Holy Rebels

If you follow God in our culture today you are a rebel. It’s not about drugs and partying anymore -that’s the status quo. It’s not about doing what every one else does. It’s not about conforming to a preexisting culture that’s changing before our eyes,

It’s about being a world changer -someone who believes in the Bible and lives by what it says. Today if you want to be a rebel it’s about standing for good and standing for God, not the world. Not being a part of the evil chaotic values the world is trying to force on us.

Holy rebels are thermostats, not thermometers. A thermometer just tells you the temperature, but a thermostat changes it.

In Hebrews 11 tells us about the “Heroes of Faith.” Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sara, Joseph, Moses, Rehab, Gideon, Samson, and David. These are remarkable men and women whose lives stand out and encourage and challenge our faith. They lived incredible lives and trusted God.

The world is engaging in a battle between good and evil, light and darkness and between the Lord of Hosts and the prince of darkness. The stakes of this spiritual war are the highest they have ever been.

So, like it or not, wanted or not, we are the objects of war and in a battle of our life. Many are overwhelmed by the forces of darkness. However, God is raising us up to be Holy Rebels. A group of believers that will stand up and answer the call to be thermostats. We need to become Holy Rebels to take a stand against satan’s schemes, not against people, but against “rulers, authorities, powers of darkness and forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:11).

Our dry bones need to come alive and become holy rebels in God’s army.

When God spoke to Jeremiah in 1:17-19 He said, the will fight against you, but will not overcome you, for I am with you.

Told the principalities and powers want believers to cower, and retreat and run away. But God is calling us to stand in the face of the enemy and trust Him. We need to hold our ground, a day may come when our courage may fail, but now is not the time.

When we feel surrounded, we can stand firm on the Word of the living God, and God will give us the victory.

“Don’t be afraid, Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again. The Lord will fight fir you, and you shall be still” Exodus 14:13-14

The message is clear today, If we do not stand firm in our faith, we will not stand at all. If we don’t take our stand in faith, we won’t have a leg to stand on.

The forces of darkness, waves of wickedness, and a flood of evil and impurity are raging in our world today. Satan is trying to bully God’s people because when we make our stans against the kingdom of darkness, all hell turns loose against us.

But God’s Word is true,

“No weapon that is formed against you will prevail, and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants, and their righteousness is of Me” says the Lord. – Isaiah 54:17

When we make our stand on the Word of God, Satan will attack, but God will use those who prevail to change the world.

We may be overwhelmed but we will not be out faithed

Lion Of Judah

Scouring The News

Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that.

I do not watch mainstream news. Most of it is propaganda and is taken out of context to try and make you believe lies of doom and gloom. They spread fear and hate. That’s not what I’m about. I focus on the good and God.

Understanding God’s Purpose In Hard Times

Affliction

Affliction is a common experience in this journey called life, and one that often leaves us questioning its purpose and meaning. A biblical understanding of affliction takes on a deep significance as it is intertwined with God’s plan for our lives and spiritual growth. There is wisdom and comfort that can be found in the scriptures.

The Bible offers guidance and solace during times of affliction and reminds us of God’s presence and purpose in allowing us to go through tough times. God’s Word teaches us that affliction can be a refining fire, molding and shaping us into people of greater strength and faith.

“Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief and various trials, that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah” – 1 Peter 2:6-7

Affliction serves as a reminder of our need for God’s grace and reliance on Him. Through our struggles, we are humbled and reminded of our dependence on God.

God told Paul in 2 Corinthians,

“Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Most gladly I will rather glory in my weakness, that the power of Messiah may rest on me“ – 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

If we explore the biblical meaning of affliction, we uncover the profound lessons and insights that can be gained from experiencing and understanding this part of our human journey. In God’s Word, we can find strength, hope, and a greater understanding of God’s purpose in our lives.

The Biblical Meaning Of Affliction

Affliction in biblical terms refers to the experience of hardship, suffering, and adversity that we face in various aspects of our lives. The concept of affliction is deeply rooted in the teachings and narratives found in the Bible and offers insight into the purpose and significance of our trials and tribulations.

Throughout the Bible, affliction is often portrayed as a test of faith and character. It serves as an opportunity for individuals to demonstrate their trust in God and grow spiritually.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, – James (Jacob) 1:2-3

These trials can come in various forms, like physical illnesses, emotional turmoil, or challenging life circumstances. However, the Bible encourages us to persevere and find strength in God’s promises, knowing that our faith will be strengthened through these tests.

