Category: Journaling About Bible Stories


It doesn’t take all that

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August 14, 2012

I suppose everyone had a parent who was always telling them what they couldn’t do.  There were so many things I couldn’t do, it was hard to see the things I could do as freedom. Oh and let’s not forget the things I had to do.  I use to think my mother was guessing or trying everything out on me to see who I would become.  Does pulling the wings off an insect count?  Maybe I’m a surgeon.

I couldn’t spend the night at my best friend’s house. I couldn’t play by the dead end street that had a ramp, like the other kids with bikes.  I could only have one bread roll, when everyone else got three. On my day off, I still had to get up, clean up and make my bed. Oh, and my personal favorite, when it was time to go to school, I had to travel over 3o minutes away to a school where no one would talk to me.  I think there was one other person of my race there but I never saw her. I love that question, “How was your day?” I wanted to say, “Same as my life, confusing and pointless.” But you know what teens say, “Fine.” And then disappear.

You are suppose to believe that despite all these rules your parent or parents love you, but you begin to feel like the family pet. At some point rebellion sets in and you find yourself building your own ‘golden calf’.  Whatever pleases you goes.  You ink it in your skin if you have too.

Hopefully at some point you grow up. I mean that you look deeper into all those…rules.  I couldn’t spend the night at my best friend’s house because she was being abused and I didn’t know it.  I couldn’t go to the dead end street because behind the ramp, in the wooded area, drugs and prostitution was taking place.  I could only have one roll of bread because I didn’t pass it through like everyone else, and I would get sick.  On my day off I had to get up, because depression runs in my family and if you don’t learn to make yourself get up when you don’t want to, you won’t.  I had to travel 30 minutes to a different school because it kept me from being satisfied with a little.  I began to…dream of more than what I was surrounded by and what it would cost me to stand alone sometimes.

The commandments in God’s word may seem harsh or confusing but they come from the Heavenly Father who knows what you cannot see. Not only will they protect you but they will put you in position to fulfill the plan for your life and open your eyes to what it will cost you.  If you are consistent, and faithful you will see His reasons and begin to understand.  People have lots of advice to get you out of jam or help you go around God’s word to get you what you want. But when you realize that “only Jesus” has the foresight and the power to protect you from demons and fulfill your purpose. Only Jesus loved you so much that He would pay the price to redeem you from the trap of destruction that satan has for you.…burn everything else. Act 19:19 Let God’s Words be written with His finger in your heart. Jer 31:33 (Our hearts)/ Ex 31:18 (His finger)

It takes all that and then some. Acts 19:1-20 (The story of a group of people who showed the value of God’s words over all others) / Duet 6:17-20 (God’s promises to you,if you obey and trust Him)

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. KJV

(Written to my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus)

Love ya

Kim S-J

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Connections

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July 13, 2012

You listen to someone speak or you watch the way they handle a situation and you just know that’s someone you would like to know better.  When you are trying to keep a friendship going, it’s like trying to keep a fire from going out on a camp out.  You know that fire is very useful. It can keep trouble away and provide warmth from the cold.  That is how a good connection is. These are usually unique people that are helpful when you need to get things done. They can help you stay encouraged so your projects don’t come to a stand-still. You shouldn’t let them out of your life easily.

The enemy knows that if you have jelly and they have bread you might make a sandwich, and we can’t have that now can we.  A lot of times he uses separation from common places, the absence of the people you had in common, or time itself to make things awkward.  Send a message, or a card. Complement them on what you know they do well. Encourage them on things that are not going as well as they would like.

The Word of God says that ‘a friend is always loyal and a brother is born to help in time of need’. (proverbs 17:17) It also tells us that there are friends that stick closer than brothers. (proverbs 18:24b) Naomi of the Bible found this to be true. (The book of Ruth) Ruth found Naomi to be one of the unique people you meet in life that you don’t let situations separate you from.  She kept her family bond when there was no reason to.  God had put a connection between them and Ruth didn’t take it lightly.  Our connections with other people are not by accident, it’s a set up.  Whether it’s good or bad, it is a set up.  We use the Word of God to tell the difference.  The divine connection between Ruth and Naomi would put Ruth in the position to be the grandmother of King David.  Her tender heart and passion was passed down to her grandson and he went on to become a man after God’s own heart.

I read this story and realize that we should put more effort into maintaining good connection and put more effort in ending bad ones.  Separate ourselves from people who don’t encourage us but have low expectations of us. Separate ourselves from people who invite trouble, provide no warmth when you’re cold and alone, and make you feel like you’re the only one bringing the wood to keep the fire going.

