Cholette

I'm liking the bath with the champagne...just sayin...

I'm going out AGAIN to deeper waters and casting my nets so I can gather all that God has for me in this NEW DECADE! I tried before, but it didn't work. I'm going back again and say what Peter said in Luke 5..."on the ground of Your word, I will lower the nets [again]."

Thank you so much for this Deborah. Your list describes EVERY single Jezebel that has been in my life, over the years...especially my coworker. I do know that she is a sad young girl who has been given "some" power in the office and has run with it, so to speak. Your last statement is EXACTLY what the Lord told me. He said that even though things are going well, don't stop praying...stay on the offense. I've been doing this and I will continue to do it, in this situation, and those situations that will TRY to come my way in the future.

The enemy is only as alive as you make him. If we truly believe that he's been stripped of all of his power and the scripture that D shared about how greater God is in us than anyone in the world, then no matter who gave you those gifts, no harm can come nigh your dwelling. [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]. (Col 2:15 AMP) The scripture I heard when I read your post HK was..."When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him". (Proverbs 16:7) I say, accept the gifts and move on with your life...Psalm 91 says you can.

I will explain more about this later, but there was a "jezebel" spirit that had been harrassing me over the years. No matter where i went, that spirit seemed to follow me through other people. I just started this new job over a month ago and one of the girls, who was the sweetest girl in the office, all of a sudden, flipped on me and her attitude just changed. I didn't get it, but God pointed it out to me. I had always thought that Jezebel was ONLY in church, but it's more than that (this will require more study for me). Anyway, God showed it to me in prayer and on my way to work yesterday I went off in the spirit against it. I also asked God to give me an opportunity to encourage her. He did that PLUS yesterday was the best day ever with this girl. She was talking to me, instead of growling at me or being rude. I had an opportunity to be one on one with her in the kitchen and I told her that I have discerned her stress and that everything is going to be okay. She just looked at me in shock and then I rubbed her back. I heard the Lord say "its the anointing that breaks the yoke". It was after THAT moment where everything turned around. You gotta love how God does things. It's been a long 6 weeks on this job...BUT GOD!!!!

Had to "like" your post SisterNChrist. I couldn't have said it better myself. Praise God!!!

He will Sister...He will. The same way he opened this door for you, is the same way he will open another...or extend the one you have. God is able!

Thanks for this reminder Mia. I made a vow to NOT forget the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. I don't think we really understand that he was born, just to die fo us. My studies have been geared towards understanding the love He had to have for me/us to be beaten in the way he was. I don't want to forget, nor dimenish what happened that day and what it represents to all of us. Thank you for this post...thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Merry Christmas to you too D!!!

Just for the record...I'm not using Grace as an excuse to sin. Never, never, never my intention. I just see it a little differently and its hard to explain it when we are talking about money. What Jesus has done for us through Calvary gets buried a lot of times and I just wanted to show that. It's not really coming through as I have hoped. MJ...I hope through all of this discussion, your question has been answered. All in all...keep sowing girl...God needs people like you and your hubby in the Body of Christ!!

The scripture that says "touch not my anointed" is not just about preachers...that's out of context. We are ALL God's anointed and no one is bigger and higher up than the next. It's just that some people have more visable positions and assignments. I agree that we should not defame pastors and leaders, but we shouldn't defame ANYONE...not just them. We have put our leaders on a pedestal where they do not belong...they are servants, just like we all are...to bring Jesus to a dying world. The curse has been absorbed in the body of Christ when He hung on the cross. That's what it means when it says Jesus came to FULFILL the law. All of what we deserve was placed on the body of Christ. What I believe happens when we don't tithe is that we don't experience all that God desires for us to experience. Nothing bad happens...it's just that we don't experience HIS BEST...the abundant life that he desires for us. We will always BE BLESSED because we are in Christ...but there are measures of blessings...30,60 and 100 fold. God knows where each one of us are. We all mature at different stages. To say that we are punished because we don't tithe, when a person just may not have the revelation on tithing yet is wrong. God wouldn't do that. We tithe from the heart and God knows a person who is just giving 10% in money from who his giving 10% with his heart. The amount on the line on the offering envelope doesn't determine a tither. God sees the HEART of man. To go back to your original question MJ...and to reinterate what I said before...go with God! You and your husband seem to have a heart for God and that you are givers. Continue in that...no matter what!!!

