#Thursday ~ Jealousy Ruins Relationships

My passion is to draw near to the Lord Jesus, the only way I know how is to spend time in the Word of God.  Jealousy can ruins relationship and this is true about a story I was reading.  Joseph who is a beautiful young man, aged approximately 17 a favourite son of his father. 

One day he was telling his brothers of a dream he had.  “Listen to this dream I had.  We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”  This of course made his brothers miserable angry and they really hated Joseph.  It wasn’t too long after that Joseph had another dream and he told his brothers  “listen,” and he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 

Joseph told his father as well as his brothers this dream to which Josephs father rebuked him saying “What is this dream you had?  Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?

His brothers were jealous of him but his father kept the matter in mind

Jealousy burns hot in the hearts of Josephs brothers and they really didn’t like him very much, because he was young and attractive.  The also hated it that he was their fathers favourite son and it probably grind their teeth to see that their father made Joseph a beautiful coat of many colours.  

Family is important and we should take care in not allowing favouritism to rule our hearts, neglecting any of our children.

To my mind I believe God really wants us to live together in love and peace.  So I believe it is God’s will that we live together in love and peace, stop the jealousy.

Family

Romans 12:10 (AMP)

¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.

            We are reminded to love each other with brotherly affection giving precedence and showing honor to each other.  In our family we respect each other.  Each one of us has a specific talent and can do a specific task.

            We make sure that there is enough for all in the house, looking after another and watching over each other.

            Family is important to our social lives, it gives us a place to act and live normally and we don’t have to pretend in the house around our family.  People accept you for who you are.

            Today I want to encourage you to phone your mom, dad, sister or brother and say ‘Hello’.  Keep contact and stay connected with your family.

            Prayer  Lord help us remember that our family is our grounding and without family we will be all alone.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Manipulation

A game of manipulation is something that is played out in many homes, and it is disastrous.  Stop doing this to each other.

This world has many people that are experts at ‘Manipulation’.  I know of someone that will not speak to you for many days by ignoring you because you didn’t do what is right according to the person.  The atmosphere becomes tense and everybody is walking around on eggs.  No one really knows how to deal with the person and the other person is constantly feel bad and not happy with the situation.

Someone I also know is an expert with a ‘manipulation’ by threats and placing a guilt trip on you.  Saying things like ‘oh if you really loved me you would have done this, that or the other for me, but no, I am just not that important.’  Saying things like ‘if you didn’t do it this way we would not be in this position, it’s terrible the decision you have made that brought us to this place in our lives.’

Seriously, stop with the manipulations!!! We are supposed to be Christians that know the love of Christ and will do what is necessary to get it right.  “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.”  Romans 12: 10

Pray:  Father God, help us to love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other, in the Holy Name of Jesus I pray.  Amen

Keeping my salvation:

Key points to ponder and hold fast to.

Obedience
To be obedient to the Lord Jesus ~ Matthew 6: 24 ‘ … you cannot serve two lords’

Thank about it you can only serve one God, its obviously the Lord Jesus, but when you make this decision you need to honour your choice by making the Lord Jesus LORD over every area of your life.  To be able to that you will need someone to help you, yes!  The HOLY SPIRIT see 1 Corinthians 12: 3 ‘no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the HOLY SPIRIT’. 

Holy Spirit
1 Thessalonians 5 : 17 Always keep praying.  I realise that without prayer I am lost and I invite the Holy Spirit to live in me so that I can continue in prayer daily.

Bible Study & Meditation
Romans 10:17 Yet faith comes from listening to this Good News—the Good News about Christ.

We have a song we teach the children in Sunday School “Read your Bible and pray each day, pray each day, pray each day. (x2) Then you will grow, grow, grow, yes you will grow, grow, grow. 
Forget your Bible and you will shrink, shrink, shrink.”

Be deliberate in your thoughts
Guard your mind … I am negative inclined and it just takes a thought to bring my heart down.  Ephesians 6: 16 – 17 ‘In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.  And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God.’

Now don’t allow your thoughts to run away with you, think and mediate on God’s Word and when something comes up that does not agree with the Word rebuke it.  If you see something like you may be short on cash, don’t say I am broke.  NO! say I am out of pocket and that God will supply according to my needs.

Forgive
Life is so short and I only realised it now.  People often offended me and then I would be angry and later carry a grudge and then it would turn into some kind of bitterness.   Stop it right now!   In Matthew 18 : 21 – 22 We are reminded by the Lord Jesus to forgive seventy time seven!

