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The Smells of Heaven

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I am sure before Christ’s resurrection the aroma of the sacrifices for sin filled the space. The Bible tells us that the best cut of meat was sacrificed on the altar as an atonement for sin. I think the fragrance of the prayers of the saints overpowered it. I am sure it was amazing to breathe.

Today, I walked through an area where smokers hung out. Not only was the smell of tobacco in the air, but it was stale.  I tried to hold my breath until I got past it.

The smell I abhor is walking into a restroom and it smell like urine. As I was hurrying trying to get out of there I thought. “Lord, is this what it was like coming to earth? You left the amazing smells of Heaven for the filthiness of earth.”

I can’t think of anyone I like enough to stay in a situation that smells bad.  Yet, I can only imagine what Jesus gave up for His love of us.  He went to the depths of Hell for us.

Bulls and lambs are no longer sacrificed. Prayers are still the fragrance of the saints. Jesus offers eternal life to all those who believe.  Jesus has only one stipulation to those who want eternity with Him. John 3:16.

Chris Rock Started Singing Circus Afro

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in the middle of worship this morning and I couldn’t stop to answer the phone. Yes, Chris Rock is still my ringtone. It is normally my habit to turn the ringer off before I enter the church. I did the same thing today, but it came back on in the middle of church service, but fortunately I was up in the sound booth, and only the folks up there with me heard it.

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Another habit I have been practicing a little longer is sacrificing something for Lent. I am not Catholic or any type of Orthodox religion. I just appreciate the season. I was thoroughly amused when a friend asked me what I gave up for Lent.  I have been doing this long enough that folks who know me know.

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One of the things I chose was to praise God everyday in a very physical way. So on FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google +, Instagram and here I posted my praise in the form of His Word.  It was interesting to see which scriptures resonated with my friends.

I also believe that it is not a sacrifice unless it cost you something.  How can I offer to God something that is free to me? How can I offer something that means nothing to me?  So I sacrificed things that I valued.

As I approach this last week before Easter, this Holy Week,  I am reminded that He is a Holy Uncreated God. Everything I see is created, He is not created. Even though I cannot wrap my finite mind around this, it is true.

I am also reminded as I make my way to the cross this week with millions of other Christ followers, that the way to the cross is not paved in gold bricks and lavished meals.

It was on a dirt road, with a heavy cross and lots of onlookers who were not willing to help.  He endured the pain of the cross for me. Praise God.

Sometimes God Moves You Out the Way

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so He can get to people.  I mean you pray over people and when God starts acting in their lives you jump in and try to do it. You better recognize that God will get you so busy that you only have time to run your life.

God has me busy working in my life. I don’t have to worry about you, talk about, wonder what do. My prayer list is long and God keeps adding people. (And I keep trying to take people off)

I pray for my friends, my enemies, people I know and people I don’t know.  I have projects in the works and spend my time praying asking God if these things are really significant for His Kingdom.  Cause to tell you the truth, I am tired.

So when people come to me with petty shit, I look at them and wonder if this is really all they have going on in their lives.  I pray Lord, please handle this.

This week I got to have dinner with my home girls and it was such a blessing.  Even though I had an agenda full of things to accomplish this week, the Spirit led me to go fellowship with these ladies. It was such a blessing.

I learned alot.

One of the things I learned is that we put condemnation on ourselves because of what we think others represent.  I love Jesus with all my heart mind and soul. In Him there is no condemnation for sin.  If my love for Jesus makes you feel condemned because you are a sinner, then you need to take that up with Jesus. Because we all live in sin, none is greater than the other. I just don’t let my sin condemn me. He has promised there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.  I accept it and walk in it.

I repent of my sin and move on.  There is work to do.  The past couple of weeks I have met many people who are so caught up in the fact that they can’t stop sinning it paralyzes them.

The other thing I loved about our impromptu  meeting was we taught each other. We laughed. We learned we needed to listen to each other because we give sound advice.  It was a great moment.

God sends us a word through the people we encounter daily. Listen, you will find out He is near you. He is answering your call. It doesn’t look like you expected, but it is His plan. Stop getting in His way as He answers your prayers. Trust. He is light. In Him there is no darkness. 1 John 1:5

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God Knows Your Heart

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so it is no use trying to pretend. I was talking to a friend last night. She was struggling with praying for her enemies.

First of all, she was overwhelmed with guilt for having enemies. But when someone puts a target on your back, that gives them a special status. Jesus had enemies so as his disciples why would we not have them.  What I love about Jesus is He had no problem confronting their behavior. In Matthew 3:7 and 12:34 He called them vipers.

When people attack us, we need to be honest with ourselves and with God. We need to pray honest prayers over the situation.  I know some folks like to pray good things over their enemies, but baby, I bet they get upset when they see good things happening to them. I have learned to pray from exactly where my heart is. God knows where my heart is so there is no need for me to pretend and pray a bunch of stuff I don’t believe.  (just because you say it in a prayer doesn’t make it true)

I will lift up my enemies family situation, their work, finances, relationships, everything God brings to mind. Lord, get them so busy dealing with their stuff they don’t have time to deal with me.

