KEEP HOLDING THE LINE!

So many things are happening right now, I felt it appropriate to share this message again.

HOLD THE LINE!

A Hold The Line mission is a type of Timed Mission, where instead of completing a mission in a set time, you have to prevent the enemy completing their objective before the time runs out. This usually means you are defending your base, or a certain character, until reinforcements arrive, or vital repairs are carried out on the base. Sometimes the enemy is an overwhelming force, so actually defeating the enemy, or even surviving much beyond the time limit, would be impossible, without reinforcements or similar. Fortunately for you, victory will usually occur instantly and automatically as soon as the time runs out, even if you were moments away from defeat.
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I hear a message in my head over and over, HOLD THE LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!! No, it's not the song from Toto, but that is a really good song... LOL. Where was I, oh yeah. I feel like there is a huge message for us in this regarding the Kingdom Of God. I feel as if we are God's soldiers and we need to hold the line, waiting for His re-enforcement at the end of times. We know that whenever they yell this in the movies, all of the soldiers get as close together as possible, and work as a team to hold off the enemy. While God has His Heavenly hosts assembled and ready to go on that glorious day of His return, His earthly army is presently being built. We are that army. The next time you see someone in pain, I want you to remember these words HOLD THE LINE! Do whatever you are able to in order to stay close to this person until the storm passes. Encourage them to get their strength from our Father through His Word, and keeping relationship with Him daily. Together with God, we will be victorious. Remember that even though it may seem as if you are moments from defeat, Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in this world. We cannot see what lies ahead but that is what true Faith is all about. We know how this story ends!!

HOLD THE LINE!!!!!!!

Entitlement Part 2

I posted about an inncident that happened with a young man last. This incident actually happened a couple of weeks ago.

Today I walked outside to take a walk and he was standing at the front door. I looked at him smiled and said hi, he said hi back. I thought wow some headway. When I got home there was a note by my door, a picture of Jesus's hands praying and on the back a note:

I am sorry for disrespecting you. THe Lord taught us to forgive so that is what I am doing. Sorry.

Love your neighbor,
Sgt XXX


Thank you for you prayers over the situation. A smile and forgiveness go a long way.

Entitlement

If you serve in the Armed Forces, First  Thank you for choosing this as your profession. Secondly, I want to remind you that a part of protecting our country is not using your title as a platform to mistreat people around you and think it is ok. Serving means just that. There was young man mistreating a woman today in my parking lot at my condos. After about 15 min of hearing this woman ask him to stop what he was doing, and him kicking a big dent in the car she was in that had a small baby in the back seat, I could take no more and went to find out if she was ok. Of course this started him after me. All I can take away from this interraction is that I pray for our youth especially. He told me that I was just a civilian and was not worthy of me telling him anything, that he served in the Marines and if I called the cops they would laugh at me. He then let me know he protects our country therefore he could do and say as he pleases. Then he told me that I needed to respect my elder? I am 40.. I am really worried about our youth. The respect factor has gone out the window. Not with all of course but it is at a very all time low. This kid was about 17-20. I thanked him for serving for our country but let him know that protection starts in your own home and serving in the Marines did not give him any type of special rights to treating people poorly. This is not the first I have seen of this behavior and again I say, not everyone that serves is like this (of course). He asked me who I was to say anything and I said I am someone that cares about how other people are being treated and that gives me a right to a voice. We need to start standing up in this country for morals and integrity and the good of all. We need to get back to where we were as a society. I ask you to please pray for this young man and his baby and the Mother and everyone to care enough to do what is right.

Focus your Lens

One thing that I have noticed about taking pictures is that sometimes when I get them home and look at them on my computer, I cannot believe the difference of what I thought I saw with my natural eye -vs- what the camera lens had picked up on. I started thinking about this wondering what is it that makes this so?

#1 The angle that you are viewing things from. Even though you pointing your camera in a certain area, since you don't really put your eye right up to the viewer any longer on the new cameras, you could be looking from an ever so slight different angle than what you are focusing your camera on.

