The Son did set you free!!

 One of the greatest promises from God in the Bible that I can think of is when He declares that “sin shall not have dominion over you (us), for you (we) are not under the law but under grace.”  It is such a beautiful promise.   He is saying that sin can’t win if you are under grace.  

 Sin steals from us.   First of all, the Bible tells us that sin separates us from God.  Not that it causes His love for us to cease, but in regard to proximity, sin moves us away from the safety we find in God.   If to be close to God spells blessing, then it isn’t hard to figure out that the farther we move away from God spells those things which are the direct opposite of blessings.   Secondly, sin steals our identity.    Its stake or claim to our very lives is present at birth.   Sin wishes to rule our every thoughts, words and deeds.   When sin has dominion you can very easily find yourself becoming “who” you don’t want to be.  I can’t say that I know anyone who wished or desired to become a liar, or a thief, or a drug addict (you get the picture) it just happens.  Yes, sin casts its label on us.   Even if it is sin not known to a single man walking the earth besides yourself, sin strips us of our identity and leaves us with a guilty conscience.  

 The Bible tells us that there is a war going within each of us.   Yes, the proverbial good versus evil.   But even more specifically, the war going on is a war between the law of your mind (this is where your will is comprised) and the law of sin and death.   The law of sin and death wants to rule over our minds in order to bring us into or keep us in captivity to it.    The thing is, the law of our mind, which I should note comprises things like desires, decisions to live right, treat others fairly and even serve God, is no match for the law of sin and death.   Why?   One reason is, that  the law of sin and death was there first (this is not the best of reasons, but I will address that shortly).  Before you ever knew what was right or even had any thoughts or determination to live “right” or dreams of who you would be, the law of sin and death reigned within you.   You were born with it.   No escaping that, everyone is born with it.   It is a part of the curse, it is the sin nature we inherited for Adam & Eve because of their sin.  

 Another way of describing this  is to call it the sin nature.   So we all have it whether we want to acknowledge it or not.    But getting back to the question of why we cannot win the war against the law of sin and death, the best answer to the question is simply because GOD’S WAY to victory in this war never included any power we could exert on our own behalf.  Every type of victory there is to be achieved in the life of a believer is to come through and by way of what our Precious Savior Jesus Christ did on our behalf.   Remember in Ephesians where God’s word states “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.”   Notice what the Word there states, it states it is “He” who is able to do the exceeding thing, and it is according to “the power” He gives us by way of “Jesus Christ”.  Everything points back to Jesus as the resource.  And what about in First John 5 where the Word declares:  “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”  And moreover, what about “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”  (1 Corinthians 1:18).   Through and through the Bible we are told of this “power” of God we are to have, and I bless the Lord that He made it clear in His Word how to tap into this power.   It is exclusively by faith.  If I can site one more reference, recall in the book of First John that it further states, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith.” 

 The beautiful, life giving, message of salvation and sanctification  (freedom from bondage to sin) by way of what Jesus Christ did on the Cross, is so simple that it, just like the Word declares, is often too easily sworn off or ignored as unworthy of being the great and mighty solution (to all things/issues/needs) that it is.   The truth of the matter is that if we only get outside of our self righteous, pride-filled selves long enough to realize that God is a God Who cannot lie and just set our hearts to seek greater revelation of Him, every single person on the planet could experience the victory He makes available to us.   But we don’t or haven’t all done it.  

 Dear Hearts, it is our very freedom at stake.   Only believe, Only Believe, Only Believe, I exhort you today……That when Jesus Christ allowed Himself to be taken to the Cross and crucified it was to pay a mighty ransom.   It was because God loved you (us) so very much that He had Jesus to take upon Himself the entire penalty of the law, which is death due to sin, on your (our) behalf, that we might be free from penalty and condemnation.  It was in fulfillment of His promise to make a New Covenant with us.  To transfer us from law to grace.  The Word says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, you are not under law, but under grace.”    So how does sin lose dominion over us?  Only believe, Only believe, only believe!   Believe what the Word says, “he who has died with Christ has been freed from sin.”  What exactly does this mean?  This means the old man (the sin servant nature) was crucified, or put to death with Him (Christ) that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.  

 Basically, somehow, someway, God made it so that if we believe that Christ paid  the penalty of the law charged against us in His sacrifice at the Cross, that we too become buried with Christ though baptism unto death.  So just like Christ did, in fact, rise up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, we too have that similar thing happen to us spiritually.  We too rise up and walk in newness of life, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Prior to this death , we are under law, but upon our rising we are transferred under grace where sin can never rule or reign.   Remember, where sin abounds grace abounds much more…..it simply cannot win!   The thing is, we have to stay under grace.   That is why we must take up the Cross daily and allow our flesh to be crucified anew each day with this same baptism unto death.    We do this by keeping Christ and what He did as the object of our faith.

What do you desire freedom from……alcohol, drugs, whoredom, lying, unfaithfulness, unforgiveness, whatever it may be, only believe that the price the Lord Jesus paid on behalf of your salvation also covers the ransom for your deliverance.   He said it is finished…..now believe and see the power God planned for you to walk in, show up and carry you to deliverance.

“There”

Life is truly a beautiful thing.  Time has taught me that bad things and heartaches can be present in the most beautiful of seasons, but so can beauty be present even under the worst of circumstances.   This is why the “moment” doesn’t matter as much as who you are in the moment. When we embrace this concept, we, in turn, embrace growth.   Just as no man is an island, so is no man finite.   We are all headed somewhere, the joys, the thrills,  the grief, the distress, they are the stone road, the trail, if you will, to the place called “there”.  Where is “there” you might ask?  ”There” is all relative.  I wish I could point to map and show you, but the intangible, or incorporeal is simply that.  It isn’t a place, doesn’t have a body, and can’t so much as be touched…but even still, I urge you that “there” does, no doubt, exist.  ”There” is maturity, “there” is growth, “there” is who you are meant to become.  ”There” is the place where ashes make beauty.

So, I say again….

Life is truly a beautiful thing.  Time has taught me that bad things and heartaches can be present in the most beautiful of seasons, but so can beauty be present even under the worst of circumstances.   This is why the “moment” doesn’t matter as much as who you are in the moment. When we embrace this concept, we, in turn, embrace growth.   Just as no man is an island, so is no man finite.   We are all headed somewhere, the joys, the thrills,  the grief, the distress, they are the stone road, the trail, if you will, to the place called “there”.  Where is “there” you might ask?  ”There” is all relative.  I wish I could point to map and show you, but the intangible, or incorporeal is simply that.  It isn’t a place, doesn’t have a body, and can’t so much as be touched…but even still, I urge you that “there” does, no doubt, exist.  ”There” is maturity, “there” is growth, “there” is who you are meant to become.  ”There” is the place where ashes make beauty.

