Happy New Year

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful break…I know I did. Sometimes, you don’t realize how much you need a break until you get one. At any rate, Inspirations is back for another year; God willing.

I’ve been studying Psalms and Proverbs during my generational curses study. I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned from them. The Bible is filled with stories of good kings who were followed by bad ones, and vice versa. Generational curses can affect anyone of us at any time, because we’re all under the original curse brought by Adam and Eve. I’m actually studying, and learning about parenting according to the admonition of the LORD/Lord.

We don’t really think much about it, but God is the absolute best parent anybody can have. When I began to deal with my issues according to God’s Word, I became able to actually make the right changes. I’m going to start with Psalm 1 and Proverbs 1.

Psalms 1:1-3 tells us: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

Sometimes the counsel of the wicked is the things we learned and habits we adopted in our own families, growing up. If you had parents who were alcoholics, drug addicts, or perhaps suffered from depression or some other mental illness, you probably were exposed to “counsel of the wicked,” to sin and maybe even scoffing-if you’re parents were non-believers and maybe hostile to Christianity. The key phrase in this scripture is: “his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” This is what keeps us on the right paths, what teaches us the right ways, and what shows us when we’re going wrong. The promise is that we will prosper, or have success, in everything we do.

In Proverbs 1:1-7, we get the reason why we want to study God’s Word, and learn from Him, how to raise our children. When you grow up wounded within, you need to be the parent to that wounded child, and allow God to raise you up. That means you deal with the child within, the way God does; in the admonition of the LORD/Lord. The first thing I did was to study 1 Corinthians 13 – Love is…because God is love. I think this fits the message perfectly. Thank you, Chris Tomlin, for this beautiful song.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Ah, Peace, Be Still!

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we are sure to go through some storms in life. We’re told that the enemy attacks the fortress, the stronghold, and not in the desert waste. (quoting directly from the message at twolisteners.org)

In my study on Generational Curses, I’ve come across some examples of how Satan works his wiles on us. Adam and Eve are the first example of how Satan veils his true self. First, he veils the anti-Christ. He’s envious of us because we are created in God’s image and after His likeness, and Satan hates Jesus. Secondly. he veils the author of confusion/chaos regarding God’s word. Then, the liar tells Eve she won’t die if she eats from the tree. Next, Satan causes Eve to doubt God’s love for her; His intentions toward her. Satan is the author and director of fear; not God. God is love, and perfect love casts out fear. Finally, we have the deception that the tree will make her wise…Wisdom comes from God, not from a tree. Oh, oh! Next came the storm that had both Adam and Eve hiding and trembling in fear of God.

Can you see the waves coming to buffet the ship here? Yes, it does happen this way all the time. But, when we learn to recognize the one stirring up the storm(s), we can quickly ride the waves to shore. An added plus is that we have Jesus in the boat!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

How To Work In Peace

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that disorder and chaos, within or round about us, does not foster effective and successful work. It also stifles and squashes creativity.

The way to work in peace is to have a peaceful work space and atmosphere. That means organization and clean work area(s). Making sure all needed materials are at hand, and organized, and work tools are at hand and ready to use is the next step. Sometimes you may even have to send calls to voicemail, so you can work uninterrupted. This is what God did for us in the Garden of Eden. He put everything needed there, and helped Adam put it in order (naming the animals is labeling everything).

Creating order and peace within is a little harder to do; especially when there are issues you’re dealing with. One of the challenges I had as a battered woman was keeping my mind on task, and not getting ahead of myself in the project I was working on. You’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop then, so your mind races over a million things all throughout your work time. Praise music, or music that soothes your soul and slows your mind down helps quite a bit. it’s also important to continue to increase your spirit in the Word of God, and in positive activities and things that give you energy and increase your self-confidence. As we grow in these, we’re filling up the empty spaces and replacing the negative thoughts and attitudes we’ve had in the past.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:12 ESV) This scripture comes to mind when I read this message. The “world” refers not only unbelievers. It’s also “your world”, and all the things that are going on in it; especially the negative and/or unsettling things. That’s why we’re told: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

The Child Within

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we must become as little children to enter the kingdom of Heaven. “And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

As I said before, I’ve been studying about generational curses and how to overcome them. Humankind has lived under a generational curse since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. In studying this out, I discovered just how much God really is in control. You see, in putting enmity between Eve’s seed (man) and Satan’s seed (unclean spirits and demons), God insured that we would be able to see the truth behind the lie. We can see the devil and the lie for exactly what they are; evil, and meant to destroy us.

Generational curses happen as a result of disobedience to God, or removal or displacement of a standard and/or boundary. “Thou shall…and Thou shall not…” When this happens, we end up with sin that rules over us. We have addictions, abuse, co-dependency, and dysfunction. We are not getting the truth that empowers us to live successfully. Thankfully, God has made it possible for us to become His children, and to re-raise, or be resurrected by Him. This is what it means to bring up a child under the admonition of the LORD/Lord. That child is the child within; your spirit. You see, it isn’t your flesh that suffers the damage of faulty and flawed parenting -not usually, anyway. It is your spirit. I read a passage just today: The LORD reigns; He is robed in majesty. The LORD is robed; He has put on strength as His belt.” (ESV) When I read this, I thought of that voice saying, “Go get me that belt!” That stuff was meant to break the bad spirit(s) off of us. But, most of the time, it breaks our spirit, doesn’t it? Remember Jesus said that the Father has given Him everything; and He, Jesus, has given it to us, in turn. That means you can read that passage of scripture this way: “I reign, I am robed in majesty. I have put on strength as my belt.” The admonition of the Lord strengthens us in our spirit, so that we can reign as kings and queens in life. The first step is to be born again.

You can do that by asking Jesus to come into your heart and be Lord of your life. If you don’t know the LORD/Lord, now’s the time – today’s the day of salvation. And Jesus will save you everyday; from all the old stuff that would hold you back or trip you up.

Pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, please come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive me for my sins; I renounce them all right now. I want to become a child of God, and learn to walk according to His Word and in His Way. Please make me yours from this moment on.

I encourage you to find a believer to pray with you, and I’ll be praying for you. Today can be the best day of your life; the turning point to a better life -everyday.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu