governor in the land, qualified or not, that is the blessing he received for his obedience. God rebuilds us and protects us when we are in a place of standing still and being still before Him. When we praise Him in all things, stand on His word, meditate on His word, listen to His voice, fast and pray, He changes us from the inside out. We will change us, rebuild us, protecting us, removing those things that are not like Him, pouring more of Himself into us and drawing us closer to Him. God will bless us more than we think, imagine and put us above others who do not think we should even be where we are but it does not matter, God qualifies us! The king cared about his people enough, more than his own needs, to send his butler out to help others. Is Jesus not like that for us? God cares so much about us that he sent Jesus, to redeem us back to Him, Jesus cared more about us than His own needs that He said, "not my will, but Yours Lord", when the soldiers came to carry him to the cross. Jesus was helping us not Himself...

Back to Ps 46:10b, God says "He will be honored in the nations and throughout the world" and it hit me like a ton of bricks that if we are truly still before God, He will give honor to those around you, those in your sphere of influence, you will be given more responsibility, more credibility, more access, greater freedom, all for His glory. Those who think they know you will see a different person. They may be even shocked to see the God in You rise to such favor and prominence. This happened to Mordecai in Esther.

You see, Mordecai was not liked by Haman because Mordecai stood by the Word of God and did not give his Allegience (loyalty) to no one but God. God did not allow the king to get any rest one night, that same king who sent his butler to help his own people, the Jews (a chosen and protected people), so the king wanted to know what has been happening through his reign and low and behold, Mordecai had done something wonderful to protect the King and now the king wanted to reward him. Not only did the king reward him, he became the number two person in the land, a governor, after sitting outside the palace day in and day out, dressed in rags. His enemy, Naman, died the same way he was planning to kill Mordecai. People have to be careful what plot or ploy or trap they set for you because they could get tripped up on it themselves, especially if they have yet to figure out that you are "called and chosen" by God for such a time as this...

Who qualified them? God did. Who blessed them? God did? What did they do? Fast, pray, obey, stayed humble and had a desire to help people. Both men became more powerful than what people thought because of their obedience. Will God not do the same to you if you do what they did and even more? Will you trust Him? Will you ask Him to search your heart, remove those things not like Him and allow those giants in your life that is stopping you from being still and standing still to be changed into a closer walk with God, closer than you have been before in order to do the will of God from the position He will place you in that will be higher than you could ever think or imagine. Mordecai was honored throughout all the provinces at that time.

Back to Ps 46:10 part b...God will be honored throughout the world by using you, if you will only do what He asks of you, "Be Still, Stand Still" which means to fast, pray, watch, read, hear, obey, trust and have faith, being quiet, being watchful, yet not saying anything, believing that what the Lord promised, He will deliver to you His chosen, His called for the world to see because He will get the Honor through you by Promoting you, Placing you higher than you could take yourself...Are you STANDING STILL...BEING STILL?

I am! Join me, please...let us do Jesus together...

Hallelujah, Thank you Lord, I praise you with everything in me! Selah...Amen

God is a God of Order, so WHY do we Disobey

You must Order your life out of the Word of God, God is a God of order...Bishop C. Hodges.

Are you Standing on the Word of God?

Are you Living according to the Word of God?

Getting Saved is not enough, you must begin to do the Will of God! That means getting into the word of God for yourself and being Obedient to it, having Faith, Belief, Hope, Love and Trust in God.

What is Order? To me, order is putting things in place, one step at a time, in sequence.

We have to prioritize our life putting God first, Family second, Work third and anything else after. So how should your life be ordered?

God - praise daily, worship daily, prayer daily, church attendance more than once a week, read and study the Word of God daily, support the ministry that He has placed you in, support those lost and/or in need. God is the only one who should receive our Allegiance.