From Mommy with Love

Today my thoughts are with my Sweetie Pie.   It was 10 years ago that I gave birth to her.  What a gift from God she has been in these 10 years.   It seems like yesterday that on my wedding day her dad and I decided to begin our family.   Almost 2 years later, to the day, she arrived.   She came out looking like a baby doll.  An inch and a half of hair (of which the doctor actually gripped onto and pulled her out….I am not sure if I have forgiven Dr. Harris to this day for that.  )  But she was a dream come true.  We didn’t know if she would bare the name of a girl or boy, which her brother got 2 1/2 years later, but I (we) did know that this baby, whatever the gender turned out to be, would be loved, as a gift.  

 

I remember hearing her cry.   I remember how alert she was that night at 11:51pm when she arrived….and how alert she was the rest of the entire night.   No there would be no sleeping for mommy that night.   She laid awake, and alarmed by her new cold and bright surroundings.   Oh, but the comforting of both mommy’s  and daddy’s touch.   And the realization for me as a nursing mommy, that this kid might have been released from the insides of my body, but she was certainly not detached it.  Not that I minded at all.   The miracle of life, the circle of life, how much of an amazing dream it came to be, but yet it was reality….yes, sweet reality.  

 

The 10 years I have had with her have been the absolute best.   Different than boys (don’t think I don’t have much to say about my little Guy, but today is Elizabeth’s day), the little girls are just so darling to watch grow up.  I love it to this day when she puts on lip gloss.   She has no idea, but I know what she is thinking when she has it on.  She is thinking “I feel so pretty!”.   How do I know that, you might ask?  Well it is that smile she does, puckering those lips as though making every attempt not to allow them to touch…..you know, so that the gloss will not get smudged and last longer.   It is the cutest thing.  

 

She keeps me young and simplifies for me how, grow into a lady as we may, we never outgrow the feeling that comes along with that extra little embellishment.  For her the lip gloss today, but catch her when she has her hair straightened and you know what she is thinking “I feel so pretty!”.   What can I say, as I sit typing this today, a generation her senior, the flower I have placed in my own hair has me thinking the same thought, “I feel so pretty!”

 

We never really do grow out of this. I think.   Or maybe it is just that some of us choose to remain young and to hold onto the simple sweet nothings in this lifetime we have on this earth.   But whatever the case, my little girl, my baby certainly keeps me young.   Everyday I am reminded of what true beauty is by her innocence.   I am allowed to see and experience what tender sweet emotions are supposed to look like and the reactions from others they evoke.   We smile at little children, don’t we.   We smile at them because they just down right tickle us.   They tickle us.   She tickles me.  

 

I am thinking of my sweetie pie, my little princess Elizabeth today.   Haha, going back to that sweet night she arrived.   Moments had passed by, the cord had been cut, and it had only dawned on me then to ask “is she a boy or girl?”   It didn’t matter, I had already been in love what her from the day we decided to conceive her. 

 

To Elizabeth, on her 10th birthday, with love from Mommy.

Growth & Expansion in 2011

As I look back on the year I am filled with such gratitude at how God has added to my life and given me strength and courage to step out onto the water in spite of my fears. Many will resolve for 2011 to say “no” more, but, quite the opposite, I’m looking forward to saying “yes” more. Like the Nike principle “just do it!”; whether intimidated, afraid or even indifferent I’m going to “do it” and enjoy the lessons, whatever they may be.
The Bible says “where there is no vision, the people perish.”. This Word pricked my heart yesterday, and I’m so thankful! No more shrinking for me! I’m saying “yes”. In my spirit all week I have been hearing 2 words over and over. The words are “something new.”. I agree and I say yes…..in the power of the Holy Ghost, with the mind of Christ and with great expectation that He who has begun a good work in me will carry it forth to completion.

I am,
Humbled,
Pregnant with hope and vision,
In awe of His power towards and within me,
God’s daughter,
Dominique

I love you all, and I pray the richness of His glory into your hearts, your relationships and your every endeavor in the year 2011. In Jesus’ name.

I’m longing for you Lord (Eagles Wings)

His plans are sure!!!!

God is so good.   I am always shocked at what comes out of me as I sit and type on my computer.   I tell you the written language is surely my “first” language.   Meaning my language of choice.   The Holy Spirit always encourages me as I obey and write what He has placed upon my heart.   I’m blessed to have been able to share these words of exhortation with a friend tonight.   As I typed them, my faith even increased.  I instantly knew I had to post them here for you all as well. 

God is good and His plans are perfect. So we can trust that because He orders the steps of those covered in the blood of Jesus, He surely is leading us by Jeremiah 29:11. Remember Joseph. God sent him ahead, knowing He, God Himself, had called a famine in that land where He sent Joseph. A prisoner yet still faithful in His gifting, Joseph’s Word did come to pass. Not how he might have planned it, but so gloriously that gladness surely replaced every former misery. Amen!

I love you all…. and God bless you richly Dear and Beloved!!!

What’s in a word?

Bread from Heaven…..Bread of Life

After promptings and confirmation from the Lord, this site was launched one year ago. As I celebrate the birth of www.inallyourgetting.com,  I also celebrate the growth that it has inspired in me. I am grateful to the Lord for the opportunity to be used in any way by Him, and I am ever more grateful to Him because He always surprises me so. I’ve grown so much in doing this assignment. I know that the Lord ordained this as much for me as for any reader. I thank you all today for sharing with me, supporting this work the Lord has done, and also for your continuous prayers for me. I love you all!!!!!!

BREAD FROM HEAVEN……BREAD OF LIFE

He is amazing! He keeps me wondering “how did He do that?” I am in awe of not just what He does, but also how He does things. The way my mind works (very scientific like) I am always looking to figure out things. I hate to, but have to, admit that I often do this as regards situations I know God is developing, working out, fixing, etc. In my mind, I usually come up with the idea of what I believe God will do and a couple “possibles”. My thinking is really geared this way. Time after time, however, I find that I wasn’t even in the same hemisphere in my thinking as God. I can’t count the times I have just had to sit back and say “wow”….because God had done something, but so awesomely and amazing in His own way.

So when I say to you that I don’t understand everything about this wonderful God we serve, I am clueless except to say that my greatest understanding is that “I simply won’t understand everything.” Walking with the Lord really takes you through stages, in growth and maturity and even understanding. But, I remember when I first encountered God, and because the revelation of His love was so all consuming to me, I felt like I knew everything about Him while at the same time knowing nothing at all. I hope that makes sense to you. Today is no different, I know everything and nothing at all about Him and about His ways. In other words, I know everything I have personally witnessed Him do, but still know nothing at all about what He will do next or how He will do it. How does on reconcile this in their relationship with the Father you might ask. For me, I have resolved to know certain things about Him instead. These things keep me grounded while in uncertainty. These are the things I know for sure, like that (1) the Lord will never abandon me, (2) He would never withhold anything good from me, (3) His love is so unfailing that it will forever cover me in all my weaknesses, (4) He will always provide for my every need, and that (5) His plans for me are to prosper me.

