Gidget is one of our adopted children. Actually she’s one of our family’s cat, but we treat her pretty much as she was a daughter or a sister. When we first got her we could tell she had already been through a very rough life.

She was terrified of everything! Through her experiences growing up, the world had taught her that no one can be trusted, and more often then not, people will try to hurt and destroy you. Scared.  Lonely.  But wanting to be fully loved.

Obviously she was abused growing up. Something I can identify with personally.

It was almost 8 months to a year before she began to trust us. Trusting that we only had the best intentions for her. We had to consistently be careful not to raise our voices. Or make sudden quick movements. She actually challenged me on controlling my anger because she knew how mad I was on the inside before I even knew it, she can just sense the tension building inside. A very sensitive kitty indeed!

But after over a year of us trying to demonstrate how much we really do care about her… She is now the happiest most loving kitty we’ve ever had! Everyday she loves the time she gets resting on our laps (her favorite place to sleep), the petting and brushing… The food!

She comes looking for it now instead of hiding and running from us!

Hurting people can be like Gidget to when we begin to believe the lies that the devil tells us.

• “Other people just want to hurt you.”
• “People just want to use you.”
• “You have nothing to offer others.”
• “You are not liked, or even really loved, by anyone.”
• “There is something wrong with you, and people will never like you because of it.”

If we chose to believe these lies in our heart, even Christians will run and hide from the true, pure, soul filling love that God has for all of us.

I accepted Jesus as Lord when I was young. I grew up in a family (and extended family) that never really doubted God is God, a family that attended church every week. Even when deep pain and abuse entered into our lives, He was always with us protecting us trying to help us.

But even tho I was never really far from God, on the inside I was clinging to a lot of those lies that Satan is too willing to give us. They built a wall between a large portion of my heart and God.  I spent years rebelling against God by enjoying selfish pleasures and addictions, not spending time with him, not listening and obeying Him.  All in an vain attempt to try and make myself happy, trying to ‘fix’ my own pain and loneliness in my own power.

I even remember a few years ago telling God “If you’re doing what you say you do, then it’s not working for me here in my life. So I’m going to do my own thing and you just go do your thing, and like whut-ever.”

Kind of like Gidget when we first got her. She enjoyed the safety and comfort of a roof over her head, and walls protecting her from the scary outside world. She enjoyed food and a clean litter box. But she didn’t want anything to do with us, because she didn’t trust us.

But thankfully for us, God follows his own marching orders. When we close a door in His face and ignore the knocking, he finds another door (or window, lol) in our heart to knock at. Said another way: He finds other ways to show His love for us, to us.

When we begin to truly trust God, the more we allow the true power of His love to become more self-evident to us.

Our hearts begin to soften, and we begin to see those lies from the devil for what they are.

We begin to see how God really sees us. And we become so full of His love, we can’t help but want to learn more about it, we have a desire to please Him above anyone even our self, we seek to move closer to his lap, and we desire to share His love wherever we can.  These desires just pour out of us! We can’t hold back because His love is so great!

He offers to fulfill our true desires and needs, even needs we don’t even know we have!  But he doesn’t force all of this on us. He wants us to willingly, and humbly come into his love and grace.

If you have never opened the door in your heart to the Lord your first step is just to humbly admit you need Him, and you want Him as Lord of your life.

If you have already begun on your walk with Him, ask Him to show you the terrible lies that is hardening your heart and then start open those doors in your heart and let Him in!

“Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

In His power, for His Glory, Amen.

2 My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, 3 because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. - James 1:2-3 (NCV)

My fellow Christian believers, when life gives you troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your true faith in God, and this will give you patience. – DM

True believers of God would not be full of worry because of the trouble that sin has caused in their life.  In fact these troubles should actually gives you joy!

Why? Because you have another chance to test the strength of your real, true, personal faith in God. It builds endurance to fight future temptations to sin.

The more we learn about who God really is … The stronger we can stand against sin, and resist temptation. This way we can stay within God’s will and follow His direction. Trials build our ‘moral muscles’. As we understand Him more, the richer and deeper our relationship with Him is. Trials bring us closer to God! We learn to trust him more.

4 Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need. - James 1:4 (NCV)

Let this patience show itself perfectly in everything you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and you will have no needs. -DM

Strand strong against sin’s temptation in everything you do.  Then you will be operating within God’s will, as you where designed to.  You will feel complete and you will not worry about your needs. He said himself that we do need to worry, or learn on our own understanding.  Instead we need only to trust Him more and more.