So this is what I do, I really struggle with people that pick on me, and then I normally take offence.  I now look at them smile and say nothing, I forgive them there and then.  Walk away and let it go.  If it persists I pray about it and trust that the Lord will sort it out.  My mood has changed and my attitude is better.  I feel more in control.

Choose your company
Keeping Company with negative and abusive people won’t work, steer clear of them.  The Lord reminds us to choose good company, people with the right attitude, high expectations and a good sense of humour.  People that strive to be better in everything they do.  Read 1 Corinthians 15: 33 ‘Don’t be fooled by those who say such things.  If you listen to them you will start acting like them.’

Pray each day
Ephesians 6: 18 ‘Pray all the time.  Ask God for anything in line with the Holy spirit’s wishes.  Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere.’

Prayer is my life line and I feel empty and without direction if I don’t go to the Lord God in prayer.  When people irritate me the first thing I do, is say a prayer in my mind, Please help me Lord.  You cannot go without praying, speak to God He is near and is waiting to hear from you.

Clothe Yourself
I do two important things each and every day.  I put on the armour of God and I clothe myself with the Lord Jesus.  I am telling you it is a must.  Ephesians 6: 11 – 17

*    Stand firm~ keep the Word of God ready for any attack from the evil one.
*    Resist~ guard your thoughts and mind praying that the Holy Spirit will lead you.
*    Gird your waist with trust~ holds on to the Word of God and keeps it handy.
*    The breastplate of righteousness~ places this over your heart to watch your attitude and remind you that you belong to Jesus.
*    Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace~ be prepared to speak to people about God.  Spread the good news.
*    The shield of faith~ you need to hear the Word, speak the Word and live the Word of God each day.
*    The helmet of salvation~ remembers you have been bought by the Blood of Jesus Christ it is your protection.
*    The Sword of the Spirit~ wheeled your sword ~ your Bible by studying it and knowing what it says about who you are in the Lord Jesus Christ, teach and help other people who don’t know the Lord yet.

 

Church
God wants us to attend a church so that we will not tire and grow weary, when you feel down there is someone that can help you.  The Word of God is taught and we get to hear revelations at our church through the pastor. 

 

I hope you enjoyed my key points and may you grow too.

TGF - Thank God it's Friday!!!!

'where do I put my hope? ... in YOU.' Psalm 39: 7

As you wake up and lay on your bed what is the first thing that comes to mind?  For me, I just say ‘Thank You Lord for another day.’

Still thinking on what will happen today I realise ‘Yippee its Friday’ don’t you just love Friday’s?  

We all love Fridays.  It means we might leave early from work, meet up with friends and family, go away for the weekend and most of all attend Church on Sunday.  Renew our batteries for the week and get refreshing word from God.

I love being with my family and friends, I love just visiting with them and listening to their stories, so much drama and I don’t even need to watch what is going on TV I hear and see it in my own life.

Think on this for a moment:  Psalm 39: 7 “Where do I put my hope?  … In YOU.”  We live such fast paced lives we forget that each day we grow older and before you realise it, times run out.  You might still be 20 and the next moment you look your 50 something.

Don’t lose sight of what is important, draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  I encourage you to face a new bright day.  Love you loads and pray always for you.

You are a blessing.

My Personal Testimony

Friends came to our home and I felt that as a young woman, with two beautiful healthy children that I was a good person.  These friends of ours invited us to go to church with them that Sunday.  I agreed because I went to Church religiously and it wouldn’t be a problem.

Sunday came and as I walked into the church I felt really uncomfortable.  All the people I saw were friendly, smiling and greeting everybody.  We sat right in front of the church and a band was playing and people were sing and clapping hands.  It disturbed me and I really just couldn’t get the feel of the church.

The Pastor came into the church and people were really happy to see him.  He took his violin and played ‘Amazing Grace’ and then the congregation sang along as he played.  I was mesmerised and really could not believe the atmosphere.  He was speaking to the congregation but it sounded like the whole sermon was aimed at me.  At the end of the sermon he said ‘God has laid it on my heart to pray for people that do not have a personal relationship with Him.’  I almost fainted he looked at me and I felt both my hand grip the chair I was sitting on.  No, I thought its not me, I go to church each and every Sunday.  I am a Christian.

