Cultivating Inner Wisdom

It is vital I spend "quiet time" with God.   This cultivates inner wisdom.  I can always tell when I haven't been diligent.  My disposition and perspective changes.  Daily, I continue to learn, grow, and discover.  The two previous GMG posts line up with promises I made to myself awhile ago; ("Praying Intentionally" and "I Have a Wonderful Counselor").  I am so thankful to be a part of GMG.  I know I made a wise decision.

Until next time....

I Am Going to Pass My Test!

In my quiet time, I am continuing to study a series by Pastor Joyce Meyer, called "Guard Your Heart".   
I've learned that no matter what, I have to trust God.  God's test are given to produce trust, faith, stability and patience.  Some of the test Pastor Joyce spoke of were:  


*The Wilderness Test (Israelites) -- When you feel completely dry and encounter one trial after another.  


**Passing Criteria? --  Rejoice -- Habakkuk 3:18-19
¹⁸Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!^(A)

¹⁹The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! For the Chief Musician; with my stringed instruments

*The Trust Test -- When our circumstances don't make sense, we're hurt, clueless and life seems unfair


**Passing Criteria? -- Trust God -- Know that God is in control and he won't place more on us than we can bear.


*The Judas Kiss Test (Jesus and his disciple Judas)  (one of the hardest and most important) -- When someone you trust betrays and rejects you.


**Passing Criteria? --  "Don't let it stop you.  Keep your eyes on God and you will accomplish your purpose"


We can be assured that at some point, like Jesus, we will be let down and rejected by a loved one.  


When "going through" tests I often wonder when I'll see the light.  But as always, I trust in his promise that he will never leave me or forsake me. Hebrews 13:5  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.  With his grace and mercy, I know each time, I will pass my test!! 


Until next time....

The Parable of the Sower

Please excuse my tardiness Girls....            

As I've stated in my previous posts, I am on my journey to bearing the fruit of gentleness and self-control.  God gently spoke to my spirit and said, "you must work on your heart".  I recently received a CD/DVD/Teaching Note Set from Joyce Meyer Ministries titled; "Guard Your Heart".  I have been a follower of her ministry for a few years.  She is such an inspiration to me.  As I began reading, the first scripture (promise) was:  

Proverbs 4:23: (AMP)

²³Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life 

I must keep a clean heart. In her teaching Pastor Joyce states, "if we maintain correct heart attitudes, our hearts will be clean and life will flow from us".  As I continued to read, I began to summarize Luke 8:4-15 -  "The Parable of the Sower".  Jesus is telling the disciples the story of a planter sowing his seeds.  He told of how some of the seeds fell along the roadside, some fell on the rocks, some fell in the thorns and some fell in soil.  In my understanding, Jesus is speaking of his words as seeds and our heart is the soil.  When I attended World Changers Church International, I'd heard the term "good ground" often.  I thought it only meant giving to a church with an anointed pastor.  Today, in reading this teaching, my perspective has been greatly broadened.  I now understand that a person's "faith filled heart" (soil) is "good ground".  That's where God's seeds are sown, grown, and harvested.  All I have to do is believe in and apply God's word.  On my journey, I must vigilantly guard my heart with his word (seeds) to allow complete fruition.  

I included the scriptures here from Bible.com  Enjoy!  Until next time....  

Passage Luke 8:4-18: (AMP) Parable of the Sower

⁴And when a very great throng was gathering together and people from town after town kept coming to Jesus, He said in a parable:    ⁵A sower went out to sow seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the traveled path and was trodden underfoot, and the birds of the air ate it up.
    ⁶And some [seed] fell on the rock, and as soon as it sprouted, it withered away because it had no moisture.
    ⁷And other [seed] fell in the midst of the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it [off].
    ⁸And some seed fell into good soil, and grew up and yielded a crop a hundred times [as great]. As He said these things, He called out, He who has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him ^[a]consider and understand by hearing!
    ⁹And when His disciples asked Him the meaning of this parable,
    ¹⁰He said to them, To you it has been given to [come progressively to] know (to recognize and understand more strongly and clearly) the mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that, [though] looking, they may not see; and hearing, they may not comprehend.^{(A)
    11}Now the meaning of the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.
    ¹²Those along the traveled road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and carries away the message out of their hearts, that they may not believe (^[b]acknowledge Me as their Savior and devote themselves to Me) and be saved [here and hereafter].
    ¹³And those upon the rock [are the people] who, when they hear [the Word], receive and welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof).
    ¹⁴And as for what fell among the thorns, these are [the people] who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (come to maturity and perfection).
    ¹⁵But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (^[c]noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.
    ¹⁶No one after he has lighted a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it under a [dining table] couch; but he puts it on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.
    ¹⁷For there is nothing hidden that shall not be disclosed, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come out into the open.
    ¹⁸Be careful therefore how you listen. For to him who has [spiritual knowledge] will more be given; and from him who does not have [spiritual knowledge], even what he thinks and^[d]guesses and ^[e]supposes that he has will be taken away.

  

  

Good Morning Girls...

Today in my quiet time, I searched for God's promises on health, marriage, healing, gentleness, self-control, and anger.  His word is truly a weapon.  I'm getting better.  Yes, I still trip and stumble but I am not falling as hard as I used to:).  I know his word is taking root.  I am happy and blessed this day:)!  Until next time....

It's Wednesday, Good Morning Girls:-)

Hello!


As I stated from my previous "Women in the Word Wed." post, I am still focusing on bearing the fruit of gentleness and self control.  In my quiet time today, I revisited my personal journal and read upon an entry that focuses on my goal. 


Entry: 4/28/10-- "I was reading a book I picked up from the Dollar Tree titled, 101 Ways to Simplify Your Life.  Way #95, "Have Faith in the Process",  spoke to my spirit.  I liked these words:


"You may not be able to figure it all out.  It's simpler to place it in God's hands and trust the process.  Let things unfold as they will and allow God to lead every step of the way."


When I am not gentle or let my emotions get the best of me, I beat myself up about it.  Nobody's perfect.  I must bring those thoughts into captivity and think positively.  (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 - "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.")


I must renew my mind.  I'm gettting better and I must continue to  "Have Faith in the Process".


Until next time....

Good Morning Girls:-)

I am sooo excited to begin again with GMG:-)!!!!.  I have begun reading  The Power of a Woman's Words  by Sharon Jaynes.  I have been truly humbled, gained insight, and given a  new perspective.  I was moved by these words:

"The tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity" (James 3:6 NASB).  "It can only be tamed by the power of the Holy Spirit".

"A mother's support means a great deal to her child.  She is an encourager whose voice can be heard echoing in the distance, pumping courage and confidence into her children's hearts.  She's the cheerleader on the sidelines who knows that an uplifting word, offered at the right moment, might make the difference between her children finishing well or collapsing along the way."

"There are times in any friendship when confrontation is necessary, but we must always make sure that the confrontation is wrapped in prayer and tied with the lovely bow of love.  If we take any joy whatsoever in the process, then we must stop and check our motives and attitudes."

Lastly, where my bookmark stands:  "Powerful words are not caustic words. They are gentle, tender  words wrapped in an attitude of love.  Paul wrote to the Colossians, "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."  (Colossians 3:12)

Until next time....