Stumbling

All of us stumble in different ways. If we know Jesus Christ, we'll feel grieved when we stumble (sin).  I feel bad when I stumble, especially when I mess up in a way that I know I've been victorious in. The scripture has a simple way of helping us to not stumble. It's through love.

He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. - 1John 2:10

The mystery of God's power

After almost 9 years of experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit stirring and flowing everyday, I still can't explain to you how it works. I just know it does.

But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. - 2Corinthians 4:7

Parting ways

Sometimes we need to part ways with those who are not part of God's plan for our lives. The Lord has a good plan for us, but if we have people in our lives that are just not part of what the Lord is doing through us, we need to pull away. This doesn't mean certain people around us are from the devil. It just means God is very precise in all that He does.

The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. - Genesis 13:14-15

Ministry of reconciliation in the Old Testament

There's a lot of symbolism in the Old Testament that points to Christ and also the role of today's Christian. As Christians we should have a strong desire to win Jews to Jesus. The Lord gives gentile believers salvation and we bring it to the Jew. This happens more and more as the full number of gentiles come into the kingdom. In the Old Testament book of Ruth, Ruth the gentile brings the barley (salvation) to Naomi the Jew after she has eaten enough of it.

So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough. - Ruth 2:17-18

Healing animals

I've experienced the Lord heal many animals. One time a friend asked me to come over to his home and pray for his cat because she hadn't eaten anything in over a week. The cat was lethargic and it seemed as if she might die. I went over there and prayed for the cat. Afterwards, we had a conversation and forgot about the cat. Ten minutes later, we looked down and the cat was eating.

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. - Psalm 36:6

One way shame comes

Yesterday's blog was about shame and how to let go of it. Today, we look at a scripture that shows one way that shame comes. We should never do anything that harms another person, nor should we ever hope for someone to be ruined.

May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. - Psalm 35:4

Letting go of shame

Over the years I've ministered to many people who are bound by shame. They can't seem to get past the guilt of sins they've committed in the past. Usually, these people are overly concerned about what others will think of them. They need to remember that everyone has committed shameful acts and they need to fix their eyes on Christ, who wipes out all their shame.

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. - Psalm 34:5