Your Freewill Offering

Psalm 54 brings us today’s message. As I read the psalm, I thought about my mother and father. They often said, “I don’t care what everybody else is doing; that’s the rule here.” They also asked, “If they all jumped in the lake and drowned, would you jump in too?”

This psalm actually begins with King David entreating the LORD for help. Verse 6 of the psalm is a key one, though. “With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.” It brought me to this scripture in Colossians: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Col. 3:23-24 -NIV) Your obedience, your “keeping on keeping on,” and your thanks and praise (honoring God and His standard(s), is exactly what puts those enemies to shame. The Bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith. It’s impossible to activate God’s power without faith. You wouldn’t flip the light switch if you didn’t believe it can turn the light on or off. When we obey and keep on keeping on, with gratitude and honor for the LORD, we activate the power of God within and round about us. This ties in with yesterday’s message, and psalm 53. This is God encamping round about us. You may not see it working the way you expect it to, but it is working. You will see the results manifest. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times in my life I’ve seen it do exactly that. And, I lost count some time ago, of how many times I messed it all up by not keeping on keeping on in obedience to the LORD; and by complaining instead.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Rule Them, Indeed

First, back to Psalm 2:9 -“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them into pieces like a potter’s vessel.” If you look at all the nations of the world, all the different cultures, beliefs, religions, standards and boundaries (moral, social, familial, etc.), you’ll see why it’s important that you be able to break them and dash them into pieces.

This verse tells us a couple of things. First, the nations and the ends of the earth are our heritage. That means they can be of benefit to us. We can learn from other cultures, beliefs, and religions. We can also be led astray by them, as the nation of Israel was through intermarriage with people of foreign cultures. (The lands they journeyed through and were supposed to dispossess) Some cultures have very different standards and boundaries, social and familial practices, and some religions are idolatrous, and may even involve witchcraft and sorcery. Some of the ancient religions involved human sacrifice, especially the sacrifice of children. We know that this is not Godly. We also know that some things considered the norm for others, are not going to work for us. Just because a bunch of folks do it, doesn’t make it right; or even beneficial. This is where the rod of iron (Word of God) and dashing things into pieces comes in. The things that are of no use to us, those that will harm us, those that go against God and Godly wisdom, etc., are the things we need to throw out. This works the same way in generational curses. Those things that are/were harmful need to be thrown out and replaced with God’s ways, according to God’s standards and boundaries.

That brings us to Psalm 3:1-7 “Oh, Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Have you ever been laughed at by peers because of your faith, or because you wouldn’t do something they thought was o.k. to do? Many will try to tell us that God’s ways are old fashioned, outdated, actually even oppressive and hateful. But God is a shield around us, and the lifter of our heads. It almost always turns out in the end, that obedience to His Word, and sticking to His ways, was the right thing to dos. I say, “almost,” only because some of those results we won’t know until we get to Heaven. Verse 7 of Psalm 3 tells us that God will silence and disarm the enemy. It never fails, when the enemy causes you to doubt or fear, God’s Word will show you the truth, and empower you to stand on the truth; dispelling the fear and the doubt.

Finally, Proverbs 3 gives us a lists of all the benefits we gain from allowing God to teach us, and keeping to His teaching, and keeping His commandments in our hearts. Whenever I read about God’s commandments, I think of Jesus’ words: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Thank you, Casting Crowns, for this inspirational song!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Today I Have Begotten You

Today’s message comes from Psalm 2 and Proverbs 2. I hope you’ll feel closer to the LORD/Lord when you finish with it. See how much the Father loves us.