People stood up and walked to the front of the church and the Pastor prayed for each person, then the service was over and we went home.

Monday evening, our friends dropped by and asked us what we thought of the service and the church.  I was really quiet and felt a little guilty for not going forward and committing my life to the Lord.  My spiritual Mother as I want to refer to her Lizette said to me, “Yvette, God loves you and all you have to do is repent of your sins and accept the Lord Jesus as your personal saviour.”

We made coffee and chatted a little while and then they left.  I put my two children to bed and then I ran bath water and lay in the bath.

The weekend was still fresh in my mind and I just thought if it is so easy to confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that the Lord Jesus died on the cross for my sins, why can’t I confess that I am a sinful woman and that I accept the Lord Jesus into my life.

While I lay in the warm bath I said out load ‘Lord Jesus, my name is Yvette and Lord I confess that I have never asked You into my life.  I also confess that even though I feel that I have not sinned against You, I am a sinful woman.  I pray please forgive me as I repent of my sin and Lord Jesus will You please come into my life.’

That was that, I got dressed cleaned the bathroom and went to bed, my husband came to bed much later and the next day was as usual.

Now, I know you must be thinking ah, this is so boring, what happened?  It isn’t boring because the truth of the matter is my testimony is why I serve God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I am a normal woman, I went to church and I had sober and good values.  I do not swear and curse and I never lied or told stories about other people.  So I felt I was going to heaven.  The problem here is that yes I had all these good values and good intentions I still was going straight to hell.

·        I want to remind you that the BLOOD of the Lamb and the word of my testimony is important to you as well as to me.  Revelations 12: 11 ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’ 

·        I must tell you that ever since my conversion and my repentance to the Lord Jesus I can say without a doubt that the Lord Jesus is my Saviour.  ‘Acts 2: 32 “this Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.’  I am a witness of this because God has manifested so many times in my own life.

·        Matthew 11: 4 – 5 ‘Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:  The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.”

My life has changed and I cannot keep quiet about what God has done for me.

·        Acts 4: 33  ‘And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.’  I believe that God’s supernatural favour still rest on my own life.

·        My life before Jesus was good and I was as far as I can tell a good person but once I gave my life to the Lord Jesus it became blessed.  Today I have 3 beautiful children, all of them grown up and all of them serving God.  I can see they are blessed because God is watching over them.

·        My life changed for the better; I know that I am a Child of God and I enjoy reading my Bible and I love talking to people about what God has done for me.  I remind everybody that God can do great and wonderful things in their own lives. 

Pray with me:  God Almighty, my Heavenly Father, I recognize that I am a sinner and that my sin separates me from You Lord.  I willingly and consciously confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, I believe that God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead.  This very minute I repent of all my sins, and I receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.  Amen.

I believe if you prayed this prayer you will be saved, I urge you to find a church and join them.  You are a blessing.

Sunday Saying ....

2 Timothy 1: 7 “God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.”

God has not given us a spirit of fear, awesome.  We can face each and every situation in our lives and not be fearful.  Sometime ago, I moved into an apartment and one night as I was sleeping a dark and heave force came over me in my bedroom.  I thought I was going to die but as a Christian I remember speaking out load “I am saved by the Blood of Jesus, greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.”  As I lay on my bed and this dark heaviness that covered my bedroom and bed lifted I remember saying “thank You Lord Jesus”.

Amazingly each time I face a dreadful situation especially in my dreams I know that I plead the blood of Jesus Christ over my life.  I know this because my husband has tried to calm me down and let me become calm.  The next morning he would ask me what it was that I was dreaming.

I have tried to understand these terrible dreams but I think it’s my subconscious warning me about situations and then I know I stand up in the spirit.

I confess ‘God has not given me a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.’  Should you feel that nothing is going your way, confess God’s word into Your own life and see how you are lifted up higher and higher.

Lord Jesus, thank you for a Sunday and thank you for being here for me, as I face today, I thank You Lord my God that You have forgiven me and that I am able to move forward because I also forgive myself.  I also pray that the anointing of the Holy One abides within me today and Lord that You are my generous Father and that You bless me with an abundant life.  Lord God I am grateful for this, and I enjoy giving my time, talents, money and Love to others.

Because it is my believe and my hearts intent I confess that I belong to You Lord Jesus, so I am friendly, strong, happy and victorious and all is well with me.

Amen