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo proud of you Desi!!! WOW!!!!!!

WOW! I'm so sorry MJ...I really am. It's really sad but a lot of churches are preaching on money because the revenue is probably going down, due to the economy and people are losing their jobs. Instead of the pastor trusting in God to provide and send increase to the church, they are in the pulpit getting on the people to tithe. It's not ALL of the churches...let me make that clear, but I've heard your story a lot lately and I'm saddened by that. I would admonish you to NOT stop giving because the same way you and your husband obeyed God and gave the offering, he will speak and tell you again to give. You are NOT giving to the church, so to speak...you are obeying God. Don't let what your pastor said stop you from being a blessing. We are BLESSED to be a blessing and NO MAN should be able to stop you from being a blessing. Your pastor sounds like he's operating in a little fear right now. Just pray for him and ask the Lord to minister to his heart in this season. Pastor's are learning, in this season, that they need to trust God in the same way they've been teaching us to do. I've prayed for your church!!!

Well, tithing is BEFORE the law. Abraham tithed and he was before the law of Moses. I don't believe in a person being cursed because they don't tithe because Jesus became the curse for us. I do believe that when you worship the Lord with the first 10% of your income, there is something so worshipful about it. MJ, I also believe that each person needs to go to God for himself. We have to be very careful when money is taught in the pulpits today because a lot of it is for selfish gain. I hate saying that, but I've seen first hand wha happens behind closed doors and its not pretty. There was a season where I didn't tithe because I wanted to LEARN for myself what it is to tithe and what God said about it before I just did it because someone told me I HAD TO. During that time, I wasn't struck down...I wasn't poor...nothing happened to me. Once I learned about tithing and that it's a form of WORSHIP to the Lord, I began to do it and I'm OVERLY blessed. I don't tithe to GET BLESSED...I give because I WANT God to have the first portion of my paycheck because it's because of HIM that I have one in the first place. God doesn't MAKE us do anything...he gives us a plan to better our lives, but doesn't penalize us for not choosing the better way...that's UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!! My response to your question is how God has taught ME. Others may have their own way of responding to your question, but for me and God...this is working. Never, never, never allow anyone to pressure you to do ANYTHING...because that isn't God. I hope this helps you!

Also...years ago, when my mother first moved to her area, the were still building on the hill. When they cut down all of the shrubs, the mice were EVERYWHERE. When you went into the stores you couldn't find traps, poison or anything. My mother went to a hardware store miles down the road and found this box of poison. I guess it's like candy to the mice. Well, when they eat it, they die, but what it also does is causes them NOT to smell so when they die you really don't know where they are. We were told that they usually go where they camp out, and die there. My mom had 2 or 3 mice in the house and when she put this box of poison out, she never saw the mice again...not even their carcuses. Just another option for you!!!

Yeah, but it's messy and then you have to touch the mouse to get it off of the sticky stuff to let it go and...*clearing throat*...there is a possibility that the whole mouse will not come off of the sticky stuff.

Oh man Linda! I have "effective ideas" but not for what you want to do. I've not known anyone that has the heart that you do to release the mouse back into the "wild". If you change your mind, let me know...

Yes it's ALLLLLL about you!!!!!

Now that the shock is over...now that you have the promotion...put CHRIST back in CHRISTmas and it will be all good! You know not to EVER use "Xmas" in my presence...

I will pray...God is faithful!!!!

Jasmine, you are SERIOUSLY beyond your years.