Hello!~~~

Welcome!~

It has now been ten years since I started this blog. How quickly time goes by! We are many members but we are one in the body of Christ. Therefore you do not journey alone! Hopefully through this site you will be encouraged by the fact that many things you are going through in your own walk, others are going through (or have gone through) as well. Sometimes we think we are "going through things alone." But we are not. God said that "He would Never Leave Nor Forsake Us." (Hebrews 13:5) and that "There is Nothing New Under The Sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9). No man is an island. It's easy to forget that. May the words in this blog help you to think, encourage you in whatever spiritual state you are in and may the Lord use them to help us to grow in Him! He is the Author and Finisher of our faith!

I don’t want any readers to think that I am “promoting” being a prodigal. I definitely am not. But what I am hoping to do – is to encourage those of us who either have had or are currently experiencing a hard time in our walk to be honest about it. Personal conviction is a powerful thing, especially if you truly love the Lord. I think that sometimes the Body of Christ critiques and judges to the point where the person who is at the other end of that pointing finger feels ostracized, alienated and alone. I don't think that that is what Jesus intended. When I read through my Bible - I see a firm yet gentle restoration that Jesus ministered to those around Him. Look at John 21:15-19. When Peter who was at an all time low point in his walk - he was firmly, yet lovingly restored by Jesus. He didn't tear him down, or yell or make him feel any worse then he already did. He spoke to him lovingly and gently - and in doing so, Peter was able to repent and minister in a much more powerful, humble and confident way and it became one of the largest ministries ever.

Please note that I am only a vessel, my calling - to write. I dedicate this blog to the Lord and ask that He use it to reach out and touch whoever needs a special, loving, personal touch from Him. My hope is that the Holy Spirit allows you to see Him through the words (and not me). We go through things so that we can extend our right hand of fellowship behind us to assist and help someone else. Our Bible is the same today, as it was yesterday as it will be tomorrow. (I am far from perfect and do not profess to have all the answers...) but the good news is - Our Heavenly Father does! His love, forgiveness, grace and mercy is real!Nothing you are experiencing in your walk comes as a surprise to Him! May He be glorified through this blog and may God bless you at whatever stage in your walk you are in!~



I am a Breast Cancer Survivor

I am a Breast Cancer Survivor
I was diagnosed with early stage triple negative breast cancer on June 24th, 2010 - I have been cancer free for 10 years now. It was only a chapter in my life - NOT my life, but the impact is one that has changed my life forever. Its important for women to know that 80% of the breast cancer diagnosis come from women who don't have a history of it in their family (My family didn't). Early detection is the key. For more information please click on the pink ribbon above. It could save your life.
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August 18, 2016

How's Your Oil Holding Out?


I thought I had been prepared… I had anticipated this day for as long as I could remember.  What could I have done with it?  Where could I have put it?  HOW could I have forgotten it????
There were ten of us, you see… When we heard He was arriving, that the wedding banquet was prepared.  Oh if you could only know how fast my heart was beating in my chest.  I had waited for this day…  Some days had been easier than others.  The years had flown by and there were times in my life where I lost faith.  Where I had thought He had forsaken me.  There were times when I was grateful for God’s grace that He had not yet arrived.

You see, patience is not one of my strong suits.  There were days that I cried out to Him, begging him to HURRY up and come!  Days where I raged at the fact He was not here already.
Where was He? Why wasn’t He here already?  How much more evil could these days get?  And then there were days when I was disappointed with myself.  Where I knew that it was clearly His grace, forgiveness and love that kept Him from coming. There were days where I was actually part of the problem… (And more then likely part of the reason for His graceful delay...)

Now He was coming and we were on route.  Where had I placed my oil for my lamp?  In my rush to get out the door had I forgotten it?  In my absent minded mind was He arriving on a day where my faith had grown as dim as the lamp before me?  Now my heart filled with trepidation.
Oh the horror of the thought that I had waited so diligently and with joy anticipating His arrival, was all that to be tossed away because He was arriving on a day where my faith was weak?  Where I felt as though the Holy Spirit had left me?  A day where my eyes had been removed from Him and on to my circumstances?  Oh woe is me!

“May I have some of your oil?” I asked tapping the back shoulder of the virgin ahead of me. 
She turned her head and threw me a look of genuine pity and shook her head.  “If I give you some of mine, I may not have enough, I can’t risk that – I’m sorry…”  She proceeded to quicken her steps anxious to get to Him.

My shoulders slumped, I tried to think back to where I had placed it, but the worries of the world, worries of my life had crowded in and I had been consumed with them instead of walking in faith and believing that He would supply all my needs.  Fear, worry, anxiety, depression had all taken up residence in my heart and had made me lose my faith, my trust in He who is greater than any concern.  I had placed importance over that which was most important above all things.  I had allowed the things of the world to overtake me; consume me and turn my head to that which I had been warned not to. I was in a place I never expected to be.  He had warned me over and over again to be prepared.


The fault was mine.  My faith had faltered and I had allowed myself to be weighed down with the cares of this world. 

We can’t allow ourselves to be “that girl or “that guy” – I have written from my heart because I have felt like her, honestly - more recently than not.  I thank God for his mercy and His grace.  Sometimes it is easy to fall in the “People-Around-the-time-of-Noah” mentality that Jesus isn’t coming back.  But He’s prolonging His return BECAUSE of His grace.

“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matthew 24:22)

It is so easy for us to become desensitized.  I have felt that way myself.  This world grows with its problems and demands and there are days when I myself am wondering HOW to get through them.  But we need to keep our eyes focused on the Lord – like Peter did when he was walking on water.  It was when Peter took his eyes off of him that he began to sink.
Are you sinking????  Cry out to God for help.  Ol’ Slewfoot would have you believe that God is not listening, that you are not important enough for Him to hear your cries.  That is a LIE from the pit of hell!

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
It is so very easy to allow the oil of our faith to dry up.  To stop believing, to become discouraged or distracted or bitter or envious or jealous of others – all those feelings are *not* of God.  Cry out to Him.  Talk to Him, Pray to Him.

 Jesus said:
"My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:2-3)
And also:
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)
We need to not leave nor forsake Him as well... And if we do - the very first step is being honest with your feelings and talk to Your Father who cares so much about you how you feel. He will revitalized your oil and make it flow like a running river.

Thank GOD for His grace, His mercy and His love.  Our Lord is coming we MUST be ready.  Help us Father. Forgive us!  Guide us that ALL of us may enter the Wedding Feast and not let one of us be shut out.

In Jesus name I pray…

AMEN 

 

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