Can you answer these questions? BEWARE....

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Comment by Astrid on July 22, 2009 at 2:34pm

Thank you very much, Heather, for those very good thoughts and reminders to all of us how God wishes us to be, every day re-thinking our actions and words, like everyday His grace is new. I love especially the example you gave -dance- as even in churches we can see how many brethren are simply following wordly and deceiving dance styles even on church parties, for example.
Yes, we are not merely saved for ourselves, but to honor God who has chosen us out of unconditional love and mercy. Without HIM where would we be? HE has loved us first, and how easily we forget that while still being IN this world, but no more FROM this world. We must seek to be the difference, and that by our fruits (life style) they will recognize us. And let us never forget to give thanks in everything we do, every day, as the scripture tells us..
Heather, you are living testimony of God's Grace and Love anyway, and He has blessed you with truly spirit-filled discussions..
Much love and healing
Astrid

Comment by Heather_LIBAW on July 22, 2009 at 11:25am

Thank you everyone so much for your replies! So true we need to be led by the Holy Spirit that lives in each one of us and since they are one in the same Spirit if we are truly led by the Spirit the things we say out of that leading will speak to anothers Spirit. God is soooo GOOD!!! I came to all these questions one day because I was watching a discussion that I saw so much of what I had said as far as taking one part of the Bible and then saying "ya I agree with that" and then taking another and saying " ya i agree with that BUT..." so as I sat there my Spirit was flooded with questions! When we read statements and verses we tend to agree with a person or not and we read the verses as truth too but how much we internalize it isnt always there. Whereas when we read questions we either consiously or subconsiously answer those questions! So...lol even after I read it I was examining my own life, the amazing thing is this...I know what it is to live a life on fire for God and baby step by baby step of still being connected to the world we are lost, NONE of us are above or too good to fall...when we are just taking those baby "harmless" steps what happens when we are 20 steps into the world? Do you think we really notice? Kinda like boiling a Frog you warm the water slowly and it doesnt jump out because its gradual enough it doesnt alarm the poor thing lol, pretty soon the water is boiling! The devil can work on us in that same manner he did in my life, baby step by baby step and pretty soon I turn back and cant find the door where I entered that dark place.

I want to share a dream Ive had most my life at different times starting around age 11:

I was walking along this dark road, and there was nothing around me but off to the left in front of me I saw a building with a single lightpost, (I still see sooo vividly that building if I ever see it in real life I think id run and cry lol) in the center of the building was a single door. As I walked up to the door and opened it i was then standing in a sort of box with a door to my left and one to my right, the doors were made of glass so I could see into where they led. The door to the left had a bunch of arcade games, tons of people alot of whom I knew, they looked like they were having fun. The door to the right was a room with some pillows on the floor people just sitting there in prayer, some talking, but all white walls and seemed to look dull. So I opened the door to the left, as I entered I was amazed at all the things to do in there! The lights, the cool artwork, designs on the flooring, the games, the people were so enticing in their fun! I started visiting and playing with freinds but every step i took into this room I would see someone or something else a little further into it that I wanted to go see! I was having so much fun continually going a little further back, pretty soon I realized "hey, how big is this place?" so I turned back towards the door I had come in and it seemed to be gone! I cared for only a couple seconds since I again got distracted and continued my journey to the "back" of this place. But something strange started happening...I began to notice that the people in the back werent having as much fun they looked almost captive! Shortly after my heart started beating faster and I felt as though I was in danger, and even though I never saw from what I knew it was after me too! I began to try to find the door where I had come in running here and there and all around, panicked because I couldnt find it I began asking others where it was. They would say dont worry about it your fine just relax have fun, they would say dont run from it just enjoy whats around you, but I couldnt escape the fear, I couldnt escape the thought of knowing mylife was in danger! But the door was gone nowhere was it to be found, as I ran terrified through this place trying to hide it always was right behind me, I was sooo scared. Then....I heard this gentle voice that kept saying I can save you, I can help you find your way out, I want to help you, come to me. As I was running I finally curled up in this corner that looked something like a crevis you would find under a stairwell and in tears and in complete fear I began to pray. I was a christain, I knew the Lord as my savior but I was so lost in this place I entered because it looked funner and more satisfying than just praying in the dull room and now I was regretting ever stepping foot in this place! As I prayed the thing chasing me got even more mad and chased and looked for me even harder, people came and tried to coax me out of the corner, but I squinted my eyes closed as tight as I could and I cried out to God "HELP!!! I CANT DO THIS I NEED YOU TO COME GET ME!!" I felt arms around me and as I opened my eyes startled I was ;ulled through the wall into the other side of the building....it was quiet, peaceful, no more fear, I heard some singing praises, some praying, and some just sitting relaxing, but I was SAFE I knew I was. Then a voice said to me again, I have saved you, he cannot get you as long as you are here, but you can go back into the other room, but once you go over there again he can get to you and devour you. I sat down on some pillows on the floor crying and thanking and praising God with the other few people in the room. Then I woke up.....

