Why I Stopped Celebrating American Christmas

Last November (2015) as a brand new born again Christian in a true relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, all I wanted to do was know more about the One that had given me new life.  As I've shared before, I had never read the Bible with the exception of the very rare occasion I wanted to find a scripture that related to a particular circumstance.  So last November I began to look for Christmas in the Bible.  I searched and read and searched and read some more.  I couldn't find it.  It wasn't in there.  Then I did what a lot of Americans do.  I googled it.  I believe my search was something like, "the history of Christmas."  What I found was astonishing.  This blog post is not for the purpose to provide the history of Christmas, so I'll move on.  

I had always celebrated Christmas since I was a child.  Both my divorced parents celebrated Christmas in basically the same ways.  We spent hours putting up a tree and decorating it, shopping, wrapping presents, putting up Christmas lights, playing Christmas carols, put out little figurines around the house of santa, reindeer, misleading nativity scenes and such, wreaths, mistletoe, and on and on.  Then, on Christmas Eve my brother and I got to pick one present to open.  Christmas morning we would get to open the rest.  That was basically my experience of the month of December and Christmas.  I believe I went to church a couple of times, but that was definitely not the focus.  

Now fast forward to what kind of Christmas experience I was teaching my children.  Refer back to paragraph two.  Yep, I was doing exactly what my mother and father had done with me as a child.  Please don't misunderstand my writing here.  I am not bashing or bad-mouthing my parents.  The point is I'm guessing they raised me along the same lines as they had been raised and I was doing the exact same thing.  I never inquired what God had to say about Christmas. I just assumed that since most churches and my parents "celebrated" Christmas and it's a National Holiday that that is what I was supposed to do.  But now, I actually have a true relationship with Jesus led by the Holy Spirit.  But now, I read my Bible.  But now, I desire to be devoted to Christ first above anyone or anything else.  

So, here I am with all this brand new information about Christmas that I never knew before.  First of all I felt convicted for never in my 37 years seeking out the true meaning of Christmas or the history behind it.  After the conviction came action.  Extreme action.  I took down the Christmas tree that we had already put up.  My daughter wanted to donate it to her teacher as she was the only fifth grade teacher that didn't have one - so we donated it to her teacher.  Then, I had a conversation with my husband that there is NO WAY I could celebrate Christmas as we always had.  Then came the toughest part of all.  How to tell the kids?  Well, that part was not easy...for them or us.  They truly thought we had lost it!  Our sanity, that is!  Now that all that was done I didn't know what to do next.  So before we knew it, me and my husband were in a pastor's office with questions.  My main agenda (to be authentically honest) was I wanted a pastor to show me Biblically how I and my family could continue to celebrate Christmas as we always had as a service to Jesus.  To no avail.  

It was becoming increasingly different around our house with no tree, no lights, no gifts.  No kids excited and eager to find out what gifts had been under the tree for them.  Not to mention driving around and seeing all the usual Christmas things in other people's homes.  Also, all the stuff in stores and all the santa's and so on.  Christmas was everywhere and I couldn't get away from it.  Most people at this point would ask, "Well, you're a Christian, wouldn't that be a good thing?"  Well to answer that question, "No, it certainly was not a good thing."  I was seeing how much of our United States of America, one nation under God, had gotten the same Christmas memo that I did.  The black Friday shopping, the going broke or nearly broke to provide gifts for loved ones, the pictures with santa, the whole commercialization of Christmas based on marketing to our human weaknesses in the name of Jesus, the focus of Christmas was SELF everywhere I looked.  It was a sinking feeling.  So no, it was not a good thing.  

So Angie, what did you do last Christmas, you ask?  Well, my daughter and I spent all day making tamales for the first time!  We prayed and thanked God for our delicious food and then I read in my Bible.  That about sums it up.  The kids were not interested in hanging out with mom because now I had become a Jesus freak constantly reading the Bible or Christian books or listening to Christian music or something along those lines.  But what was definitely absent from our home last Christmas was any arguing or bickering, absolutely no stress or anxiety, no running around frantically trying to tie up all the lose ends, no sleep deprivation from the nights and weeks leading up to Christmas morning, no dissatisfied or ungrateful children complaining about what they got or didn't get, no complaining about what the others got compared to them, no sudden drop in the bank account from money being spent on ourselves, no guilt was being carried because we felt we should have been able to provide more compared to other families, and no gladness that this "time of the year" was finally over.  Not that that is what is typical of all families around Christmas, but it had definitely been my past and my families past experience of Christmas.  Now don't get me wrong it wasn't all bad.  There were great moments as well.  Seeing and spending time with family and friends and a more giving spirit than normal.  But for the most part it just seemed we were usually relieved when it was all said and done.   

Let me share with you the Scriptures that had created this sudden turn of events around Christmas time last year.  My first objective was to find out what Jesus had to say about how to celebrate or remember Him.  One example I found was in Luke 22 Jesus was with His apostles and He commanded them in verse 19 that the bread He gave to them was to be eaten in remembrance of Him.  And in verse 20 Jesus says likewise with the cup is the new testament in His blood, which is shed for us.  Okay, so Jesus Himself commands His apostles what He wills them to do in remembrance of Him.  Okay.  Got it.  Then the same thing in 1 Corinthians 11.  But here in verse 26 the Word of God says:  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.  Wow.  Okay, so Jesus definitely put an emphasis on His death, not His birth.  Okay, got it.  

