Striving To Be "Christ-Like"!

When your pastor is teaching and preaching a very tough but needed message on spiritual growth and being careful of what you say and making accusations and judgements about others, for the enemy will use both our mind and mouth to pull us away from the Lord and refers to Scripture in Proverbs... you turn to Proverbs 25:23 and read this in the study portion of your Bible and your heart almost skips a beat. I am not going to post something that God hasn't first dealt with me on... those messages He gives me are for me too... and like the Lord told me several years back when it comes to messages... if you can't live it then you can't give it. I share with others what He has shared with me and taught me in hopes that it helps and encourages others. The word from my Bible, in this picture, doesn't get much plainer than that and it will slap you right between the eyes. The point is you need to be careful who you talk to or you will find out you have been used as their scape...

Lord help me to stay hungry for Your Holy Word which provides my spiritual nourishment and to not take YOUR WORD for granted... just reflecting tonight on having access to any translation of the Bible available via an app, access to an audio Bible that teaches me how to pronounce names I've always had to guess at, and access to 10+ Bibles in my home... and there are people in other countries hiding underground passing around pages of the Bible, risking their lives, yet so hungry for the Word... and those people who really do want a copy of the Word, while it sets unread, and dusty on someone else's shelf in a nice home... Oh, Lord make us hungry again to read and study Your Word.

Jesus, Jesus - even when I don't feel You are there, I know You are, and on You I cast all my cares - When I don't know what else to pray, Your name is enough and all I need to say. Even when I have my "feel weird" days, I know You are still there to help me all the way. Jesus, Jesus - Thank You for Your salvation, healing, and setting me free, For it is on You I rely and I believe. When I am in need, on You I call, for I know You will help me through it all. Jesus, Jesus - I am changed just at the mention of Your name, oh at the mention of Your great name, distractions leave, hindrances leave, anxiety leaves, depression leaves, and the enemy has to flee. Jesus, Jesus - my source of hope, my faith in Him is what I hold on until the end. His name isn't popular in the world today, but I don't care for I'll praise only His name. Jesus, Jesus - He is the One who will always love and care for you, and no matter the trials and struggles, He will see you thro...

Just fix your eyes on Jesus when you are misunderstood and keep praising Him no matter what. Oh, I thank you Lord for what you have delivered me from, even if it took you putting me flat on my back from an unexpected fall a few years ago. I thank You Lord, for the sins you have convicted me of and helped me to get the victory over them in my life and get rid of them, for the times You have chastised me for Your Word says that you chastise those you love. Thank You for what you have healed me from, set me free from and forgiven me for thus far. Please Lord, help me keep moving forward and focused on You. Keep my mouth speaking only those things that will lift You and others up. Help me to work on continuing to grow spiritually as You work on others, because I am responsible for me. Give me the strength to stand firm on Your Word in these last days, even if I am standing alone. Jesus, help me to continue to support what I believe in, my family, and church family, and always look at them ...

The Bible tells us very clearly that Jesus is coming back after a church without spot or wrinkle. That it should be holy without blemish. The church the Word of God is referring to is you, individually. The point is, we are to work on getting ourselves ready for the rapture, not the others sitting in the congregation. Let us not get caught up on the mistakes of others. Let us not be quick to throw others under the bus while we are wanting to drive it. Let us ask the Lord to search our hearts before we ask Him about searching the hearts of bro and sis so-and-so. Remember, that same God who has been patient with you time and time again and continually shown you His grace and mercy, love, and forgiveness. The woman in the Bible, caught in the act of adultery, and was thrown in the street to be stoned to death, had no right for her sin to be yelled out in front of Jesus, and when He said "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone"... what He meant was if you are going t...