Society Says....

Society says according to statistics I’ll live in poverty because I’m a black young single mother, but Romans 8:37 says “No despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who love us. Society looks down on me because I have a child but Psalm 127:3 says “behold children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb”. Society says if I’m not super skinny or super thick with long straight hair I’m not attractive, but 1Samuel 16:7 says but The Lord said to Samuel “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his statue, because I have rejected him. For The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but The Lord looks on the heart. Society says it’s okay to allow people to touch you or to change your body to appeal others, but 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says “or do you not know that your body is a temple of The Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body”. Society tells men its okay to be single and chase different women, but Genesis 2:18 says then The Lord said “it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a helper FIT for him”. Society says “love knows no gender”, but Leviticus 20:13 says “if a man lies with a man as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they surely be put to death: their blood is upon them”.

As I wrote this a million things society says ran through my mind, I just can’t write them all. The funny thing is everything “society says” the bible addresses it!! There really is nothing new under the sun. God knew “society” would say certain things today just as they did back in the day, to influence or discourage us in our situations. That is why we look to him. That is why we seek what God knows about us and not what people of this world thinks about us. We are to be pleasing God. Nobody walking this earth today died for your sins, they didn’t save you, and their opinion doesn’t matter. Love to please Jesus, live to make him smile and be proud of you. Understand his love is like no other. You can search the world, but you’ll NEVER find a man’s love that’s as gentle and kind as Jesus’!

-Proverbs 31:30 “charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears The Lord is to be praised.”

If you love someone tell them

I love you

Destaynee

What to wear to church??

Have you ever found yourself not knowing what to wear to church? Or do you know what to wear but it doesn’t show your creativity? Most women (not all) like fashion in some sorts. They either like accessories, different statement pieces, shoes etc, whatever the case may be we like fashion. If you’re like me you like pushing the limit, mixing and matching not really dressing generically. Well today at church I wore a skirt. It was adorable; it had the peplum thing going on, fairly fitted, very 40’s ish. I was determined to convince myself that it was fine to wear to church. So yes I wore it to church,then conviction sat in. I felt convicted because although I know that I’m not wearing clothing to impress, or distract men from church or God, that could’ve happen. We as women are to dress modestly. 1 Timothy Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works..

Well what does modest mean? Unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements.(of an amount, rate, or level of something) Relatively moderate, limited, or small.

humble - unassuming - unpretentious - lowly – moderate

Don’t confuse modest with homely, ugly, or old. Most of us don’t want to dress ugly lol. We want to dress age appropriate, yet modern etc.  Sometimes it’s hard to find cute church clothes that are age appropriate, we don’t want to dress like grandma, and we want to keep our style and flare. As the Rev. preached today about Jonah and letting go and letting God, and what is our Jonah that we are holding on to? I realized my style of dress could be a Jonah. No wearing certain clothing isn’t causing ME to sin, but it may cause someone else to sin. No my clothing isn’t breaking MY fellowship, but it may cause someone else to break their fellowship. I know you’re thinking “well if someone is sinning because of what someone else wears that’s their problem not mine. I agree because that was my thought also. I can’t control when someone sins, I have no idea what sins people are struggling with.  True we don’t know what someone maybe dealing with. We don’t want to be a stumbling block to your brother in Christ either. We are our brother’s keeper. I believe that applies to our brothers in Christ as well as our blood brothers. We have a responsibility to one another, and we don’t want to see anyone fall and we don’t want to play a part in their falling. I didn’t wear that skirt today to PURPOSLY cause someone to stumble, be disrespectful or a distraction, but I did see some of the looks some of the men were giving me and it made me very uncomfortable.  So I will NEVER wear that skirt to church again LOL seriously though. We should be mindful of what we wear. When we accept Christ in our lives as our personal Lord and Savior we should have a renewing of our mind. Trust me ONLY God can renew your mind, you can try as long and as hard as you want to, but only God can do that. So don’t try to think it’s something you can do by your own might, because you will be sadly mistaken. I believe it may take a renewing of your mind if you’re going to church to purposely cause people to stumble. If you’re like me and you just like to wear cute clothes that compliment your body, but other people may perceive you far from what your trying to be perceived as, lets pray that God renews our mind In that area of our lives.  Clothing isn’t that important to have to hold onto so tight that we can’t make certain previsions, to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should want people to see our light, our God in us before the see our hips and thighs and behind. We should want Christ to be seen all around us and not our chest hanging out. I think that’s important for young women and not just for church, but in our day to day life period. Let’s be modest and save certain things for our one day husband. You don’t want every member of the church to know that you’re a “brick house” before your husband does.