Just my two cents here which are nothing - but maybe we should consider the reason Jesus emphasized us remembering Him by proclaiming His death (instead of His birth) is He knew that by proclaiming His death that would obviously acknowledge His birth discussed in Matthew and Luke.  

But when we spend the month of December "preparing our hearts" for Christmas:

#1  Our motive is already wrong as we should be preparing our hearts for Christ...daily, not man made traditions during a season out of the year.

#2  Idolatry to floods Christmas (this holiday that Christians have adopted into Christianity in the fourth century from pagans and painted it with a Jesus' birth paintbrush).  As I already stated I read and read the Scriptures and Christmas was nowhere to be found.  The birth of Christ YES, but the actions we take around his birth NO.  

#3  In fact, one could easily be so distracted by the focus on His birth and Christmas traditions that we are diluting what we know He has already sacrificed for us...His LIFE and DEATH and RESURRECTION.  

#4  We are creating hearts within our children thinking this holiday is all about them.  We couldn't do any more harm to them if we tried.  

#5  We are creating hearts within ourselves that produce stress, anxiety and pressure in our lives.  Who do we buy for?  What do they want?  How much can we afford?  If we can't afford gifts what is that going to do to our kids?  If married - which side of the family are we going to spend this Christmas with?  How can we manage to fit everyone in?  What are we going to cook?  Who do we invite?  How will we ever get everything done?  And on and on and on.  All the while in a lot of families just hoping and praying by a miracle of God that everyone will just get along for at least this one day.  

Now I also remembered reading in the Scriptures about a time that Jesus was not very pleased with people at the temple courts.  In fact, He seemed to be quite angry.  He drove out all who were buying and selling there.  He even overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  He said to them, It is written, My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.  That's all in Matthew 21.  

Then I remembered the Scriptures warned of not following after the tradition of men.  That came from Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.  

In Ezekiel 20 Scripture speaks of how the Israelites were constantly following after their fathers statutes and not God's.  Jeremiah 16 speaks to this as well.  And I heard the warnings there loud and clear.   Jeremiah 10 speaks of not following the ways of the heathens in cutting down trees and decking it with silver and gold.  Which some versions have translated as a scarecrow. 

There are many, many more.  You can find them for yourselves.  In fact, I encourage you to.  Please do not just read this and believe it.  Read God's Word.  Believe Him, Trust Him, Obey Him.  

Now we are at Christmas time in 2016.  I am still fuzzy on the whole Christmas thing.  But what I am certain of is for our family, it was the absolute right action to take to stop (immediately) the way we had always celebrated Christmas.  Had Jesus been literally standing in our home on Christmas day in our past I would have been full of shame and embarrassment.  The way in which we had always celebrated Christmas was SELF-FOCUSED.  It did not revolve around Jesus.  It was all about us.  It had nothing to do with what we as a family or individuals had to offer to Christ.  Sure, we prayed before our meal, but what a measly thanks to Him compared to all we had done for ourselves.  

As far as today, I will take the Lord's Word and obey it to the best of my human ability while submitting to His guidance.  His ways and thoughts are much higher than mine!  I will continue to remember Him as He made clear to His disciples.  I will partake in the Lord's Supper and experience the unity and special moment of celebration of my Lord and Savior.  As His Church partaking in the Lord's Supper we are announcing that Jesus is coming back and has invited everyone to a glorious supper with Him.  As for Christmas as Americans traditionally celebrate it - I'll pass.  It certainly seems that santa has taken the place of Christ on "Christ's day" in many people's minds.  He even persuades our children that they'll only receive gifts if they're nice, if naughty they have a lump of coal to look forward to.  Santa seems to operate on a works based philosophy.  Not to mention, I believe santa is one of the best salesmen that has ever been invented.  I'll stay loyal and trust my Savior that freely gave me a brand new life.  He made it clear that His gift is FREE and produces a new life of peace in Him.  Jesus even loved us enough to make it clear, crystal clear to watch out for idolatry.  For He knows where that leads us.  And as for the tree and the presents under said tree...not quite sure what any of that has to do with glorifying Jesus.  Still can't even attempt to bend any Scripture to make sense of that.  Not that we ought in the first place.  

As far as my family, this year the kids know, without a shadow of a doubt, Christmas is not about them!  Last year was a definite culture shock to them.  I didn't enjoy watching their hearts break as this whole Christmas thing got turned upside down for them last year and neither did they.  In fact it was quite a painful process for all of us.  But, this year, no doubt our hearts are in line with God's will like never before.  I do not expect any of our children will ask for anything for themselves.  Who knows but God, maybe He'll have us serving people in the community in some aspect.  I don't know for sure.  But I have complete faith and trust that He will lead us to our next steps.  

We American Christians teach that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.  Christmas is one day out of 365.  The message I get from Scripture is that Jesus commands our lives (everyday) to be a response reflecting our celebration of the work He has done and continues to do in and through us.  And most importantly the love He has already shown in His time here on earth and on the cross.  If the Christmas spirit only comes around once a year in our lives - we should have concern.  

