Finding Our Way With Personal Values

Think about standing at the front of your drive way. The target is the front door. Now cover your eyes and start walking. We're assuming there are no stairs, large trees, or other big obstacles, we're just walking... heading for our door. We are walking straight, staying on course. We have seen the goal and we are purposing to walk a straight path. OK, done? Now take off your blindfold. How close are you to the door? Are you close?...right there?...5 feet off? worse?...are you still even in your own yard?

                                                 

                                          

Now let's think of this illustration when it comes to our own life and belief system. When we are young it takes a while to form our belief system. Being a "little off" isn't that bad. Hopefully we've grown up in a Bible believing church and home, that makes it a little easier. Some of us have been blessed with this, others of us have not. But still, we sometimes can get off track and not even know that we are. Focusing on Jesus and having a good grasp of the Word of God are essential in our having a correct value and personal belief system. We've all heard the saying about climbing the ladder of success, to only get to the top and find we're against the wrong building!

The older and more mature we get it is critical that we are not "walking blind", in our lives. We need to know the Truth of God's Word and let that be a beacon for us to walk in. The light of God's Word, will keep us on track and on course in life. We don't want to let misinformation and unbelief sidetrack us or cause us to miss what God has for us.

We each have our own set of values. Being a Christian, our love of God and our relationship with Him should be above everything else. Sadly many Christians are not there. We may think that we are, but a lot of the time, children, a spouse, personal goals etc. can take over the top spot. It's really easy to let all those things crowd out our holding God above it all.

Exodus 20:3-4

3. "You shall have no other gods before Me.
4. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

The 10 Commandments are proof of the importance of putting God first. First off, there are no other "gods"; this word is referring to anything or anyone of earthly importance that takes first place in our lives. We're not talking about Hindu, Islam or any other religion or ideology. There is no other God than "Jehovah".

The second commandment is not just referring to "idols" in the form of little metal or wooden statues. This means there should be nothing that stands between you and Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Anything is an "idol" that takes first place in our lives besides God.

Example, I've seen people so into sports that it became an idol. How about shopping? Does the concept make you lose control and put yourself in a place of financial jeopardy? Any addiction, from shopping, drinking, smoking, lust, drugs, to "keeping up with the Joneses" can become an "idol". Pretty scary thought, huh? 

How about our kids. Does seeing them win, or get recognition take precedence over what is godly and right? What about trying to please our spouse or even friends? Do we overstep proper personal boundaries to get attention or importance in their eyes? I'm bringing this up, because if anything or anyone, including ourselves is numero uno in our lives, our whole belief system and set of values will be skewed.

Below is a "Personal Worth Appraisal". Please take a look at it. Make a copy or write it down. Now, be honest in your answers. I'm going to ask you to really read, think and pray about this. We'll have a few days. Take the personal challenge in this. Some of you took me up on the "Faith Challenge" I extended a week or so ago. So let's do the same with this. Don't just use the number system. Write down your thoughts on the individual topics. Why and what are the reasons and circumstances that you are unhappy, dissatisfied, feeling unsuccessful, etc. Let it get inside your head and heart.

I think if you're honest you'll be surprised at how you really feel and what God will show you if you take this little quiz. I'll give you my honest answers and discuss them on the next post.

Success, significance, fulfillment, satisfaction, happiness,

fun, security, peace.

How do all these areas in our personal life line up with God's Word,

and His perfect will for our lives?

Remember, we're being really honest.

 You don't have to share if you don't want, so keep it real!

If you'd like to leave a comment on this idea,

 we'd all love to hear it.

Next time, you will be hearing all my personal stuff concerning this.

love, in Jesus,

Debra

(personal worth appraisal taken from

Victory Over the Darkness)

What Happens When We Stumble in Our Walk of Faith?

Have you felt as if you were living on the edge of God's patience with you? That you were at two strikes, and felt another one on the way? So many of us have stumbled in our Faith Walk that we feel like God must truly be so tired of us that he's ready to walk away and be done with us...but that is just not true.