Like I said, I have a scientific type of mind. I absolutely love to research out theories to either prove or disprove them. Not only that, but on top of my natural curiosity I was trained in it as well. The entirety of the 3 years I spent in law school were focused on training me to do 2 things: (1) “find the rule of law” (i.e., determine what the law is) and (2) “apply the law” to whatever the issue or question was. That is what lawyers do. We know that the law has set out its requirements/protocol for most every situation and in order to resolve any situation we must apply the rule of law to the problem….for better or for worse.

I know for a fact that my legal training has helped me in my walk with the Lord. And the principles I learned there would help anyone in their walk with the Lord. I want to encourage everyone reading this to “find the rule of law.” This means figure out what the Word of God says about you, your situation, your sin, judgment and your purpose. In order to do this you have to read the Bible. You will not know what the Bible says unless you open it up and read it. The Bible tells us that people are perishing (this means dying spiritually/ falling into hopelessness [depression]/ and entering into an eternity in hell) because those people lack knowledge. I can recall the moment God’s plan of salvation was revealed in my heart. I was in total shock that I had no clue that I was hell bound. If I had died prior to putting my faith in Christ (rather than my own goodness) I would have perished into hell, which is eternal darkness. It truly amazed me that I had no idea that I was perishing. I’d considered myself not only a good person but a smart person and to find out that I was clueless as to something so fundamental to my very own existence really jarred me.
After you find the rule of law, apply it to your life. It means nothing that you know the law if you don’t use it to your advantage. The Bible tells us that we are to be doers of the Word and not be hearers only. So we have to apply every principle of the Word of God to our lives. I love the way the Word defines itself. It reads, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (Hebrews 4:12). It also goes on to tell us that all scripture is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16).

So we see that God gave us his Word (the rule of law) for our benefit…to help us. He created us. We have to take Him at his Word when He says to us that we, His human creation, were not made to live on bread (the food of this world) alone, but by every Word that He has spoken. So you see the Word is meant to nourish us. It is indeed living food. Recall in John 1 where God’s truth reveals “and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” Jesus is the living Word. Jesus is the Bread of Life. We can’t partake of this Bread (Who is Jesus….Who is the Word) unless we take it inside and apply it to our lives.

When we look into the Word of God it acts as a mirror. The Bible helps us to examine our inward man. It helps us to determine what the issues are. It helps us to see ourselves as we truly are, so it is a mirror of examination. But it is also a mirror of transformation. It transforms us into the image of Christ. The Word describes it this way, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image of glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is why the Bible (book of James) says that faith without works is dead. What good is it to know the Word (the rule of law) and not allow it to transform you? He said even the demons know God and His Word. In essence He is saying, your knowledge of my law doesn’t make you much higher than satan if it doesn’t lead to a good work being done in you; or in other words if you don’t eat it and allow it to change you. We have to remember also that the Word is the power. Look back at the scripture above, it says that the Word is both “alive” and “powerful.” My message to you today is that the Word is Jesus. The Word is the Bread of Life. The Word is powerful enough to change you!

My hope is that everyone will leave this reading encouraged at minimum in the knowledge tha

1) The Word was sent to save, heal, restore and transform you;
2) You must read the Word, because God never meant for us to go without hearing His Word…. just like He made us to require natural food for nourishment; and
3) You must apply the Word of God to your life. This means you must accept and believe it in your heart as true and let its life and powerfulness change you.

Furthermore, I hope today that I have made a case for Christ (Who is the Word). I hope you, who are already Christians and you who are not, are encouraged to reach for and regard the Bread of Life as being as important as any other earthly consumption necessary to subsist. Choose Christ and His way today.

I love you all,
Created in His image,
God’s daughter,
I remain,
Dominique

Our God is an Awesome God!!!

My day has begun with a song in my Spirit.   The song is “Awesome God.”    What more can be said!   He is both Mighty and Amazing!  He created all things;  He seesall things; and He knows all things.   And with all of that great spendor He loves you and He loves me!  Not with the fickle love that fails at the sight of adversity, but He loves us with an all consuming love.   His love surpasses our shortcomings, our failures and even our unbelief.   It is a healing love.   It is a building love.   It is a love that looks the crookedness of the paths we have chosen in the face and somehow makes them straight….inspite of it all.   He is as well, the Mighty God who fights our battles.  This morning I am rejoicing in the spendor of His majesty and His love.     

My Bible readings this morning took me to II Chronicles 20.   The reading regarded the story of Jehoshaphat.  Let’s skip to the end before we go to the beginning……   As it were, the Bible says,  “Then they returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, full of joy that the Lord had given them victory over their enemies. They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets and proceeded to the Temple of the Lord. When the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lord himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side!”   You see, Our God IS AN AWESOME GOD!!!!

Who was this Jehoshaphat you ask?  Jehoshaphat was one of the few “good” kings in Judah, the southern kingdom after Israel split in two.  In his rulership, he challenged his people to rid the country of all their idols and put there focus back on the one true God.  A thorough reading of his life will show that his rulership was not flawless, he made mistakes in the area of alliance early on, but the Lord spared and saved him when he cried out to the Lord for help.  God is a merciful God!

Nevertheless, as this particular story of triumph went, one day King Jehoshaphat and his people (the people of Judah) saw that a great multitude had risen up against them.   Three groups of aggressors–the Moabites, the Ammonites and those of Mount Seir–launched a major assault against Jerusalem.   King Jehoshapah felt deeply afraid, but rather than cower in fear, he “set himself to seek the Lord.” (2 Chr. 20:3)  He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah and called the people together to join him in seeking the Lord.  He stood before the people in the House of the Lord and prayed, ” O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand you….”  This was King Jehoshaphat’s way of declaring that he was putting all of his hope in the Lord of unlimited power, you see.   He did not take on the burden for himself, rather, He appealed to the One who (and by Whose hand who) He knew had, in fact given them the land they were now about to have to fight to keep.  He proclaimed for himself and as a witness to his people, “our eyes are on You” Lord!  

Well in the midst of that very assembly where Jehoshapat had been praying, the Lord spoke through one of the men saying, “…do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”   He instructed them to go down against this enemy seige.   He told them exactly where the enemy seige would be.   However, He didn’t tell them to bring in the crafted and stockpiled artillary, instead He told them “Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you.” 

So King Jehosphapat and his army of men rose early in the morning, and began totraveled to where the Lord had instructed.  In route, the King exhorted his army saying, “believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”  He then proceeded to have the people sing to the Lord.   I know this all seems odd, they are there approaching the supposed battle field and are they attuning weapons or plotting attack strategies!?  No, rather, they are praising God saying “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.” 

Well, as the story goes, ”At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.  The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.!    I say it again, OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!!!

This story so encouraged me this morning.   It re-itterated to me the safety that we are able to find in Christ.   The Bible says that the righteous run to Him and are saved (safe).   Today, I am ever reminded of this fact from the story of King Jehoshaphat.   However, I have to point out.   This story is not about Jehoshaphat as much it is about you and I and the power of God directed towards us and in the battles we face.    God has made promises to both you and I….to protect, to provide, to heal, to restore……whatever the case.  