I could go on and on but I'll close for now.  I'm truly interested in hearing from more mature Christians than myself with more wisdom.  I'm certainly not proposing a ban on Christmas either.  I'm just sharing where my rebirth has led me at this point.  Even through all the idolatry that we as Americans seem to have going on this time of year I trust God is using the circumstances to add to His Kingdom.  I guess this blog post could be summed up with the following sentence: I would hope that someday, the day we Christians claim to be a celebration of the birth of our Savior, would revolve around Him - not us.  (And definitely NOT santa claus)

Let us not allow the adversary, that old serpent, the devil to twist the Truth of Jesus any longer.  If Christians want to designate a particular day to celebrate the birth of our Savior then He has given us the freedom in Him to do so.  But please someone more mature and wiser in Christ than me explain why we use idolatry and greed to do that?   Lets re-examine our traditions of Christmas as individuals, communities and as a nation.  Surely, as His Church, we can do better than serving up a main course of idolatry with a side dish of Jesus when celebrating our Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ.  

Grace and Space for you and for others always - no matter what it looks like. 

Living in His love, 

Angie

Who Are You Allowing To Grade Your Paper

This morning I have spent time with my daughter in conversation.  The topic of conversation quickly became Christian camp.  The Holy Spirit immediately began to lead my thoughts and open my eyes to His reality.  

My husband and I never went to "church camp".  I'm guessing that is the leading factor in why we never sent our children.  Until this last summer that is.  Our two older children never went.  Our daughter (the youngest) had been told about a certain camp by her friend's sister.  She came home telling us all about it.  Honestly, we heard her but we didn't listen to her in the beginning.  But, thank God, she was relentless in her pursuit of going to this Christian camp.  Eventually, we googled the camp and did some research.  I was first put off by the expense and then put off even more when I realized we would have to make a few purchases for things required for her to go to camp.  But, thank God again, we eventually chose to give this Christian camp a go.  Our daughter was 12 at the time.  

We waited in an extremely long line and went through the check-in process.  In complete trust of our Lord, we left our daughter with complete strangers and as we drove home I prayed to God and asked Him to keep His arms of protection around our little girl.  A week later, we picked her up and it was obvious she had enjoyed her time at Christian camp.  I was extremely eager to hear of her experiences.  She gave us a general idea of how her week went.  But, today (about three months later) she gave us a more in depth, deeper understanding of how that week was for her.  

I've heard from many people that some of their best days were at church camp.  I've also heard from others that church camp is where a lot of mischief takes place.  So please understand I get there are two sides to every coin.  

What I've learned through my daughter's eyes today fully assisted by the Holy Spirit is this:

1.  No matter where we are, no matter the circumstances we face, no matter who is present - God is there and available to us.  

2.  It is up to us as individuals and as His Church to foster and nurture His presence.  We can so easily be distracted by our choices to settle for less than He desires to give. 

Let me put this into a life application perspective.  If you have read any of my blogs or watched any of my Authentic Confessions you know I professed to be a Christian for 21 years until the age of 37.  Then Jesus pulled me out of the dungeon of dark death I was living in and pulled me up into His light!  He literally turned on the light of my spirit.  Life has never since been the same, thank you Jesus!  But here's the deal.  My oldest children at that time were 16 and 18 years old.  My daughter was 12.  I had raised my children with the only perspective I knew.  That perspective was mine, all mine.  I did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ, I did not depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance and discernment, I did not possess any fruit of the Spirit, I did not look to God for answers, and lastly, I did not ever read my Bible.  I knew what people had told me aboutGod and I knew what I had been taught about the Bible.  But, I certainly did not KNOW God and I did not KNOW His Word.  So, needless to say I raised my children the best I knew how up to that point.  But when this whole new world, the Spiritual world, was introduced to me - I immediately saw everything through new lenses.  This was the beginning of my relationship with Jesus Christ, my Lord!

In the past I had placed priority on making sure that everyone in my family was putting their best foot forward, doing what they were supposed to be doing.  Whether it be showing up to school on time, whether it be getting good grades, whether it be wearing the right clothes, whether it be saying and doing the "right thing."  {Self-admitedly a control freak - in recovery!}  Those things are what mattered most.  Think about that.  What mattered most in my past was appearance.  And it did not end at the appearance of life.  I had taught my children that what mattered most was the appearance we projected determined where we would get and what we would get in this world.  People's opinions of the appearance we were showing is all that mattered. Okay, that's a bit wordy and hard to follow.  Let me give it another shot.  

Take school for example.  At one point in our country long, long ago education was Christ-centered.  Not only did one wake up in this physical world knowing about our Lord Jesus Christ, our day revolved around the Lord Jesus Christ in His Spirit.  Slowly over time we faded Him out of our education (not to mention some of our American churches).  One person would feel offended and that dominoed into choices that eventually completely took God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit out of our schools.  The result of that was more and more sin, teaching self-worth, self-esteem, self-this and self-that.  For a follower of Jesus Christ one understands the danger in self.  We recognize and honor and glory in the fact that mankind was made by Him and for Him!  We should desire to be loyal to Him. Our choices and actions should be a reflection of that desire.  In fact, that is the case.