Affliction is also seen as a pathway to enlightenment and spiritual growth. Through suffering, we can gain valuable insights about ourselves and our relationship to God, and the world around us. This deeper understanding can lead to a personal transformation and a stronger connection with God.

The last two weeks I’ve had a rough time, from food poisoning and low electrolytes, to bladder infections and migraines. But I feel after everything I’ve just went through I have a stronger connection to God.

One notable example of affliction leading to enlightenment is the account of Job in the Bible. Job was a righteous man who experienced immense suffering and loss. However, through his trials, he gained a profound understanding of God’s sovereignty and wisdom. Job’s account teaches us that even in the midst of affliction, we can find wisdom and a deeper appreciation for God’s ways.

“Then Job answered the Lord, I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be restrained. You asked, who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered that which I don’t understand, things too wonderful for me, which I didn’t know” – Job 42-1-3

Although affliction can be challenging, the Bible assures us that God provides comfort and healing in the midst of our sufferings. The presence of God is a source of strength and solace offering hope and restoration.

“Blessed be the God and Father or Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” -2 Corinthians 2:3-4

The Bible teaches that affliction is temporary and that God will ultimately bring about deliverance and restoration. By placing our trust in God we can find solace and hope even in the darkest times.

The Biblical meaning of affliction goes beyond suffering and hardship. It empathizes the importance of perseverance, personal growth, spiritual enlightenment, comfort and compassion. By embracing affliction as an opportunity for spiritual development and reliance on God’s promises, we can find strength, hope, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and our Creator.

Things That Bring Joy To My Life

List 30 things that make you happy.

Happiness is a choice that has to come from the heart. We can choose to love, be thankful, and give thanks. Which are powerful human emotions. I do not get my happiness from things I do, or from external sources. But I choose to have joy in my life.

Things that bring joy to my life are practicing gratitude, performing acts of kindness, spending time with my immediate family, building positive relationships. and not watching news, which limits negativity.

True Repentance

No one can pursue two paths in life at the same time. Repentance means “to turn,” and “a change of thinking. Repentance involves adopting a new perspective on reality and includes a new view of sin.

An emotional response of remorse or regret goes along with repentance. The feeling itself is not true repentance. True repentance may start with remorse but also includes a decision to forsake sin.

Repentance is a sort of over sin, coupled with a sincere commitment to turn from sin and live to honor God. It is not motivated just by the consequences of sin, but a realization that our sin does not please God whether anyone catches us or not.

Along with faith, repentance is an indispensable condition for salvation. No one can be forgiven of sins without repentance. A person must turn away from their sinful self-directed life and turn to God.

In Mark 1:15 Jesus taught,

“The time is fulfilled, and God’s kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

In Acts 17:30 Paul told the pagans,

“The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now He commands that all people everywhere should repent.”

True repentance demonstrates that a person understands God’s good news and message of salvation. When people come to grips with the reality of sin, its seriousness, and its power they can truly appreciate what Jesus accomplished on the cross and how amazing God’s saving grace truly is.

Repentance from sin and trusting in Jesus are two sides of the same coin. No one can say they have true saving faith without any repentance for sin at the same time.

Genuine repentance takes place the minute a person understands the evil of their sin, and is truly sorry for it, and chooses to turn away from it. True repentance comes from the heart.

Repentance will eventually result in a life that honors God. People will continue to sin. But repentance places a person on a new path leading in a new direction.

Paul preached in Acts 26:20, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God and prove they have changed by the good things they do.

Repentance us necessary for a person to enter a relationship with God, it doesn’t end there. After this initial defining moment, the same attitude toward repentance makes our entire life a true believers.

In Revelation 3:3 Jesus called His followers to repent in Sadis,

“Remember therefore his you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you ain’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.”

Every day believers should experience heartfelt repentance for any sins we have committed. We should continually place ourselves on the right path by owning our sins and turning from them as the occur.

One Habit That Brings Me Joy

Describe one habit that brings you joy.

One habit that brings me joy. Honoring God in Worshiping Him, praying, and living my life to please Him brings me joy. God promises protection, provision, and peace if we choose to follow Him. He has never let me down.

Taking Ownership

Do you perceive yourself as an active agent in your own life or a passive agent of your circumstance?

The Two circles model describes ways we can choose to view the world. This is a model that teaches us to take ownership of our lives by escaping the fake limits of false perspectives.