"The primary truth you need to know about God in order for your faith to remain strong is that His love and acceptance is unconditional. When your walk of faith is strong, God loves you. When your walk of faith is weak, God loves you. When you're strong one moment and weak the next, God loves you. God's love for us is the great eternal constant in the midst of all the inconsistencies of our daily walk."

1 John 2:1-2
1. My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2. and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for [those of] the whole world.

We can think of this scripture as in a courtroom setting. We are the defendant. Thing is, we are guilty as charged. Jesus is our advocate, like an attorney pleading our case before "the Judge". He is in constant intercession for us before the throne of God. Now, I used to feel uncomfortable with this scenario; like Jesus was always having to talk God into forgiveness. But it's more like Jesus is our constant "defense". Because He is there, we are made right before our Heavenly Father when we sin. So for me it is pretty constant. I would be before the bench a lot.


Hebrews 7:25
Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.


We know that God desires that we strive to do the right thing; to not be in a place of constant sin. He helps us, leads and directs us, but He also knows that we are human and that we fail. I cannot count the times daily that I would re-do a decision or action or word out of my mouth. Some of us do a better job than others, but we all stumble. And maybe it's not the little things everyday, maybe it's some big hurdles we fall over.

I've had some big hurdles where I just fell flat on my face. I would be going along just fine and then before I knew it my life was a mess and I was feeling like God had abandoned me. My life may have been a mess, but God in no way abandoned me. Our adversary, the devil, does what he can to get us out of the will and fellowship of God. He takes advantage of our weaknesses and plays upon them. Then when he gets us in the place of sin, he bombards us with the notion that God is done with us...over...finito.


Romans 8:26-27,34
26. And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for [us] with groanings too deep for words;
27. and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to [the will of] God.
34. who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Jesus is our "intercessor". He's always there guiding, helping, watching out for our interests.


Romans 5:8
 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us", so if He knew and loved us before we knew and loved Him, would He not still love us, no matter if we stumble? The important thing to remember, is if we stumble (when we stumble), don't lay down and call it quits. Get back up and keep moving forward.

Jesus always tells us to move forward. Don't give in to looking at the past. Don't wallow in regrets and past mistakes. We all have them. We can find ourselves in a place of paralysis if we aren't careful; frozen, fearful and unable to get up and get moving. If you are struggling with past mistakes and sin, ask God to show you how to receive forgiveness and then let it go. He wants us to not repeat our mistakes over and over, Jesus wants to walk you through the admission of our sins, but then He asks us to let them go. He says he forgets and removes them from His "memory". He expects us to let them go also.


Psalm 103:11-13
11. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. 12. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13. Just as a father has compassion on [his] children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
 No condemnation, only love and acceptance. Jesus  still loves us and calls us back to His fellowship and open loving arms.

Love, In Jesus,

Debra

quotes and concepts taken from

Victory Over the Darkness

by Neil Anderson

20 Cans of Success

The world knows that there is power in positive thinking. Countless books and infomercials are testimony to that concept. Yet as believers in Jesus Christ, we can move beyond that doorway and walk into the Truth of God's Word.

Below are twenty scriptures that emphasize what we can do in the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. The following list was compiled by the author of Victory Over the Darkness, Neil Anderson. 

"Someone once said that success comes in "cans", and failure in "cannots". Believing that we can succeed at our Christian growth and maturity takes no more effort than believing that we cannot. So why not believe that we can walk in faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Let's believe that we can resist the temptations of the world, and that we can grow into maturity as a Christian.

The following 20 Cans of Success, taken from God's Word, will expand your knowledge of our faith-object, the Almighty God."

Twenty Cans Of Success

By: Neil Anderson

1. Why should I say I can't when the Bible says, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)?


2. Why should I lack when I know that, God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)?


3. Why should I fear when the Bible says, God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)?


4. Why should I lack faith to fulfill my calling knowing that, God as allotted to me a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)?


