When "life" lets you down, Jesus lifts you up!

When life and the people in your life let you down, Jesus lifts you up! Do you believe that is true? I do, with everything in me.

Events in your life and the people in your life will eventually disappoint you and probably more than once--there's just no avoiding it. We live in a fallen world. This world is being controlled by the evil one until Jesus returns. John 15:9 says "We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." The Bible makes Satan's dominance of Earth very clear from these and other passages. Satan is the Prince of this World.-- make no mistake about it. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be on the alert: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Ephesians 6:10-17 is one of the most famous Bible phrases of all time, about putting on the Armor of God to shield yourself from the dark forces in this world.

 Satan is real and he is the father of lies!

                                                            
" Finally,be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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, Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

                                        Shield yourself from Satan and his lies with the Armor of God!


So, what does that mean to you and me? If you are a Christian, Satan is not your Lord, however he is still out there and you have to guard your mind and heart against him and his evil ways.You need to put on the Armor of God to shield yourself from the evil one. Not always easy because he is right there all the time. He just loves to trip up believers and pull them away from their love of the Lord. He is the father of lies and he can be very crafty and talk you in to believing that your actions are of God, when they are NOT! 


If you don't know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, it means you are especially vulnerable to Satan's trickery and lies. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says of unbelievers: "In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." If you don't want to be blinded by Satan and his lies, surrender your life to Jesus, NOW.


If you're having a down time, like we all do and I did last week, don't turn to the world or it's evil ways to relieve your stress because it really won't help you. Drowning yourself in drugs and alcohol, or doing something silly like cheating on your spouse to hurt them because they've hurt you, or going on a big shopping spree that you can' t afford, or maybe having a pig out of ice cream or other things that you think will alleviate your pain, or lashing out at the person who hurt you in anger: none of these things are not going to do the trick to stop your real pain.


All of these are just quick fixes to make you feel better, and then what will you do? And the damage that you can do to yourself or the people you love can be hard to repair. You are still left with the same old problem staring you right in the face after your initial "quick fix."


Jesus is the ONLY answer to any of your problems. Jesus and His forgiving love are the only ways to fix anything that is broken in your life.  Jesus is truly that only One that can ever "lift you up!" Can't you see it? Can't you see that His love and His mercy and grace, which He so easily gives to those who repent and turn from the sin, are the only things that can save any situation you might find yourself in? He is there and He is ready to save you from your sin and the circumstances you are in!

                                            Jesus is already there                      

              and aware of what you are going thru~~

When things seem impossible to you, that is when God steps in and says "WAIT!" Matthew 29:26 says " Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Everything is possible with the one who holds the Universe in His hands.That little problem that is consuming your every thought is already thought of and settled in the Lord's mind.

Our job is to trust and obey. Every hurt, every disappointment He knows about and He can help you through it with His love and forgiveness. But, you have to be willing to put it in His hands and "lay it down at the foot of the Cross" knowing that He is in control of your life. That's often the hard part, because it's not easy for us to forgive people we believe did us wrong. But that is an absolute necessity if you want Jesus to lift you up! 

Matthew 18:21-22 reminds us how God wants us to forgive: "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

Last week, someone "wronged me", by insinuating that I was a hypocrite. I was insulted and discouraged to say the least. I wrote a big long blog about how I had been wronged. As I've had time to think about it this week, I realize through prayer and the counsel of friends that I need to forgive that person. I realize that just because someone else thinks I may not be acting like a woman of God, doesn't mean a thing. I am strong in my love of the Lord, and I know that and so does Jesus, my Savior. Then this morning my devotional was about serving the Lord, and how our service should be about glorifying God and not about us. "Well put" I thought, forget about me and keep serving the Lord and that is exactly what I plan on doing, regardless of what one person or 100 people say about me. I felt like the Lord was talking right to me. My life and my service are about Jesus, not me! I am praying for the person that hurt me and will continue to do so.