(Written to my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus)

Love Kim S-J

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No, You Move

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June 29, 2012

Some people go through their day like they are taking a multiple choice quiz.  I know, it used to be that way for me. I’m in traffic and I’m trying to leave space between me and the car in front of me. I don’t want a sudden stop to put me in his or her trunk.  The car in the other lane sees it as an opportunity to change lanes without a signal….really.  Do I, A) Vent with foul words and hand gestures so that the person in the other car knows they should never try that again with me.  B)  Have a Christian melt down.  Act as if some unseen hand is calming me down by swaying me back and forth, which causes me to moan and quote scriptures against the demon in the car changing lanes. Or C) Thank God there was no accident and pray for safety and discernment for me and the other drivers.  You know which one it the right one.  Pray for me cause I’m stuck between b and c.

Trying to figure out how to react in situations is the wrong response when situations rise throughout life.  This will put you in a pattern of waiting to see what will happen next and then calculating what the right response should be. This is why meditating on the Word of God is so important.  The Word tells you how to BE.  The Word shows you how to get the world and it’s situations to respond to you (your prayers and the works you establish through Christ Jesus).

Paul and Silas were in Philippi preaching about Jesus when they were arrested. (Acts 16:16-34) While they were in jail they prayed and sang hymns, while the other prisoners listened. This was their reaction to being beaten and thrown in jail. Their reaction wasn’t, ‘Lord why did you let this happen to us. Don’t you see we are doing this for you.’  They kept on doing weird things like this. Later on in the night they started praying and a earthquake shook the prison so hard the chains broke off the prisoners.  Things were happening all around Paul and Silas but they didn’t react to the situations because nothing had changed for them.  They were still on Kingdom business.  They were still on a mission, saving souls.  It was as if they were saying, ‘Anyway, back to what we were saying’.  Their consistency caused the jailer to see the truth of the situation.  Paul and Silas had always been free, delivered, and protected.  This is what the word saved means. (Greek word – Sozo= whole) The jailer realized that his keys couldn’t really bind or loose anyone who was truly free.  You know there are people who try and dress and act the part and there are people who are the real thing. The jailer saw that Paul and Silas were the real thing.  He asked them what he needed to do to be saved.

When the enemy brings about a situation to get you to react, just keep being who you are, a child of God.  Don’t be distracted from our Kings business by racism, religion, politics, doctrine, music, television, traffic  ect…  Tell the enemy, “No, you freak out.  You Move.”

(Written to my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus) Matt 16:25

Love Kim S-J

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Expect Great Things

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June 6, 2012

“Go with God and expect great things.” My pastor says this at the close of each Sunday service.  When I read the story of the cripple man in Acts 3:1-10, I could see Peter saying that to the man in need of a miracle.  The cripple man was expecting money to help him with his financial needs because he couldn’t work…..because he was crippled.  What a blessing the money was to the man and the people who gave it to him. But if we’re not careful, the dependence or faith in the money, will rob you of your expectation, which builds up your faith, and your resistance to the enemies prophecies over your life. –Hush Money,  You can get to the point where you expect help to come in the form of money. The cripple man was told to look at Peter and John, and he did, (Act 3:5) expecting money.

Peter told the man that he didn’t have any silver or gold but what he did  have was access to the temple, and access to Jesus.  (This is difficult on both sides to do.) We must strive to believe that we have something to offer others, other than silver and gold, and other people have something to offer us, other than silver and gold.

At the name of Jesus Christ, a quickening began to take place in the cripple man’s thoughts, emotions and his physical body, before the man was given the command to rise and walk.  In the army, there is a command that prepares you to act on a command.  It’s like the word “ready”, in “ready set, go”.  At the name of Jesus, a connection is made between the words that are being spoken and the words that you have stored in your heart.  The activation is made. Code acknowledged, faith recognized, commence transformation.  Okay, sorry, I had a flashback. It was God’s timing and He helps our unbelief.  (Word to Word, faith to faith).   “Rise up and walk”, Peter says to the cripple man.  I read this as, “I know who you are. Do you know who I am and who I am to you? Then acknowledge it by getting up and doing what you couldn’t do before.”

Peter helped the man to do what he told him to do, just like Jesus does.  He doesn’t tell you to do anything he doesn’t plan on helping you with.  The man felt the strength come into his feet and ankle bones.  (The first physical sign that healing had taken place)

My favorite part of this testimony is when the writer begins to call the man, the lame man that was healed.  Whatever his name was, he was different now. His faith in other things must have shot through the roof.  He became immune to words like, never, 99%, nothing we can do, learn to live with it, that’s just the way it is, take this for the rest of your life, ect.

Don’t go through life never knowing what it feels like to leap like no one is watching, or what is like to enter a place that most don’t have access to.