5. Why should I be weak when the Bible says that, the Lord is the strength of my life and that I will display strength and take action because I know God (Psalm 27:1; Daniel 11:32)?


6. Why should I allow Satan supremacy over my life when, He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)?


7. Why should I accept defeat when the Bible says that, God always leads me in triumph
(2 Corinthians 2:14)?


8. Why should I lack wisdom when, Christ became wisdom to me from God and God gives wisdom to me generously when I ask Him for it (1 Corinthians 1:30; James 1:5)?


9. Why should I be depressed when, I can recall to mind God's lovingkindness, compassion, and faithfulness and have hope (Lamentations 3:21-23)?


10. Why should I worry and fret when, I can cast all my anxiety on Christ who cares for me (1 Peter 5:7)?

11. Why should I ever be in bondage knowing that, there is liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is  (2 Corinthians 3:17)?


12. Why should I feel condemned when, the Bible says I am not condemned because I am in Christ (Romans 8:1)?


13. Why should I feel alone when, Jesus said He is with me always and He will never leave me nor forsake me (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5)?

14. Why should I feel accursed or that I am the victim of bad luck when, the Bible says that Christ redeemed me from the curse of the law that I might receive His Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14)?


15. Why should I be discontented when I, like Paul, can learn to be content in all my circumstances (Philippians 4:11)?


16. Why should I feel worthless when, Christ became sin on my behalf that I might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)?

17. Why should I have a persecution complex knowing that, nobody can be against me when God is for me (Romans 8:31)?


18. Why should I be confused when, God is the author of peace and He gives me knowledge through His indwelling Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:33; 2:12)?

19. Why should I feel like a failure when, I am a conqueror in all things through Christ (Romans 8:37)?


20. Why should I let the pressures of life bother me when, I can take courage knowing that Jesus has overcome the world and its tribulations (John 16:33)?



As you read these verses let God point out to you which ones He is speaking to you personally about. Look up the scripture and let Him fix it in your heart.

Click here to find the link so that you may copy them to keep personally. When I found these I was in deep depression, and reading these scriptures over and over gave me great confidence in God's Power and His great love for me. Even better to read them out loud, so that they go into our ears and our heart. I hope that you will find them equally as comforting.

My husband's mom is fighting a battle right now that is critical to her survival. About 4 weeks ago she made the long overdue decision with her sons, to have her husband of over 65 years placed in a facility for Alzheimer's patients. She is overwhelmed with grief and loneliness. We are stressing with her in deep compassion, to speak out the affirmative of God's Word. She is in a place where that is difficult for her to do. It grieves us, because we know the importance of giving each and every situation over to God. Our mindset and frame of reference can make all the difference in whether we can move forward in life, or if we give in, and succumb to the trials and emotions of whatever hurdles we face.

A while back I did a post on Praying God's Word, If you haven't read it, then you might like a little more in depth look on why this concept is such a blessing and help.

love, in Jesus,

Debra

quotes and concepts taken from

Victory Over the Darkness,

by Neil Anderson.

Down to Earth Faith

Coming back to our book study today in Victory Over the Darkness, I want to share 3 important facts about our everyday "faith". The author covers them so well, I'll take some passages and quotes from the book.
Each of these are aspects of our faith that maybe we are, or are not, aware of. I like breaking a concept down into the "nuts and bolts"; practical principles and ideas to help us get a better grasp of what "faith" really is.

1. Faith depends on it's object.


What happens when our faith in a person is shattered; a friendship, spouse, doctor, pastor? How do we react when someone we respect lets us down, or doesn't live up to our expectations? It can take years to re-build our faith in a person. It can hurt and scar us, and it can shatter our lives. I once had a pastor that said frequently that if we were looking to him as a faith object he would let us down. Guess what?...it didn't take long for that to happen. Men are men, and we all fail. So very true. We may not mean to let others down, sometimes through no fault of our own, sometimes because we lack character, but either way man in his humanity isn't a very reliable faith object.