I know I am spreading Jesus' love through my writing and glorifying God and that is all that should matter to me and I realize now that is all that does matter to me. Thanks for the wake up call from the Lord and from my friends. One last thought and one last verse from Matthew 5:11 about persecution for Jesus's sake: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." Enough said. I will carry on in His Name until I draw my last breath.


My verses for today are above in red.


My prayer for today:


Dear Heavenly Father:


Thank you for opening my eyes to the truth this week Lord. I know that you suffered ridicule and persecution during your brief time on this earth. Help me to withstand the insults for your Names sake. Help me to always Glorify your Name in everything I do, everyday. This blog and my life are about you Jesus, not about me and I thank you that you are in me through your Holy Spirit and in my life everyday.


In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen and Amen

Hypocrite or Woman of God?

This past week I was labeled a hypocrite indirectly by another Christian. Just the thought of that word brought me to my knees. In my mind, there is nothing worse than a Christian hypocrite, and that is something I have tried my whole life to avoid becoming. For someone to think I was one threw me back a bit, and I was humbled, and I must admit quite angry (which I don't get too often.)

The Bible doesn't have nice things to say about hypocrisy. Verses about being a hypocrite are all over the Word of God. Matthew 15:7-9 says "You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” That is just one of the verses that does not talk too kindly about Christian hypocrites.

When you are a Christian and someone

labels you a hypocrite, how can you handle it?

Well, here's how I'm handling it...read on...

As I've thought about my life these past few days and some of the actions I have taken over the years, there are many things that I haven't been proud of. But, as sinners, can't we all say that? The only thing that saves us from our sins and our sinful actions is the amazing Grace of God and His forgiveness. Aren't we all just trudging along trying to do the best we can in this evil world in which we live?

As a professed Christian woman, I know I am held to a higher standard, and I have tried to live up to that, but apparently I haven't, in at least one person's eyes and for that I'm truly sorry. If someone actually thinks that my life has been a sham and my love of God has been nothing but a bunch of fluff, they obviously know little about me.There may be more of you who feel that way, but let me sincerely tell you that I love the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart and soul, and my only intent on writing this blog was to share that love of Jesus with others, who may be hurting around the world.


I fully realize that just because I'm a Christian, doesn't mean I'm not a sinner. Far from it. "Christians under Construction" is a phrase I've heard for years from many of my closest Christian friends, and that is always how I have viewed myself, because that's what all Christian are -- we are under construction, trying to be more Christlike in our behavior each day. We are all sinners, every single one of us, the only difference in a Christian sinner is that we are forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. Mind you, that doesn't mean we have a license to sin. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."

I have professed my sins to God and to the ones I have hurt and I know that at least He has forgiven me. The humans are undoubtedly still working on it. That fact that Jesus has forgiven me is paramount to me. You must repent and turn away from your sins which I have tried to do, because that is what Lord commands me to do. It's not always easy to do what you know is right, and it's simple to always make up justifications for your actions. Our sinful/carnal nature or  "flesh" keeps raring back up. But, every day is a new beginning, a new chance to live for the Lord. And that is possible for me through daily prayer and reading the Word of God. Thank you Jesus for new beginnings that you make possible with each new day.

I will continue to pray and read the Word of God, daily~~

I'm mindful that my pardon from my sins is a gift from God, it has nothing to do with me. I know I have done many things in my life that aren't pleasing to God, but I also know that the Lord has forgiven me and continues to forgive me if I confess my sins. John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."


The Grace of God is sufficient for me and you too. I'm reminded of the words from the old classic "Amazing Grace", how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me." The amazing song is included here.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8YRapsaRfE

2 Corinthians 2:19 tells us "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

I do feel that the power of Jesus rests upon me when I am at my weakest. When I begin to write in this blog I can feel His presence with me. One thing that was inferred about me was that my Faith Walk365 blog is a big
 "bowl of s_ _ t with flowers on top of it, obviously because my life isn't perfect and I'm not "Godly enough." 


My answer to that accusation is "Who's life is?" A moving verse from the book of John 8:7 says "“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” We all sin and come short of the glory of God. Every single human being past and present, living on this earth.