Psalm 2:7-9 tells us: “I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Is that awesome?! This is David speaking by the Spirit. He was speaking of Jesus and you and me. Jesus is the One who gave us the power to become God’s children in His Name. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” (John 1:12-13)

Proverbs 2:1-5 tells us: “My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” One must accept the offer Christ gives us, and receive Him in our hearts. Jesus taught about receiving God’s Word into our hearts and applying them, in Matthew 13:3-9. Proverbs 2:6-15 explains to us why we need God’s wisdom to live by. We are kings and queens in the Earth, and if we are to rule over our lives according to God’s Word, we need His wisdom to overcome the evil and darkness Satan has brought to the earth. Jesus called him the “ruler of this world.” –The world that does not know Christ Jesus, or has rejected Him; that is. It’s also the world that we may have grown up in, or may have gotten ourselves into. With God’s love and His wisdom, we can overcome all three. Here’s Red Letters by David Crowder. I hope it blesses you as much as it does me-every time I hear it. If you don’t know Jesus, you don’t know what you’re missing! He loves you so very much! Don’t stay in that darkness; call out to Him and come out into the sunshine of His love, His peace, His joy! He loves yo, and so do I!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Yes, Ideal

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that in Christ Jesus, we are all righteous, perfect-in the future, wholly wonderful human beings-in the future. The message tells us, quoting directly from twolisteners.org, “For every man there is the ideal man I see in him. The man he could be, the man I would have him be.”

I got a really powerful revelation of what kind of change can be affected when I line up my desire, with God’s will, word, and ways, and follow suit with my words and actions. I saw it happen in my children, and in each of my mates. The key is in this, “the man I would have him be.” That means you have to think a little bit, about what you want to empower this person to feel like when you say this to him/her, or by what you do. The secular world calls it, “catching them being good,” and is based on the premise that praise empowers growth of self confidence and desire to excel.

We’re told to judge of Jesus’ heart when we feel others fail us. It is the way God deals with us. I’ve found so many examples of God’s forbearance and grace in dealing with us, as I’ve done my study on generational curses. God always seeks to empower us to rise above the world, to overcome the adversity, to win at living. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6)

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

No Such Thing As Accidental

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that there’s no such thing as accidental, or coincidental, in the Kingdom of Heaven. Every meeting is orchestrated, and ordained, by God. He knows every heart, knows every human being, and knows exactly who He needs to send, on what path, and to whom. And, there’s no such thing as suffering for nothing. Everything you suffer is redemptive; if not for you, for someone else. We choose, though, whether it will count for something, or not. I hope you’ll read the message for yourselves at twolisteners.org – it’s brings me such strength whenever I read it. I found this song during my praise time, and it speaks exactly to what this message is about. Thank you, GWMA Women of Worship, for sharing this with us.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

That Reveals Their Divine Nature

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that our loved ones are not gone. They are just gone from here. We’re told that we do well to remember them. As I read the message I am reminded of the many Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and Easter too, in the kitchen with my mother, grandmother. There’s not one holiday that, when I’m in the kitchen, I don’t feel their presence with me. I hope you all will read the message for yourselves at twolisteners.org – it will really lift your spirit; especially if you’ve lost a loved one recently.

I’m going to quote directly from the message, this statement: “Learning to know Me draws that Kingdom very near, and in Me, and through Knowledge of Me, the dear ones there become very near and dear.” As I read this statement in terms of generational curses, I got a revelation about how God enables us to see the best in others. It is in Christ Jesus, and through knowledge of Him, that we are able to see the divine nature in those who, in and through their humanity, have wounded us. As we come to know the Lord more and more, we begin to gain some insight into the wounds and scars of those who have wounded us; and into their hearts. God helps us to see them as He sees us all. This is how He empowers us to let go of the worst in them, to forgive, and to hold on to the divine in them-the best in them. (Isaiah 43:25) In terms of generational curses, the sin here is two-fold. First, the sin they committed against us is sin. The results (fear, dejection, addiction(s), etc.), all the ways in which their sin binds us, cripples us, etc., is the second part of this. This second part is the part we need to remember no more. This is what the love of God frees us from, lifts us out of, and gives us treasures to take out with us-so that we can pass them on. We are blessed to be a blessing.