That dream at the times I was having it I took as a warning and I was always mindful of it...but then things in my life began to happen I started coming across storms and speedbumps in life and I didnt just stumble I fell hard....baby step by baby step....and if you have read my blog about my first surgery i broke after surgery, only having enough strength to fall to my hands and knees crying as I crawled don my hallway after putting the kids to bed. For many months I did this crying out to God saying I dont understand...wheres my strength...why cant I pick myself up this time...I dont understand God....but one day it was different! As I crawled down the hall in tears I fell to my face and curled up and cried out to God "I CANT DO THIS, IM NOT STRONG ENOUGH...I NEED YOU"........God wants us in a place of surrender in a place of weakness so we can cling to Christ for our strength. His power is made perfect in weakness and slowly but surely stepping out in faith time after time He was healing me, guiding me, showing me what to do what to change what to let go what to sacrifice....HE PULLED ME THROUGH THE WALL! Praise God for being patient with us, I cannot even begin to express how immeasureable His grace is I am working and praying about sharing my testimony but GOD is SOOOO GOOD!!! Just beware that the enemy works on us in baby steps too, we dont always see it and it can end up detrimental to our lives. Surrender everything to Him and let Him order your steps! Thank you for letting me share this and THANK YOU GOD for pulling me through the wall!!!!

love in HIM!!,
Heather

Comment by Levi Lane on July 22, 2009 at 6:27am

No...Sister Heather. You must know, that I love you, first. And I understand what it feels like to have the need to express ourselves. Your blog touched the readers in the right way, from what I could read, and sense. That is great! Really! And I did not sense that you (excuse me, but when I'm on the site, I sense, and extend with my spirit), were giving off the self-righteous aire. I used the mention of self-righteousness to establish boundaries of my reply, to guide the readers spirits in the direction of, and into Christ's holiness. Not by making any attempt to call you self-righteous. But I...Whenever, by way of what I feel is guidance for another brother, and or sister, I ask myself; am I being self-righteous? Am I sounding self-righteous to them? Because if I am, very little, or no work of the Holy Spirit can be accomplished, because the brother or sister will close me off, and shut me out. You touched people in the right way with your blog. And I saw this, even before I stroked a key to reply to it. And, you can be proud of that. I am. I did pray upon my reply and I hoped that my reply can be of assistance to what you have already accomplished. Leading saints to the living power of the Holy Spirit. I wrote the verse out in that form, so that you can take it all in, every letter of it. The whole meaning of the reply. I took my time, and prayed that you would see, the whole reply. I look forward to reading more of you, in your expressions. And, I may reply to them, but, you must always keep in mind, in heart, and in your spirit, I love you, first. Go'head wit'cho bad (good) self gurl! Brother Levi

Comment by Deanne Vice on July 22, 2009 at 5:33am

My late husband used to say "A christian is something you strive to be daily but only become when you reach heaven."

Comment by Evang. akanimoh raleigh on July 21, 2009 at 5:02am

Sister Heather,God indeed transforms and this He is accomplishing it in You.Keep Walking.

Sometimes when the devil succeeds in making people forget or stop reading the scriptures,he begins to gain grounds.
God says "abstain from all appearance of evil"......both that we may not be overtaken and that others may not be miss led.Now....again,if any love the world.....then the Love of the father is not in Him-no matter how much Christianity is in his/her head,and most miserably....let Him be anathema-maranatha.

But i think the most important thing is Being led by the Holy Spirit in all we do or say.They that are led by the spirit,(only) are the children.There are two things at work....let me put it this way-The Heart and the Spirit."The heart is desperately wicked"....but " the spirit gives life"
The truth remains the truth no matter how we present it try to pretend or prevent people from knowing the real state of our minds.Lets wacht our hearts and lie not to our selves.God sees our hearts.