Join with me in taking instruction from His word.    I am starting with the knowledge of God…putting myself in remembrance of just Who He is.   He is an awesome God.   Then, I am following through with more knowledge.  The knowledge that the battle is not mines, but the Lords.   And finally, I am proceeding with action.  He said to “position” myself, to “stand still” and to watch and “see the salvation of the Lord.”   That is what I intend to do, all the while “praising [Him] in the beauty of holiness.” 

I love you all,

I am,

God’s daughter,

Made in His very image,

A delighter in Him,

Dominique

Today is my Birthday!!!

Today I am celebrating my birthday! For those who know me, relax this is no scam. . Really, it is my birthday. On this very day 4 years ago my life was radically changed. I was born again! I remember that day vividly and the days and months and years to follow have really been “but a dream”…come true that is!!!

This day is more special to me than my actual “physical” birthday! Though, years of practice has taught me to celebrate that day well, too!! In case you are interested, I blogged a while back on being born again. It is titled “How do I know If I am Born Again” and can be found at http://www.inallyourgetting.com/?p=463 . In that entry we took a walk through the scriptures and explored just what the Word has to say about the born again experience….and more importantly it’s affects. If you haven’t read it, please stop in and read it if you feel led.

When talking about the born again experience I am always reminded of the story in the Bible where Jesus was approached by Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, asking Him “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” He had asked this of Jesus, because Jesus had, just prior to that, made a statement that really baffled him. Jesus had stated, “…unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” I have to admit, just with the naked ear, how could one know or understand?; that is, apart from the scriptures. But then, to think of it, at that time in history, Jesus, having just come in fulfillment of Old Testament scriptures, was laying the groundwork for the new covenant believer to understand.

Jesus went on to explain, “…unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” He concluded, in essence by saying “[don't be so surprised]. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Aaww. So here we go! What He was saying was that being born again simply is what it is. We don’t doubt that the wind exists but rather evidence it by its affect (the sound, the waving of tree limbs, etc.); such is being born of the Spirit. In order to have the effect, i.e., fruit of the spirit overtaking one’s character and countenance, the ability to see or enter the Kingdom of God, you must be born of the spirit; born again. Jesus went to explain, in the book of the Bible that speaks of his encounter with Nicodemus that we are born of the Spirit by placing our faith in (Him) Jesus as our Savior. John 3:15-16, 36; 4:14; 5:24; 6:37; 7:37-38; 8:12, 36; 10:27-28; 11:25-26; 14:2-3, 12; 16:13.

So anyway, hoping I made that clear, the birth that I am celebrating today is my being born of the Spirit of God, totally distinguished from the birth from my mother’s womb. But I will say they have bared some similarities, which we get to in a minute. I recall that day just as vividly as any other fantastic day to remember in my life. I was sitting on the last pew in our Church (as a visitor then), when the Pastor did his altar call. The message He had preached was on marriage (earthly) with strong parallels to the marriage believers experience with the Lamb of God, Who is Jesus. I recall that in the course of the altar call I was moved out of my seat rather supernaturally. My feet were going before I could think the thought, “Oh My God, am I really walking to the front.” I had no clue what was to be in store for me. What I remember is the Pastor (who is now my Pastor) saying “bring it to Jesus.” Boy, did I have a lot to bring to Him. I just remember wanting to be unburdened and somehow believing in that moment that Jesus would unburden me. So there at the altar, I married Jesus. And we lived happily ever after! Well, that is the short-of-it anyway.

Remember I said that I had no clue what was in store for me. I was totally without a clue that I would be stripped, washed, marinated and baked! Somehow in my mind I am paralleling this to baking chicken…..I must be hungry …forgive me. But when I bake chicken that really is the process I use. I strip the chicken of any visible fat, then I wash the chicken, I marinate it with whatever flavorings of seasoning I have chosen, and then pop it into a 450 degree oven to bake. This is not so different from what I experienced when I was born again.

Father God really did strip me…..of burdens I was carrying at the moment that were simply too heavy for me or any human being for that matter (the burdens that I was ready to give Him at that moment, that is). Every load I willingly gave Him at that altar He stripped away from me. My depression, helplessness and hopelessness were gone in an instant. His power and His desire to do that continues to amaze me. Then, He began to wash me. Did I ever need that as well! You see, I was filled with so much guilt, condemnation and deception.

Ten years prior, my introduction to God had been rejected, by none other than myself. I had said No to the idea of a life serving Him. The explanation of why I said “No” would consume this blog post so I will defer. However, I will caution all parents, please purpose yourselves to know who and what your 14 year olds are entertaining. I made a decision at 14 years old that I would marry the much more mature and older guy I had come to know as my first and only boyfriend.

So, as it were, for me, having been miraculously stripped of things that I knew only a truly miracle working God could rid me of, and looking into the face of God (which is the purest love you’ll ever know) guilt and regret really sought instantly to consume me. How could I have rejected God? How did I not know? How is it possible that You (Father God) still love me and pursued me? Why? You see, by this time I had lost 14 years of my life to the decision I earlier made, having chosen that relationship ahead/instead of God. I gained my 2 wonderful children (precious gifts, and the most important part of my calling in Christ…making disciples starts with our kids right!), but lost everything else that would make a person capable existing….hope, being at the top of that list. Glory to God though, for He redeemed me…..from the tyranny of that situation, and most importantly from ME! I am so thankful that I am alive, and I mean that literally, to talk about it! Glory to God!! Another side note, ladies if you ever suffer through seeing the sight of your own blood, concussions, blackouts, etc. at the hands of someone who is supposed to love you, God does not require you to employ any benefit of the doubt, forgiveness does NOT require you to risk your life. Believe me when I say this, it is possible to forgive from a distance. And know, that the amazing God we serve will rebuild and restore you!

So you see, my sins had taken me so far…..down…..and away! Guilt, regret and condemnation could have taken its toll on me. So Father really invested in washing me. He tore down strongholds in my thinking and cleansed me. I even remember that once He opened up the light of His love to me, that my desires to participate in old behaviors were no longer present. He washed away so much of the trash of the world! You see the worlds’ ways are so different from God’s ways. If I can compare it to this, a lot of things just went away from me like the desire to eat pot roast would after eating it 5 nights in a row. Those desires were simply lifted. However, some things that were more firmly implanted were uprooted in due time.

Turning the corner in my thoughts on what God did next, the picture of scrubbing a “burned on” pan comes to mind. I can’t tell you the times I have just had to resolve myself to allowing dishes to soak overnight to help dissolve the built up and caked on food. A large portion of what God did in me required that I soak…in His presence, in His Word, and also in the fellowship of the brethren. Yes, we can not discount the power of God to use the godly people He brings into our lives to bring healing to hurts and wounding we’ve suffered.