#2 Things that we focus on with our eyes, are processed also in our brains. So, there can literally be something going on in our minds, that is altering the picture that we are seeing in front of us. A camera is able to take the image in front of it at face value. Did you know that our eyes are actually attached physically to the brain?

#3 The amount of light that is available to the camera will totally change the picture. In the same way, the amount of light that we have inside of us can cause us to see a different picture.

When I started thinking on these things, it was apparent to me that God was speaking to me using the camera analogy as a  parable to teach me.

We may not have the physical inner parts of a camera that is able to cast aside perception by nature, but one thing that we have available to us is CHOICE. We can make a choice to recognize when something is possibly causing a blurry picture, or worse a dreadful picture in our lives. We do not have to see through the lens of disaster and focus on problems and negativity. We can  choose to RE-FRAME and REFOCUS our minds to see the good in all situations and make a beautiful picture in our mind's eye. If we can see it there, we can in fact make it our reality. Individual reality is nothing more than individual perception. As a man believes in his heart so is he.

So, the next time that you are looking at a situation in your life, choose to see yourself as a camera that has the ability to only focus on the beautiful subjects in the picture, choose to only see the beauty in your picture. Even if you see things with your lens (eye) that you would typically perceive as ugly. 

I saw this little girl at an Icefestival. I so wish that I would have thought to chase the lady down that was with her to give her this picture. I did not think fast enough. I was trying to take a picture of the sculpture but the kids kept running up to it and when I clicked the picture anyway, a gust of wind blew and her hair went up in the air when I clicked the picture. You can just see on her face that she is so totally in awe of this sculpture. As if it took her breath away. The adults, they walked by the sculptures that day and looked at them but not like this little girl or the other children that were there. They were probably thinking of where they were going next, how to pay bills, what is for dinner, etc.
Take the moments in life to experience the beauty in all situations that God has given to you. Let them take your breath away in AWE of HIS BEAUTY.

MATTHEW 18:3
And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Philippians 4:8 
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Red Winged Messenger

A friend of mine had posted this after my Grandmother had passed away. I could not remember if I have shared or not:

Red Winged Messenger-

On Tuesday May 29th, 2012, the 3rd morning of the week, I headed out for my prayer walk to hear from God. I have come to know that God not only speaks to us through His word but also through His creation which is a manifestation of His word. My intention on the walk this particular morning was to lift my friend Angela up to Him, that He may comfort her and bring her peace over the passing of her Grandmother. I had barely taken twenty steps when a cardinal caught my attention. A scripture immediately popped into my mind, "a bird of the air shall carry the voice, that which has wings shall tell the matter." I knew in this instance that the voice being carried by way of the cardinal was that of God. The cardinal was standing on the largest rock boulder in our front yard just staring at me and making song. "What are you telling me Lord through this red winged messenger?" As I questioned it dawned on me that I had brought my smart phone along with me for taking notes. It hit me that I should google "symbolism of the Cardinal" when I did so, I scanned the links available and one caught my eye, "religious symbolism of the Cardinal". When I clicked it, this is what I saw, "the Cardinal Bird is symbolic of faith, it comes to remind us to KEEP THE FAITH. It also reminds us that we as believers are covered by the blood of Christ. I knew that the message, "Keep the faith" was not only a reminder to me, but was a message sent by God through this red winged messenger for Angela on behalf of her Grandmother.
When I went back through the email that Angela had sent to me, something I had overlooked stood out and confirmed the message was for her. The last thing mentioned that she noticed right after her grandmother passed, " a cardinal singing to me from the tree in the yard next to her Grandmother's house, which was the yard of her Uncle that had passed three years before." The passing of a loved one is always hard. It does cause us to reflect upon our faith and as we ponder it, God sends this very clear message to direct us, "Keep the Faith."
The picture in my mind of the Cardinal standing on the boulder is very strong imagery. It will forever remind me that Christ is the rock, the one solid foundation. The cornerstone of my faith.