What you do is give God permission to deal with your honest stuff. You have to recognize your stuff before God can change it.  Most recently some folks came after some friends and me hard. Sometimes I found the situations to be unreal because the prejudice was so over the top. But we prayed honest prayers and talked each other out of physical violence.

One day of the main oppressor went away.  It was awesome.  Then the Lord began to deal with the others. He took us from praying “Lord, get them!” to  praying “Lord, save them.”  We went from wanting to hit them in their throats to praying that God would deliver them from their struggles.

The Lord handled them and healed us. Most people miss the healing part, because they are too afraid to pray those first prayers.  They let bitterness take root, and never let God dig it out.  They stay in the pretend world of wanting good things to happen to everyone.

I want people who intentionally do evil to others to feel the wrath of God.  Many want to emphasize God’s  love, but down play His judgment.  Jesus has promised that God will protect His sheep, and I am going to hold Him to it.  When people come after me, I am going to let God handle it.

I pray over everyone who comes against me. Most situations the Lord has changed my heart on, while there are still a few I should not meet because I will hit them in their throat.  I have learned He deals with everything in its own time.  We are such a microwave generation that we want to feel better about something instantly, while God will take all the time He needs to work out His plan.

I keep praying until I see Him change a situation. He does. In the process I become a better me, not a bitter me.  How about you?

My Day

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My sister called me fearless earlier this week and it gave me a giggle. I am not fearless. There is something I am afraid of. Whenever I find myself bending to fear something on this earth, I think Revelation 4.  There is a green and red God (for people who have issues with folks who are different than them this may be a problem) who sits on the throne surrounded by four living creatures with eyes in front and back of their head. One day we will all face this. This praise was appropriate for today because He always puts things in perspective for me.

March 11I started the day off with the optometrist because I learned last week I could get treatment for my dry eyes through my insurance. It cost $8 y’all. It was one of those moments that you don’t realize how bad something is until you feel the good. The doctor put drops in my eyes and they felt wonderful. Sometimes you don’t know things are bad until you feel the good.

I took the Rx to the pharmacy and of course the initial drug was our of my price range.

Commercial: I am living like no one else so later I can live like no one else.

The pharmacist was so cool. She found a compatible drug at a cheaper price. We confirmed it with the Dr and I was on my merry way.  Note: pharmacist know how drugs work and are a great source for finding a less expensive brand. Let the experts do their job.

Still learning how to read with my new lined bifocal. Although when I sat down to try them on,  I couldn’t see a thing. I was like “Hey, these don’t work!”  I had put on Hope’s glasses by mistake. Sometimes you can’t see because you got someone else’s stuff. Wait for your own stuff.

Winco is my favorite grocery store. With my photographed shopping list, I remembered the SPAM. My friend and I talk about this at lunch. She said spam is good. After all, she told me about a great place to buy fried fish and she was right. My friends teach me how to eat poor and cook. I got the SPAM, but only two other things on my list. Bhwaaa. Part of the adventure of life is doing things you haven’t done before.

I jump from something I have never tried to something that is a staple. Taco Soup. Fried the ground beef for the soup. I still remember the first time I had taco soup more than a decade ago during a fellowship with my BSF sisters at LABC. It is one of the first meals I cook for my daughter on Spring Break. It will be a great way to sit and reflect on the past year.

This week I finished the Dave Ramsey class, Financial Peace University. It has changed my life. I have found a new confidence in Chris and an excellent financial strategy to guide my financial principles by. I spent time this afternoon working on my list. I am living like no one else, so I can live like no one else.

 

 

 

When Your World is in Chaos

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There is one who is always straight. I got to spend the morning exchanging opinions with friends about our current political turmoil. It was healthy. And we still live in a country where we can all disagree.

I have always championed the philosophy that as the Body of Christ we are different parts of the body. The hands relate to the eyes differently than the feet relate to the eyes. Socks are important on feet, not on hands or a nose. But I bet the feet with fight you over some socks if they are cold and wet.

Some of us see the threat to us, while others can dismiss it because it doesn’t really affect them. During the study of Revelation last year, we learned of all the things that would take place in the last days.  There would be wars and rumors of wars. Wars don’t get started in times of peace and tranquility.

Let me tell you something, God is teaching us even during these time. He is revealing Himself to us in a mighty and powerful way. Spend some time with Him and let Him calm your heart. You will be able to face whatever comes.

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Clanging Cymbals

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You want to know why American Christianity is ineffective in this country? Because when millions of women around the world march to make a statement, the Christian establishment is silent. I have watched them carry on as if nothing happened. They had a world wide audience and chose to say nothing. It speaks volumes about their love.