Thursday, December 13, 2012

Stay Planted


Psalms 1:3



And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

There is something about this scripture that makes me want to stand still!  Sometimes I can get so caught up in trying to make something happen, or desiring to make something happen!   Have you ever been there? It can be quite frustrating, especially when those around you seem to be running here there and everywhere and getting exactly what “they” want.   To be planted means to be unmovable in the truths of God, this is God’s word.   Now, there is a catch to being planted.  If you backup and read the verse right before this one, verse 2 says: “But, they delight in the law of the Lord meditating on it day and night.”   
God’s words are living water and anything that is being watered will grow. The more we read and hear the word of God it solidifies the ways and promises of God in our heart. Meditating on the word of God helps us to understand God’s plan for our life. Meditating gives us understanding and clear direction.  Meditating on the word of God can also bring peace.  When every man seems to be going in his own way we can be confident the path we are on is the will of God, even when it doesn't seem to be going favorably and it won’t always be favorable!    

When I read this scripture I am full of hope and expectation.  I know that if I stay planted close to God, who IS the Rivers of Water, that I have no choice but to grow, bear fruit, and prosper!  Isn’t this all any of us want?   I know that we can sometimes get tired and run down, but this scriptures says that our leaves are not suppose to wither, meaning  we should always have a look of  vibrancy  and  Joy!  Do you ever get tired? Do you struggle sometimes to live joyously?   I will answer for myself…Yes and Yes!     If you can relate then I guess we only have one problem, our feet!  Look down, where are you planted?  Where are you spending most of your time?   God doesn’t move away from us, His word is always the same.  So when you are starting to feel a little ruffled and out of sorts, get back into position; meditate on God’s word, and prosper!      



Chandra H.


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Overcome your crazy world




St John 16:33   "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."



Have you been watching the news lately? It is utterly depressing. It seems that every station seeks out the most horrific, frightening, and saddest stories to report on, and not just once but REPEATEDLY, the same stories every hour.  It's quite disturbing actually and I think I am about to minimize how often I watch the local news because it does little to keep my mind on the good things of God as He commanded us to do! (Phil 4:8)  If we didn't know any better based on what is being fed to us you would believe that nothing good is going on in the world.  And I for one know that is not true, but do you  sometimes  find it challenging not to think about the horrible things that happen? I think because it's pushed in our faces daily. The world is so horrible I think wow any day now Jesus is sure to come back, people have gone beyond mad, but year after year the world is still hanging on, and so we have to hang on!      

I was meditating on this scripture today, and I often  wonder how in the world are we suppose to be cheerful when we are assured that there's going to be tribulation in our lives?  We have to remember that  Satan wants to keep us fearful, but God is saying despite what you see or experience you can ALWAYS have peace if you seek it through Me.  I thank God that my real life is hid in Him as the scriptures says, I can be cheerful in that God has given me His indwelling spirit to draw from whenever I feel lonely or overwhelmed.     Sometimes when we are going through tough times we want to run everywhere, and to everyone, all while avoiding the only person you can help us, Jesus Christ. 

 Jesus has already overcome the world, with the sacrifice of His life for our sins. He rose from the dead, overcoming eternal death for us!  And if we accept Him, run to Him, and dwell in Him, we become overcomers every single day because we don't buy into the lie that our life is as bad as Satan wants us to believe that it is. No matter what we experience we as Saints of God, have the eternal assurance that we are overcomers in this world, because our Father has already made the way for us.  



Thursday, October 18, 2012

How Should I Live: Spirit Vs. Flesh


Okay, so we are back to living by the spirit. I was studying in Romans Chapter 5 and Paul is saying that Christians should live in the Spirit. Of course I've read, and meditated on this many times in the 19 years that I have lived for Christ. But, I am always having to remind my self that the real blessings, the abundant life of a Christ follower is in The Spirit.  This can become hard for a lot of people because we tend to live by our senses. What we can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.  And to a certain degree it just makes common sense to cater to those things for the most fulfilling life experience doesn't it?  But, in Matthew 6:33 Jesus is telling His followers that we should not worry about the needs of our senses because that is a supply that comes standard.  He reminds us how He daily supplies for the birds and even plant life automatically, and we are much more important than they are. These are the words of Jesus Christ, The son of God-Creator of the heavens and earth.  