I certainly hope that my readers don't feel that I'm a hypocrite. I started this blog in April 2010 because I felt the Lord calling me to do it. I knew that He would give me the words, and He has, without fail. He has provided me with almost 15,000 hits on my blog worldwide since I started writing 2 years ago. I have been able to reach people in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Russia, Iran, Mexico, the Philippines, the U.K, Sweden, Brazil, South Africa, Iraq, Indonesia, New Zealand and more with the amazing message of hope that Jesus can bring in someone's life. 

I surely didn't begin writing this to bring glory to myself, I wanted to help others learn about the love of Jesus. I have heard from people around the world that have been touched by the words I have written, i.e. telling me that my words were just wanted they needed to hear at that particular time. 

Over the years, as my disability from living with MS has increased, and I transitioned from being an able bodied person to a handicap person,(losing my ability to drive) and the freedom that goes with that, I still have the basic needs that we all do: the need for human contact and interaction. I needed to reach out to others through the internet and I did.


It's hard for someone who isn't confined in their home for most of their days to understand this basic human need. I felt the Lord calling and I answered. It's that simple. I didn't have a grand plan for what I was doing. I just wanted to talk about Jesus and his transforming power and that is what I hope I have done through Faithwalk 365. I certainly am not an ordained minister, just a lover of the Lord Jesus Christ with a desire to tell others about His love for all of mankind.

I sincerely hope that I haven't offended any of you, my readers, through this medium. Please believe me when I say that that was the furthest thing from my mind. I truly just wanted to share my love of the Lord with you, and show you how I look up to my Creator for my strength, not in. We live in an increasingly confused and downtrodden world. I wanted to try and bring some hope through my love of Jesus to my small corner of it. 


As I've invited you before, I would love to hear from you. If you would please leave a comment on this post at the bottom, I would really and truly appreciate it, especially today. I need to know how others feel about me and my writings, so please be honest.

As for my accuser, I will do what I know the Lord wants me to do, which is guard my heart in Christ Jesus and rest in His amazing love. Proverbs 4:23 says "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." One of the most profound verses about guarding your heart in the Word of God is in Philippians 4:6-7. It is one I have used many times in my writings here, but especially now, I guess I need to practice it more than ever. It says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."


The Lord knows what's in my heart and He and He alone knows my intentions.

My verses for today are above in red.


My prayer for today:


Dear Lord Jesus:


I have been unjustly been accused of being a hypocrite. There is nothing that is more distasteful to me. Search my heart Lord, and help me to write only for you. I want to share your love with the world, and that is my main goal. I know I am a sinner, but we all our sinners Lord. Not one of us is worthy of your love. It is by grace that we are saved from our wretchedness. Help me to forgive my accuser and continue to glorify you in all my words and actions. 


In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

About 10 days ago I hurt my back. I was sitting down and did it awkwardly, protecting my broken toe. It was one of those silly twists in the wrong direction and the minute I did it I knew I was in big trouble. I've been blessed to not have been plagued with back problems in many years. The last time I felt this kind of pain was before my oldest son was even born and that was 28 years ago. But when this happened, it was that same kind of pain and I knew instantly I was in for a long haul. Yikes, talk about needing the Lord's strength. I need it everyday just to get through the ups and downs of living with MS, throw in a few others calamities on top and I'm having to kick up my prayer life to a whole new level. This verse has been a daily one for me from Philippians 4:13: "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Thank you Lord that I can turn to you for everything.

May was quite a month for me. Unfortunately, it seems like it's been one thing after the other. The first week in I severely broke my left big toe. That was one of those stupid MS things. Lost my balance in the middle of the night and fell down on the way to the bathroom, banging my toe right into the corner of the wall. My 4 little toes went one way and my big toe went in the opposite direction. Luckily, my MS numbness had it advantages that night and I felt really no pain until the next morning when I woke up and pulled my sock off.  I said "Are you kidding me"? How did I sleep through the night with my toe looking like this? One trip and 4 hours in the emergency room took take of that.

