I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

I was talking to my youngest daughter today about feelings, more specifically about being afraid of making people mad, getting in trouble, etc.  She had some very wise words for a young woman.  She said, "I used to be like that, I wanted to make everyone happy, and do everything right.  I could never even take up for myself.  I started thinking about end times and how Christians will be killed for being Christians and (I) DECIDED that I needed to get a backbone.  I didn't want to be 'afraid' to be who I am and have to go to the fiery pits because I was 'afraid' to stand up for myself and the God that loves me."
There was more to our conversation and who knows, the rest of it might end up being another blog lol.  What my mind has been on this evening is we need to DECIDE, we need to CHOOSE how we want to be.  She took action in her life to make sure she did not deny God.
We all need to take action in our lives.  We need to be prayed up and battle ready because we DO NOT know what we will have to face.  I see a lot of going back and forth Pre-trib, Mid-trib, Post-trib.  I'm not going to argue that in this blog post.  What I am going to say is no matter when Jesus comes back, NO ONE said we would not have trials.  NO ONE promised that bad things wouldn't happen to us just because we are Christian.  What God did promise is that HE would be with us.
Look at Daniel, look at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo, Jesus, Peter, Paul, etc. etc. etc.  They were following God, they were true believers and yet they suffered.  I hear a lot of people say, we are going to be raptured out and not feel the wrath of God.  What about the wrath of satan?  and who says we won't be in a battle?  We are in one everyday, that's why we have to put on our armor every single day.
The Bible says in Ephesians 6:10-13,  ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
We are in the battle of our lives, for our souls.  We are fighting the powers already of this dark world.
There may come a day when you have to stand up for God, will you be able to?  Think of the shootings that have been going on.  We are precious children of God, however, look at Job in Job 1:1, 1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.  He was also a precious child of God and in the end God restored everything to Job, because He stood.  When the day of evil came upon him, he stood his ground and when he had done all he could, he just stood.  BUT, he went through a battle, one most of us would not be able to withstand.
We have to decide today for each daily battle that we are going through.  The Bible says, "choose this day who you will serve" in the book of Joshua.  Don't wait around until a fiery trial comes upon you.  Decide today.  So if you end up in the lion's den, or walking in the fiery furnace, looking down a gun barrel with someone saying deny Jesus or die you can stand knowing that He died for you and He will be there to bring you home. Things are wrapping up, I've never seen or heard of so many prophecies coming to pass as there are in our life time but it doesn't mean it's over.  It's the beginning of birth pains.  (I'll let you look that up :-)
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
God bless you and love to all. 

Going to the enemies camp

I've been struggling lately with a lot of things. Trying to take my own advice and give everything over to God but being human still can't quit thinking about it. Monumental changes are going on in my life and that is never easy. Alot of them, I don't like and some of them hurt so bad they are tearing me apart inside, however, I do know that God has it all in control. Something my younger daughter said one day came back to me, "if you are going to pray, don't worry and if you are going to worry, don't pray". I'm the mom, wish I had said that lol.
The enemy is very good at what he does, he has to be because he wants to win, even though he knows he isn't going to. He might win some little battles individually at times but he is destined to lose the war. He knows this, but the final outcome isn't as important to him I guess as the destruction he can do in the meantime. Every trial, every temptation we face that we don't turn over to God, satan smiles over. He scores a victory.
Yesterday was a particularly bad day for me, I cried about everything, I whined to God, I talked to God, I even ask Him why a few times because that is the relationship I have with Him and I'm so thankful for that. I can talk to Him about anything and I can tell Him how I feel and He understands me, He already knows without my telling Him.
The first song they sang at church yesterday went like this, "I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me , took back what he stole from me, took back what he stole from me. I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me, now he's under my feet, under my feet, thank God he's under my feet." Wow, did my light bulb go off. I realized that he has stolen and is still trying to steal things from me and I put him on notice yesterday. I went to his camp and I'm taking back what he stole from me!!! He knows what it is, God most assuredly knows what it is and I now realize what it is that is going on. The sermon yesterday was around the woman in the bible who KNEW that if she could just get to Jesus, just touch the hem of his robe that she would be healed. Faith. This is just another one of the enemies feeble attempts to take my mind off God and to weaken my faith. It's not the circumstance or what is going on that is important to him, its just a means to an end for him. When I questioned God and cried to Him yesterday, He took me to the book of Job. (I love how He does that, talks to me through His word). Now what I read probably wasn't as much of a lesson as just the fact that He took me there. Job was a man of God, certainly strong in his walk with the Lord, yet he suffered trials that would put most of us in the ground. Through it all, his faith never wavered. I'm not Job, not anywhere close, so who am I? I'm a child that God loves just as much anyway but I'm not better than Job, I should be thankful and realize that things can always be worse. It was also a gentle reminder that He will take care of things, He will not put more on us than we can bear and in the end no matter what the trial, we will come out as conquerors. Through just that small thing He gave me peace. I do serve a God that is in control. I serve a loving God who chastises when He has to like a good parent but always looks out for me, has my best interest at heart and takes care of me.

No matter how bad things may look, try getting "out" of the circumstances and "in step with God". No matter how bad things might look right now God can turn any situation around. Use whatever you are going through to bring you closer to God not further away. God still loves you, He is still in control. Make Him the center of your life and while life might not be easy your focus won't be on trials.
This was my word from the Lord today and I'd like to share it with you, its an excerpt from an email I get called "What the Lord is Saying Today".

There will always be things that confront you and try to pull you down. This is your enemies plan and purpose. Get your learning cap on and take your dunce hat off. Get off the stool in the corner. You are not a victim. You are an overcomer. I have called you to walk higher. Walk the high road. I have called you to walk in peace and joy wherever you are. I will bring you through. You walk in victory.

And these verses:
James 1:2-6

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

You are fully armed, now go to enemies camp and take back what he stole from you. We are more than conquerors.
God bless
Tawana B
pray for the peace of Israel