Looking back, I don’t know how God did it, but He worked in me a faith to obey Him when He softly spoke to me that every entry gate to my heart needed to be sealed and filtered. I didn’t really understand it so much then, but this is when He really started to marinate me. Just like how we do the chicken before we bake it so that it will suck in all the flavors of the seasonings, God had me essentially in this place of His presence, simply soaking in His Word, His love, His healing and His mind. He gave me the faith to (looking back, I know it was a supernatural type of faith) turn off the TV and media completely……for an entire year. It was painless. That is why I know it was totally the will of God because I never looked back and never once had the desire to sneak a peek or listen. It was just me and Jesus. We were honeymooning, in essence. Oh, how He spoke and I heard Him so clearly! I always have His undivided attention, but like I can’t begin to illustrate, I was so totally and completely given to Him that He had my undivided attention as well! Even while learning to manage the obstacles of single parenting my 2 kids, who were toddlers then, He had my undistracted attention. This is why I know God stands outside of time. He is in no way subject to it. So therefore, in Him, time becomes a non-issue.

God had placed me in a wonderful spiritual family. The bible says that He places those who are alone in families. He gave me the mother and father (in the spirit) that I needed. I just know that they carried me for some time…. Almost as if in utero. I remember that at that time, and because satan had lost his slave he did very much stick his neck out very often. God placed them in my life so that every time satan did come at me with a lie (the only thing he is capable of according the Bible) they would simply place my focus back on the Father and His promises by stating, “What does the Word say?” How I love them, and do aspire to be used of God the way I know God has used them in my life and in the lives of others. God was seasoning me in this time of marinating so that I could be just who He created me to be salt and light. He wanted me to know who I was, you see! You can’t be it if you don’t know it.

And then came the baking! The working of God that I have only recently come to embrace without shrieks of fear and flight running through me. Father refers to it as the “furnace of affliction.” Don’t get turned off, it is a good thing. I promise! Better yet, He promises!!! How do we know His power and faithfulness except through trials, afflictions, and persecutions? Truly, it is only through these that God’s power and faithfulness are manifested to the Church and also the world. The ultimate purpose of the affliction of the righteous is to promote the glory of God. In Malachi 3:3, He says, “[I] will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; [I] will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering of righteousness. In Isaiah, He goes on to state “[I] have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10).

I did some research on the refining of silver. He tests us in much the same way as a silver refiner refines silver. In Bible times the silversmith would place the silver in the hottest possible fire. This would cause the silver to melt and bubble in the heat. During this process, the scum and impurities would rise to the surface and he would skim them off as they’d rise to the top until there were no impurities left in the silver. To test to ensure that the impurities had been removed from the silver, the silversmith would look into the surface of the silver to be sure that his own face properly mirrored in the silver…..So too is Father looking into our hearts to make sure that His face (His heart) is properly mirrored in us. I might add that therein lays the answer to why this process is a continuing process in the life of the believer, and therefore my own. Who is like God, right? Something else I discovered in my research is that the silversmith purposes himself to sit with his eye steadily fixed on the furnace while the silver is refining insuring that the time necessary for refining is not exceeded in order to be certain that the silver is not damaged/injured…..So too does Father, as He sits as Our Refiner.

We all experience the furnace of affliction. It is not only promised, but necessary. Could you imagine, given the fallen nature of man, what we would be like if Father God never allowed us to go through any type of affliction.   We would probably be turned into to even more selfish individuals rather than the image of Christ (which results in liberty!)  Its purpose, you see, is to divide between what is us (in fallen nature) and what is Christ. In essence, this process rids us of the one (us) with the object of giving full place to the other (Christ)…to separate the precious from the vile. You see Father’s goal is to ever increase Christ within us. In order to do this we (old self) must be displaced. But while doing this Father is mindful of both the temperature and the timing just as a silver refiner would be. He knows how much we can bare and He also has the power and is faithful to heal us of any complications due to this necessary burn-off. Yes, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” (II Corinthians 4:8-10) Amen.

Today, I rejoice in celebrating another year of growth in Christ Jesus. I am so thankful to God for the past years I have been blessed to live in Him. I encourage you, whatever you present disposition to go deeper in Him. If you are not born again, allow yourself to see the kingdom of God. Call on the name of the Lord Jesus earnestly and you will be saved. The kingdom of God will come into your life. The evidence of that will be that you will experience the righteousness, peace and joy promised you as a child of God. God will then begin His gentle refining processes in you. If you feel empty, lost and unfulfilled that is because there is a void within all humanity that ONLY God can fill. Hopelessness, helplessness and depression are evidence of one’s need to be born of the Spirit.

I have said this every year since my rebirth….. I am having the time of my life. I am becoming who I always wanted to be. Believe it or not, over the course of my entire life I always wanted to live for God. I dreamed of this life that I am now living! But I easily fell into satan’s ploys and the lusts of my fallen nature to move me away from what is and was always God’s will for my life. I rejoice today because I am no longer a slave…..No I am free. I am free to run, I am free to dance and I am free to sing. To the Glory of God!!! I thank God for the amazing work He has done in my heart, life and mind. He has restored me in areas I did not even realize I needed restoring. He has given me a smile that reflects the JOY that He has placed in my heart as well. I am so honored and humbled that He has trusted me to minister to others in His name. I pray that you are blessed by this writing. Most importantly, I pray for you today a greater enlightenment in your eyes of understanding that you may know more the hope of your calling in Christ Jesus. I am also praying that His Glory will be made manifest in your lives today and always. And finally, I pray that Father God will give everyone who reads this the faith to be doers of His Word! In Jesus’ name.

I love you all,
I am,
Made in His image,
God’s daughter,
Dominique!

I want to drink from the River of Life.

Only God can satisfy this basic hunger and thirst found within mankind, and each of us.

Only God can satisfy this basic hunger and thirst found within mankind, and each of us.

O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.

What if you had no more excuses!

I have words 4 you!!!!

I was recently introduced to the works of “The Passion 4 Christ Ministries”. I have a great love for both the written and the spoken word….here the 2 collide so beautifully and in truth witness of Christ. Please enjoy this. Allow it to captivate you, as it did me.

I love you all,

Dominique, I remain….”God’s Daughter.”

Unshakable!

The new deluge CD is a truly great gift from the Lord to the Body of Christ.  If you are seeking  annointed worship, this CD is a must have.  The songs are so beautifully written.  In fact, the entire album comprises songs I know Jonathon Stockstill, the leader of this band and Worship Pastor at my church (Bethany World Prayer Center), heard straight from heaven.

I was wonderfully blessed with a free copy of this CD by Pastor Jonathan in our Sunday Church service.   However, that same day I purchased 2 additional copies to bless others with.  The CD is available on Itunes.   So download your copy today and be blessed by the great blessing God has released to His people.

In Him,

I am Dominique “God’s daughter”

Can I Just Stop and Give God Some Glory

Can I just stop and give God some glory!   You see, He, time and time again, continues to prove Himself amazing in my life.   He continuously pours His mercy into my life.   I am ever needing of it too.   Yesterday I lost my wallet.   I didn’t know if I lost it at the Sunday morning Church service I attended or at the local Target I visited following the service.   But God!  The amazing God I serve knew exactly where it was.   Sure it could have been in the hands of anyone.   In this economy, it would have been a truly great temptation for some to do what is right with a wallet full of the potential to change ones life through the purchases that could have been made.   I say again, but God!