                                                                                    Our Desires = Our Choices 

But how difficult do we make it for ourselves when our loyalty is to us?  And how difficult have we made it for ourselves when loyalty to self is what we choose to teach our children AND our children's children?  Then we have the audacity to look to God and ask, "Why do you allow bad things to happen to good people?"  We ask Him, "If You are real and a loving God, why did You let ________________ happen?"  

One lens that The Holy Spirit provides is to know a tree (human) by their fruit (actions).  Another lens is He provides and guides our spirit in is - reaping what we sow.  The Holy Spirit of our Creator, our magnificent Designer, our all sufficient Sacrifice, our Savior, our Lord, our Redeemer, our Best Friend, our Bridegroom is the source of our joy!  He is the source of our power, the source of our love and the source of our self-discipline!  So why America do we step by step keep shoving our Source out of our lives?  Out of our homes, out of our schools, out of our work places, out of our churches, and worst of all - out of our minds?  He is The Source of life and breath!  

Wake up America!  Who have we been allowing to grade our papers?  Whose opinion have we been seeking?  I encourage you to consider from the moment He wakes you up in the morning to the moment He puts you to sleep at night - You are writing a paper in every waking hour of every single day.  There is but one teacher's grade that matters.  Fellow human beings, brothers and sisters - Our Teacher loves us and commands what is best for us.  He has provided gigantic blessings, grace and mercy for every single one of us.  

Take the concept of living in a world of caring what peoples' opinions are.  If you live of those OPINIONS - you are living IN POISON.  Go ahead...write out the word opinions.  You'll discover one letter at a time it spells out IN POISON.  

Who will you allow to grade your paper today?

The Big "Christian" Misconception

My brother recently told me that some people he had spoken with about Jesus were under the impression that one has to be perfect to be a Christian.  My heart broke when I heard this.  But then, I remembered that up until about a year ago, I thought the same thing.  I had strived all my life to be perfect, even though I knew I would never be successful at it.  The harder I attempted to reach perfection the further I would fall.  Each fall provided a deeper level of disappointment and depression.  

I began to settle in to the self-discussion of why SO MANY humans are under this impression.  The answer is easy now, but...when you're still under that impression - now that's where things get more difficult to navigate.  

First of all, every human being is a sinner.  Some have reached the point in their life and (more importantly) their faith that they have come to know the fact that they are sinners and some will even discuss their sins with you.  On the other hand, there are many that carry the weight of their garbage on their shoulders.  Not only do they carry it on their shoulders, they do their best to run as fast as they can so no one will discover what secrets are inside the garbage on their shoulders.  I know this all too well.  I ran, and ran, and ran for 37 years all the while weighted down with TONS of garbage and secrets.  Add fear to the garbage and running and that equals exhaustion.  

When I reached the point of complete exhaustion and emptiness, the first thing I easily understood was that I was a sinner.  No matter how hard I lived to be perfect - I would never reach perfection.  Okay, so I understood I was a sinner but what's next?  Well, being that I was completely empty at this point, having no energy left to keep carrying my "secret garbage" I had nothing more to lose.  I knew what I needed to do.  Next for me was admitting this out loud to someone.  "That someone" that I needed to admit a secret to was my husband.  It was not easy.  In fact, it was extremely difficult.  Confessing a secret that had been eating me up inside to the one person that had every reason to hate me proved to be one of the best conversations I've ever had.  And on the other side of that conversation was Jesus Christ!  I can't even put words to the feelings that followed.  There's only one word that could come even close - that word - FREEDOM!  It wasn't until I emptied my garbage of secrets that I felt authentic forgiveness.  Yes, I felt forgiveness from my husband, but what I'm talking about is the forgiveness of Jesus Christ!  In that moment I knew how crazy loved I was.  I knew how incomprehensibly forgiven I was.  I felt complete and total acceptance from Jesus Christ.  The more I think about it, the One that has every reason to hate me more than my husband would be Jesus. God is love and He created human beings.  He knew we would be sinners, He knew sin is what would separate us from Him for all of eternity.  Knowing this and feeling the love toward us as He does, He provided A WAY for us to be reconciled back to Him.  He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life, to suffer the death of a sinner (your death and mine), to suffer the wrath of God for ALL OUR SINS, and rose Him from the dead to provide THE WAY for our salvation.  The word salvation actually means to be rescued from danger.  RESCUED FROM DANGER.  Wow!  How amazing is our God!  He loves us so much.  You do not have to continue in your life of sin (danger)!  God has provided His Son for our rescue! So yes, most definitely there are people out there that believe since they claim to be a Christian that they are perfect  now and unfortunately they are living in this world as judgmental hypocrites.  I'm not hating on these people, I'm asking right now for you to join me in prayer for them.  Pray that God opens their eyes to His Truth and not one more person will be turned away from Christ because of their misunderstanding of whom He is.  In fact, IF perfection were possible without Christ, Jesus Christ would be useless to Christianity.  Christ calls us to be disciples.  He wants us to believe Him, trust Him, listen to Him as He guides our steps in this life on earth!  That's it!  And don't misunderstand me.  It requires some effort on your part.  You know the kind of effort we all put into the relationships we have in this world.  You need to get to know Him.  The best ways to get to know Him is by talking to Him (praying) and listening/watching for a response and also, it is vital that you read the Bible.  This is His Word. In His Word He reveals what He wants you to know about Him.  He shares what pleases Him and what doesn't.  Not so you have to earn His love, but so you know what the proper response is to His love!  And also so you can experience abundant life!  He knows doing life His Way is the only Way to experience abundant life.  Seeing as He is the Creator and I am a teeny, tiny part of His creation, I certainly trust His guidance.  