When you have lost your expectation for healing or anything else, or you have built more of a case to receive your check than to get what the enemy has stolen from you,…It’s hush money. It’s stealing away your expectations, killing your spiritual immune system, faith and the abundant life that was promised to you.

I know why a lame man leaps. –SMILE

Love ya, (written to the Christian family)

Kim S-J

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Same Problem, Different Dimension

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June 4, 2012

The story of the Samaritan woman is pretty well known, I suppose.  But to jump right to the point, Jesus was waiting for food and apparently, He wouldn’t have minded a drink of water as well. (No pun intended, although it did make me smile) This story is one of the ones I use to explain the two things going on with a person at one time. You can almost see Jesus in his flesh thinking, “I hope those guys hurry up cause, I’m hungry. Hey lady, will you give me some water?  And now again in his Spirit saying, “Thank you Father, I am full by your words and refreshed by your Spirit. I must share what I have partaken of with this Samaritan woman.” (This is definitely one of the reasons the disciples sounded confused in some parts of scripture.) When the disciples come back with the food, they present it to Jesus and He says out of his Spirit, “I have meat that you know not of.” I suppose, shortly after, He got a drink of water and ate the sandwich too.

Do you understand that you can be physically full of food and spiritually lacking nutrients? You can drink a bottle of water and your spirit is thirsty. You can have all your bills paid and be bankrupt in spirit.  How much worse is it to be hungry from the inside out or without the proper currency physically and spiritually. Rich men jump off buildings and poor men laugh while eating buttered bread.

I had a busy couple of weeks. I would promise to do my worship and study time later in the day and that wouldn’t happen. Then the week goes by. The end of the week I tired, frustrated, definitely not centered on Christ. I realized I can’t afford not to read and pray. It’s a bridge that every true Christian crosses.

You can’t put off spiritual meat and living water. You’ll starve and bring destruction to your soul. Even if you’re not one who gets hungry, you will eventually say, “I should eat something.” It should be the same with your life with God. You can’t get much done on an empty spirit, but when it’s full you can share.

Written to the Christian family   John 4:1-42

Love ya

Kim S-J

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STATUS

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May 31, 2012

5/29/12 Status (Esther 4-7) (2 Tim 3:16-17)

I like to play the sims, okay I love to play the sims. I enjoy it because I get to create a simulated person right down to their facial features and characteristics. I have a pretty good idea how they are going to react in certain situations. I try to get their good qualities to over ride the bad, but it’s a good thing I’m not God. Sometimes I forget about a character and something bad happens to them. Even worse, one of them will get on my nerves and I “get them taken care of”.

The great “I Am” is God and I am not. He created us in detail, our looks and the combination of our characteristics. He knows how we will react in situations. I’m saying our looks and our qualities that we use to become who we are come from God. He expects us to use our status in life with the people of God in mind. Your gifts, talents, and looks come to you without even committing your life to God, but you’ll never perform your masterpiece without a relationship with Him. He can tell you just how to use it so you feel more than satisfied, more like you’re fulfilling your purpose in life.

How many times did Esther hear how pretty she was. How many hearts she must of melted. She could’ve spilled milk all over the king and it would have been alright. Don’t think for once that her looks were some lucky combination on her father’s side. God molded her for a purpose. He made her like jewelry. He used her looks to open the king’s ears. (It seems his eyes were working better than his ears)

Use who you are or your position in life to the glory of God.  Let the Lord show you how to use the gifts He has given you. Move past the compliments of mere men to the praises that only God can give you.

More than satisfied

Kim S-J

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Unimportant Beginings

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5/27/2012 Unimportant Beginnings

 

The story of Jesus’s birth has told many times. So many times in fact, that I sigh when someone is about to tell it again or if the Lord tells me read it again. By now I know that If I listen with an expectant heart, I will receive a life changing treasure.  This time was no different. The key is to take it personal, knowing that it is not ment to offend or hurt you, but mold you.

Luke’s telling of Jesus’s birth is found in Luke 2:1-20. If you let it soak in , where He was born, what He was wrapped in, where He had to sleep. You know you’re looking at humble beginnings. Don’t forget the shepherds. Inviting shepherds doesn’t really move you up in the who’s who book.

Where you were born, what cheap blanket you wrap yourself  in and that mitch-match bed set you sleep on is not how you measure your worth or importants. (I might add that anyone who does measure you according to these things,…well you know what you should do with that relationship.) What matters is what was prophesied about you.  “And she or he will be”…. The Lord has planned it before your birth. ( Jeremiah 1:5 /29:11)

You can appreciate the fact that Jesus didn’t grow up, looking at his unimportant beginnings, and then become a victim of low expectations. Use your God-given gifts to help or inspire others, and “expect great things” as my pastor always says.

Love ya

Kim S-J

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