The Victim Circle

When we live life in the victim circle we tend to focus on how the works affect us. This can lead to negative consequences like,

  • Feeling helpless in a world that controls us
  • Feeling like something external has to change for us to be okay
  • Feeling like we have no control, no choice, and no ownership of our own lives
  • Blaming others, worshiping larger-than-life people, and living complacently

Ultimately, when we live in the victim circle we live a re-active life, driven by our emotions

The Freedom Circle

When we live in the freedom circle, we recognize our own agency in the world. When we do this we,

  • Recognize that we can influence the world around us, regardless of what is happening externally
  • Recognize our choices and our ability to take responsibility for ourselves
  • When choose to live in the freedom circle, we are responsive not re-active.

This means that we recognize our emotions, but don’t make decisions based on them. Instead, we are driven by the truth and our own values.

There are only three things we can control,

1. Our choices

2. Our perspective

3. Who we trust

The secret to moving from the victim circle to the freedom circle is accepting the difficult reality that we can only control three things in this life. When we move from the victim circle to the freedom circle, we do so by acknowledging this reality and changing one of these three things.

First, we control our choices. No matter what is going on around us, we have the opportunity and power to make our own decisions this includes how we behave. What we do is up to us.

Second, we get to control how we view ourselves, and the world around us. Our attitude is a decision, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Finally, we get to control who we put our trust in. Ask yourself this question. Do you trust God in all circumstances?

If you live in the victim circle you sacrifice your ability to choose, relying on others to make you okay.

If you’re only okay in some circumstances, or when others treat you a certain way, you are living in the victim circle.

You can choose to live in the freedom circle. Even in a stormy phase of you’re emotions. When you can take ownership of the three things listed above you can live in the freedom circle.

No matter what is happening around you, you can take control of yourself and exercise influence.

Our circumstances will always challenge us, however, we always can make choices. When we choose to live in the freedom circle and not the victim circle we have an impact in life. Our choices matter.

Circumstances often prompt an emotional response. While this response may cloud our judgment, the emotions themselves are not the enemy. They must be appropriately be recognized. Our emotions should never determine our reality, instead they should let us know that something valuable is at stake.

Being informed by our emotions is a freedom circle activity, being controlled by our emotions is a victim circle behavior. A person’s action or a specific circumstance can trigger an emotion in us. But it’s our choice how to respond to that emotion.

Curiosity

What are you curious about?

I have a strong desire to learn. I have been an observer my entire life. Me not being allowed to speak at home as a child, I learned by observation. As an adult I am curious about everything. If someone is talking about it, I want to learn about it. My main interests are the Holy Bible, and the morals and values of people. I have always had a curiosity about crime and the psychological mind of criminals.

The Battle In Your Heart

“Keep your heart will all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life” – Proverbs 4:23

I once asked what our hearts need to be guarded against. Then I read this scripture. Our emotions are from our hearts. Love, anger, and joy all emanate from it. The combination of our will, emotion, and mind. Our hearts are a superpower for our lives, but it can also be our greatest weakness.

Our hearts can lead us to lash out in anger or cry over something silly. Our hearts aren’t just a ball of emotion but our emotions that come from our thoughts. Some psychologists would call our hearts our subconscious. Our hearts determine our lives.

Try thinking of your heart like a fresh spring of emotions. And you will quickly see how it directs your life. A spring of water occurs naturally throughout the world. Underneath the earth’s surface are rocks and sediment that collect water as I sponge. When they take in too much water the sponge overflows creating a spring. A natural spring has calcium and iron, but it also can contain arsenic or even radioactive materials.

Our hearts are also like this. Each of us has layers and layers of life events that create little sponges. There are bound to be some contaminants that come in. Unfortunately, our hearts take in whatever our eyes and ears have been exposed to. It doesn’t discriminate. It just soaks up life.

Our hearts determine our lives. Jeremiah 17:9-10says,

“The human heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it.”

It’s not surprising that marketing professionals design advertising that targets our hearts. They want to motivate us to spend our money. Movies are made to make us feel a certain way, anger, sympathy, joy… Make no mistake Satan knows our souls and that he can take us out by attacking our hearts. He understands all he has to do is poison the water. Our hearts will take it in because it knows no different.

Ephesians 6 talks about using “The armor of God.” The breastplate of righteousness is the piece of armor that protects our hearts. This means we can fend off attacks if we stand with God. But whether it not you stand there while you get pelted by arrows is up to you.

