Blessings! Part 2

I enjoyed sharing the last set of blessings that I came across in the first "Blessing" blog.  Previously, I mentioned the importance of blessing your husband, wife, and/or children each morning as a positive affirmation for them to strengthen them in their walk with the Lord and also to set the Lord's blessings upon them by speaking it into their existence.

This morning, as I was doing my devotions in dealing with unity, I came across additional excellent blessings that I just had to write down to prepare to bless over my husband this week.  I wanted to share this with you as well.  In blessing those we love, we are praying over them, utilizing Christ's name and the promises in the Bible to speak good things in their life.  Sometimes, to just hear someone blessing you helps you to know that you have someone who is a part of your support system, in that they are wanting what is good in your life.  When you have someone bless you, it helps you to know that they care about you, your life, and what you are going through and that they desire better for you.  It causes a closer unity and a tighter knit.  When you are blessing them in Christ's name, you are praying over them.

As my husband and I was at a couple's retreat for the day, we were sharing things in our lives and the effects that they have on us.  My husband shared the fact that I bless him every single morning, after we have already prayed together, as he is heading out the door.  He says that he looks forward to those blessings now, that it makes a difference in his life for the better.  I love my husband dearly and praise God every morning for the gift of my husband and who he is in the Lord.  So, I do pray over him, but I also speak blessings over him that I expect will be fulfilled by God since they are in His word and are promises in the Bible.  God cannot lie.

The devil is a deceiver, a liar, and loves causing divisions in families.  This is a way that the family can bless one another instead of being used by the devil in cursing one another.  It is a way that can help bring more unity to the family because as you speak the blessings over your loves ones, it is causing a closer knit in your heart for that person as well.  It not only changes the atmosphere around you, but it changes the atmosphere inside of you, in your mind and in your heart and in your spirit.  Below are the new set of blessings for you to pray over your loved ones.  I've changed it only to make it as if you are saying it to the person directly.

List of Blessings:

*  Ps. 112:2A - May your descendants be powerful in the land.

*  Ps. 112:2B - May your generation of the upright be blessed.

*  Ps. 112:3A - May wealth and riches be in your house.

*  Ps. 112:3B - May your righteousness endure forever.  (We are made righteous in Christ)

*  Ps. 112:5    - May good will come to you who lends generously & conducts business fairly.

*  Ps. 112:6A - May you never be shaken.

*  Ps. 112:6B - May you be a righteous man (woman) who will be remembered forever.

*  Ps. 112:7A - May you not fear bad news.

*  Ps. 112:7B - May your heart be confident, trusting in the Lord.

*  Ps. 112:8    - May your heart be assured; that you will not fear.  

                         So, in the end you will look in triumph on your enemies.

*  Ps. 112:9A  - May you distribute freely to the poor; May your righteousness endure forever.  

*  Ps. 112:9B  - May your horn (a symbol of strength, power, & dignity) be exalted in honor.

*  Isa. 11:2A   - May the Spirit of the Lord rest on you.

*  Isa. 11:2B   - May a Spirit of wisdom & understanding, a Spirit of counsel & strength, 

                          a Spirit of knowledge & of the fear of the Lord rest on you.

I pray that the Lord may bless you abundantly above all that you can ask or even imagine in this upcoming new year as you walk with Him and seek His face continually.

Be Blessed my friends, Be Blessed!

Coincidence... or Providence.... 

Anything new under the sun?

I came across this excellent information from AmazingFacts.org.  I thought it was rather exceptional to say the least!

AN AMAZING FACT:  Have you ever noticed some uncanny similarities between Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy?