Family - love them unconditionally, be there as a support system, not a bank...for a woman, be a Prov 31 woman, for a man, be the Man of God according to the Word of God Eph 5, train the children up in the way that they should go, Prov 22:6

Work - do your best to represent God well. If we are representing God well, we will be pleased with the way we are representing ourselves. If we are giving God the best that we have, then our coworkers, friends, bosses will see the God in us as we do our job with Excellence, Finese and with Vigor. As God sees our sacrifice in secret, He will reward us openly in public.

Anything else - friends, be there for them, Do Not be their God. Help them by being the hands, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, feet that God needs you to be for them. Sometimes we want to be blessed but don't want to step out first. Faith without works is Dead. God needs us to do His Will here on Earth for others. If you don't do it, He will get someone else to do it because His Will, Will be done no matter what. I know I don't want the rocks to cry out for me or the donkey to speak on my behalf.

Many times, we say we don't have time for this or time for that. We grow up Blaming our parents for things that didn't go the way we thought they should go. Then we blame school friends for not liking us enough. Sometimes we don't look at ourselves internally to see what it is that we need to Change. Change is constant and a part of life. We fail to understand that God has ordained our lives because He first Loved Us. He Chose us. He knows the Plans He has for us. We just have to Accept it and Follow the Destiny He created for us because of the love He has for us. After all, He is the Creator and Knows All. There is nothing a surprise for our God. We just have to ask. Ask God to fix us from the inside out. He alone knows our motives and our heart. Do you need heart surgery? Allow Him to perform it as only He can, removing those things that are not of Him and allowing in the Fruit Of The Spirit.

Are you Willing to ask for Clarity to know what your Destiny holds?

Are you Willing to Ask for Forgiveness for Disobedience? God will allow you to do what you want because we all have free will to do so. At some point in time, we will end up Submitting to what He has for us. Will you be ready or will you be again disobedient to what the Lord wants to do in your life, for your life so that He gets the glory out of it all.

No one said life would be easy, so why do we think that everything is supposed to happen every way we think it should? We have to take the good with the bad, the sad with the happy, the rich with the poor, yet Trusting in God.

My greatest Desire is to be the best that I can be for God, even if it hurts. When I think about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, knowing what His plan was before He came to Earth, sitting by and watching the things take place that had to take place, asking the Father to remove the Cup from Him if it was the Father's Will, yet Submitting because of His love for Us, I have no choice even if it Hurts me. It is the Love of God that Sustains me. It is the Love of God that keeps Me. It is the Love of God that carries me through.

It is God's Correction that Allows me to Repent, Obey and Move onto My Destiny in Him.

We have to lift our hands and surrender to God so that we are not worn out. Allow God to strengthen us to do His will. Stop fighting Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to restore your soul, change your Heart, and Rest in God, Selah...

Take Rest in Me - Deitrick Haddon

Deciding to blog

Well, I am continuing to embark on my God given destiny after serving my adopted country for 24 years. I travelled a lot as well, while in the military, from Okinawa to England, from Germany to Hawaii, from Korea to Japan. I truly enjoy living among many different cultures and experiencing what they have to offer. God definitely used the military to further His cause in my life, to teach me, to allow me to grow, to show me me and how to love others. He predestined these things for me before I was yet born. The military path has come to an end, and this is now the beginning of my second journey. This blog is an attempt to capture some of the memories and things we do.

Still Standing

Today is two weeks since the earthquake rattled Japan and created a tsunami that wrecked havoc on the North East coast of Honshu, the main island of Japan. We are still shaking and that is to be expected, considering that we are on the ring of fire..."Shake yourself loose" were the words given to me last weekend, so I googled it and found that it belongs to a gospel song by Vickie Winans.