If our hearts go unchecked for too long, we can easily hurt others even if it’s unintentional, it comes from the outpouring of heart, if we do it consistently it becomes culture to us. Solomon says in Proverbs 4:23, guard your heart because everything we do starts there.

How to guard your heart,

Guarding our hearts requires diligence. Satan knows it doesn’t take much for us to absorb negative experiences.

“Keep your mouth free of perversity, keep corrupt talk far from your lips” – Proverbs 4:24

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Watching what we say goes a long way to preventing future hurts. But it also keeps us from hurting ourselves. In Ephesians 4: 29-32 Paul says,

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what us helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you are sealed for the day of redemption.

If we are watching things that put us in fear or lust in our hearts then that is what is going to come from our hearts. Jesus said in Matthew 12:35,

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and a evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.”

“Give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left, keep your foot from evil”- Proverbs 4:26-27

There will be times when you make mistakes with your words or with what you see or hear because we cannot control the environments we are in. However, it’s important to choose whether to take action or not. Our actions with bring us closer to God or further away. I’ve important to feed our hearts and minds Godly things, not impurities that will continue to spring up causing us to he in a constant state of internal war.

The Bible talks a lot about the heart because it has the power to cause success or failure in life. The only way to guard our hearts is to be vigilant in our communication and to pay attention to our actions.

Victory In Life’s Toughest Battles

After Iwas born again, there were a few years I struggled in my everyday life. I was miserable because I still had wounds in my soul from my past that made me insecure, angry, and a lack of trust with everyone I came into contact with. I went to church every week but still struggled to believe that God would forgive all the sins I had committed.

I loved God, read my Bible daily, and prayed for Him to forgive me. But I had no idea that there was power available to me to overcome the hurts from the past and the struggles I had endured. In the past, everything that came along was hard to handle and defeated me.

I was grateful for that June day when He showed me that He had powerfully forgiven me. So I would not have any more doubt. Not only does He want to fill us with power, but He promises in His Word that we can have abundant life in Jesus because He has overcome the world. We see this in John 10:10 and 16:33.

The truth is as His children, we don’t have to live weak, wimpy, pitiful pathetic, barely getting by lives. God gives us His power to enable us to do whatever we need to do in life.

But there is no such thing as a problem-free life. Some people have the misconception that when they give their lives to Jesus, they will no longer have any problems. God told us in this world we would have trials and tribulations. He also told us that He has overcome the world.

John 16:33 tells us,

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

No one can promise you a problem-free life, but God promised that if you put your trust in Him, He will give you faith that will enable you to rise about the problems you face. And when you get through then, you will be stronger on the other side than you were before you had them.

Knowing you can have power from God to live in this world is one thing but learning to believe this truth and walk in it is the key to having victory over the trials and differing you face.

Philippians 3:10 tells us, that we can experience the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. In this verse Paul says his determined purpose was to know Him, become more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understand the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually confirmed to Hid death.

This is a very encouraging promise from God because we all face problems and have weaknesses we can’t overcome in our own strength or effort. But if we are determined to trust God in every situation, we can fight the good fight of faith by His grace.

We can become more than conquered through Jesus. Romans 8:37-39 says,

“In all things, we are more than conquered through Him who loved us, For I am persuaded that neither death, not life, nor angels, nor principalities, not things present, not things to come, not powers, not height, not depth, not any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.”

To qualify for the power of God, we must come to the place where we recognize that in and of ourselves, we are weak, and we have limitations without God. If we didn’t have any weakness, we wouldn’t realize we need Him. One of the best prayers we can ever pray is “God, I need You, and I am nothing without You.

It is important for us to understand this because if we wait until we have a problem that’s too big for us to handle before we rely on God’s strength, then we set ourselves up for failure. It took me 4 years of admitting I was weak before God came and showed me He was strong.

The best thing we can do to live this life in victory is to continually seek God with our whole hearts, realizing we are desperate for Him all the time. Spending time with Him in prayer and reading His Word every day. Then, when the storms of life happen, you will be confident that with Jesus, you already have everything you need to overcome them.

Taming Our Tongues

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” – Proverbs 18-21

“The tongue is the only tool that gets sharper with use” – Washington Irving

Words are powerful weapons that can inspire or destroy someone.

Two wolves are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. The question is which wolf wins? The one you feed. This is an old Cherokee parable that has been passed down for generations. What does it have to do with words you ask?

