We Will Survive

I have not "gotten there" yet. Walking this christian walk is not always easy, but it's alot easier than NOT walking with the Lord. I do wish to please only One --- the Lord Jesus Christ. He desires me to live for Him and not worry what others think. He's done a miraculous thing in my heart -- in my life -- in my world. He has forever changed my life. He has given me Life -- at a great price. And I want everyone to know what I have in Him. So, I am going to share a video with you that will change your life -- how you think about Him and what He's done for you.

A friend of ours who is a Bible teacher in a christian school shared this story with us. It's about an ordinary man named Bill Wiese. He wrote a book about what happened to him one night. He shares his story in this video. I ask you to take the time to hear his words and judge for yourself. Remember, God says in His Word that in the end times men would dream dreams and see visions as in Joel 2:28.

I know now that I cannot take this life lightly anymore knowing some of my family and friends will go to hell and not do my best to change their minds before it's too late.

God bless you all!

http://www.leechvideo.com/video/view1872410.html

Just a post script to my regular readers, on my previous blog on the Wizard of Oz...my video is back up and running...check it out!

Blessings to you all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZR64EF3OpA

I love the Wizard of Oz and all the characters! Dorothy, The Tin Man, The Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion. As I read Gigi's blog this morning, I got to thinking. We can all find ourselves in those characters sometimes. Cowardly lion? Nah! Not anymore!

I used to be the one who was bothered by what people thought of me. And I have 2 friends who are "people pleasers", and they've told me they have a hard time when someone says unkind things to them or blames them for something. One is a christian -- one is not. Both struggle with always feeling they have to please everyone.

Sure, when someone says something unkind to me it does hurt my feelings. But it doesn't stay with me because I know where it comes from. It comes from the "man behind the curtain". He's always behind every conflict known to man, and he enjoys every minute . His name is satan.

I have been praying for everyone in our development for over 2 years now and have come to realize that all the bickerings going on between neighbors come from him. There is no way he's going to go down without a fight, and he has determined he's going to keep my neighbors from finding the Lord. He hates God so much that he's working "behind the curtain" and thinks he has everyone fooled and that he's in control. But just as in the Wizard of Oz, satan is NOT in control. God Almighty has full control of this world, and if by my speaking to my neighbors about Christ and what He means to me and just being their friend is going to get satan upset, well then, so be it. I'll take the hurt feelings on the chin and keep praying for them all.

Satan will try anything and everything to get you down and keep you quiet. Don't let him trample your spirit. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! Just keep looking up and watch out for those flying monkeys!!

My friend, Ginny, decided one day to take 10 years off her age because she said if she had to keep working, she thought it would be easier if she thought she was only 54 as opposed to 64 years old. So in the course of our conversations she would always say "because you know I AM younger than you!" Okay, I finally gave in, and I am now 45 instead of 55 years old! We decided to make it a club and invited another neighbor to join who is 62, but she declined saying she doesn't have a problem with her age. Now SHE needs to join becasue she walks around looking tired and drained and acts like she's 70! Ginny even has her boss thinking of joining!

So, what is a club? The definition is a group identified by some common characteristic like the "grandparents club" or the "I am a cancer survivor club" (of which I am a member of both). You have to be an active member. You have to be mindful of what it stands for. Ours is a matter of the mind -- age changing to life changing because we think in our minds that you're only as young as you feel! There is actually a day in March -- March 22nd called "Young as you feel day"!

That being said, the mind is a powerful thing. Proverbs 23:7 says "As he thinks in his heart, so is he." If you have the attitude "I'm too old to do that", you never will. We laugh, and we joke about it, but we, on the other hand have decided in our minds that we CAN do something because, after all, we ARE younger than people think we are! I may even be younger than you!

I received Leslie Sansone's 4 mile walking dvd the other day. I've been looking forward to walking with her again and building up my strength. She said something in the second mile that caused me to think. She said "Take care of your body. It's the temple -- not a house of bricks but a house of the Spirit".

1Cor. 6:19,20 says "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's."

Now, I've heard those verses and read them many times over the last 31 years and yet hearing Leslie say those words made me think "What in the world have I been doing to my body, this temple of the Spirit these past 31 years both physically and spiritually?"

I have found out in the past 9 months that I've been slowly killing my physical body by the foods I've been eating. Cancer cells feed on sugar! Did you hear that?? Sugar helps cancer cells to divide, mutate and multiply. Our bodies have been ravaged by the ingestion of sugar, food additives, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, fats, etc. And the list goes on. Dr. Oz said "When I go into a supermarket, I see a pharmacy" because our foods are laced with chemicals that are doing great harm to us all. We hear reports on TV about it but never really pay attention until we are afflicted with a disease like cancer that then makes us pay attention. And boy, did I! And then we are knocked off our feet and of little use physically for the work of the ministry as we battle our disease! We are put on the sidelines for awhile. That's not where I want to be!

And then we selfishly push God to the side at times. Like today. God was telling me to write on my blog, and I ignored His voice. I was busy looking up "heat flashes and night sweats" on the computer and what help I could give my body naturally. I felt the Spirit nudging me to blog, and I pushed the Spirit aside. I mean, I was after all busy on the computer doing good things (with the noise of the TV in the background, of course).

Guess what! Our electric went off! And my reaction was to chuckle and say "Okay, Lord. You win. Guide my thoughts and my pen" and here I am writing in my journal which goes on my blog here.

I AM bought with a price of astronomical worth. The life of my Lord. How could I even consider turning down His requests of me? And yet in my "busyness and selfishness", I do just that. But I am so thankful He never gives up on me. His love is boundless and reaches through "me". And sometimes He makes me laugh. I think He was laughing today, too.

The meaning of contentment is the state of being satisfied.

Phil. 4:11 reads "I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content."

Some people strive their whole life to find happiness and contentment by making more and more money to get more and more "stuff" so they can stuff it into their "tent", but it never really satisfies. They live their life full of discon"tent"ment. No matter how they try to make it be enough, it never is. They never find the happiness they seek. They're looking in the wrong places.

Paul says "I have learned..."  Learning spiritual lessons is far more important than having material riches. No matter what we're going through...sickness, loss of a job, losing a loved one in death, a divorce, cancer..we have a God who loves us and will get us through it with His help and strength. Phil. 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We just need to keep our minds on Christ and trust Him daily. This becomes a way of life for us. Living in con"tent"ment with Him gives us great satisfaction, peace and rest. Then we'll find the joy in watching a sunset, laughing with our grandchildren as they play in the rain, seeing a butterfly dance on a flower as if for the first time, looking at the sky and realizing what a wonderful and great God we have and knowing He has everything in control.

Contentment.

Here's a video to watch...take a moment and think..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw37X2snzyY

What tent do you live in?