His love, His salvation is a free gift. You see, He has already prepared the good works for you to accomplish when He gives His strength and power to do so.  Oh what a Mighty God we have the opportunity to be in relationship with!  He has an open door policy.  He is available anywhere at any time!  He hears our hearts!  He alone knows our hearts!

So, to make my long story short, Christianity is NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT!  It is about daily belief and trust in the Creator of the Universe.  Our Abba Father, through His Son!  The most important and fulfilling relationship you will ever have.  Do you believe that He loves you and wants what is best for you?  If so, start talking to God and then open your Bible and start reading!   

I love you guys!  Grace and Space for everyone - no matter what it looks like!  

 

Living In His Love, 

Angie

Born Dead

We are all born with hearts and it's up to us what we do with them.  Earlier today, I was flooded with the realization that this is what our problem is.  All of us have good hearts, God created them!  We simply have them in the wrong place.  What I mean by that is we live with them as if WE can create, through others and things, the happiness and desires we so long for.  Therefore, over time they have become hardened by us searching for our joy within this world.  We search for our happiness in People.  Things.  Money.  Fame.  Affairs.  Education.  Careers.  Porn.  Control.  And the list could go on and on.  That is at the very CORE ROOT of human beings issues.  When we are born, we are born with a flesh that is alive and a spirit that is dead.  Okay, don't freak out!  But, do pay close attention.  About two weeks ago as I was reading I came upon this Scripture and the Holy Spirit highlighted two words in a verse like never before.  (I was reading in a side-by-side of KJV and Amplified Version.)

KJV I Corinthians 15:8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.  

AMP I Corinthians 15:8  And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one prematurely and born dead [no better than an unperfected fetus among living men].  

Okay, the two words highlighted were: born dead.  BORN DEAD 

Wow!  That shed some light.  In fact, it glared one of the biggest LED lights that I'd ever seen!  What Paul, the writer of this letter to the Corinthians was speaking about is when Jesus appeared to him.  You see Paul was going around leading a mission persecuting the people that followed Christ.  Yes, Paul, the writer of most of the New Testament was leading the way of torturing and imprisoning the Christians, before his encounter with the Lord.  And on his way to Damascus to persecute more Christians, out of no where, the Lord appeared to Paul.  He describes that encounter in I Corinthians 15:8, as one born out of due time or born dead or an unperfected fetus among living men.  Now that little nugget of information was incredibly enlightening!  Amazing.  It's been there in the Bible all these years and I never knew.  Immediately I realized I was born with living flesh and a dead spirit.  Which then led to the deeper understanding of an earlier realization I had that when we are all born, we are born headed straight for hell.  Which Scripturally is death.  So what the Holy Spirit did for me was He connected the dots which led to a deeper understanding.   

That makes Scriptures like:

NKJV Galatians 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:  adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  

NKJV Galatians 5:24-25  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

NKJV Ephesians 2:1-10  And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.  10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 

NKJV Galatians 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.  

NKJV Romans 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.

NKJV Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.  8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  

come ALIVE to me!  That one golden nugget of information that we are born with a flesh that is alive and a spirit that is dead cleared even more residue off the lenses I had been seeing life with.  

Romans 8:7-8 gives us an incredible amount of knowledge in just two short sentences.  Have you ever realized that if you are living of your flesh that YOU ARE enmity AGAINST GOD and cannot please him?  Don't take my word for it, take God's Word for it.  

This is just one example of how Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, makes me fall in love with Him more and more everyday.  Just when you think you can't possibly love someone anymore than you already do - BAM!  He pulls another fast one over on you and you are deeper in love with Jesus than you already were.  Oh, how I love Him!  Those moments when He opens my eyes and heart just a sliver more than He did the last time are what I yearn to experience.  He is nothing short of superfragilisticexpealodochtious!  Or however one would go about spelling that word!  :)  

So, in summary - when one is born into this world they are born with a dead spirit.  There is only one person that can quicken that dead spirit.  That is the Lord Himself, Jesus Christ!  So, no matter how old you are or what you have been reaping in the flesh, it is never too late (as long as you are breathing) to surrender your whole being to Jesus.  Your entire life.  Jesus has already done all the work for you.  He lived on this Earth and suffered the worst persecution of any of us.  So He completely understands why you have been conducting yourself the way you have been.  He died for YOU so He wouldn't have to hold it against you.  He took all your sins and bad choices to the cross with Him.  He suffered the punishment you deserve so you wouldn't have to. 