Finally, seeing the best in them, their divine nature, softens the scars and allows God to work His miracles of restoration to our generation, and hopefully, our children’s, and theirs.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Fill Yourself With His Divinity

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we have a divine nature. The Holy Spirit within us helps us to remember this. Quoting directly from the message at twolisteners.org – “As you kneel in humble adoration I will tell you that when I took upon Me your humanity it was with the desire of raising that humanity to My Divinity.” I hope you’ll read the entire message; it is a powerful one.

In my Bible study on generational curses, I read a scripture that may help you to realize your divine nature; and step into it. It’s in Jeremiah 17:14 – “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” So, when Jesus said, “It is finished,” it was a done deal. You are God’s child, and have His divine nature (again) NOW! First, let that bring you the peace you need to walk through this world without fear. Then, the rest will follow. Let that elevate your thinking to creating peace, joy, beauty, true restfulness within, and round about. We truly can have Heaven here on Earth when we realize and step into that divine nature. Keeping that at the forefront involves keeping the LORD/Lord at the forefront of our living.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Go, And Sin No More

eden08122015

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, gives us a powerful revelation about Jesus’ words in John 8:11 – “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” The message bids us to “feel that between us and all scorn and indignity is a strong shield.”

We are also reminded that we are to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect. Being human, we are bound to do things imperfectly at times. We are limited in patience, and even in perseverance at times. Of course, it’s always easier to give up, isn’t it? That’s because we have a tendency to be self-condemning. Sometimes, we’re even harder on ourselves than others are.

Jesus spoke those words to a woman caught in the act of adultery. The whole scene changed from one of self-righteousness and condemnation to one of self examination, repentance, and opportunity. The men who were ready to stone the woman to death had to admit their own sinfulness, and repent of their condemnation of her. The woman was saved from them, and forgiven by Jesus, and given the opportunity to correct herself. Jesus didn’t require anything from her, but to get up and go forward; onward.

We can do that very same thing when we miss it. We can do it each and every time, if we just determine to step up and forward into the opportunity, learning from the mistake, without judging or condemning ourselves. Psalm 119:1 says it like this: “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.” (NIV) Now, if you give it little thought, you’ll realize that can also be applied to being non-judgmental, non-condemning…to learning what caused the failure, and correcting it, rather than focusing on who caused it. Remember, God does not impute wickedness to us. We ought not to either, then. I, for one, do not attempt something with the intent of failing at it; do you? Yeah, I didn’t think so either. *Something I learned from my son when he dropped the bag of cookies at the store is that that’s the way the cookie crumbles. LOL PS – they’re just as good crumbly as they are whole.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Simplicity Helps In The Striving

eden08122015

Happy Birthday, America! God bless the USA! May we have a beautiful and peaceful day, and may the spirit of unity as men and women of the human race prevail.

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God is our friend, as well as our Heavenly Father, our provider, savior, healer, and judge. Getting to know Him in all those capacities really deepens and solidifies one’s relationship with Him. In knowing Him and walking with Him, we become like Him.

The end of the message tells us to seek simplicity in all things. As I thought about this in terms of relationships and generational curses, I was brought to the ten commandments. I thought about the precepts and statutes of God. He makes them perfectly clear to us, doesn’t He? This makes, and keeps, the doing and being simple; don’t you think? This is because we know what is expected of us, and what to expect from Him. (Psalm 93:5) “Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore.”

When we apply this principle to overcoming generational curses, to parenting -remember that new-born child within you -keeping it simple by knowing (1) what to expect. For example, when you’re living in an alcoholic or drug addict’s house, you never know if that person is going to be sober or drunk or high, or how incapacitated he, or she might be. (2) What is expected of you as far as rules and requirements. This is the standard(s) and boundaries thing. (3) What do you expect in and from this situation, environment, relationship, etc. And, last but not least, what do you expect from you. Lining ourselves up with God’s Word, and His will for us, helps to keep the expectations realistic and simple.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

The Child Within

eden08122015

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