DON'T GET HAUGHTY, GET HAPPY!

Make a joyful noise unto th eLord, all ye lands.  Serve the Lord wiht gladness: come before his presence wiht singing.  Know ye htat the Lord he is God it is he that hath make us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.   KJV Psalms 100 in it's entirity...



That was our base scripture for last nights wonderful bible study.  God's pressence fell beautifully as Pastor Juanita began expounding on the Word of God.  PRIDE.  SLAVE. SERVANT. JOY.

These words filled her heartfelt message. Here are some keys that were given last night:

***PRIDE:
-KEEPS US FROM EXPERIENCING GODS PRESENCE
-KEEPS US BOUND TO BEING SELF RELIANT
-CAUSES US TO CONTINUALLY FALL SHORT OF WHAT GOD REQUIRES
-KEEPS US FROM HAVING THE JOY OF SERVANTHOOD

THE REMEDY IS HUMILITY!!! PRIDE IS A DISEASE THAT RUINS THE BODY OF CHRIST! IT MUST BE TORN DOWN IN ORDER TO COME CLOSER TO GOD!

***SLAVE:
-DOES THE MINIMUM WORK....GRUDGINGLY
-GOES A MILE....HALF HEARTEDLY
-HAS TO DO WHAT HE/SHE IS ASKED....STUBBORNLY
-LIFE IS TAKEN AWAY

THEY DO THE LEAST AMOUNT OF WORK UNWILLINGLY, GETS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SUCCESS UNGRATEFULLY, HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF JOY, BUT THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF PRIDE.


~`~HOWEVER~`~ Here is what we are called to be...

***SERVANT
-FULFILLS THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL...EXCELLENTLY
-GOES THE EXTRA MILE.....WHOLE HEARTEDLY
-IS GLAD TO (EVEN HONORED TO) DO WHATEVER IS REQUIRED
-GIVES UP HIS/HER LIFE WILLINGLY

THEY DO THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF WORK AND LOOK FOR WAYS TO DO MORE, GET THE MOST HONOR IN GOD'S EYES BY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO HONOR HIM GRATEFULLY, HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PRIDE, AND THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF JOY.  *THIS IS WHAT JESUS WAS/ IS AND WHAT WE SHOULD ALL PURSUE!*


***JOY
-IS A CHOICE
-IS OUR STRENGTH
-WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE A WHOLE LOT BETTER!


We have our bible studies every Thursday night beginning at 6p.m. and they are truely wonderful!  We would love to see you next time and we pray that these words bless you!

The Heart of the Matter

Lust.Hatred.Greed.Anger.Depression.

No matter what it is, we all have something in our hearts that we must deal with.  If we simply let it fester and ignore the precious Holy Spirits nudge to handle whats in our hearts, we are definitely going to face a fall.  WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES IN OUR HEARTS.  God will deal with us about things such as these because He loves us. Not only that, we are His temple, and it's an insult to Him to force Him to co-habitate in our hearts with the very things that pull us away from Him.  In the 23 chapter of Ezekiel we find two sisters (Jerusalem and Samaria) who have a lust issue in their hearts.  Yes they are God's beloved, yes they know the correct way, but they refuse to let go of their inner issue.  It isn't their circumstance around them, it's their iniquity within them.

         Let's specify the inner issue of lust for a moment.

Lustful=unfaithful.  It makes promises, but it will never keep them.  It is only a perversion of  the way God created love.  Lust will never nurture you. And a lack of nurturing, at any age, will leave you with a heart filled with "un's" I.E. unmet needs, unresolved issues, unhealed hurts, unforgiveness, untrusting, unsure, insecurity, unrealistic expectations, improper affections and the list goes on and on! And when we don't get what we need, we search for things to fill our voids. pornagraphy, drugs, food, t.v., daydreaming etc.  All of these are tools of escapism. A dangerous thing that will leave us unsatisfied every time.

THE CURE: ASK GOD TO TEACH YOU HOW TO LOVE AND TO FILL YOUR VOIDS.

                                                                Pray this prayer,

Jesus, my fragmented heart feels a hunger for something I can't describe that I don't find in the world around me.  I've tasted a thousand options, and still my longing is sharp.  I'm hungry for a home, a place where I'm treasured, an embrace where I am safe and wanted.  Could this home be you, dear Jesus?  Do your arms hold a place for me?  Increase my courage, Lord, to turn day today from things that leave me empty, and to feed my heart instead with more and more of you. Amen.