Skills, Submission, and No Distraction

"And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding." Daniel 9:22


We're in revival at my church this week. Bro. James Scott has been preaching for us, and he is doing a GREAT job! Tonight he preached on letting God teach us the skill of being anointed. He talked about how the devil likes to trick us and sneak up on us and work his way in where he doesn't belong. How, if we're not careful, our whole relationship with God can be pulled out from under us. And it got me to thinking....

That's what I did. I didn't let God teach my the skill. I allowed the devil to trick me and deceive me the first chance he got. And it ruined me. I lost my whole relationship with God. For a while, I still had the "religion" but I didn't have the true relationship. Eventually, I even lost the "religion". I wasted a year and a half of my life on what? nothing. That was precious time I could have spent with God, time I could have dedicated to Him and grew in Him. And I hate it so bad. But I know that what's done is done. All I can do now is learn from it and move on. Remember how the devil tricked me the first time and beware and not let him do it again. I just have to "let it go" and keep on pressin' on.

I long for the relationship I with Him before. For the closeness and the daily fellowship I had. I am so very thankful He is giving me a second third fourth fifth chance. And I promise with everything inside me I am going to take this chance and give my EVERYTHING to Him! No distractions this time. Nothing is getting in my way. I know the devil is gonna fight me and I know it won't be easy, but Jesus is on my side and He can NOT be stopped!!!

"Ye are of God, little children. and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4

So now, I'm doing what James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

I just can't contain my joy and excitement for what the Lord is doing and is going to do in me!!


I AM SOOO EXCITED!!


=D

Uplift

The weekend before last a friend of mine introduced me to what we call "Uplift".  Uplift is a series of motivational text messages, we receive one per day, done by Hart Ramsey. These messages are amazing. It seems that they always come right on time! I am beyond thankful that she introduced me to these awesome, inspiring messages.

Here lately I've been trying to figure out so many things. Like where to live, where to work, what I"m going to do when I start school in the spring, ect, ect..... all things that I really should be leaving up to the Lord. I'm stressing majorly. I mean, I know He is going to work it all out in His time, it's just sooo hard not to stress about it.

Well, yesterday, I thought I had everything figured out, and today everything fell apart. I just wanted to cry. And at the very peak of everything going wrong today I receive this text message:

UPLIFT: Only discerning people can see that behind some of the most profound personal struggles is a great man/woman of God in the making. -Hart Ramsey

Isn't it amazing???

There I was standing in the middle of the server alley at work about to lose it and it's like God just said "Hey, I got this, I'm just making you a woman of God." 

It might not seem like much to anyone else, but to me it was all I needed! It truly amazes me how God is always right there pushing you along and reminding you that His promise is still strong, "..I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5) 

That verse is become one of my favorites. I'm learning to cling on it. I'm just so thankful for all that He has done for me!! Words can not even begin to describe it. I just want to draw closer to Him and become all that He wants me to be. 

I just want to shout from the roof tops how wonderful and amazing He is!! I really don't see how I made it one day without Him before I let Him take back over my life... 



"I will praise You in the storm, and I will lift my hands, for You are who You are and I am where I am.."

Praise God :)

I feel that with my new beginning in the Lord, I need to start a new blog. It's a bittersweet moment for me. I came to love "This Joy is Contagious", but I know that, with the Lord's help, "A New Beginning" will be just a wonderful. :)

I am SOO thankful for the Lord and all that He does!! I just don't feel like I can praise Him or thank Him enough! He has brought me out of the miry clay and He is doing a work in me that I can't even begin to describe! And Lord knows I don't deserve it. But I am SOO thankful for His saving grace! He never gave up on me.

Hebrews 13:5 says "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

And ohhh how true that is!! When I was running from Him and turning my back on Him not a day went by when I didn't feel His Holy Ghost convicting my heart. He was always right there begging me to come back to Him. And how happy I am that I finally listened!!

PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!


He has completely restored my joy and my love for Him. All I want is to be with Him and follow His will for my life, whatever that might be. I got out of His will once before and I don't EVER want to go there again. It was the most miserable year of my life and it made me, ultimately, backslide. But it's made me have a greater love for Him. A deeper longing. And if I learned anything from it, I learned that the stupid devil will use anything and anyone to distract you. he will turn your desires into something that will ruin your relationship with God if you're not careful. The devil can make anything look good and appealing but he doesn't show you the pain and the heartache that comes along with it. It you stay full of the Holy Ghost and keep a close relationship with God and never slack in praying, He will lead you where He wants you to go and He will give you the strength the follow Him!!