Think of it this way.  He is the Creator of all things.  He even created your desires.  Now, you might not know it quite yet, but your biggest desire that you have been longing for all your life is...Him!  Jesus Christ is who your heart has longed for all your life, Jesus Christ has the only love that fulfills COMPLETELY! Many of you have acknowledged Him as your Creator but have yet to come to know Him as Savior.  {Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.}  Will you turn from your way and believe Christ?

KJV Ezekiel 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.  

Living in His Love,

Angie 

Grace and Space for you and for others, always, no matter what it looks like!

Choose Your Father

This remembering came into my spirit a few months ago.  I wasn't sure exactly how to deliver the message then, but I am certain now!  This remembering I am talking about is:  "Choose Your Father."  

Allow me for a moment to be blunt and to the point.  God created the Heavens and the Earth.  He also created all mankind (males and females).  At some point this fallen (from Heaven) angel arrives on Earth and deceives the mankind that God created.  So there you have it, that fallen angel won the trust of God's created humans.  Therefore, he is now the father of mankind on Earth.  

Now, for a not so blunt version:  God lost His people to Satan.  Not God's plan.  Our choice.  Adam and Eve were given a choice (free will) when Satan arrived on scene in the form of a cunning serpent.   God had specifically given Adam a warning before Eve came along.  That warning was:  NKJV Genesis 1: 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."  

At some point Adam had to have relayed the message to Eve that he had received from God because when the cunning serpent appeared to Eve she had knowledge of the commandment/warning that God had given to Adam.  

Note here:  

That the serpent approached Eve.  At that point she was given a choice (free will).  

The choice before her was:  Am I going to BELIEVE and TRUST what my husband told me God said? 

                                                                                                      OR

                                                  Am I going to BELIEVE and TRUST what this cunning serpent is telling me?

Unfortunately for us, Eve chose the later.  She chose to BELIEVE and TRUST what the cunning serpent said.  How do we know that was her choice?  Simply because of the action she took.  She ate of the fruit.  And what's worse, is she now became the first temptation to her husband as she gave him the fruit to eat of.  And so...

The choice before Adam was:  Am I going to BELIEVE and TRUST what my Father God told me?

                                                                                                          OR

                                                  Am I going to BELIEVE and TRUST what my wife is telling me to do?  

Unfortunately for us, Adam gave into the temptation to BELIEVE and TRUST his wife over his Father God.  How do we know that was his choice?  Simply because of the action he took.  He ate of the fruit.  

KJV Genesis 3: 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.  

We can only imagine the dis-comfort, fear, shame, embarrassment, stress and anxiety that they felt once their eyes were opened and realized their nakedness.  How do we know this might be what they felt?  Because of the action they took:  they hid themselves from the presence of God.  

It was just seven verses earlier that Adam and Eve were in complete bliss.  Genesis 2: 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.  

Well, here is the beginning of OUR story.  Although we were not there and we didn't make the choice to (buy) BELIEVE and TRUST what the subtle and crafty serpent was selling, we are the later generations of the same creation.  Therefore, we were born into that same Earth that Adam and Eve were and since, through their free will, they both chose to BELIEVE and TRUST the cunning serpent, we were born into a fallen (lost) world.  

So, in my own words - The choice before God, before the creation of the world was:  

Am I going to allow the enemy to keep my created humans for himself?

                                                     OR

Am I going to provide a way for them to find their way back to me?

So, in my last blog "Birth Into A World Of Lies", I mention that God is on a mission and invites us to come along.  Now, here's the beauty of our Creator.  He wasn't going to settle for that being the ending of His Story.  Oh no, certainly NOT!  He created mankind for His Son's Glory.  {Colossians 1} 

Fortunately for us, God loves us.  He created us for His glory!  He was not about to let the story end here.  So yes, the enemy (Satan) temporarily won.  But God kept writing the story!  He chose to provide a way for us to find our way back to Him!  The Way He provided, we have no right to question.  In fact, we have no right to question anything of God.  He is the Creator, we are the creation.  It's that simple.  I'm not certain about you, but for me - I am so extremely grateful and thankful to my Creator that He chose to provide me a Way back to Him!  I don't have one iota of a "problem" with how He did it.  In fact, the Way in which He provided for me to find my way back home produces within me nothing other than love for His Son, Jesus Christ.  I love that Man with every fiber of my being.  I long for Him, daily.  I desire only to please Him.  My only desire IS Him.  I love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.  

So there it is everyone, the mission I spoke of in my last blog.  God is on a mission to win His people back!  The first question is:

1.  Are you going to accept His invitation of love, acceptance, mercy and grace?  

  (If your answer is Yes, proceed to question #2).

2.  Do you acknowledge God as your Spiritual Father?  

This means you acknowledge Him as your Creator.  You acknowledge you are a sinner that falls short of the glory of God meaning you have been a slave of sin and obeying the enemy and you were headed straight to hell.  You acknowledge you need a Savior.  You acknowledge God's Way is the ONLY Way.  You acknowledge the Way He provided for you to come back to Him is the ONLY way.  {John 14:6}  You are saved by grace through faith {Ephesians 2:8}.  God even gifts you the faith in which to BELIEVE and TRUST Him with!  You don't earn God's love, He loves you as you are.  But, His desire is to change your heart.  Will you allow and make space for Him to do that?  (If yes, proceed to question #3).