God on the other hand, should be the source and foundation of our faith. This is where it becomes important to know God intimately. I've mentioned before how I was having faith about something and when it didn't happen when I thought it should, I was crushed. I felt like I couldn't trust God anymore. What I didn't know at that time, was that it wasn't God who had let me down. I didn't have all the facts and I had jumped to "faith conclusions". I learned a hard lesson about timing and attitude during that ordeal. It made me conscious about my faith being directed by and to God, and not the circumstance.

Version: NAS


Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today, [yes] and forever.


Numbers 23:19
"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

The fact that God never changes and that He is constant, is the reason He is eminently trustworthy. He is the great "I Am", the Alpha and Omega, first and last for eternity.


"If you have little knowledge about God and His Word, you will have little faith. If you have great knowledge of God and His Word, you will have great faith".



2. The depth of your Faith is determined by the depth of your knowledge of the object.


When people struggle with their faith in God, it's not because their faith-object is insufficient. It's because people have unreal expectations of God. They expect Him to operate a certain way or answer prayer a certain way; their way, not His.



Romans 10:17
So faith [comes] from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
 
And what does that mean?

Reading God's Word on a regular basis, letting it soak into your mind and heart. We won't have great faith if we don't read God's Word, the Bible. Participating in a Bible Study, daily Bible reading and prayer, Sunday School and church attendance. All these things should put us in a place to hear God's Word and meditate on it. This is foremost in our ability to have faith. We must hear and know what God is saying.


2 Peter 1:4
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

2 Corinthians 1:20
For as many as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes; wherefore also by Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.

There are many many promises in the Bible, it's up to us to know them. This is where one of the small pocket books will help, "Promises for You" by Zonderman is one such book, you can order it on-line or at almost any Christian book store. It shows us the promises and helps us pray back God's Word.
 
"Believing doesn't make God's Word true, His Word IS true, therefore I believe it."
 
3. Faith is an action word.
 
James 2: 17-18
17. Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, [being] by itself. 18. But someone may [well] say, "You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Matthew 14:25-31

25. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were frightened, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." 28. And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29. And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30. But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31. And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Without action there really isn't any faith. We can talk all day long about how we have faith in God, but the true test comes when we are in a situation that we have to choose; "Do I trust God in this"? I don't want to be a Spiritual Couch Potato. Someone who sits around while things need to be done. We know that there are daily matters that just take our ability to believe God for good. And to allow Him to be in charge.

I'm going to throw out a little challenge; an exercise. Let God show you where you can trust and have faith in Him for a particular situation. Don't think of it as asking for trouble. Maybe it's something that you are dealing with right now. Just let God lead and direct your faith. He'll show you how if you will only ask!

More on faith next time. Remember, if God is nudging you leave a comment or question, please do. I love to hear them and so does everyone else!

love in Jesus'

Debra

concepts and quotes taken from
Chapter 6, Victory Over the Darkness
by Neil Anderson

Take a seat!

"Take a seat", someone might say to us. How common to hear that, yet if we think about this everyday act in response to a friendly command, we may get a more clear understanding of what it is to act "in faith".

You may have heard this reference to "sitting in a chair" as an act of faith and it may seem too simplified, but it is something we can all agree on.  Unless we are staring at a ramshackle bit of flimsy antiquity we all pretty much do not hesitate to be seated. Here is where I will insert that my love of vintage junk and antiques has indeed given me many opportunities to be more than a little wary when it comes to choosing a spot to rest!

We have all sat in a chair, and most of us have not had it crack and fall apart on us. So because we are familiar with chairs and their ability to support us, we don't worry and wring our hands each time we think about it. We just do it. We sit in the chair without a moment's hesitation.

This is what God wants us to feel about Him; that He is familiar and that He is capable to support and uphold us when we are living our daily lives. Sitting in a chair is not something we do on a rare occasion, but something that is daily and commonplace, matter-of-fact living.