(No i didn't wear a scarf on my head to church, but this is the skirt you can't really see it all, it does come slightly past my knee's but it is fairly tight. more for a date with your husband, not your weekly date at church with God. Lesson learned (: )

If you love someone tell them

I love you

Destaynee

What spirit is leading you?

So at one point or another we have all be under attack by the enemy. I mean that is if you are a child of God. See the enemy hates God, and he hates anyone and anything that God Loves. If you’re a child of God, he loves you. He proved his love to you by sending his son to die for you. The devil knows this. If you don’t know much about the devil you should research him lol. He was Lucifer, the angel God went to for music, but he got greedy and wanted to be more powerful than God, so him and 1/3 of the angels got kicked out of heaven. He can’t return to heaven. God does not love him, God does not need him. He is God’s enemy!! So since we are God’s children we have a target on us!! The devil does not want God’s children to succeed, he doesn’t want anything good to happen to us, and he wants to take us out! (John 10:10 the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.) We have to understand that the devil is NOT omnipresent. (He can’t be at 2 places at once) If the devil is busy up in South Dakota, he’s not down in Texas making a mess either. BUT those angles that got kicked out of heaven, those are what we call demons. This is a spiritual warfare so just like there angels around, there are demons around also.( Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.) We have to remind ourselves, just like we are led by the Holy Spirit; there are people that are led by demonic spirits.  That verse says to me if you’re not walking with The Holy Spirit, if you’re not following The Holy Spirit, you’re walking in a spirit that’s feeding your flesh. Your walking in a self-pleasuring spirit, you’re walking in a carnal worldly spirit. To put it simply you’re against God when you’re walking in a spirit that’s not of him.( Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh). (Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.) -We’ve gotten too accustomed to watering down things, let’s be real because God is real the devil is real and so is heaven and hell-. Well how do you know when you’re walking with The Holy Spirit? Will I bust out dancing like the women in church? Will I start running around the church building is that how I know I have the Holy Ghost, will that let me know I’m walking with Christ?? NO!  I haven’t found in the bible where it says people bust out in dance when they are walking in the Spirit. Those people that are dancing and running are PRAISING God! That doesn’t mean they have The Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit doesn’t hit you and your body shake. You receive The Holy Spirit when you accept Christ into your life. The Holy Ghost dwells within you. Now, just because you have received Christ as your personal Lord and Savior does NOT mean you’re WALKING in the Spirit, does NOT mean you’re abiding with Christ. That doesn’t mean that. (1 John 3:24 whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.) There are plenty of people that believe in God, believe in Jesus, accepted him but aren’t living for him. Therefore it’s kind of impossible to walk in the Spirit of a God you’re not living for, you see what I’m saying? Now that that is understood I think we have to be careful of the things people tell us, especially those that call themselves Christians. Back in the days people had to PROVE that they were Christians, they had to PROVE that they had The Holy Spirit. We don’t do that because we have faith that when we accept him he comes to us. I think it’s important we test the spirit of self-proclaimed Christians. Anyone can say the words “I’m a Christian”, but what does your lifestyle say? (Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.) Don’t get me wrong there are a lot of nice people out there that just do nice things, that doesn’t make them saved. We all know that God doesn’t change. God doesn’t say one thing and do another, he can’t and he won’t! He’s the same God to me that he is to you and to your pastor. The Holy Spirit isn’t going to tell me one thing and tell you another thing. His word is true and it will NEVER contradict itself. And that’s where we have to be careful. The devil will use whoever is available to be used. Children of God are off limits to children of God as in he can only do so much; he has to go to God and ask him if he can tempt us. Now those children of God that aren’t walking in the Spirit, you know the believe in God, but they believe in pleasing their flesh more those people can be used by the devil. He’s already using them getting them to sin.(they are bewitched) It’s nothing for them to try to speak to you(not fully knowing/believing that they are being used by the devil) and say “that doesn’t sit well with my spirit” “God doesn’t want you to do that”. I can’t stress enough that The Holy Spirit will not contradict himself. God is NOT the author of confusion that is the devil! The Holy Spirit isn’t going to tell you to do this and that for ministry and then tell someone else something different, causing confusion or doubt. That is the devil trying to trick you! The devil doesn’t care; he will use the people closest to you to try to stop you from doing God’s work. He will do everything in his power to TRY to stop God’s work. That is why we MUST test the spirits of those around us. A person being led by The Holy Spirit, you will know by the things they say, they’re actions. They won’t contradict God and his word!! It’s SO important that we understand this. Don’t be afraid or shocked when people close to you are being led by the wrong spirit, the devil doesn’t care, just be in constant prayer for those people. Anyone who tries to stop God’s work will be subject to his wrath. So pray for them!!