5 But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you.  - James 1:5 (NCV)

If anyone of you needs help discerning the truth, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you His true wisdom without being harsh against you for asking for it. – DM

If a fellow believer really wants a greater understanding of God’s truth is during their trial, they should just ask God for His wisdom. He will not criticize you for asking for help. If your asking for help from God, you are showing your belief in Him and belief of His truth.  He loves you perfectly, and He wants only what is good for you, always.

You are seeking a greater understand of your Lord and King, and God wants you to grow spirituality. Sounds like a win-win to me!  He wants to help you.

6 But when you ask God, you must believe and not doubt. – James 1:6 (NCV)

But when you ask for his wisdom, don’t doubt Him at all. Hold onto tightly to the wisdom he has given you. – DM

When you receive wisdom from God, write it into your mind, heart, body and soul, make it apart of your being.

Warning!: Do not doubt, even in the smallest ways, the wisdom that he gives you.  That will only lead you to sin again!

Because of our in-grained sin-nature, we will often find ourselves in a constant loop:

1. Rebel by willfully sinning against God and His law
2. Humbly seek forgiveness and guidance from God
3. Receive spiritual wisdom, strength to resist the sin, and a proven stronger faith in God.

Each time we choose God’s Truth over sin’s lies, The Lord is given glory, honor and praise!

In His power, for His Glory, Amen

“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts…But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says…For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like” (James 1).

But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? (Romans 7:20-24 NLT)

Why oh, why oh Lord, is it so hard to leave behind the things that should not be in my life? You ask us to leave our damaging sins and turn to you, for our benefit, and Your glory! We have everything to gain!

So why does it have to be so hard!?

Romans 7 speaks about this very dilemma. The Law provides moral guidance, but is easily corrupted and perverted by sin. The writer says he has chosen to do what God says is right, but he can’t do it. Romans 7:21-23

Fortunately he also wrote Romans 8, the solution to this dilemma. And it is so simple, it hard to fully grasp right now. He says we don’t need to keep a moral measure of ourself, comparing our deeds to the Law or against our neighbours sins. Also that God came down as Jesus and made the full payment of our sin. (Romans 8:3-4 MSG)

What we need to do is embrace what the Holy Spirit is already doing in us. Say what?!

What I think he is trying to tell us in Romans 8 is that all a believer needs to do is to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit who is in us counseling us.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. (Romans 8:5 NLT)

Harder said then done it seems right now. The toughest areas of my life that God is working on requires more trust in Him then I can muster most days.

With more practice in keeping myself focused and trusting Him, I know he will bring me to a great new life outside of this dark low-hanging cloud.

He said he would, and His promises are always kept! Praise the Lord!

In His power, for His Glory, Amen

One of the hardest things for me to understand about our Lord was His connection to us.

• Is God really here, now?
• Is He really in control of everything that is happening?
• Or, is He just sitting way up there in Heaven, watching us while hoping we make the right decisions and do the right things?

Several times in the Bible God and Jesus tried to explain where and who they are.

• “I am the great I am.”
• “I am the alpha and omega; nothing is before me or after me.”
• “I am always with you.”
• “My kingdom is not of this world.”

It took me over 20 years to finally come to answer that both He and I can agree on. Now, that is not to say that he was ever wrong in what he told us, it’s was my closed eyes, my stumbling in the dark that kept me from seeing the truth.

He is everywhere! His laws are always in effect. Whether we acknowledge it or not, His will and purpose is always being fulfilled.

• Why do trees grow leaves in the spring, and shed them in the fall?
• Why does hydrogen and oxygen make water?
• Why do electrons flow easily through copper?

Because: He made them and commanded them to do what they are supposed to do. For me, science has literally become man’s attempt to explain what He has already created.

But His Law of course goes beyond nature. He is also the creator and perfector of love, peace, and justice. When we live our lives outside of His laws, we bring troubles and dangers into our lives that He never intended for us to have. Our sin, our seeking our own way, literally separates us from God’s love and protection. The results of our sins are not always easy to spot, and are all-too-often easy for us to try to explain away. But that doesn’t change the facts of His truths.

He created everything, including all of us. He loves us perfectly. Yet, he is a sovereign King, everything that is – is His. His rule always reigns. He is Holy, and our unholiness keeps us from him.

He shared His laws with us and even died for us so that we CAN live in the pure love and peace that only comes from Him.

We believers should moment-by-moment be listening to the Holy Spirit always ready to confess and turn away from our sins, for the glory of God, and therefore our own benefit.

Praises to Our Father, who not only created us, but loves us more than we can comprehend!

May we always be ready to yield to His guidance.

In His power, for His Glory, Amen