My wallet was returned to me today by a thoughtful and Dear Saint in the kingdom of God who happened to find it.   It is the mercy of God that kept my wallet, in my carelessness and made certain that it only fell into the hands of safety.   That is the kind of thing I see God doing in my life consistently.   I got into 2 car accidents where I was certainly in the wrong, and caused hundreds of dollars worth of damage to these 2 different vehicles.   Both of those incidences, through the mercies of God, the victims of my wrecklessness allowed me to leave the accident bearing no responsibility whatsoever.   Did you hear me?   I said 0% responsibility.   God did that.   I thank Him and give Him complete glory.

There was the time, not too long ago, when I cut off the tip of one of my fingers.   God’s grace showed up so abundantly I was able to dress myself using only one hand, because the other hand was flooding out blood without pressure applied to it.   Not only that, I was able, by the grace of God, to drive myself to the hospital.   And to top it all off, my finger was saved.   The doctor, by the grace of God, was able to sew my finger back on.

I think yet again of another wreckless episode where there is no way possible my vehicle should not have collided into that pedestrian walking behind it as I was backing out not being careful or cautious.   The explanation is simply the mercy  of God.

I could really go on and on and disclose more and more about my wrecklessness.   But the point of the matter is that I am in constant need of both His mercy and His grace.  What is amazing is that He gives it to me.   The life of the Christian is spent trying to gain greater and greater understanding (revelation) of His love for us.   Because of our human limitations, we can never know just how big His love is though.   We can grow in the knowledge, which is our constant prayer.   But, there aren’t words to explain, nor qualifiers to measure the vastness of His love.   To the extent that we do understand any measure of His love however, makes all the difference.

God is real.   His love is real and His mercies are real.   Everyday His mercy is renewed towards us, which means there is cause for additional outpouring of it and therefore His love.   It is up to us whether, we give Him glory.   You see, you could take credit in your accomplishments, exhonerations and cures yourself.   But why not give God, the Maker and Doer of all good things, the glory that only He deserves.

That is what I am doing today.    And more never ending prayer is that I will continue, as well, to do that with my life…….allow His Glory to manifest through it.

To God be the Glory,

I am Dominique “God’s Daughter”

Tags: glory, mercy

Why Not Trust God Again?!

WHY NOT TRUST GOD AGAIN  kurt carr

When life seems cruel
And so unfair
With each new day it seems a greater problems waiting there
For each step forward I take
Seems I get pushed two steps behind
Don’t think I’m going to make it sometimes
Don’t think my nerves can take it this time
As I’m about to call it quits a solution comes
Why not trust God again
I know that he can do it
I pray again, believe again
My God will work it for my good again
I know that he will see me through it all
If I trust in God again

Is there a mountain standing in your way
Is there a loved one you’re worried about today
Is there a blessing you desire that seems intangible
Instead of giving up the fight
Cling to faith with all your might
The one who’s seen you through before is still able

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take him at his word
Why not trust

Chorus
Why not trust God again
I know that he can do it
I pray again, believe again
My God will work it for my good again
I know that he will see me through it all

I will, I will, I will trust in God again ( repeat )

HOW IT ALL BEGAN.

Sin is a deep discrepancy between who we are and who we were created to be.   In other words, it detracts away from all the plans and all the good God has in store for us.   By God, we were created in His image.   His image is in actuality perfect.   However, we do know that, sin entered man, through the sin of Adam.   Prior to that one sin, humans were created to walk with God, perfectly, without need and without the filth that sin causes to our lives, character and existence.   This sin had the result of casting all humanity out of the perfect image God created us in (which is life), and into a state that can only be distinguished by how opposite it is from perfection (which is death).

From that moment on, man (and woman….all humanity) birthed sin into the earth and therefore into the makeup of every human to, from then on, exist.   Humanity went from having a truly righteous nature, to having a sinful one.   A sinful nature for which, the human’s will alone…though try as some may, will never overcome.   However, though we are all blemished with the stench of sin, from birth, God in His perfect love, did gift humanity a way out of that life, which is really death, and into the life that is really alive–to and in Him.

You see, the good news is that God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. In fact, to the one that receives His gift, that person will live in triumph over sin, but only through Jesus Christ.  That is why the good news is so good.   The good news is not simply that because Jesus died on a cross for us we owe our lives to Him.   The good news is, in fact, that because of what Jesus did for us (even knowing we would live the sinful lives we have and are) we, through the power He released through His death and following resurrection (the power of the Holy Spirit, which is wholly distinct from any power or determination of the human will) are able to overcome the grasp or bondage of sin that has taken us (or seeks to take us) so far away from the way God created us to be.   The power of the Holy Spirit, frees us from the bondage of sin.

That very fact is among the first things that I noticed upon surrendering to the love of God.    Like all people, I was held captive by certain measures of sin in my life that I knew were causing me to live quite the opposite of what I knew to be right.    I can sit back and remember the sin that really should have destroyed my life.  The thing is, sin is so deceptive and tricky.   Because at the outset of it, it really is in most cases so pleasing to the person participating in it that the sheer pleasure of the sin itself really does blot out any conscious reflection on right versus wrong.   Quite honestly, sin is often times fun.   I know that was the case for me.  Whatever the sin decision I was enamored with in the past, I do know that I (me, in that sin nature) enjoyed, anticipated and even justified my behavior/decision.   It is not until the fruit of sin begins to sprout up that we usually enter into any sort of reflection allowing place to remorse, etc.   Isn’t consequence, above anything else, the greatest stimulant of behavior modification!

Well, I can say that for me personally, I came to a place in my life where, as surely as the fruit/consequence of my sin decisions began to sprout up I began to question what I was doing.    Not to mention, I must not fail to admit that I did deal with varying amounts of grief, guilt, and condemnation along the way, but seemingly those were far outweighed by whatever gratification I was gaining in my flesh.   My experience was that as I took a look at my life, what I was doing, the way I was living, I noticed how far away from who I thought I was that I had strayed.   Not to mention any notion of how far I had strayed away from God’s intentions for my life.

But how to change?    I can say that along the way I was compelled on occasions to change……try as I might, very unsuccessfully.   So, as I saw it, I didn’t like who I was becoming, how I was living or the things I was doing.   I wanted to change.  You bet, I wanted to click my heals together and be in a different place than where I was, but it wasn’t that simple.   One thing I did know though, was that in my own might and in the power of my own will there was no possibility of me making the drastic changes that needed to be made in my life, and let alone my thinking.   So without hope, what do I do?