Comment by Levi Lane on July 21, 2009 at 4:24am

Hi Sister Heather. I truly enjoyed reading your blog. I now see in black and white what troubles me about the differences in Christ, being the applicable God of Spirit in my life. And me, trying to live life and do things my way. It can be a fine line to differentiate between the two, but I have allowed Christ to dwell in me and show me the difference. What I do; what He does, what He does; what I do. Before any real, true and lasting change could ever take place in my life, I had to accept Christ into my life. Why, because I was not pleased with my life, something was wrong, somethings were wrong in my life. If I lived, what I felt was a perfect life, would I ever have come to Christ and ask that he take control of it? I am going to leave you with one verse, however the entire chapter reflects the state of the fleshly human condition, and the hopeful prognosis of our fleshly human condition. It is always my goal as a saint in the Lord, to motivate the spirit in others, and not motivate the flesh in others. No matter how true, and or righteous, my intentions may be. God, has issues with perfect acting people. He came to save the sinners. Not the perfect ones. I can only justify, that to say to another saint, that they should not go here, or should not do this, or not listen to that, is the Spirit's conviction, and workings in me. Not them. The point that I'm trying to make here, in the these few sentences I wrote, is, that I can suggest to a brother or sister, that they should not go to this place, listen to this or that, and even physically tie that saint down. But, when they are released, if their spirit is not convicted, they will go and do that thing that they desire. And here's the mysterious element which proves to me I was wrong about pressing my concerns for the brother or sister in this manner; what did I know about where the brother or sister came from? How do I know what Christ has already done in the brother's or sister's life, their growth, to that point? Was I self-righteous in this way? I hear more convicting of earthly practices and activities in the blog, then motivation of the heavenly spirit within us. What I hear in the blog, as for one to say, by way of abandoning all to Christ, is a religion called, the Amish. The world belongs to Satan. I can sit in a corner and hide all my life, but that would be sinning also. Or, I can rise up and allow Christ to continue His work in me, that He began. Thank you. Second Corinthians, chapter four, verse seven. Brother Levi

Comment by louis gander on July 20, 2009 at 9:17pm

Thank you Heather. You are right on! You get right into the meat of the issues. Your focus is not on self- and our salvation - but rather on God - and how we should be living IF we really love Him. Thanks.

Comment by RoB on July 20, 2009 at 8:17am

wow! This is full of the power of God. It brings encouragement, conviction, and a challenge. Well said. You are not one with zeal without knowledge, you have both. A deep post from someone with a deep walk.

Comment by Heather_LIBAW on July 19, 2009 at 9:00am

AMEN! To both of your posts I get so saddened when I see fellow brothers and sisters try to be "indifferent" and "tolerate" certain things that seem "harmless" when indeed its the enemies hand at work! We can stand bold on some things and not others...where in the Bible does it say that!!!! Nowhere! We are to imitate Christ, abide in Him as He abides in us! When we chase God with ALL of us we learn His ways and truly want to imitate His heart! When we submit all of us to all of Him we learn to see ourselves and others through His eyes and not through our flesh! Sounds kinda like the second greatest commandment....love your neighbor as yourself not less than or more then but AS!!!! Thank you guys for your responses I truly hope this makes people reflect on the things in their lives that are "conveiniently separated" from what they read in God's Word! We as believers need to always always be sensitive to the Spirit and letting our convictions come truly and not say well I am convitcted of this but not that....its kinda like NEWS FLASH....if its in God's word...we should be convicted.... if we are not then what part of our flesh are we holding on to? Thank you again for blessing this post with your insight, God Bless!

Love in Him,
Heather

Comment by Debbie Hasty on July 19, 2009 at 7:55am

Matthew 16:24, 25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me let him deny himself and Take up his cross and follow me. Vs. 25 for whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Gods’ ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts. The carnal mind can not imagine that of the Spirit of God. God has instructed us to walk worthy of his word so we can bring honor and glory to his name.

Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Psalm 101:6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me. He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me

Loyalty means trusting God to guide you in all your ways and depending on him only for all your needs. When we take our focus off God we are serving another master called self and self will always let you down. We start believing in what the world tells us and soon separate ourselves from truth. There is no fence riding when it comes to God. You either trust him for all things or you deny him of all things. You can’t have it both ways.

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and manna.

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear
with him in glory.

Serve the Lord rejoicing in hope, patience in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, Romans 12:12