The words go something like this (http://www.lyricsreg.com/):

          *************************************************************
[VERSE 1: Trio]
(Hey...hey..hey...hey)
Said you been bound up - Lookin? for a way to break free
Devil's had you tied up - Listen to these words from me
Your situation may seem hopeless but it's not the end
Though you are burdened and have shackles on your feet

[CHORUS]

(Now)... I... want you to know - You're about to break loose (unison)
Jesus took the keys... and gave 'em to you

(So...Here's what you gotta do)

Shake loose... everything that binds you up - Who told you that you can't make it
When God says that you can shake it - Shake loose... everything that binds you up
Praise Him like its your last chance - Get up and do the David dance

[VERSE 2: Solo]
I heard you were feeling down - That Satan had you bound
No you don't have to stay - Yes, you can leave today
Just lika' in the bible days - When men began to pray
Those jail cells start to shaken - Those chains a start to breakin?

[BRIDGE:]
Don't let the enemy keep you in bondage
Praise your way through - Come on and shake loose
Every worry, every care
Praise your way through - Come on and shake loose

....Those chains that bind you.... should.... only remind
Praise your way through - Come on and shake loose
Problems... know that.... He will.... solve them
Praise your way through - Come on and shake loose

Shake.... yourself..... loose
(Lift..... your hands) Lift your hands
(Come on and lets dance) Come on ...lets dance

Shake.... yourself.... loose
(Scream and shout) Scream and shout
(He brought you out) He brought you out

Shake... yourself... loose
(Loose your seat) Loose your seat
(Now move your feet) Move your feet

Shake... yourself... loose
(Owww.......Shout) Shout for joy - make some noise
Because I'm free...Free

[TAG:]
(Good God Almighty ahh) Free
(He told me in his word that..) Free
(That I could be free...yeah) Free
(The Devil tried to stop me) Free
(He tried to block me) Free
(But I got away) Free
(I got the key) -- Free at last (key change)

Free....(Thank God Almighty....yeah)
Free....(Whom the Son sets free)
Free....(Is free indeed)
Free....(He loosed the shackles)
Free... (That was binding me)
Free ...(So get on your feet)
Free....(And sing it with me)

Free yeaahhh......!!! (key change)

Those of you out there feelin' bound, let me tell you can break free...break free (Free....)
Those of you out there feelin' bound, let me tell you can break free...break free (Free...)
Those of you out there feelin' bound, let me tell you can break free...break free (Free...)
Those of you out there feelin' bound, let me tell you can break free....

Free at last. (Key change)

Free....Free...free....free..
Shake.... yourself..... loose
          *****************************************************************
So, as I thought about those words initially, I wondered how many times the Lord has to shake us free from the things that so easily entangle us - sin! Whether that sin is seen by others or only known by us and God, we get tangled up. The sin can be disobedience, stubbornness, or fear. When the Lord shakes us free, we have to decide to walk away and into His loving arms and not pick up the same habit again...Then I began thinking about the Japanese as a nation...they believe in many different religions and types of Budhas. How many of us are witnessing to them? What does it cost us but time? We get so caught up in self that we forget our purpose, the plan, the mission! The God given purpose, God given plan and God given mission as to why we are here. We could witness as we talk to a clerk in a store, we are already there. A smile, a thank you, start by building relationships, show them that you care, that you are interested in them, who they are. I know...it is easier said than done. We have to ask God for the boldness to go forth and do what He has called us to do. He will equip us. He said it in His word that He equips those He calls.

Then I got to reading Nehemiah...He wanted to know what was going on in his hometown so he asked his brother. He was hurt and wanted to do something when he found out about the destruction. He got the boldness he needed and when he asked his boss, he not only received permission, he got provision. God supplied what he needed to get the job done. Nehemiah had no fear talking to God. He prayed like God was standing right there next to him. God protected him. When his task was done, he praised God and thanked God every way imaginable - choirs, instruments, read the word in the hearing of the people. How many of us praise God in Spirit and Truth, no matter who is looking? God blessed them even more and turned the curse into a blessing. Many want the blessings however do not give God what is due Him - honor, obedience, praise, thanksgiving, faith. When God shakes things up, it is to remove that which is not like him, like He did in Nehemiah's time. After Nehemiah was done, the pagan worship was gone, the Levites got what was rightfully theirs, they were cleansed and the wall was rebuilt. They were Still Standing better than they were before. Are you still standing? What are you believing for? The song tells us to stand on our feet, shout for joy, dance, scream and shout because the Lord brought you out. I am Still Standing!