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.	John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
Lincoln was elected President in 1860.	Kennedy was elected President in 1960
Lincoln’s wife lost a child while living in the White House.	Kennedy’s wife lost a child while living in the White House.
Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy who urged him not to go to the theater.	Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln who urged him not to go to Dallas.
Lincoln was shot in the back of the head in the presence of his wife.	Kennedy was shot in the back of the head in the presence of his wife.
Lincoln was shot in the Ford’s Theatre.	Kennedy was shot in a Lincoln made by Ford.
The name Lincoln contains seven letters.	The name Kennedy contains seven letters.
Lincoln was killed on a Friday and assassinated by a Southerner.	Kennedy was killed on a Friday and assassinated by a Southerner.
Lincoln’s assassin was known by three names, John Wilkes Booth, comprised of fifteen letters.	Kennedy’s assassin was known by three names, Lee Harvey Oswald, comprised of fifteen letters.
Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and fled to a warehouse.	Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse and fled to a theater.
Booth was killed before being brought to trial.	Oswald was killed before being brought to trial.
Lincoln’s successor was Andrew Johnson, born in 1808.	Kennedy’s successor was Lyndon Johnson, born in 1908.

Are these coincidences? Probably, but did you know that the Bible teaches that history does have a tendency to repeat itself? Solomon once wrote, “That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’? It has already been in ancient times before us” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, 10).

KEY BIBLE TEXTS

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

Step Out Of The Boat!

I came across a great morning devotion by Joyce Meyer. It really impressed me because it is challenging me to 'step out of the boat and into the water'. It is challenging me to not be stagnant where I had been but to conquer whatever is in my way so that I move on. So, I challenge you today... is there something that prevents you from moving forward or going on or succeeding or getting through or holding you back... Step out of the boat. I want to share it with you all.

Daily Devotional Oct 10 2018
Posted on October 10, 2018 by Joyce_Meyer

It’s Your Time
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
—Matthew 14:30

The boat of my past that I needed to step out of was the childhood sexual abuse I suffered. I felt as though my dad stole my childhood, and I was so mistreated. I was bitter about the people who should have helped me and didn’t, and then there were the “could haves” and “would haves” and “wish I had.”

In my 30s, I was still taking it out on everybody who had anything to do with it. I didn’t trust men and had a chip on my shoulder. I was miserable, but I sat in the boat.

I remember how afraid I was when God told me that I was going to have to confront my dad about the sexual abuse of my childhood, because I was petrified of my father. The fear was rooted so deeply in me, even after I had been away from it for years. Whenever I would be around him or anyone who had a personality like his, I would feel the knot of fear come up in my gut.

Finally, God got in my face and said, “Look, you can be pitiful or you can be powerful.” Jesus was walking by my boat, and it was time to walk on water.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You that You won’t let me sink when I step out in obedience and deal with issues in my life. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I want to repeat that Amen, which basically means 'so be it'... or I agree and will do it!  How about you?  Are you willing to step out of the boat?  Just do it?!  

Blessings!

So often we allow life to get the better of us and of our spouse and children.  The bible tells us about our war against principalities and powers of darkness and the rulers of this world.  But it also talks about putting on the whole armor of God so that we can go out into this world, and not be overcome by it.  So, why do we let our husband, wife, and children leave our home without worship and without breathing a blessing upon them from God for their day that they may have victory?

Life doesn't have to just happen to you.  You can purposely direct your life in what you want it to do.  Now, I'm not saying that everything you plan and purpose will happen exactly as you want it.  However, many things that happen to us happens because we failed to plan... When you fail to plan, you plan to fail because there is no purposeful direction in your life.

If you are grounded in Christ, you know where you come from and you know where you are going to.  You also know that your journey is in Christ.  So, that takes care of a lot of choices that needs to be made in life.  However, we still must make decisions about things and be guided in doing so.  There are so many promises and blessings in the bible for us to claim to help us to conquer those things in life that would easily beset us... yet, we fail to claim them and we go on in this drudgery called life expecting something to happen without making a change.  We watch our husbands go to work and return from work in a drudgery.  We watch our wives go to work and return from work in a drudgery.  We watch our children go to school/work and return from school/work in a drudgery.  Life is kicking their butts!  And it shouldn't be if you are a child of God!