Ouch- this was my broken toe~

I hobbled into the orthopedic doctor for a followup a few weeks later. He gave me a different and more stable boot to wear with some advice about keeping it elevated and staying clear of any objects. "It can be swollen for up to 6 months" he told me. "I don't move too fast anyway Doc, it shouldn't be a problem" is what I said back.

Little did I know that only two more weeks would go by after nursing my toe, that I would be back into see him again, this time wreathing in pain from my back. "What did you do this time Mrs. Watts?, he grinned as he looked at the xray I'd had taken downstairs a few minutes earlier. 

He then proceeded to tell me as he pointed to the light box that I had the beginning of spinal stenosis. That is something I was very familiar with because my Mom had it too and he confirmed that is is congenital. He showed me the spot on the xray where the problem was, and then described the course of treatment we needed to follow: The wonder drug Celebrex first, then a short course of steroids if Celebrex didn't help. If the oral steroids didn't do it, then a shot of steroids into my spine would be next and if all that didn't work, we were headed for surgery.

O'vey - "What a month I'm having I thought" the words uttered by Eugene Levy in the hilarious film Splash with Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah from 25 years ago. Actually he said "What a week I'm having," but for me, "What a month" hit it right on the head.

Having said that I have a whole new appreciation and empathy for people who are bedridden for any amount of time. It's a drag. I'm going stir crazy. What's getting me through the days is prayer, my laptop and facebook when I haven't been sleeping, Words with Friends, TV, reading and lots of pain pills to take away the wrenching and nagging ache in my back.

Of course, I'm so blessed to have my wonderful husband, who has really had to kick up my care taking (God Bless Him) to a whole new level during this time. What a guy, and what a blessing that man is. He truly has been waiting on me hand and foot because I haven't been capable of doing anything while I heal up. I haven't even felt well enough to go into the pool yet either, which means I'm really down and out. I'm hoping to be able to get there in the next few days. Just moving has been tremendously painful. You know how a bad back is - there's no where to go, it's like a bad tooth - you just can't get away from it.

Anyway, I've thought a lot the past month about my paraplegic friend down the street, Russell. God Bless him, he lays in that bed of his day after day. Yet he has one of the best attitudes I've ever seen. He absolutely amazes me. Knowing he's a Christian, I'm convinced that God's peace surrounds him each day and gets him through the ups and downs of having a body that does not cooperate with his very sharp mind. That has got to be what gets him through. Psalm 46:1 comes to mind "God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble." I know that the Lord has been my refuge and my strength for many, many days, especially this past month. I am so fortunate to have those loving arms to run to.

                                         Our Refuge and Our Strength © Morgan Weistling

I've also thought a lot about my parents this last month, who were both pretty much bedridden for the last few years of their lives. It was so hard to see them laying in those beds every time I was able to go up there for a visit. Now, I have a whole new appreciation for what they were going through because I've lived only a very, very small part of it. I think maybe empathy is something you really don't get until you've been there, done that. I'm thanking God that I had enough energy today to write this blog. I've tried several times, but couldn't do it because of the pain. But today - success! Thank you Jesus!

We never know what each new day brings.Treasure each moment you have. Treasure the little things that the Lord gives you. Count your blessings, not your troubles, because you never know what you may have to face tomorrow. Thank the Lord for each new day because it truly is a gift. That's why they call it the "present." Here is a great verse of Thanksgiving: Psalm 150:6  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!" One thing I've learned over the years, in ALL circumstances Give Him PRAISE! Therefore I am praising Him right now through my present pain, and believing and resting in His promises. I am claiming my complete Healing in Jesus Name!

My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer today:

Dear Heavenly Father:

Thank you Lord that you have been right with me through this past month and all these calamities. Heal me Lord, and be with me until I get better. Use me for your good purposes each and every day. I can always count on you and for that I am eternally grateful. I am believing in my healing Lord, in your Son's Name.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen and Amen