I remember being in Bible Study Fellowship many years ago and we were talking about something and I made mention that I was "having faith" for something in particular to happen. I don't remember what the particular circumstance was, but I will always remember the look on a certain woman's face when I made the statement. Then she said "What do you mean, 'having faith', I don't understand what you're talking about?" Now that response was something I couldn't comprehend and never had stopped to think about. There were Christian people out there that had no concept of "living by faith", or "having faith" other than for "saving faith" for salvation.

Version: NAS

Colossians 2:6
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk in Him,


Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

The Colossian verse references the fact that it took faith on our part to believe in Jesus and then receive Him as our Savior. So if we have the faith to "receive Him", should we not have faith in Him in our daily Christian life or "walk"?

Hebrews 11, the great chapter on faith, says that we cannot please God if we don't have faith. If you stop and think about that, it is a pretty powerful statement...and pretty frightening. I'm not sure how you all feel, but I really want to be pleasing the Lord. "Pleasing" in thought and deed. I don't want to be in the place where He looks at me and is displeased... not a good place to be. Not because of retribution from Him, but if I'm in a place where I'm "displeasing" the Lord, then I'm in a place where He cannot work with or for me. And that equates to losing any "blessing" that I might be desiring.

For me "having faith" and "walking by faith" are as essential to my life as is breathing. I cannot imagine going for even a moment if I didn't rely on my faith in Jesus Christ. Not just for my salvation, which is indeed the very beginning of our "walk of faith", but for my very life and existence. Faith for my family's well being, my own health, driving down the highway, and even the food I put in my mouth. Are you with me?  How could you live if you didn't find faith for living in the source of understanding that God loves us and is with us, and that He will never leave us? To me all that is the "rock" of my life and my faith in Jesus Christ.

The Oxford dictionary defines faith as "complete trust or confidence; firm belief, without logical proof; certainty and conviction."

This all goes back to our knowing who God is, and His attributes. I guess if we don't know someone very well we cannot trust them or have confidence in them. So then, next step would be, to know someone we spend time with them. That's how we get to know someone. Then we "give them a chance" to prove themselves to us in the "trust" department. Can we trust them? All this causes us to "know" someone, trust them, have confidence in their character, and then have "faith in them as a person".

Reading God's Word, not just once a week, but on a daily basis. Consistency in our relationship through prayer and just meditating on the things of God. Being in a place where we desire His company. These are all ways to get to know Him better.

So think about "walking by faith" like this. Jesus is greeting you with a smile and a hug, inviting you in, and saying "Hello my friend, take a seat!"

love in Jesus,

Debra

What's "Faith" Got to do with it?

Tina Turner might ask the musical question "What's love got to do with it?" but Biblically speaking, Faith seems to be another aspect of the equation. What does "Faith" have to do with our life, walking in the Spirit, and most important, living a life that is responsive to God's will?

Version: NAS

Hebrews 11:1-3
1. Now faith is the assurance of [things] hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2. For by it the men of old gained approval. 3. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is essential for our understanding about what "faith" really is. It chronicles many of the "heroes of faith" from the Old Testament. Take a few minutes and read it for yourself to get the full impact of this thing called faith.

In the beginning of this post I knew there were many things to be said about "having faith", "walking by faith", and "living by faith". This is a huge subject and we may be studying and talking about "faith" for the next week or so.

I want to start out by saying that faith is not a "four letter word" like so many people have unfortunately made it out to be. Once we start talking about "faith", it's possible that some people can get "riled up" and rightly so. The concept of faith has been bandied about by the best of them. Talking about faith can lead us down some pathways that I think are important for us to explore. So let's start out with what Faith is NOT:

Faith is not the "willing" of something to be so, nor is it "wishing" for something. Faith cannot be equated with the idea and concept of "wishing", nor using our "will" to get something accomplished. Do not get "faith" and these two confused. Wishing for something is not Biblically grounded and is something out of our head, not our spirit. Do not fall for the line that says "if you believe it you will receive it", unless it is truly something that God has placed in your spirit. Believing to win Publisher's Clearing House Mega Sweepstakes might be a great "idea", but God probably hasn't placed that thought and concept in your heart and spirit. Chances are, that comes from our "head".

