The Dream Reality: There is only One Way

Beloved, today I write you to share a vivid dream I had that is actually the reality of the human condition. With that said, I rejoice in God Almighty for this honor and privilege and opportunity to invite you into my HEART...

Awakening: Asking For The Holy Spirit

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NKJV)



Awakening (defined by Dictionary.com): rousing; quickening; the act of awaking from sleep; a revival of interest or attention; a recognition, realization, or coming into awareness of something; a renewal of interest in religion, especially in a community; a revival.



Father, Your Son said to us, how much more would your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (Luke 11:13)

AWAKENING

And so I ask!

Where is God at?!

I have thought such a thought, and asked such a question. Where is God at?! We all have. Today’s post speaks just to that.

Tonight's conversation with God

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4)


Beloved, this verse spoke to me in a whole new way. As I was speaking openly with my God, and I said that I desire to expose freely and unashamedly what are the desires of my heart with Him, God shared this with me. “Delighting in me has nothing to do with performing a specific task, but allowing your deepest desires to be exposed and no longer hidden from me. In that! Your desires are not shameful but honorable, and that! I will give to you. Amen.” Amen!

I rejoice! in that, these words echoed the Truth my God shared with me moments prior. This is the revelation! In the garden, Adam without sin, delighted in the LORD GOD, and walked freely exposed and unashamedly with God, yet sin was crouching about, and soon after, Adam and Eve no longer delighted in God but in the desire of themselves, and deceit over took them, and no longer were their desires exposed without shame, but very much unexposed in complete shame, to the point that they saw their image being tarnished and had to be covered up.

This is why man cannot freely expose unashamedly their thoughts, motives and actions, as they are corrupt only desiring to fulfill themselves shamefully, instead of the bond between God and man; Creator and creation— to which, is honorable in and of itself. Amen.

The question begged immediately arises. How can we as human beings return to that honorable relationship with God?! The answer is not as we would imagine— being some sort of ritual or task to accomplish, but once again, in desiring close fellowship with God, and walking once again amongst Him and that is through the covenant relationship with Jesus.

Jesus alone, is the Way back to fellowship with God. This is the Truth I speak, and in that, we will no longer be cut off from God in our shame, but once more will walk exposed, freely and unashamedly in a Life with God. Amen!

Beloved, it is well with my soul to share great encouragement and bring hope to you, but this is merely a stepping stone, for true riches lie within a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ the Lord. He alone, is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amen.

All you need to do is delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Amen.

As always...YOU ARE LOVED.

What's my PURPOSE?

Do you find yourself wondering what you’re supposed to do with your life? Are you not content with where you’re at in life?

Here’s the bold and honest truth. You’ll never be satisfied with your life until you know what’s your purpose. And let me tell you it’s not getting up everyday going to work, coming home, watching some tv and going to bed to repeat the process all over again.


Mediocrity is not defined as having little money, or not owning a property— It's living a life for yourself.


How do you know your purpose? It's starts with this: Do not do as the world says to do: Seeking influence, fortune and fame for yourself. Allow your mind to escape what you have seen and known and become transformed through the renewing of your mind by the Word of God, and in that! You'll come to prove and know God's good, acceptable and perfect will. Purpose is in knowing the Lord, and in knowing the Lord you will know His Word, and in knowing His Word, you will know your purpose. Amen.


Beloved, I to was lost but now I am found. I trust that such will be your great joy and delight as well, when you call; cry out, and look to a new direction by seeking God’s will through Jesus Christ— The Son of God. Amen

As always...YOU ARE LOVED.

My Book Report (Chapter 8): Every Day A Friday

Chapter Eight

Good afternoon! Today is April 13, 2012. I'm including the date as I'm actually writing My Book Report and saving them as I read a chapter. Yesterday I posted CHAPTER 1 and today I posted CHAPTER 2. You may actually read this chapter's book report, being on chapter 8 "Silencing the Voice of the Accuser" sometime next week or the following week, so I intentionally want you to know how I am going about this book report of mine. As I mentioned in chapter 1, I was given the great suggestion to blog about Joel Osteen's book Every Day A Friday by a friend and brother of mine Jeff Zelaya. My thinking as I read and write about this book is this: Save the chapters you read as drafts then you can catch up on other reads that peak your interest yet keeping your posts on the book reports fresh. Good thinking, right?!

Okay, this chapter had me thinking and reflecting, and being grateful to God for all He is and does for me, for you, for all of us a lot! Right off the back Joel shares a story of a young boy who in his innocence and ignorance, does something that caused him great anguish within himself and to cover it up, he is forced to become a slave to his sister. He killed a duck with his sling shot. The young boy does all her chores because she witnessed what he did, and in order for her silence to remain, he needed to do what she did. This young boy's sister was the accuser in the story. She would come to her brother and whisper to him, "remember the duck." A couple of days went by like this, and finally the boy couldn't take it any longer. He broke down. showed remorse for the wrong he did. He confessed to his grandma and asked to be forgiven. Amazingly, his grandma said that she saw everything that happened through the kitchen window. She saw him pull the sling shot back. She saw him aim. She saw the rock hit its target dead on. She saw the duck die. She saw how shocked he was for what he did. She saw him bury the duck. She even saw that his sister witnessed it as well. All she was waiting for, was for him to grow tired of being his sister's slave. This young boy's grandma said she already had forgiven him and with a loving hug she embraced him tightly. The amazing point of this story, is this. Although wrong doing brings shock and at times causes us to hide the truth and be filled with guilt, our remorse for what we do, leads to confession and the love through forgiveness we experience actually sets us FREE. 

