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Looks Good But… Part 1 of 2

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:00:51 +0000

Have you ever saw a dish that looked absolutely delicious but when you tried it, it was awful? Maybe you saw a home that was gorgeous on the outside, only to find there were several issues with it’s internal structure? Isn’t it funny how things can look amazing on the outside and be completely the opposite on the inside?

Jesus talks about this very thing when He talked about the condition of the pharisees in Matthew 23:25-28. Apparently, they focused more on looking holy than living holy. Jesus describes this in verse 27 as “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Before I got serious about serving God, I was this way. I had “church clothes”, I knew how to raise my hands, holler out Hallelujah, and shout like a saint. But, after the service was over, I resumed sinful living. I was a “whitewashed tomb full of dead men’s bones.” Thank God for His grace and mercy!!

When we portray ourselves holy and live another way, we may be able to fool people. But, we are not fooling God. 1 Samuel 16:7b says “…For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Isn’t it funny that we are more concerned about the opinions that matter the least than we are the opinion that matters the most? We may think we are getting by with this type of living, but we are not. 1 Corinthians 4:5 talks about God bringing the hidden things of the heart to light. So, our true intentions and motives will be revealed. Revelation 20:12 tells us that we will be judged by our works; according to what is written in the Book of Life…

to be continued…

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Looks Good But… Part 1 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

Confessing Our Sins and Receiving God’s Forgiveness Part 2 of 2

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:08 +0000

So, we know what confessing isn’t. But what exactly is confessing our sins? When we confess, we have to first recognize that sin hurts God. We have to hate our sin and have godly sorrow. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 talks about this type of sorrow. Verse 10 says “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” This is not saying we should walk around in depression. When we have godly sorrow, we feel bad about what we have done enough to turn away from it. Examples of this godly sorrow can be found all over the Old Testament. Back then, they outwardly showed their godly sorrow by tearing their clothing or even putting ashes on themselves. Jonah 3:5 describes how the people of Nineveh fasted and put on sackcloth when they realized their sin. I am not saying this is what we have to do. But this just illustrates the type of godly sorrow we should have when we repent for our sin.

Finally, after we confess our sin, have godly sorrow, and repent, we have to accept God’s forgiveness and live guilt free. The enemy will try to steal our joy by holding our sin over our heads by using guilt to remind us of the wrong we have done. Don’t allow him to do this. We can counter those attacks with the Word of God. A good scripture to remember in those times is Romans 8:1. It says “So now, those who are in Christ Jesus are not judged guilty”** Once our sins have been forgiven we receive a “not guilty” verdict.

When we sin, it breaks our communion with God. But, once we repent and receive forgiveness, that communion is then restored. Woman of God, no matter what you have done, God will forgive you. When I think of the wreck-less lifestyle I lived before giving my life to God, I can’t do anything but thank Him for keeping me from harm and forgiving me for the wrong I’ve done. Instead of guilt, live in praise. If you ever begin to feel guilty for sin after you have asked for forgiveness, begin to praise God for forgiving you. Soon, the guilt will melt away and all you will feel is gratitude towards a wonderful, loving God.

**Romans 8:1 quoted form the New Century Version

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Confessing Our Sins and Receiving God’s Forgiveness Part 2 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

Confessing Our Sins and Receiving God’s Forgiveness Part 1 of 2

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:00:09 +0000

I once read a woman’s account of devout worshipers she saw in Mexico. Described as “tragic”, she said they walked miles to a particular shrine or cathedral. Some of them were even crawling on their knees. This was done as an act of penitence. Fixed into their religious culture was the image of a God that had to be appeased through sacrifice and suffering to receive forgiveness for sin. God’s word tells us something very different about receiving forgiveness for sin.

1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is very simple. Does it sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not. There is no suffering required to be forgiven. Jesus suffered for us when He died on the cross. It doesn’t even matter how far astray you have gone. If you confess your sins to God, He will forgive you. I like how the scripture says that God is faithful. This tells me that forgiveness is guaranteed. The scripture also says that we will be cleansed from all unrighteousness. This is like getting a clean slate. Praise God!! We get to start all over from scratch and not have to worry about those past sins hanging over our heads.