If you love someone tell them

I love you

Goodnight

Destaynee

2013, Another Chance

So it’s 2013 Happy New Year!!

(yesterday 01/05/13 before work)

Often times around this time you hear about people making resolutions. Everyone loves to quote “New Year New me”, “out with the old in with the new”, “new year on to the next”. I mean I could go on about the quotes that people like to quote around New Years. My Pastor calls it another chance. If your reading this you have been given another chance at life. If you’re a Christian you have been given another chance to have true repentance (turn away from sins), another chance to truly live for God, another chance to help with the building of God’s kingdom. You have been given another chance to use the gifts God has given you. My Pastor preached from Luke 13:1-9 those verses are talking about how Jesus was looking to the fig tree for figs, but the tree wasn’t producing any fruit. Often times we are like fig trees. We look like we’re bearing fruit because we aren’t as bad as other people. I’m sure you have gotten that comparison. “Oh you’re nothing like people your age” more than likely they are comparing you to people of the world. Yes of course we should be NOTHING like people of the world, but God has such a greater expectation of us. We shouldn’t be comparing ourselves to one another; we should compare ourselves to ourselves. We should want to be better spiritually than we were in 2012. We should want to go harder for Christ this year than we did last year. A lot of people end up depressed around the New Year because they feel they are in the same situation they were in since last year if you think about it we are. The date on the calendar didn’t change your financial situation. The date on the calendar didn’t change your living situation. Most of us are in the same place in life we were in 2012.  You don’t have to be in the same place spiritually. That’s what’s so amazing about God we don’t have to WAIT to get to know him; we don’t have to WAIT to live for him. We can do that now, we can turn our lives around right now. We have another chance, we have new mercies, new grace, and we have stepped into a new season, a season of favor, a season of expectation. God has so much confidence in us; he has invested in us greatly. He sent his son to die for us, surely he expects something’s from us. He expects us (children of God) to be holy, pure, have true repentance, to walk in love, to be obedient to his will and his word, to be wise (ask for wisdom), to have faith in him. We can’t please God unless we have faith, it’s impossible. I also personally believe if God has called you and you have responded to the call it’s up to us to find out our purpose. Once we find our purpose we have to move in it. I think often times we get busy in life and then church just become a weekly thing. If we’re Children of God, we are children daily. Work doesn’t stop us from being children of God and it shouldn’t stop us from doing his work. There are so many people on this earth, what if God stopped doing his work in our life because he had to deal with tragedy elsewhere? Wouldn’t be feel cheated? Like whoa what’s going? Imagine God saying whoa what’s going on, I’ve given this person the testimony, the wisdom, the Power and the Holy Spirit and they still aren’t moving in my will, they still aren’t fulfilling their purpose. To me that would hurt God’s feelings. He expects certain things of us. To me he doesn’t ask much, not nearly as much as we ask of him. So why can’t we live up to these expectations? In Luke chapter 13 Jesus has been coming to the vineyard to seek the fruit of the fig tree and he didn’t have any fruit for 3 years!! 3 years! Then he says “Lord, let it alone this year also, til I shall dig about it and dung it 9) and if it bears it fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down”. That fig tree got another chance. Jesus gave that fig tree another chance because he had expectations for it! God has expectations for every single one of us that are his children. Many times he comes to the garden (our heart) and searches for the fruit we are to be bearing. Many of us are like fig trees. We have the “leaves” looking and acting like we’re bearing fruit, but once you get up close we have nothing. No fruit! Jesus has spoken before about cutting branches down that aren’t bearing fruit. What if we were cut down, but our cutting down was death. What if death fell upon us because we weren’t bearing fruit?? I believe this 2013 year it’s time to bear the fruit. You know a lemon tree because it has lemons, same for an orange and mango tree. If we want to be identified as children of God we need to have some fruit hanging off our branches to show that. Anyone can call themselves a child of God, but what is your lifestyle saying??. Let’s take this walk with God serious. Let’s look to improve our spiritual mindset. Improve our spiritual relationship with Christ. We expect great things from God, lets live up to the expectations he has for us.

If you love someone tell them

I love you

Destaynee