I did what I had feared for years.  I believe I feared that because it was so unknown to me, and I had so many misconceptions about truly living as a Christian (as regards my ability to, how that would make me look, and even what others would think)  Nevertheless, and thankfully,  I accepted the help of Christians who I now know had been sent into my life by God Himself.   They began to pray with me.  They began to show me in the Bible what God says about all mankind.   They showed me in the Bible where it says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23).   Then they showed me, what I know I was experiencing in my life.   They showed me Romans 6:23, which says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”    I knew, based on the condition of my heart and the outcomes in my life that I was living this “death” that the Bible spoke of.   That penalty, death, really did sum up my existence until that point.   Don’t get me wrong, sure I laughed, I played and enjoyed different manners of “success” in my life, but in my heart I was empty and discontented and in my mind I knew that my life, however it should be lived out, was not being lived that way.   I just knew, just like anyone would about their own lives, things were not right.   Okay, so based on the scripture I knew I was a sinner, that it was common to man, that sin brought this death (emptiness in spite of all I had) into my life, but then the most important part……the good news……that God had a gift for me, which was eternal life in Christ Jesus.    They explained to me that the free gift was Jesus.  Pointing out John 3:16, I saw that “God so loved the world [myself included] that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

At this point, I was coming to understand that though I was living a life of death due to sin, that God had given me the gift of life through Jesus.  I was shown the words of Jesus where He stated His purpose for me and all.  They read, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  (John 10:10)  This was the Good News, Jesus did everything that He did— He suffered a horrible death, to pay my sin debt, so that I could have LIFE and not the death I was experiencing.    So what did I do at that point?   The answer is:   I BELIEVED!   What did I believe? I believed that I was a sinner.    I believed that sin was causing the death and destruction I was experiencing in my life.   I believed that God did not want me to experience that death and destruction.   I believed that He sacrificed Jesus’ life so that I could have LIFE.    Because I read the scripture that said, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved,”   I believed that my believing heart and the confession of it with my mouth that Jesus saved me from death and raised me to LIFE brought me into relationship with God such that I was, in His sight, restored to the image He had created me in.    At this point, I was saved!  And what followed it one of the best parts.  The Holy Spirit came to dwell within me, becoming then my Guide, my Protector, my Power and my LIFE.   God had forgiven all my past and my heart was opened up for the Holy Spirit to do the continuing work of sanctification in my life.

I will never be perfect.   Remember, God’s word says we all fall short of His Glory.    But, I am definitely changed, and forever changing.   The POWER of the Holy Spirit in my life has released me from bondages to sin, and into a life filled with good works (rather than my former life of dead/bad works, sin).   My thinking was and continues to be renewed.   I learned that in my past life, which, by the way, is washed away, I was doing not only what a huge number of people were doing, but I was doing what seemed to be the things to do.   I now know that God’s word warns that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”  (Proverbs 14:12).    At the start of that road of destruction I was on, it all “seemed” right.   It certainly was pleasing…..at first.   It did, however, lead to death.

I am so thankful that I am free from the life, ways and habits of my past.   I know now that that freedom is a part of everyone’s saving knowledge of Christ.   He not only frees, but He restores as well.    The only thing is that you must believe that He is Who the Bible says He is, and that He did, for you, what the Bible says He did.   My question to you today is:   Have you believed?…………”Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.   If anyone hear my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me”, says the Lord God Almighty.

I love you all,

In His Grace,

I am,

Truly Grateful to be,

Dominique,

God’s daughter!

Christians by Maya Angelou

… by Maya Angelou….. This poem is so true and real.   This wise woman has found a way to write without fault the way and cry of my heart.   Enjoy.  And I love you all.

Christians

When I say…”I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’.”
I’m whispering “I was lost,
Now I’m found and forgiven.”

When I say…”I am a Christian”
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say…”I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say…”I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say…”I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say…”I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say…”I am a Christian”
I’m not holier than thou,
I’m just a simple sinner
Who received God’s good grace, somehow!

THE ALPHA & OMEGA

The Lord really keeps sending me back to the book of Romans in my Bible studies.   Hereto, on this blog, I am continually impressed by Him to write about texts from Romans.   When I initially began this site I figured I was going to be writing more about inner healing and encouraging the discouraged.  However, as I look back on all I have written, the majority of what I have been led to write about has been the basic salvation message. 

From the beginning I determined to not write unless by the unction of the Holy Spirit (apart from mind musings, etc.).  So what has been written here, particularly in the “Spirit Whispers” category has been exclusively what the Holy Spirit has whispered in my inner man.   That being said, I asked the Lord in my quiet time with Him this morning why am I staying in the same place in my writing.   Not that I am bored writing on this topic, because I am growing and learning from what the Holy Spirit writes through me, but we do have our own ideas from sometimes right. ;-)  The Lord simply responded in my inner most man “why not stay here?”  The Holy Spirit just began to minister to me at that moment.   He said the “entire message is grace through faith.”  So any ideas I might have about healing, restoration, provision, etc. are encompassed there.  He said “don’t you know that salvation (which is grace through faith) is all encompassing, just the same as I am the Alpha and the Omega.  You must start your lives [in Him] by grace through  faith in the completed work of the Lord Jesus Christ and in addition healing, restoration, provision and everything needed or wanted begins and ends there as well.”

Stirred, I responded to the Lord “what about instruction on living in victory in our lives?”  You see, I have seen so many people struggling to come out of their old life.   Countless people I have seen make a decision for Christ and then fall away.   My hearts breaks for them, and ideally I want to be able to help them…..to say something to them so that they will be inspired to fix what is broken, get understanding and/or get renewed in their thinking.  I guess what I am saying is I was looking for something “light bulb”!   In my spirit I immediately heard, stated in the form of a question (rhetorical though it was), “aren’t you referring to the power of God unto salvation and don’t you know what that power is?”  I did know.   The power of God unto salvation is the Good News about Christ.   So what do I do, I search for the scripture.   Where is the scripture?  The book of Romans.   God’s Word was to me, and is to everyone:

Romans 1:16-17  (NLT)

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.  This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”     

God is so amazing!   Again He is practically screaming into my spirit.   EVERYTHING STARTS AND FINISHES BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST!   In other words, we can’t receive anything without faith, we can’t grow in Him without faith, and we even must receive the healing we seek through faith.   So, to the person looking for righteousness (right standing with God, a relationship with God, to live according to His Word), I say it starts and finishes with Faith in Christ.   The good news is that we receive it by grace from God which is a free gift.  

Perhaps you asked Jesus into your heart some time ago and you have fallen away, or you continue to struggle with sin, or have not really been renewed in your mind to the point of being able to live victoriously, whatever the case, I encourage you to pursue GRACE.   The way to receive Grace is only through FAITH.   Jesus was handed over to die for our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God (Romans 4:25).   This is a free gift to you and everyone who will receive it.   If you can believe the Good News, that Christ’s death and resurrection provided for you a power, who is the Holy Spirit, to overcome sin, to live right before God and according to His law, then you will surely have that power and will be victorious.   Romans 3:31 (NLT) says that only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law of God.  

What made me lose my marbles today?!!!?