Confessing our sin isn’t throwing a “forgive me Lord” out there only to go back to living the same way again. If we truly love God as we say we do, we wouldn’t want to do that. Jesus said in John 14:21 that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. Once we learn truth, we are then obligated to walk in it. Doing other wise is sin, and not walking in God’s commandments. If we sin with the mind set of “Well I can always repent” we are then abusing God’s grace. There are some out there that choose to abuse God’s grace. I believe that is like playing with fire. Just think about how in the Old Testament when the Israelites would get caught up in idolatry. God would take His hand off of them and all sorts of terrible things would happen. I don’t ever want to get to the point where God would just leave me to myself because I chose to willfully abuse His grace…

to be continued…

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Confessing Our Sins and Receiving God’s Forgiveness Part 1 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

Keep Your Eyes Peeled Part 2 of 2

admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:00:33 +0000

I once read a good formula that illustrates the way the devil operates and how we end up feeling oppressed. The formula is: D + C = O. Deception plus compromise equals oppression. As mentioned the enemy will look for ways to deceive us. Deception can and will usually cause us to compromise in an area of our faith. Remaining deceived will in turn lead to us feel oppressed. Eventually leading to bondage that will require deliverance from the Lord.

Ephesians 6:16 talks about the enemy targeting us with fiery darts. These darts are usually aimed at our minds. We can remedy this by having our minds renewed daily with the cleansing word of God. This also will help us to know the difference between truth and deception. Jesus said in Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” I believe that one way to walk in wisdom is to have the word of God in our hearts. Another target of the enemy’s is our faith. The enemy knows that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

It is so important that we guard our hearts and walk in the spirit. Walking in the spirit will ensure we don’t fall for the traps the enemy sets to deceive us. We have the weapons needed to fight the enemy but we can’t fight him unless we are watchful to see when he tries to deceive us. So, stay prayerful, study the word, seek God’s face daily, and keep your eyes peeled.

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Keep Your Eyes Peeled Part 2 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

Keep Your Eyes Peeled Part 1 of 2

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:39 +0000

I’m sure many of you have heard the saying “Keep your eyes peeled”. As you may know, it means to remain watchful. There is a spiritual war going on right now as we speak. It is the war between good and evil. In fact, the moment you decided to accept Jesus Christ as you personal Savior, you were drafted into that war. 1 Peter 5:8 says “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” As Christians in a spiritual war, we have to remain watchful or “keep our eyes peeled”. And that is what this scripture is telling us to do when it says to be vigilant and sober.

Many times, television and movies will portray the devil as something that suddenly brings havoc and terror to everyone around. But the scripture is here is describing him in a different way. In 1 Peter 5:8, the devil is being compared to a lion. Animal shows are some of my favorite things to watch on TV. If any of you have ever observed the way lions stalk their prey, you will notice that lions don’t just take off and run after the animal they’re hunting. They hide in the bush and wait, watching for the weaker animal. When they spot their target, they sneak up on them. When the animal that is being hunted finally realizes there is danger, it is too late. The enemy is the same way, watching us and looking for ways to deceive us…

…to be continued

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Keep Your Eyes Peeled Part 1 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

The Jezebel Spirit By Cindy Jacobs Part 2 of 2

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:00:10 +0000

…continued

The Jezebel Spirit

By Cindy Jacobs

It is possible for such people to infiltrate the church today. Sometimes they are witches who slip in and other times they carry a pirit of Jezebel, which causes chaos and havoc. They often draw people to their side to take away power from those in authority. Others willfully seduce both mentally and sexually innocent people. Those affected by this spirit-and it can be men or women-set their agenda over that of leadership. Often accompanying the Jezebel spirit is and occult spirit, which disguises the true purpose of why they are attending church.

While we must be careful not to let these spirits function in the church, please make sure the person has a true spirit of Jezebel and is not just wounded. Some are unknowingly affected by the spirit. For these, it is possible to simply bing it’s power. However, some carry the spirit and knowingly try to rob vision and take control. These must be confronted in love and not allowed to operate in the curch.

Each of us must ask the Lord if we are affected on some level by this kind of spirit. If we are controlling and manipulating, we must seek the Lord for help to be healed of the problem.

Lastly, if you know someone who seemingly is a true Jezebel, do not participate in their agenda. Be careful that you are not seduced and drawn into something that will hurt the church and pastor. Pray for wisdom and discernment, and God will be faithful to guide you and protect you from the Jezebel spirit.

“The Jezebel Spirit” was written by Cindy Jacobs and copied from the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible For Women. Formally published as Women of Destiny Bible. Copyright 2000, 2003, 2007 by Thomas Nelson, inc .