Natural disasters and life

     Natural disasters have a way of letting you know who you are important to and who you mean a lot to. After suffering through earthquakes and a blackout due to no power for over two days, it was refreshing to see the number of calls made to me by the person who made them. It made my day to hear the concern in the messages left for me to contact family and friends to let them know that we were alright. I praise God that we did not have any lack. I pray for those who have lost loved ones in the tsunami in Sendai that they would receive comfort and peace. I pray that the recovery efforts will go smoothly to ensure that those in the cold do not die from overexposure to the cold or lack of food.
     When natural disasters hit, you realize what you have and what is necessary for life. Some things are not as important as others. What we understand is that we are not alone and there are others who are in a worse situation than we are. Life as we know it will never be the same. What are we afraid of? What are we running from or to? If we have Jesus, being obedient to His will, what care do you have that you cannot throw to Him for Him to take care of? 

Ps 46 (NLT - bibegateway.com) says:
"God is our refuge and strength,
      always ready to help in times of trouble.
 ² So we will not fear when earthquakes come
      and the mountains crumble into the sea.
 ³ Let the oceans roar and foam.
      Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
                         Interlude
 ⁴ A river brings joy to the city of our God,
      the sacred home of the Most High.
 ⁵ God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
      From the very break of day, God will protect it.
 ⁶ The nations are in chaos,
      and their kingdoms crumble!
   God’s voice thunders,
      and the earth melts!
 ⁷ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
      the God of Israel^[b] is our fortress.
                         Interlude
 ⁸ Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
      See how he brings destruction upon the world.
 ⁹ He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
      He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
      he burns the shields with fire.
 ¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God!
      I will be honored by every nation.
      I will be honored throughout the world.”
 ¹¹ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
      the God of Israel is our fortress.
                         Interlude
     It is important that we place our trust in God, knowing that He has it all under control and He will protect you, no matter what. Just like he did in Neh 9 and 10 for His chosen people, no matter how disobedient they were, He was still with them. He will be with us as long as we are obedient to His WILL...He will hear our prayers, our cry.
     Preparation is not lost time. This is just a trial run for the job that I will one day have to perform, to help others who are in a devastating situation with everything that is within me to help and assist them. 
Can I introduce you to a great brother, a wonderful friend and the lover of my soul, Jesus?

Dealing with adversity

Dealing with adversity is tough. You know who you are in Christ and the enemy is out to get you because his job is to steal, to kill and to destroy. Your emotions are in control and you are feeling like you are at rock bottom, no friends, no family, no one who loves you, yet God!!! You know God has you in the palm of His righteous right hand. You know that He is in control and He has told you it is all for your good. So what do you do with your feelings? You have to go through because the blessing is on the other side of your obedience and going through...You cry out to Him, You call upon the joint heir - Christ our Lord, who loved us and still loves us to death. Our intecessor on the right hand of the Father...Once you cry out, He will answer, He will guide you, He will lead you into the path of righteousness through His Holy Spirit. Just hold on, do not be weary in well doing, know that it is all for your good...It does not feel good. It feels like your stomach is being torn out from underneath you. You can almost put yourself in the place where Job was when he found out that he lost his family and all that mattered to him, that which was important. We have to be willing to go through in order to be pruned, to become a better person, to walk more worthy of the call of God upon your life, to be propelled into your destiny in Christ. To be who He has called you to be. Our Creator, Our Father, Our Healer, Our Redeemer, Our Righteousness, Our High Priest, Our Provider, The Lover of our soul. Thank you Lord for who You are in my life for bringing me out one more time!!!