My Personal Experience:

My husband was my prayer partner for 3 years before we were married.  We had worship almost every morning and every evening together by phone and face-to-face, when possible, for 3 years using whatsapp, skype, whatever technology we could use to accomplish the goal of worship.  He became my best friend before we got married.  I've been married for only 1 year and 10 months.  I love my husband so very much and I thank God for him every morning that I get to wake up beside him.  I couldn't imagine something happening to him.  But, life happens and the devil is out there seeking whom he may devour.  Our marriage is great, but life can be hard sometimes.  Boss at work getting on you, bills piling up, ya got fired!, children need new shoes, mortgage is due, more month left at the end of your money!, your children are getting influenced by the wrong crowd, etc...

I decided to put an end to the drudgery that I sometimes saw was happening in my husband after 6 months of marriage.  It wasn't drudgery with us, we were doing great... it was drudgery from being out in the world and dealing with life situations.  He was happy to be home, but I would still see some of its effects when he came home.  It was wearing on him.  So, I began claiming scriptures for him... then I decided... no, I'm not just going to claim scriptures, I'm going to place a blessing on my husband every single morning before he goes out into this world.  We do worship together most mornings even now, so we are putting on our armor of God's word, prayer, time with God, etc...  But, the moment when he is walking out of that door, I place a blessing upon him.  I may say, "May God grant you peace and prosperity today", or "May God set a bulwark of protection around you that nothing can harm you", or "May God guide your steps and use you mightily today", or "May God bless every work of your hands and may all be blessed through you today". I've been doing it for over a year now and it never grows tiresome to speak a blessing over my husband that it may be so.  I love doing that for him... and for us!  You see, we are married, so I also reap the benefits... therefore, I am also speaking a blessing over me as well.  But, I don't do it for that reason.  I do it because I love him so very much and want God to just bless him abundantly above all my husband could ever imagine.  I want every blessing to fall upon my husband, whether I reap the benefits of it or not.

Now, when my husband comes home... yes, sometimes he's tired because he's been working all day.  At the dinner table, we share our day with one another.  He will share with me stories of how God has used him that day to work with or help someone... how God saved his life today... how God blessed us financially and met our needs today.  I don't see the drudgery effects on him that I use to see.  He is happy to be home and excited to see me and, most of the time, I make sure that when I come home from work, I don't look like life trampled upon me, but I am also speaking blessings over my life, my day, my work.  I don't greet him looking like I have home-girl syndrome.  I make it a habit of looking good for him to come home to.  That's another thing, sometimes just seeing you looking good for him helps him feel better to know that he is taking good care of you... that he is your hero... even in the small things.

While I was doing my private study today, I came across some scriptures that are excellent blessings to bless over your spouse, out-loud, as they are leaving the home each morning.  This is an encouragement to your husband or wife... or child.  There are so many promises and blessings in the bible that you can utilize for yourself in your everyday.  You might need to change the work donkey to a car, or the barn/storehouse to a food pantry or bank account... but the blessing will fit just fine.  Below are just a few of them mostly taken from Deuteronomy.

Blessings for those you love

1. Deut. 28:3A – Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field...

2. Deut. 28:3B - Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle.

3. Deut. 28:3C - Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

4. Deut. 28:3D - Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out.

5. Deut. 28:7 – May the Lord cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you.

6. Deut. 28:8 – The Lord will command blessings on you in your barns and in all you undertake.

7. Deut. 28:8B – The Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord Your God is giving you.

8. Deut. 28:9 – May the Lord establish you as a people holy to himself, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.

9. Deut. 28:11 – The Lord will make you abound in prosperity.

10. Deut. 28:12 – May the Lord open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its seasons

11. Deut. 28:12B – May the Lord bless all the work of your hands and may you lend to many, but not borrow.

12. Deut. 28:13 – May the Lord make you the head and not the tail...

13. Deut. 28:13B - May the Lord cause you to go up and not down, as you obey the commandments of the Lord your God... being careful to do them.

14. Jer. 3:15 – God will give you shepherds after His own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Try some of these blessings on your family and see what difference it makes when they know that you are fighting for them positively by encouraging them.  It really helps them to go the extra mile.  Also, those blessings are promises from God, so they will not go out without returning fulfilled.