3.  Are you willing to BELIEVE and TRUST God as your Spiritual Father?  

Then he commands you to follow His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ lived on this Earth, was made fun of, mocked, spit upon, beaten, tortured, and murdered on a cross.  The blood He shed was for you.  His blood is the only thing that will make you pure in God's sight.  Jesus died, was buried, and rose again!  {I Corinthians 15}  Do you BELIEVE and TRUST that God forsook His own Son so He didn't have to forsake you?  (If yes, proceed to question 4).

4.  Are you willing to follow Jesus Christ?  

Then you will first need to get to know Him.  The way you do this is through prayer and reading His Word to you (The Bible).  You need to ask Jesus for forgiveness of your sins.  Share your heart with Him.  He knows it all (your heart) anyway, but He desires for you to share it with Him. Ask Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Spirit.  {John 1:33, 15:26}  After you pray, ACCEPT the acceptance that He offers you.  Bathe in His love.  Will you do this?    (If yes, proceed to question 5).

DO NOT SKIP THIS - IT IS VITAL 

DO NOT DO AS ADAM AND TAKE SOMEONE'S WORD FOR IT

TAKE IT STRAIGHT FROM THE CREATOR'S MOUTH (WORD)

5.  Are you willing to read your Bible?

Listen to Him.  Believe and Trust Him.  Obey Him.  Talk to Him.  Build your relationship with Him, EVERY DAY.  Watch Him change your heart.  Observe how everything changes.  Especially your perspective on life and the motivations in which you live it.  You see, when Jesus died, our connection to Him didn't die.  He gives us a Comforter, Guide, and Advocate in which to live this life on Earth.  That Comforter is the Holy Spirit.  He will become your new BEST FRIEND.  He is the open highway of communication between you and God.  He is God's Spirit.  God's Spirit lives within you.  YES, He lives inside you!  As you read your Bible, the Holy Spirit will convict your heart of the choices you've been making and He will show you the way Jesus commands for you to live.  If you truly BELIEVE and TRUST God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit - you will take action.  The Holy Spirit convicts you in a way that allows  Jesus to rule over your life.  You will acknowledge you weren't created to serve yourself.  You will come to acknowledge that this life you are living is for His glory!  You will come to acknowledge that this life you are living is your response to God's love for you.  You will experience abundant life here on Earth!  {John 10:10}

I'm not going to even attempt to tell you what all will change in your life.  But, I will tell you to be prepared!  Be prepared to feel love and acceptance like you have longed for all your life.  Be prepared for a lot of things to start changing, starting with your heart.  Whatever you do, DO NOT STOP praying (talking to God) and DO NOT STOP reading your Bible.  

If you do not have a Bible and want one, email me, text me, call me, Facebook message me.  Contact me and I will get you one.  No questions asked!  

If you have any questions please ask them.  I may not know the answer, but I will certainly do my very best to get you the one God reveals in His Word.  

Oh, one last thing, and most importantly, I will not tell you that you have now been saved.  That is not my call.  

John 5: 22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

             

              23  That all men, should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.  He that honoureth not the Son 

                    honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

             

             24   Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath 

                    everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.   

If the Father says not even He judges, but the Son - I, a mere human being will never tell anyone and give false security that one's soul has been saved.  But, what I will tell you is stay in constant communication with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.  Pray, read your Bible and act on what He moves you to do.  No one...no man, no woman, no one decides if you are saved, except Jesus.  Your salvation, now that's Jesus' judgement call to make!  

Now, one last thing.  CHOOSE YOUR FATHER.  Not just this once after reading this.  Choose your father, every day!  Who will you choose to BELIEVE and TRUST?

Living with His love,

Angie

Grace and Space always, for you and for others, no matter what it looks like!

Birth Into A World of Lies

My re-birth in Christ has taken me on a journey I never saw coming!  It (my re-birth) has produced some radical changes in my life.  I have only God to thank for these changes!   

I just completed Authentic Confessions #18 last night and still waiting for the video to upload.  But, I just had to share more thoughts.  In that video I mention how all my life (the previous 37 years) I had it wrong.  I was nothing but a self-centered human being which resulted in many things.  

Those results were:

Depression, anxiety, fear, anger, hatred, loneliness, guilt, shame, stress, lust, lies, deceitfulness, embarrassment, manipulation, wearing masks (metaphorically speaking), being fake, and most of all in-authenticity.  Now, with a list of those character traits how happy and fulfilling do you think my life was?  Yep, my existence was pretty miserable.  Even though I had every thing in the world to be thankful and grateful for, my existence was miserable most of the time.  Not just was I miserable, but I'm almost certain the people that crossed my path weren't impacted in a positive way with the above list being what showed up in their presence.  