Yep!  I completely lost my marbles today!  Well not really, if you know who I am in and through.   But I do confess that I was the lady at the O’Reilly autoparts store with tears streaming down her face.   If I had to explain my tears in one sentence or less, I would have to just say that I just really don’t understand that opposite sex gender group sometimes and when the ideals in my mind are torn down, as they were today, it really breaks my heart.

So, where to begin!   Almost 2 years ago exactly, I stopped in at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store to pick up an item or 2 following Church on a Sunday.   Well as it were, upon exiting the store (with a quart of ice cream in my bag….mind you)  I re-entered my car to find that it would not start.   Having roadside assistance through my insurance I telephoned for help and within an hour the guy from Pop-a-Lock showed up in response to the service call with his handy dandy car battery charger.   Within 5 minutes I was in my car with my engine roaring once again.   What about my ice cream you ask?  It was melted of course….serves me right though…..that was surely a guilty pleasure I could stand to be released from.    In any event, because I never ever ever ever wanted this to happen to me again,   (For a woman being stranded really touches a chord of the highest note……we value security at the highest of levels…..and being broken down in a vehicle is a security breach of major proportions for our types.) I drove across the street to the O’Reilly auto parts store.   I ordered up a new battery and to my delight the parts guy came out to the car and actually installed my new battery.    What a relief!   Necessary or not…….I grabbed that issue (the probability of being stranded because of my battery again) by the throat.

Well almost 2 years pass by, and my car is running fine.   Until Black Friday morning…..Yes, after I faught the crowds at Walmart to win my children the prize of having new bicycles, I found that my car would not start up again.   This time my sister was near with her vehicle and she gave my nearly new battery a jump start.    Following this, I drove over to the nearest O’Reilly store to get my battery exchanged.   You see, it was well within the full exchange 2 year warranty (it was a 72 month battery).   This is where the fact pattern starts that leads me to this day crying in the public (yes) at the O’Reilly Autoparts store.   The sales person explained to me that my battery was a good battery and that there was no need to have it replaced.   He explained that the very cold temperatures that morning had caused my battery to lose its charge.  

Time passed by and sure enough, the battery killed again, this time, it was a very cold morning as well.   So having someone to jumpstart me I allowed myself to believe what the man had previously explained to me regarding the cold weather causing my battery to lose charge was what happened on this occasion as well.   But then, a couple weeks later it yet again happened.   By this time my whits are about me and after getting a nice gentleman to give my battery a boost at the gas station where I was stranded I drove directly to O’Reilly.   I explained to the salesperson all that I had been through with this battery.   He placed the battery on his tester device and proceeded to show me that my battery was perfectly good.   Not only that, he stated to me that my alternator and my starter both tested normal as well.   He explained my battery mishap to my potential need for a tune up.   He stated that this may be pulling on my battery’s charge.  So, wanting to bring this issue to its knees, what do I do?   You got it, I went out immediately and got a tune up (which my vehicle was really ripe for).  Today, just six days later after bringing my car in for its scheduled oil change and a cleaning, wouldn’t you know, the battery died yet again.   The oil change guy was too happy to give me a boost.  Fully boosted, I drove over to the O’Reilly home office store and explained my situation to the parts manager there.   Only this time, prior to allowing them to test my battery I made sure that my battery killed in the parking lot.   This way, he would be testing a battery that had not been boosted or charged from driving.   I simply turned the ignition off in the car and sat there with other electronical parts of the car pulling on my battery.   Within 10 minutes the battery sure enough died.  

When the guy came out to check the battery this time, the computer  surely stated that my battery was dead.   It was 0% operational.   He then proceeds to tell me that he is shocked that the other O’Reilly sales guys did not exchange my battery out on the first occurence.   He said that it is common knowledge that if a battery kills in cold weather it is a sure sign that the battery is weak at least.   But then, he turns to me and says, “now all you need to do is find someone to take this battery out of your car, so we can exchange it for you.”   The information that he had shared with me already had really cracked holes in my heart.   You see, at this point I am realizing that each time I previously went to the O’Reilly store, the salesMEN assuring me that my battery was not my issue, should have (and I will venture to say “did know”) known that I would break down again because of this weak battery.  It hurt me that they held no compassion and desire to help me, and particularly because I am a lady.   But then, when this guy refuses to help me out by doing something so simple as taking a battery of my car…… a faulty battery I purchased from his store, that was faulty because of no fault of myself, and that I had such horror stories to tell him of past endeavors to get the problem  resolved. …..it hit me even worse.    I explained to him that rather than try to locate a man to help me that I would use the tools I had purchased the week prior and attempt to take the battery out myself.   I simply asked him to point out to me which screws needed to be taken off.   He pointed to them and proceeded into the store.   Struggling a bit to find the exact socket to use, an older gentleman drove into the parking lot.   He instantly detected that I needed help.   When our eyes met, he instinctively came over to offer his assistance.    He was in absolute shock that there were male workers in the store who had abandoned me to do this on my own.    Well, this is where I lost it.   I just couldn’t help it.   I felt the tears welting up in my lids……part because I was so thankful to the man who did offer his help, but mostly because I realized at that moment, that these men that I encountered that refused to help were so opposite who I expect expect men to be.

I am by no means a man basher.   I know all men are not like that.   But I write this story because I believe it needs to be read…….and mostly by men.    You see, I am a lady.   I am unmarried and I live in a city with zero (0) male family members within a 2 hour radius (this includes my Dad).   I love Jesus with all my heart.   I conduct myself as a lady.   I try to live purely and honestly before people.   I have been told by my father that I am a daughter who he is proud of due to the softness of my heart and my nature.   That being said, and I am not trying to toot my horn, I am what God made to be WOMAN.   I am weak physically in all the areas that women tend to be.   I am vulnerable in all the ways that women tend to be.    I possess the same sensiblities (for better or for worse) that women tend to have.   It stresses me out to read a map, like it does most women.   I nuture and care for people like most women do.   And lastly, like most women do, when in danger, I feel more safe when there is a presence of MAN (of course,  unless he–that man–is the assailant/assaulter).  

I guess my point is that women, myself included are soft.  Today I realized why some voluntarily or involuntarily do become hard.   To men specifically I say, the world needs you.   We need your strength, your protection and everything that makes you masculine.   God made MEN to be caretakers of a nature different than the caretaker ability of WOMEN.    I’d ask all ladies that read this to commit to being all that is LADY and at the same time I cry for all men that read this to commit to being all that is GENTLEMAN.   Watch over the ladies in your communities gentlemen.    For if the Lord blesses you to have daughters, you will want the gentlemen of her community to watch over her.

As the older gentleman who helped me today left the store, he patted me on the shoulder and told me ”it’s okay” and as I type the final words of this post I am thinking “it most certainly is.”    God sent that man to help me in my moment of need.  Though I did feel let down by the men I encountered, I know that my God never leaves me, is always faithful and is dependable and compassionate to the 100th degree.   I too pray many blessings over the gentleman that helped me today.

I love you all!

In Him, I remain, Dominique “God’s daughther”