Chapter eight can be a weapon if utilized well to break down those walls of guilt the Accuser builds up against us. The whole chapter is on guilt. The chapter shares how guilt builds up in us and reminds us of the tools we are given in Jesus Christ to break free from a guilt-filled life. Joel Osteen says these words towards guilt, "Guilt puts you on a treadmill; you're constantly working and struggling and sweating, but you don't move forward." This quote certainly speaks to me about something I have struggled with and constantly look to God for the strength to break free from such thoughts- Being active yet not productive. Activity is a treadmill. You're doing things but it takes you nowhere. Productivity always leads to a different destination. You are able to see sights, sounds, gain experience, meet new people and most importantly build strong lasting relationships. I wonder many times if I'm being a treadmill worker, or a destination traveler. How about you?

Truth be told, I have often heard the Accuser say to me, 'everything you write doesn't matter. It's wasted time. No one cares. You have nothing to offer. It will go nowhere. You think God is doing something with it, but He isn't!' In effect, those words are just like the sister's words to her brother, "remember the duck." They too, have made me at times a slave. But thanks be to God! For such friendly reminders on how to respond to the Accuser, such as this. "No thanks. I'm not going there. If God doesn't condemn me, I'm not condemning myself!" Amen.

Wow! In rereading what God placed into my heart to write above, I'm blown away by the love and willingness God displays in our lives and the many resources He presents in our lives through writers, speakers, teachers, pastors, etc... to reach out and say that He is here and that He has already forgiven us. God is good. Amen. Okay, this will be the eighth report on Joel Osteen's Every Day A Friday. I have said it before, and I'll say it again. I definitely recommend this book. It's my prayer and hope that my words; my time invested here, will result in all of you seeking out the resource I am recommending and greater than that, seek out God through confession for forgiveness if you too, have felt the imprisonment of guilt by the Accuser. God is love. Won't you experience that FORGIVING LOVE AND EMBRACE?


My Take Away:


There will always be a voice accusing you of what you did wrong. What you failed at. But, as the Word of God declares so triumphantly to all believers in Jesus everywhere, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1 NIV) let us all take those words in, and with conviction tell the Accuser, your words aren't stopping me from experiencing my God Potential, and certainly will not take my faith in God away. GET BEHIND ME SATAN!


Here are words of encouragement I gave myself, and I pass on to you. "Flavio, your guilt is left behind when your willingness to acknowledge yourself as a child of God is greater than the Accuser's willingness to harass you. Through God's grace you will rise higher, high above the Accuser where he can no longer harm you. Amen." 

A Beautiful Attitude (Part 8): Persecuted Righteousness

"Persecuted Righteousness many have suffered, but few know of it. In unveiling the Truth many lives will be forever changed. Do you know the Truth? His name is Jesus." - F. Lugo

Wow! This post is bitter sweet. I have come to the end of the words God shared with me concerning the Beatitudes in which the man, Jesus of Nazareth spoke to a great multitude. The Beatitudes is the amazing introduction to the greatest sermon ever preached: The Sermon on the Mount

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."(Matthew 5:10 NKJV)  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12 NKJV)

The Beatitudes are staples for good living and the blessings that go along with such a life lived. As we come to the end of this journey called "A Beautiful Attitude" I have experienced and witnessed many blessings in my life and the lives of others. Easter was just a few days ago, and although the day April 8th has came and gone, the everlasting impression it has left behind both now and when the events took place 2000+ years ago remain and continue to shape the lives and eternities of a great many who experience the love of Jesus Christ. Amen.

As I read and reread the verses in scripture above, so many things speak to me. But it's not about me, it's about you. Therefore, what do you think of the above words in scripture. The above words in red. The above words spoken by Jesus to a grand crowd that stood before Him? I prayed an amazing prayer before placing my fingers to the keys of my laptop. I asked God to give me the words to write that would change the lives of a great many forever. I asked God now to not allow these words, this series, this journey called A Beautiful Attitude to escape any eyes, and to lead many to share their thoughts, their insights, their experience with God through these words, even words of encouragement for the author. And as I said it to Him, I say it again...It's in Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Beloved, I am so overwhelmed by the love of God. I am so honored that God would choose me to write about such precious words, that were spoken so long ago and are forever ingrained in the hearts, minds, bodies and souls of a great many. The words are known as the Beatitudes. The speaker and Author is Jesus the Nazarene. And they are located in the Book of Matthew in the Fifth Chapter verses 1-12. It's been a great honor and privilege to receive from the pages of God's heart, as a deposit into my heart, as God's extended hand of friendship to all of your precious hearts. God bless you all.

Beloved, here are the links to the first 7 parts of "A Beautiful Attitude"

PART 1: Poor In Spirit

PART 2: Your Mourning Will Be Comforted

PART 3: Lay It Down

PART 4: A Satisfied Life Is A Righteous Life

PART 5: Show Mercy

PART 6: A Pure Heart

PART 7: Are You A Peacemaker?