The above list was the product of my sin filled life that was self-centered, lived from the flesh for the temporary things of this world I was originally born into.  I never set out or had intentions of living a sin filled life.  I had a good heart.  I loved people.  I was also considerate and kind.  But, I was living for me.  It just happened that way.  It is our default.  You see, I was blind to the fact that from the moment I was born into this world from my mother's womb, I was born into a world that is temporarily "managed" by the devil.  (**But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV)  

I had heard about born-again Christians.  The whole thing just never made sense to me.  It wasn't until by His grace through His gift of faith to me that it became crystal clear.  It wasn't until I was born-again, baptized with the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ, that this made complete sense.  So I will do my best to share with you what has been unveiled for me through the Scriptures.  

I.  God created the heavens and the earth.  (Genesis 1)

II.  The serpent beguiles Eve.  (Genesis 3)

        a.  The serpent - Revelation 12:7-12

             This is where we receive our warning in Scripture.  ** Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea!  

             For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.              

             Revelation 12:12 NKJV

       

        b.  ** Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.  Yes, all of you be submissive to one       

                  another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."  

                  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting 

                  all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil 

                  walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  1 Peter 5:5-8 NKJV

       

        c. ** Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also  

                 came among them.  

                 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?"  So Satan answered the LORD and said,           

                "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."  Job 1:6-7 NKJV

       

        d.  **  And no wonder!  For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great 

                   thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be 

                   according to their works.  2 Corinthians 11:14-15 NKJV

       

        e.  **  Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from 

                   God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.  Why do you not understand My speech?  Because       

                   you are not able to listen to My word.  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father 

                   you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no     

                   truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.  

                   John 8:42-44  NKJV

       

         f.  Jesus said:  **  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath 

                                      nothing in me.  John 14:30 KJV

         g. **  Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, "O full of 

                   all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease  

                   perverting the straight ways of the Lord?  Acts 13:9-10 NKJV

         

Before my re-birth in Christ, I knew the devil existed.  I had some crazy idea that if I ever encountered him (first of all it would be in a physical sense) he would be red, dressed in black with a cape, demonic looking, have horns and be holding a pitchfork.  Not sure where this crazy mental vision of him was seeded in my mind.  But, considering that he is the father of lies, I can only imagine it was planted at a very young age and stuck like glue.  Post re-birth in Christ - I completely understand how insanely ludicrous that mental picture is.  The devil is real.  He disguises himself as an angel of light.  He is the prince of this world. ----> The one we're all originally born into.  Not only is he real and the prince of this world, but he is mad and out for revenge.  AND, he is not alone.  A third of the angels fell with him.  He's not going to and fro on this earth alone, he has helpers.  Helpers in deceiving us and keeping us blinded from the truth.  By default, since the fall discussed in Genesis Ch. 3, we are first born into this world servants of the devil.  This became clear to me when I read Roman 5:12.  

Our relationship/union with our Creator and Father was fractured and broken the moment Adam and Eve put their faith and trust into what the serpent led them to believe.  Therefore, every human since has been separated from God since the day they were born as Romans 3:23 Scripture tells us that we all fall short of the glory of God.  That very same Scripture goes on to tell us that the only way we are justified is by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  The only way for us to be reconciled back to God is through Christ.  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John 14:6 NKJV

Now I remember being 16 sitting in a church building and it was time for the alter call.  I raised my hand and prayed a prayer.  I went to the front and stood while the congregation clapped.  A few weeks later I was water baptized.  Then, I exited those church doors to, at best, open my Bible once every couple of years.  All the while, believing what I had been told - that I was saved.  Now I'm here to tell you from personal experience, I was lied to.  I believed what that pastor told me.  I believed I was saved.  Yeah, I believed I was saved from hell.  But the truth of the matter is...that was just another lie from the devil.  Not one time have I yet read in the Bible that raising your hand and praying a prayer saves you.  Not once.  Not one time have I read that going to a building called a "church" saves you.  Not once. What I have read is God's desire for us to TRUST and BELIEVE in His Son, Jesus Christ!  Not ourselves, not what someone who attended seminary tells us once a week in a building called church, not ANY man.  But, do we truly trust and believe what He tells us in His word?   The thing is, there is only one way to have assurance of your salvation.  That is to know His Word, Believe His Word, and Trust His Word.  I knew what the world told me to be "saved" was, but it looked nothing like what God tells me in His Scriptures.  God is on a mission and He has invited us to come along and join Him.  Please, don't trust me, rather read your Bible and let the Holy Spirit open your eyes and heart to hear God speaking to you.  

The more I read my Bible and embrace the new life He has gifted me, I experience Him teaching me and guiding me through His Spirit to live by faith for my eternal life.  Clearly my first 37 years of life were led by my works of the flesh and produced sins and behaviors that are explained in Galatians 5:19-21.  But now, THANKS, GLORY and PRAISE be to God that my life now produces what is explained in Galatians 5:22-26.  Now don't get me wrong, I still mess up.  A LOT!  But seeing as how He has transformed my heart and life not to be dependent on me any longer, but to be dependent on Him for absolutely everything, including forgiveness...I sleep much better at night as I rest in His love for me!  Abba, I am yours!  

One last Scripture to close with:

What then?  Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?  Certainly not!  Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?  But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.  And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.  I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.  For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.  For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed?  For the end of those things is death.  But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:15-23 NKJV

I love you! But most importantly, Jesus Loves You!

Grace and Space to you and others, always, no matter what it looks like.

Love ~ Angie