Praise and glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! He has blessed me greatly, taken me into his arms, now a following daughter. There is a new Papa in the house!!!!
Halloween is fast approaching and the hype is really abundant, isn't it? Marketing techniques bring wares creeping into more and more isles of stores. Spooky commercials, gore galore. If my parents were alive I would like to again ask them how Halloween was when they were young. From conversations in past with them, they got apples, homemade goodies, nickels. Mom said there was no set time. You stayed out as late as the lights were on. You made your own costume. You did a trick if they asked you to and you got a treat if they liked it. It was once called All Hallows' Eve. Does anyone remember that? I think the scariest costume was a ghost, not like today, with demons roaming all over the neighborhoods. Not real comfortable with that. I think satan is. He is slowly transforming this innocent holiday into a costume ball for Hell. Not that I am being a poop, but more and more as I age, I am sitting back and studying what seems to really be going on. And when I have a gut feeling that something is getting out of whack, well, alot of times I am right. You will find the same. Learn to follow your gut. (Holy Spirit flank jabs).
Mom was an antique dealer. We had Halloween decorations that were pretty old. I would guess some were from the turn of the century. I remember seeing the inscription "Hallowe'en" on them. I understand that is the shortened version of All Hallows' Eve. These decorations consisted of jack o' lanterns, black cats and ghosts. Truly, that is all I remember. Maybe some witches, but the oldest decorations seemed to not include witches.
All I can say, is that I am aware of what Halloween seems to be becoming. I will not glorify satan. I will be on guard of his trickery. I truly have always gotten a little spooked this time of year, and I believe that is because of the lack of sunlight and the horror flick commercials and dying of the vegetation outdoors. It does equal a little bit of gloom. I am very sensitive, always have been.
My granddaughter is 13 months old. I had to take her into a huge Halloween store because my daughter needed to find something specific for her costume. I can tell you it was interesting. This innocent baby who has never seen a horror film and certainly can't remember last Halloween. She shook, hid in my arms and was very nervous her head going side to side, trying to find a safe place to fix her eyes on. There is something to say about what evil looks like. She has nothing to gauge it to. She viewed evil and it made her want to crawl out of her skin. And that was "fake" evil. Or was it?
This is my hope and faith: Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
1 John 5:18: We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe; and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God, and the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
Yesterday I was blessed with having what is called "church". In my sister's home, she had a couple over that were seasoned Christians. My kinda Jesus Freaks! We had such good church time. Prayer, laying on of hands, suggestions for prayers for our children. It was uplifting and powerful. And we sure praised God for everything that we spoke of. Kept it in the context of His Word. That is what is missing. We need a Holy Bible Roll Out. Acts of the Apostles church time. Church in coffee shops, homes, McDonald's and on front porches. Many people do this and I am enjoying exploring this. That is what Jesus Church is. We fell away from that the last 75 or so years, in my estimation. Please keep reading, I want you to really be informed. Most of all, read your Bible if you quit reading my blog. I would be honored if you did that! That is where it's all at, baby.
I blog this and all of my blogs to reach out to you. To read your Bible for further information. (eventually to be so hungry that you can't quit reading it) To have the Bible come to life for you. To search and stretch and learn and confess and regroup---all continually and forever until the day we leave this earth. I am concerned about Christians, a Christian as I once was, who stopped with their infant baptism. Or stopped because they had communion four months ago. Or stopped entirely because of the pains of life. I almost missed this Holy Spirit Filling. Do I know why the Holy Spirit decided to enter me like a flood this spring? No, I only know that my Father decided that was the plan. I am so grateful my head hurts at times. Seriously. I hold my head in my hands because I now have REAL worries. Not earthly worries. But I now have experienced true joy in surrender (and continual surrender against my earthly flesh). I am so pumped about what a true intimate relationship is. And it is with the Father of the Universe!!
Luke 24:44-45 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
I think about who is not cracking open their Bibles. Even scores of churches. Denominations of churches. But fear not. I am visited many churches in the Cedar Valley and I am finding churches that parishioners bring their Bibles! And each and every service they all open that Love Story and read together. And that is part of how I believe I finally got my Holy Spirit Filling!
Yes, I know that Lutherans and Catholics (both I was at one time) have "readings". They have readings from the old and new testament and Gospel weekly. But it is read to you and it is printed on a piece of paper. And it is not discussed. There is a sermon or homily, but there is no Bible Study going on.
The churches I will now attend (and I am praying for a church home and have been for many months), have a very, very experience pastor reading this, you are reading it, and he is describing what is going on, and how it relates to your world now. You are are strongly encouraged to take notes. Love that!
I took my Bible for the first time to church this June. I was nervous. It was a step for me. Your Bible typically stayed in your house, never leaving the premises! How great is it for firsts! Lots of firsts, now being born again.
I hope you have more firsts coming your way. It feels so good to grow. What a relief. Everyone else is growing to, so there is no agenda.
And I do believe you can be born again in Christ and attend any Christian church, if that works for you. I find it hard to attend the Catholic church and I imagine I would have that problem attending a Lutheran, Methodist or Presbyterian Church. (I have attended all of these denominations in the past). Their format is similar and it does not involve charismatic music or open Bibles or open prayer or proclamations from the audience. It is very sterile. So go worship the Lord if that still works for you. Remember, I am very sensitive.
I see I have viewers from Tokyo and Russia. Please let me know how your spiritual journey is coming, in comments. Please don't give up. Americans, you have every freedom. You can have Bible study over an unpaid lunch hour (we do). You can attend any church without fear. You can stop and pray publicly any time. Don't forget that freedom, exercise it.
I am so fortunate and most days I journal that I have so much more than I ever need. Especially now. I have the ultimate gift of salvation. Investigate what born again means. It isn't probably what you thought it was. Throw out what your parents told you about "those" religious people. Born Agains are popping up everywhere. Mostly it is Christians who missed the Holy Spirit element. And when it decides to fill your being, it will provide you with so many answers and guidance.
Amen. It is so. Lord, please bless this blog.
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