600 Days Saved - A Walk with Christ 

-Stop the hoarding-

The people curse him who hold back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. Proverbs 11:26

600 Days of writing with Christ and only 120 more days until my second devotional will be finished. Life just keeps trucking along. The days are still up and down but on the up days I praise His name louder and on the down days I partner with a Him saying, "Lord give me extra doses of comfort please." He comes through. 

Today on this 600th blog I am going to chat about how essential it is to get organized and strip down to the basics. Our world is hoarding resources and not one of us is better then the next. Our millennial generation is more consumed with managing material possessions then managing relationships and making connections. In this era we have way too many shoes, shirts, hand bags, jars of makeup, shampoo bottles, jewelry, coats, kitchen utensils, books....  Let's not even get started on the mail that comes in and the trees being killed.

The Challenge: 

By keeping the hoarding and clutter minimal this will allow you more personal time for prayer, spiritual growth and connections with others. Take 4 bags and go around your house once a month! Be ready to sort into 4 categories. Donate, Pitch, Sell and Recycle! The coined term 'Spring cleaning' has now officially turned into monthly clean out of our over consumed world! Don't you dare let those bags set! Get them out of your home that same day! 👍🏻

599 Days Saved - A Walk with Christ 

-Unexpected Blessings-

Be still in the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act. Psalm 37:3

I have this new friend on my social media wall. I'm not going to name names anymore because that gets me into hot water.  The Challenge of ministry being real without exposing too much. 
When I first sent a friend request I reached out because after watching her video I felt she was hurting so deeply. 

This is the interesting thing about life. Sometimes we think we are going to teach someone something or help a person out but then something unexpected happens! They teach us instead! 

This girl is very eccentric and seems a bit off but this lady sent me a message tonight out of the blue and it felt as if God wrote it and placed it right into my hand.  The message was about how God's timing is an essential part of His will. I've been pondering another business decision and this told me to wait on the Lord! 

The Challenge: 

Today write about a person you once thought you would help change their life but return they actually changed yours! 

598 Days Saved - A Walk with Christ 

-The Pool Filter-

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. Ezekiel 36 25-26. 

The other day I was talking on instant messenger with a gal I met once about seven years ago. She messaged me back to ask me what it is that I do for a living. I told her I'm a minister and share Jesus via social media. She also had questions about Jesus. She said she had child like curiosity about him. I told her that thats exactly how we are to be, 'Child like and filled with curiosity.'

Toward the end of our conversation she said something that jumped out at me. She said, "So He's kinda like your pool filter. Huh?" You know what, I thought, scratching my head; "Yes, that's exactly whom Jesus is, He is like a pool filter!  He cleans up all the gunk in our lives and cleanses away all impurities. Getting us to a cleaner, brighter, more purified  state over time! "Jesus the pool filter!"  "Huh..."  "Who would have thought!"

The Challenge: 

Those little things people say can really mean so much! What is something someone said to you recently that keeps popping into your mind? Maybe there really is a deeper message to be shared! 

597 Days Saved -A Walk with Christ 

-Pleasing to God-

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

Today I worked so hard at learning to edit my own videos. I feel completely drained but I do not want to forget to fill myself back up and the way I do this by reading some gospel and listening to inspiring YouTube videos before I head to bed.

Tonight I focused on the story of Jonah. This book in the Bible has many lessons but one stuck out in my mind. Jonah was afraid to look like a fool so he ran from God. God stalked Him because He needed to use Jonah for greater good. Jonah proclaimed to the city of nenivah they would be over thrown in 40 days unless they repented. Well the people repented and the city was not destroyed by God.  

Although we prophesy for the Lord those prophesies may not come true because the Lord is in control and working things for the greater good not just our selfish good. Jonah may have looked like an idiot before man because the town repented and the city was never overthrown like he claimed but you see God saw Him as wise for being obedient! His obedience is what saved the city. 

The Challenge: 

Pleasing man verse pleasing the Lord looks very different! It's possible for you to be very pleasing to the Lord all the while looking shameful before man! Please share an example today in your journal about a time you were pleasing to God but not pleasing to man! 

596 Days Saved - A Walk with Christ 

-He's Near-

The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 NIV

As I was picking out items for my mini alter at home, I had to smile. The gentlemen at the store (which was actually a tatoo shop) helping me pick out the incense and censer informed me that I'll have to learn the exact times to meditate and light the incense. I perked up as I saw it as an opportunity to share about the grace our Lord came back to offer us. I quickly shared with him that that is the grace Jesus brought. With Jesus we know that it Doesn't matter what time we say our prayers, light our candles, burn our incense, tap our drum, strum our lyre; For we know our lord is always near anytime we simply call upon His name! 

The Challenge: 

Do you believe you have to say prayers a certain way or light candles at certain times for the Lord to hear your voice? 

595 Days Saved - A Walk with Christ 

-A Sweet Little Alter-

Then I will go to the alter of God, to God, my joy and my delight. Psalm 43:4

Christmas Eve I had a rather momentous thing happen in my life. A very clear message was shared into my life. I'm learning that these things are personal and something not many besides our own hearts can really understand. The Lord speaks to each of us ever so uniquely. This is why it's important to have that intimate relationship with Christ, for it is only then you can hear His whispers upon your life. 

So I cannot share how the message was presented but I can share what I have done with the counsel of the Holy Spirit. 

I have created a little alter in my living room. The Lord does not say this is necessary but if we are lead to it then that's called a conviction. He also does not need anything fancy. On my little alter I have a candle to burn myrrh oil and a censer to burn Frankenscents inside. I have a picture of Jesus and a simple wooden cross. These things identify exactly whom my Lord is. I also have my purple prayer crosses which remind me of people to pray for daily. 

The Challenge: 

The Lord needs nothing special or fancy!  All He wants is your heart and your time. Having a special place in your home will remind you and your family to spend time with Him. You'll start feeling peace in that place. You will then learn how to get that feeling of peace rooted into your mind, for when you go out into the world.   

594 Days Saved - A Walk with Christ 

*Truth with Love*

Love your neighbor as yourself, there is no greater commandment then these. Mark 12:31

Something interesting evolved on social media this morning. I was doing my usual early morning scrolling when I saw a post that agitated my spirit. I was hesitant to respond but then the Lord whispered, "Share me."

The post was a small cartoon which said, "What to do to your ex." It was of cartoon character performing all different ways to kill the other person. 

People laughed and responded but I said, "I do not find this funny! Killing someone is nothing to joke about." The girl who put out the post immediately unfriended me. She did not even know my reasoning behind sharing. 

I took this as a moment to share with her. I private messaged her on the side explaining I know a person who slayed their ex. I then informed her based upon many of her post I could tell she was hurting. I told her I care about her! She immediately said, "Get a life!" Then she said, "Why do you care about me?" I shared I care because Jesus loves her! I went on to share more about our loving and forgiving father. She removed the post of the cartoon killing its ex within the hour. Praise Jesus! 

The Challenge:

Sometimes the coldest sounding people are the ones looking for simple unconditional love! Just because a person is angry seeming doesn't mean it's time to be snarky back, it actually means it's time to show them kindness! Maybe they haven't felt kindness in a long time! Maybe you can be the one to show them love when many others have failed that test!