Comments from me today 3-9-2013 :

I prayed a couple of days ago, God please let me have a picture of Cardinal in the snow and get it on my lunch break. I have studied the songs of birds and I knew the sound of the Cardinal. God led me to him but I also heard the voice and ran after it. If I had not have studied his song, I would not have known which direction to go in. If I had not sought after him, I would not have found him. 

 It is this way as well with Christ. The more you study the Word, the more you are able to recognize His voice when He speaks and you will find Him when  you seek Him with all your heart.

New Wineskins

^{Lk 5:37} And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.

^{Lk 5:38} No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.

^{Lk 5:39} And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’ "

 Here is what came to my mind, but it is imperative that you run this past God, and see what He wants you to see from this verse.  

I feel like it speaks of the transformation that goes on inside of us, as we seek a deeper relationship with God, through the reading of His Word, and being Obedient to that Word. It is in this way He prepares our hearts to truly Believe and put our Faith in the Blood of Jesus for our salvation and nothing else. The more we seek to understand Him,  and build a true relationship with Him, the more He will trust us enough to reveal Himself to us. The more that we are obedient to His Word, the more our Faith will grow, because we see His Promises that He makes to us through the written Word fulfilled in our lives. There may be a circumcision of the heart , which comes from renewing your thoughts,  before it is made ready for these new revelations that will soon follow. This usually takes time, and maybe even some kicking and screaming to our old ways of thinking for a time. Lk 5:39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’ He knows just the right time to give you the bread (His Word) that you need in the time you need it, and when He knows you are most ready to receive it. Too early, and it will just run into us, but maybe not affect us as it could have if we were better prepared. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. ^{Lk 5:38} No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.  

below is a deeper view

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The cup at the last supper was wine, but symbolic of the blood of Christ. 

1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."

This covenant of Christ was the new wine of Love and Grace (New Testament) rather than the old wine  (Old Testament) Law of Judgements,laws, and works of salvation. Stuff they had to do on their own in order for salvation. We drink the cup of His new covenant of Grace/love, resting in Peace once we believe His Promise of salvation to us because of what He has done for us on the cross, rather than what we can ever do for ourselves. No one will ever make it into Heaven for any other reason than believing in the Blood of Christ for salvation. When it says

 

Lk 5:39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better

 

It is like we all think we want the old in many situations because it is comfortable to us, even if it is hurting us. It is usually related to our way of thinking that we need to change. Old beliefs that we don't even know why we have ever believed that way. It could be beliefs passed down to us by our family. The group in the Bible called the Pharisees were very much into traditions of men, and upholding the law very strictly which that's all they had ever known. Jesus came preaching love and compassion a new way of believing. They were comfortable with the old way, it was how they made a living. If they could not force the law on people anymore or be a so called light for the blind, what would they do? Why would the people need them any longer to lead them spiritually if they could go to God directly by believing in Christ? This is a Biblically grounded statement that I making. They were sometimes using the laws of God to fear people into giving them money and stuff, and all these people just listened to what they said, because they had been taught to follow their religious leaders, and they did not have access to a New Testament Bible, it had not been written yet. Jesus came as the Word in Flesh form. Most of the Jews hated him for the things He did, because He was in direct violation of all the rules and laws they had ever been taught. It was new wine to them, and they felt more comfortable drinking the old enslaving wine. Christ was trying to show them the way to freedom was through love for God, and others. He knew that through love for others, rather than obligation to a law they would actually uphold the law. However in times where we are weak and break certain spiritual laws, Christ's blood covers that sin. On the Cross He casted our sins from the East to the West, (the position of his arms on the Cross). He will remember them no more. All we have to do is Trust in God and His promise. The rest will naturally come from it. Once we hear the Word of the Lord, the nudge on our hearts to do something, the still small voice we hear saying walk this way, we must be obedient to that Voice. No other voice but His Voice. We hear His Words and voice through reading His Word, the Bible. That is when you will REALLY HEAR HIM SPEAK. It's like your soul's recognition of it's counter part. You know the Truth and that Truth sets you free.

exhorting - are you aware of what this truly means?