May the God of peace be with each of you and your families to guide & strengthen your relationship with one another & with Him so that satan won't have dominion & cause division in your home.

Are You Anxious?

Have you ever been anxious? Frustrated? Fretting? Worrying whether things will work out? Being anxious just means that you are FEARING, in the present, about a possible imminent event in the future or something with an uncertain outcome. This is a good mnemonic to remember:

F: False

E: Evidence

A: Appearing

R: Real

When you are anxious and worrying, you are borrowing from the possibilities of tomorrow that hasn't even happened yet and may never happen.
God is so good. I've been crazy busy with my business and just trying to keep things together as many schools are starting back. But, you know how the devil will just throw a wrench in the works? Well, I just started at 2 new schools and I am the teacher at those 2 new schools until my other teachers finish their paperwork. So, just this weekend, half asleep, I stepped down from the couch and injured my foot. So much so, that I elevated and iced it all day Sunday and thought Monday it will be done and over with. Well, not so. I could barely stand on it and had to go to the doctor and get an x-ray. Well, evidently I sprained it pretty good... or err bad.... hmmm. We'll leave that expression alone!
So, I had to cancel the class at the 2 new schools that I just started at last week because 1 teacher is on vacation and the other isn't available for afternoon classes... and I can't go now! Ouch that hurts. I began to get concerned about the possibility of losing those 2 new schools, which of course would benefit my income. But, you know what, what the devil means for evil, God can use for good. I missed my 2-week summer vacation break that I normally have. I've pushed myself so hard over the past 2 years and my body has been telling me that I need a break... NOT LITERALLY! So, when I injured myself and realized that it wasn't better on Monday... my first response was to be tempted to get anxious and panic! Oh No! The 2 new schools! I will lose them! However, I decided, you know what... I'm not even fretting. I will just go with the flow and see what tomorrow is like in whether I'll be able to get on the foot or not. If not, then I guess I may be starting my fall break earlier than next week and give my body the rest and relaxation that it has needed all year when I couldn't take off voluntarily.
You know, so often we get flustered and anxious when the devil attacks and bad things happen in our lives. Satan uses these things to distract us and detract us from where God means for us to be and to prevent us from accomplishing the work that God has assigned us to do. But, if we have on the whole armor of God, even though he may attack the body... he can't touch this child of God! So, my comment to you today is taken from 2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of POWER and LOVE and a SOUND MIND.
So, since you are dependent upon God and he has given you this POWERFUL, LOVING, and SOUND MIND Spirit. I say to you be not anxious about tomorrow, let tomorrow take care of itself. You are to walk in that Spirit and let nothing detract you from the direction that God has you walking in.

Live Victoriously in all things!

Are You Ready To Fight!?

God is sooooo Good. As some of you know, I have 2 blackbelts in martial arts. I am a 3rd degree in the Mikio Surai style of martial arts that I teach.  Well, this weekend, I had the opportunity to go on a black-belt survival/training trip with my black belt club. It was something that I hadn't been able to participate in for 3 years now. I wanted so badly to go but wasn't sure if there was a way financially... and with time. Well, God made a way. It was a wonderful trip and a good spiritual lesson learned. I even found a sister church so that I was able to worship with like believers during Sabbath. After Sabbath, I had the opportunity to train with my black-belt family and learn new 'stuff''. We were tired, brain-busted, and suffered from a lack of sleep. ??? 💤   but we learned so much and had just such a crazy and fun time that I was just very encouraged. I also got to see one of the blackbelts who trained during the same time as I. It was good to have someone there from "my" martial arts generation and age. You know, someone who wasn't a young 'whipper snapper', but in the 50's like me.  

There are several things that can be learned in how to survive.

1. Do you always have your survival tools ready for life or are you just going to let life happen to you and then have to figure out something to try to survive... will it be too late then? Will the big bad boogie man called 'life' attack and find you not ready, catch you unawares and unprepared?