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The Jezebel Spirit By Cindy Jacobs Part 2 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

The Jezebel Spirit By Cindy Jacobs Part 1 of 2

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:36 +0000

Many are familiar with Jezebel. Often famous for her manipulative and evil ways, she was king Ahab’s wife. I thought this “Dear Friend” Letter was interesting. In it, Cindy Jacobs discusses the controlling and manipulative ways of Jezebel in 1 Kings 21:7-14 and how we must be careful not to allow this spirit to overtake us.

The Jezebel Spirit

By Cindy Jacobs

Dear Friend,

Have you ever been around a controlling person? A person who typifies Jezebel in the bible? while we need to be careful about labeling any strong woman as a Jezebel, it is important to be able to recognize the tendencies of one.

I wonder if Jezebel was always an evil, manipulative, and controlling woman, or if events in her life caused her to end up that way. I once was praying for a woman who struggled with issues that made her controlling. As we prayed together, I asked her, “Why do you have to control those around you?” She paused a moment and then answered with a sigh, “I suppose to keep the pain level down. I think I do it out of fear.”

Each of us must examine our lives to be able to recognize areas where we are wounded, or we can easily become the typical “bossy” woman that men hate.

However, the Jezebel from this passage went far beyond being bossy. She was a wicked woman who was intentionally evil. Her tactics included lying, stealing, and murder. She stopped at nothing to obtain what her husband wanted. She used the power of her position as queen to control the whole city while destroying a righteous man in the process.

…to be continued

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The Jezebel Spirit By Cindy Jacobs Part 1 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

Wholehearted Obedience Part 2 of 2

admin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:00:50 +0000

When we start obeying God in the smaller areas of our lives, we are preparing to be obedient in the larger areas. It’s like a spiritual training camp. Luke 16:10 says “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”

I read an example Joyce Meyer gave in one of her books about how God dealt with her about putting the grocery cart in it’s proper place after she was done with it. There were times when it was cold outside, she was in a rush or just didn’t feel like putting it back. But, God continued to deal with her in this small area until she’d gotten it together. It seems like something small. But, she said that if she hadn’t learned to be faithful in that small thing, she wouldn’t have been able to handle some of the larger things she deals with today.

When Jesus returns, He will be looking for a church that has no spots or wrinkles. Spots don’t just come in large sizes. They come in little sizes as well. When something is wrinkled, it doesn’t just have large creases. It has a lot of little creases. So, small things are just as important to our spiritual well being as large things. Ladies, let’s take a closer look at the smaller things. With God’s help we can address these smaller issues and begin to obey the Lord with our whole hearts.

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Wholehearted Obedience Part 2 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

Wholehearted Obedience Part 1 of 2

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:00:46 +0000

Psalms 119:10 talks about obeying God wholeheartedly. If someone were to ask you if you followed and obeyed God with your whole heart, you’d probably answer yes. It’s easy for us to answer yes. But, can we honestly say that we obey God wholeheartedly? Do we make God’s preferences our preferences? Do we compromise in small areas of our lives? When we feel a little conviciton from the Holy Spirit about something, do we push it to the back of our minds and do it anyway? The answers to these questions could determine whether we obey God wholeheartedly or not.

So, maybe we’ve done a self examination and determined that we don’t obey God wholeheartedly. Now what? I believe it starts with the small things. Many of us simply blow over the small things and deem them to be “no big deal” However, the small things add up to big things. Song of Solomon 2:15 says “Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.” The little things that we overlook are the ones that can ruin our spiritual fruit. God may want to bless us and promote us in something but because we are disobedient in the smaller areas, He won’t do it.

…to be continued

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Wholehearted Obedience Part 1 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com

Wake Up Part 2 of 2

admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:00:13 +0000

Sometimes, it seems as though Christians are in a state worse than the non-believers. Romans 13:13 says “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy” Sadly, many of God’s people get caught up in these things. How can we get the work that God has called us to do done if we are the ones on the alter every week begging for forgiveness? I understand that we are not perfect. We will not be perfect until we get to Heaven. However, there are somethings that we should be past by now. Yet, we still get hung up on them time after time.

Ladies, time is running short. These are the last of the last days. We will have to give an account of ourselves to God (see Romans 14:12). We will be held fully responsible for our words and actions. God loves us so much. He doesn’t want any of us to be left behind and shut out of Heaven. He tells us how to live right and He gives us numerous opportunities to repent. Let’s get our acts together. Romans 13:14 tells us how to do it. It says “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” It is really simple, just put on Christ.

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Wake Up Part 2 of 2 is a post from: Mrs. BliSs for WomantoAnother.com