Hebrews 10:24-25

King James Version (KJV)

²⁴ And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

²⁵ Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

I have been reading this word and have always thought that it meant encourage. Spirit prompted me to look this word up. In my 1998 Merriam Webster dictionary, the word is only under Exhort with Exhortation in the same place as a form of that word: 

EXHORT\ig-zi-lerate\  to urge, advise or warn earnestly. __EXHORTATION 

In my online Merriam Webster Dictionary , not sure the date of the software but probably in the last 5 years. They have two different entries for the word now.

ex·hor·ta·tion \"ek-"sȯr-'tā-shən, -sər-; "eg-"zȯr-, -zər-\ n (14c)
1 : an act or instance of exhorting
2 : language intended to incite and encourage  

exhort \ig-'zȯrt\ vb [ME, fr. AF exorter, fr. L exhortari, fr. ex- + hortari to incite — more at yearn]
vt(15c) : to incite by argument or advice : urge strongly ‹~ing voters to do the right thing›
vi: to give warnings or advice : make urgent appeals
— ex·hort·er n  

 

I  do not see the word warning in exhortation above or in encourage below. I am only seeing a part of a truth in today’s definition. A mistake that the word warning was left out or was it? It is no wonder that Spirit would have me look closer at this word. I do see the word urge but that still does not mean warning. Encourage was not a part of the word in 1998 and the word was not split into two different references. Why is it a part of the word now?

en·cour·age \in-'kər-ij, -'kə-rij, en-\ vt, -aged-ag·ing [ME encoragen, fr. AF encorager, fr. en- + curagecourage] (15c)
1 a : to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope : hearten‹she was encouraged to continue by her early success› b :to attempt to persuade : urge ‹they encouragedhim to go back to school›
2 : to spur on : stimulate ‹warm weather ~s plant growth›
3 : to give help or patronage to : foster ‹government grants designed to ~ conservation

I feel we are called to encourage one another daily; however I do not feel that  this passage was speaking of encouragement at this time in Hebrews. I feel this is a big problem of our society today, encouraging behavior that we should be warning against if we truly want to show love to each other. We must speak truth to each other! We should also encourage daily however there is a time and place for both. (balance)..  

Now see the newer age NIV below and how it has changed the way we may view this verse which is the point I am trying to prove:   where is the part about warning and advising? Yes, everything it says below is good and true, but it has taken a very important part of the message that we so desperately need to hear today in a society where no one wants to look like a bad guy. Who do you think wants us to believe that we will be a bad guy by speaking a hard truth to someone? The father of lies. his thoughts…… lets have them believe that love says what the other person wants to hear thus perpetuating the behavior that is destructive to them and those around them. Love does not mean telling someone you are fine just the way you are in a time when they need to hear, what you are doing is not good for you and will lead to darkness. Sometimes love is quite the opposite but when the Truth is SPOKEN in love, that is Truth that a person can hold onto and change for the better, even if their initial reaction is to not want to talk to you for a while. Even if you never talk to them again. What is Truth? Truth is anything that aligns with the Word of God. There is no other Truth. Truth that comes from the Word of God will never discourage but will convict in a healthy manner and make a foundation for a real change of heart.  God has written love on our hearts. Love encompasses all commandments.  Knowing that someone is leading down a path that is going to hurt them or that God has forbidden and not saying anything or worse encouraging the behavior,  is taking the love that God has put on your heart ( wisdom an inner knowing of the statues of God’s Kingdom) and reacting in a  selfish way , ( selfish because I don’t want to be unpopular in your opinion),  rather than a loving  manner.      An open rebuke is better than hidden love.  Who will love you enough to speak His Truth to you? The answer, someone that loves you enough to look like the bad guy until you come around and realize that they are your biggest fan.   CHOOSE LOVE! CHOOSE TRUTH!

Hebrews 10:24-25

New International Version (NIV)

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,^{(A) 25} not giving up meeting together,^(B) as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another^(C)—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.^(D)


Do you see how the definition in the NIV has totally watered this message down?

KEEP YOUR OLD DICTIONARIES!! Before we know it, they will have all of our words watered down that are not deemed “politically correct” or popular opinion…