 He says don't worry about what we're going to eat, what we're going to wear, Jesus goes on to say don't even worry about what you may need tomorrow! (we are all guilty of that one).  But the Bible says, the very things that keep us alive, the things that we are identified by we should not be concerned with. 

  I can't help but think about how obtaining material possessions and status in society continues to "drive" people for more of this. Now I would dare to say that most of us are not starving to death, living in condemned buildings, and wearing dirty rags. A large portion of us have our basic needs met, and many are thriving beyond the basic needs to survive.  (I am not ignoring the homeless or the poverty stricken people in the world. The word does say that the poor we will have with us always. Matt 26:11 ) But the majority of people we are exposed to have their basic needs met.  So why do we seek for more? If all of our needs are met, its no longer a need but a desire or want. I don't think it's all bad to want to have things beyond our basic needs, but what place of importance does it take in our overall life. How does it drive you to live? 


 Paul says here in Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

So in other words, we know that we are not living by the spirit if most of our thoughts, and actions are focused on how to make the flesh stronger.  We want glorious houses, better cars, the best wardrobes, the most coveted and high profile careers, and elite people in our close social circles.  This is what people want  because it is what the world respects. And I would dare to say that even Christians believe that this is what makes a man blessed and favored of God, more so than a life that is thriving in the spirit, when we KNOW it will all burn and add up to nothing.  In the Bible,  Mary, a woman who was not wealthy nor had a high social status was chosen by God to carry the Savior of the world in her womb. Mary, was called blessed and highly favored,  by God.  (And He is the one that counts!) 

 When we live according to the spirit, our thoughts are consumed with how we can serve God in His Kingdom. We are concerned with how to grow our spirits, and how to grow closer to God so that we can walk the correct paths in this life, that leads to eternal life and not only for ourselves but for others!    

  If most of what we seek God for leads back to something that makes us appear more glorious in the eyes of the world then are we really walking in the spirit? The Spirit's primary concern are the things of God, and not so much how He can make us appear blessed in the eyes of the world or our social circles, or our family?  Yes, the word says He will give us the desires of our hearts, and He will!!  But at what cost? We know that God often gave the Children of Israel  the desires of their hearts(which we found was not God?) and they receive a leanness of soul!(PS. 106:15) That my friend,  is a horrible trade off!  God wants our desires to match His desires  for our lives, which is always tied back to Him!  We should not confuse natural possessions with the blessings and favor of God only, because people who do not live for God or want anything to do with Jesus have many great possessions and power in this world, but it's going to die with them. Jesus tells us to store up treasures in heaven because they won't corrupt, rust, or ever go away. Those of us who walk after the spirit know how we should be living, and for WHOM we should be living.  So lets stay focused!         

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Do you know what Love is? 


Love has always been a powerful word, and  most people in our culture today use it not really understanding what love really means!  I believe it is  human nature to believe that if you have strong feelings or a strong attachment or fixation to someone then you must love them, and especially as it pertains to being in a relationship with the opposite sex.  Also as it pertains to friendships and family relationships we often believe based on our over joyous and favorable feelings for a person that we must love them.  But what happens when our love is put on trial? How do we respond when the person or the people we say we love, are no longer behaving in a way that favors us? Do you still love that person, or do you become resentful and hateful  towards them? 

We can say we love but if our actions don't match that, then its not true.  It is very important and especially as Christians to understand what real love is and to ask God to perfect our love every day. As I was studying 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 today, I realized that Love has nothing to do with us, and everything to do with the people around us. (I must admit, I had to repent to God after reading over that list because I know I am not up to par!)  Most of us can love as long as love is being returned to us, but when things start to look a little one sided our "love" is put to the test.  Do we really love others, or are we more in love with ourselves? 

Sometimes,  I think we have pride issues, we can walk around with a sense of entitlement and we feel that we deserve more than what comes our way. But when it comes to Love it is an outward affection and has nothing to do with pleasing yourself, but is all about the other people in your life that you say you love. 

So! Let's take another look at this love list shall we!   


1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love Suffers Long
Love is Kind
Love does not Envy
Love does not Boast
Love is not Proud
Love does not behave unseemly
Love does not seek her own, and is not easily provoked
Love thinks no evil
Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but in truth
Love bears All things, believes All things, hope All things, endures All things.  
Love NEVER Fails..