Now, I'm not contradicting scripture here, but trying to give further explanation.

Matthew 21:22
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive."

Mark 11:22-24
22. And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God." 23. "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be [granted] him. 24. "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be [granted] you.

If you'll read these two verses carefully you will see there is a common word and phrase used in both, and that is "asking and believing in prayer". If God has put something in your heart to believe in, you will feel confident and comfortable asking for it in prayer. God will give you the "release" and conviction that it is right and permitted to pray for. Here is where we need to be being led by the Spirit. If it's something not from God, then ask Him to remove it from your prayers and mind. Let the Holy Spirit direct you in your prayer life.

An example from my own life has been in the area of buying and selling our homes. God would always start preparing me for a house move, often times months in advance. I have totally given over to Him the concept of where we live. There was a period of time that I really wanted to build a house. We looked for plans, decided on one, even had the lot on which to build, but it never materialized. In hindsight I know that it was a "dream" out of my head, but not something that God had placed in my heart and spirit. No matter how much I wanted it, it never happened. I couldn't will it or wish it into existence. I released it to God, with difficultly I might add, and after that, He was able to take us where He truly wanted us to be.

So in these next posts, we'll be talking and learning about many of the aspects of "faith". I'd love to hear some of your own experiences about this. Leave a comment if you feel the "nudge" of the Holy Spirit. We'd all love to hear them.

love, in Jesus,

Debra

Dirty Feet?

The weather has been warming up lately, and yesterday everyone I saw had on flip flops. I commented that I needed a pedicure before that would happen. So feet have been on my mind. Today the Holy Spirit planted a little illustration in my heart.

It was the day before Jesus was arrested, and He and the disciples were having their "last supper" before His arrest, then crucifixion.  

John 13:4-17

4.[Jesus] rose from [the last] supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about. 5. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6. And so He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" 7. Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter." 8. Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9. Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." 10. Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean,

I'm writing this as it's coming to me from the Holy Spirit...
 
I am going to share a story today, it's about washing feet. In times past I've had dirty feet. I was clean because I was "saved". I knew Jesus as my Savior from an early age. But days of distance from the Lord had left me in the mud and filth. I was not a pretty site. Layers of grime coated my feet and toes. "Gospel Shoes" didn't' fit well because of it. I left tracks wherever I went and people that I knew and came in contact with, might have caught a "whiff". Yep, I had ...dirty feet.
 
One day Jesus sat me down and pointed them out to me.

"How can you expect to live a clean and righteous life if you are constantly getting into the mud and slime? Do you want to change and be a person who represents Me? If you do, there are some things to attend to. First you need to realize where you've been and make a point to not return. If you ask Me, I will help you refuse the temptation to go back to that pit again. That pit has held you far too long.
Now just ask Me. I will say Yes, and it will be done.
Now, make the declaration, "I'm not going back!"
 
Then I said to Jesus, "I know that I'm clean in spirit, but I DO need a foot washing."
 
So Jesus knelt down, towel in hand and a basin of fresh clean "living water". I believe I saw a little "launderer's soap" in there as well. He reached for my feet and immersed them. Washed and dried them, and then put on my shoes.
They smelled sweet and my shoes fit again!
 
Do you need help with your feet? Notice any smudges, dust, or grime? Have they been leading you to preach the good news, or have they taken you places you never want to return?
 
Just do what I did, ask for a foot washing from Jesus. He's waiting, with a smile and a towel.
 

Have a blessed Easter weekend. I'll be with my family this weekend, Hope you'll be with yours. I'll be back next Wednesday.

 

love, in Jesus,

Debra