We always have a choice when we speak. God has given us the freedom to choose our words. Some bring light and hope and are rooted in love. We all have words that are never released and words that should never have been released. We have words that build up and ones that tear down.

If we speak something out of a place of fear, fear is manifested in our environment – that fear is spoken into existence. The same goes with love, when we speak life and love these things are made manifest.

Scripture has a lot to say about our words.

“Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles” – Proverbs 21:23

“No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it, we bless our God and Father, and with it, we curse men, who are made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send out from the opening fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, My brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? This no spring yields both salt water and fresh water” – Jacob (James) 3:8-12.

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” -Proverbs 12:18

“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord, keep watch over the four of my lips” -Psalm 141:3

I get convicted over my words all my words. I spew ugly words out of my mouth without thinking, only later to be convicted -” Why did I say that.” Conviction is a declaration of guilt for behaving in a way that doesn’t align with God’s commands.

Conviction should be followed by repenting and asking for forgiveness to receive God’s grace and then turned into action to prevent that behavior from being repeated in the future. God can forgive us 50 times a day, but we need to not give up on turning away from sin.

James 3 says, “No human being can tame the tongue,” so what’s the point in trying if it can’t be done? Matthew 19-26 says that Jesus looked at them intently and said, humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

The way to tame your tongue is by partnering with the Holy Spirit, these problems cannot be solved or transformed by mere willpower. It takes the Holy Spirit to do.

We need to starve the wolf of darkness and despair and nourish the wolf of light and hope. How do we do this:

1. Dedicate our hearts, minds, and tongues daily to the Lord.

Pray that God will protect our minds from thoughts that lead to words of destruction. Continually offer praise and profess His name. When we choose to praise, it’s difficult to slander, gossip, fear-based words, and curse people.

Luke 6:45 says, “The mouth speaks what the heart if full of” what are you filling your heart and mind with?

2. Have Awareness and consciousness of words

We should Taste our words before we spit them out. Acknowledge our need for discernment and God’s grace to help us remain conscious of your words. Be intentional

If we are supposed to speak up, we should do it with boldness. If we are supposed to remain silent, do it with boldness.

One of my favorite Psalms is 19:14,

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, Lord my rock, and my redeemer.”

Take responsibility for the words that come out of your mouth.

3. Don’t Complain

We are not entitled to the act of complaining, especially when not in front of our friends, co-workers, or strangers. No one enjoys hearing it, and most people do not have our best interests in mind. If people don’t engage you or agree with you when you complain about yourself or others, it is because you are making them uncomfortable.

When I want to complain I usually tell the person that I need to vent to process through the day. If you need to vent give yourself a time limit. Vent, pray, and then change the subject. Sitting with negative words is suffocating and causes death to the environment you are in.

4. Ask for forgiveness for any unloving words or attitudes

We all make mistakes if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and we could also control ourselves in every ever way. We should spend some time with God repenting and asking forgiveness regarding our language or words that we have spoken that are offensive to God. Work on changing the way you speak in order to demonstrate His love.

5. Work on speaking words that encourage, comfort, edify, and inspire

The goal here is to speak life.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” – Ephesians 4:29

To encourage means to give support, confidence, or hope. To comfort means to soothe, console, or bring freedom from pain. To edify means to cultivate, develop, and build up. And inspire means to motivate, excite, and energize.

Which Wolf Will You Feed?

Random Acts Of Kindness

Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone.

The warm feeling of well-being that washes over you when you’ve done something kind isn’t just in your head. It’s in your brain chemicals too.

Acts of kindness can release hormones that contribute to your mood and over all well being. The practice of kindness is so effective it’s being formally incorporated into some types of psychotherapy.

The trick we need to know is that act of kindness have to be repeated because biochemically, you can’t live on the 3 to 4 minutes oxytocin boosts that come from a single act.

Most research on the science behind why kindness makes us feel better has centered around oxytocin which is sometimes called “the love hormone.”

The last random act of kindness I’ve done was I when I was working at a snow come stand for at race track to do a fund race to help make money for the local veterans in my community to buy meals for home bound veterans during the Christmas holidays. I bought a man’s order which I turn caused him to buy the people’s order behind him, until the last person didn’t buy the person’s order behind her. But the act of kindness when on for about 45 minutes. It was just good people paying it forward to bless the person behind them. Which I turn made people feel good.

We can build better selves and better communities at the same time. By doing a simple act of kindness and people paying forward that kindness to another person.