Wow...So how does your love measure up? 





Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Suffering has benefits...





1 Pet 5:10

                      After you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you…


Wow, this scripture sort of puts a positive spin on the idea of having to endure long afflictions. We can often become discouraged, beaten and bruised up as we dig our roots in deeper to keep from falling under the weight of suffering and trials.  I know personally when I am going through tough trials, one in particular that seem to have taken up a good portion of my adult life so far, I first began to wonder okay why is this happening to me. What did I do to cause this?  Whether this is a positive attitude to have or not, it is the truth! And I believe in being as truthful as I can...these are my thoughts. I don’t think oh here’s another round of suffering to make me stronger, to make me perfect, or more settled in God. Perhaps one day I will get there. But I will say that as the suffering progress I do strive to become perfected, strengthened, established and settled.  And truth be told it is sort of an innate characteristic or nature that makes me not want to give up. So a person, who does not want to give up, naturally will try to hang on!  So I do what I need to do, I strengthen myself through prayer, and study of God’s word. I try to remind myself of what his word says, I try to encourage myself.  Yes I will be real, I cry.. Fuss or complain, I get very frustrated especially if it’s pain that is troubling my body because it is the only way I can get some kind of release from pain.  I agree I need to become more perfected in that area, but it is very hard when you are dealing with excruciating pain, not to cry out in some form of agony.  I often look for the days when the pain will no longer attack me…   When I read after you have suffered a while”  I wonder.. What is a while for me? What is a while with God?   It can drive you crazy trying to figure out what the expiration date is on your suffering. How much longer Jesus? It is not as though we can search  for such a date, or inquire with expectation of it coming to an end. We have no clue.  So as a result you become more strengthen if you continue to hold on. 



People who have endured a lot of blows can typically take a lot of blows, you sort of build a thick skin….there’s a popular saying flying around now and I’m not sure who started it but it’s very true, "What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger".  A person who has not suffered or has experienced little hardship will fold a lot easier than a person who has experienced a harder life.  So what is your settling, what is my settling?  Do we accept that fact that we many never stop suffering from some things? I don’t believe that.  I do believe that we become more settled in the fact that God is still God and he is still working for us in a positive way in the midst of our suffering.  We become settled in that God is still a Good God, even when things don’t look or feel Good.  I believe we become more settled in our faith.  



Many people can have faith as long as their faith is bringing them good news on a regular basis. The finances are good, their health is favorable, and the family life is good...everything they touch pretty much turns to Gold…most people believe when you have it like this... You are blessed! And indeed I would say that it is a blessing. But what about when you are suffering…5,10,15,20 plus years, and not always in different areas necessarily but the same area!  You know one of those Job’s or Joseph dilemmas.. 


Are you settled enough in your faith to say that God is still good, and that you are still blessed?   Needless to say man doesn’t see it that way.  People don’t associate suffering with blessings.. But God’s word says that if we suffer with Christ that we will also rule with him 2Tim 2:12 We’ve got to acknowledge the Word concerning this... It also said if Christ suffered in the flesh, than we should arm ourselves likewise!  But most people don’t want the suffering part of Jesus even though he suffered exclusively for us!  We tend to look over that Jesus endured a lot of suffering when he walked the earth, yes he blessed.  He is a king; he is the son of God but was not accepted or viewed as such. Christ suffered.    But when we have to suffer on earth for any length of time, we tend to think our faith in God isn’t working.   I believe when we start to have feelings like this there is more settling that needs to take place.   So as long as we are living on this side of glory there will be suffering, and there will be victories that run parallel... But one day we will reign forever with Christ in his eternal glory!  And this victory does bring a settling to my heart, and my spirit.    




Friday, March 2, 2012

My New Home!

So this is an informal introduction to this blog...I have a slew of  Spirit inspired posts that I want to keep open on the web, at godsflame.blogspot.com.  But, it was a different web host that I opened years ago. I am now with google and want to keep all of my blogs under one host to make it easier to navigate.  I will start writing here very soon...but to read post older than  March 2012 I encourage you to visit, godsflame.blogspot.com, because God's inspiration is always current!