2. What about your mind set? Flight or Fight? Let's look at these and what the implications can be in each.

Flight: When 'life' comes, are you ready to take it on or do you just let it happen? "Flight" - When you just let it happen, then you are running because of the fear, anxiety, frustration, and stress that you have allowed it to cause you and so you don't know what to do... so, you run. You are running away from it because of all of the negative implications that it can have. In some cases, this is wise to do. In dealing with 'life', you are running away from it because you are afraid and don't want to face what life has to give. Sometimes when you flee, you don't always survive. But, let's say in this case, you've survived, but there is no control of 'life' and it is still out there to do whatever it wants to you.

Fight: When 'life' comes, are you ready to take it on or do you just let it happen? "Fight" - When you fight, this is the way where you are able to atleast control some of the situations and be able to guide 'life' into submission somewhat to where you want it to go instead of letting it take over and have its' way with you. You are running to it, attacking it with all your fervor for survival, because of the abundance, challenges, possibilities, stress, dangers, frustrations, prosperity, and victory that you have overcome and the positive results it will/can/has caused. You are running to it because of all of the possibilities of negative and positive implications that it can have. Sometimes it may be imbalanced with negatives, yet you still fight. Sometimes, it may be imbalanced with positives, yet you continue to survive and be alert and prepared for the negatives. You are running to it because, although you are afraid, frustrated, anxious for a positive outcome, and stressed, you also have experienced that victory in overcoming and not giving up... NOT QUITTING. You know that it has much to offer that is more positive than negative.  You come out the victor!

You see, in one case there is the aspect of just getting away and surviving and in a physical circumstance, that is what definitely needs to happen. The difference is, in the other case, the aspect is not JUST getting away but preventing the attacker from being able to continue chasing you. Take them down! In one, while you have survived, which is good, but that is all. In the other, while different attackers in life will always come after you, you are not only able to JUST survive, but you are able to enjoy life, take it as it comes knowing that you are going THROUGH a situation, not staying in it. That you are able to live life without fear, realizing that you are too blessed to be stressed. Seeing that you are able to live again and not be afraid of life coming at you because you are going for it with all zeal, confidence, joy, and expectation of what it will result in, whether it be gaining peace of mind, prosperity, abundance, a career, goals, or even material expectations.

I have good news for you! God has instilled in you an amazing survival tool bag. Did you know that each one of us have the ability to fight or flight from a situation? Not just physical situations of an attacker, but also attacks on our emotions, spiritual attacks, attacks psychologically, holistically, & physiologically. We all get these types of attacks every single day! You have the ability to fight, you just have to believe that God has given you this skill and then pray to ask God to give you the BOLDNESS to use it. That is... bravery, heroic courage to help you to make it... to fight through anything, to not give up and just turn over and give in and to be stuck in the situation or circumstance that was only to be for a season.

Speaking of skill, skills get rusty and wane like muscles that gets no exercise. But, that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist anymore. You still have it, it just needs to be used. The more you use the skill of survival in everyday life with the tools that God has given you, the greater the outcome of guiding your life to where you want it to be. If you don't use these tools that He has not only given you a 'privilege' to use, but has given you a 'RIGHT' to use to live life more abundantly, then you will remain in those situations and circumstance.  Your life will continue to be one filled with constant "DRAMA"!  You must decide to be active in deciding what your life will be and who you will allow to be involved in it that will encourage you to get up and keep moving!  Keep fighting until you are the conqueror!

One of my favorite scriptures of the bible is... 1 John 1:2 - "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers."

Another one is... John 10:10 - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; BUT, I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly."

You see, even God wants us to fight for life and even he fought for us so that we can have it more abundantly. So, I guess the question is... do we choose to run from life and all of its trials or do we choose to fight and face them head on and have victory. In our own strength, we can do nothing. But, when we channel in to the strength that God gives us, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us... Christ is that Channel by which we can all fight the attacks of life and come out victors!  🙌

So, what are you fighting to have victory over!?