Resolved Not to Defile!

I have been slowly working through Beth Moore's "Daniel" study and when I say slowly -I mean I am still in week one... something she said in the opening session has stuck with me and I have been turning it around in my head. She said that in Daniel's day, "to share a meal was to commit oneself to friendship" - it was a sign of coming into covenant with someone...so in Daniel 1:8, when Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the food from the King's table what he was really saying was, "I refuse to switch my allegiance from the one true God to the false gods of Babylon". He determined not to break his covenant to Father God even though those around him were doing everything in their power to force the situation -even changing his name(more on that in a future post)!
In the course of this first week's study, the question of cultural influence and indoctrination was posed. She asked us what bothered us most...
The truth is -if you are walking & breathing, believer or not-- you have been indoctrinated.

As I was thinking about this, my focus kept coming back to the church (of which I am a part -least anyone think I am excluding myself from this sermon)...
What bothers me most is that the church has been unwittingly indoctrinated into the world's way of doing life, health and nutrition -in many respects there is no difference between us and the world...the divorce rate is the same, we are dying from the same diseases and we are literally eating from the same table! Some would argue that it is because we live in a fallen world that these similarities exist and while that may be a contributing factor, it is becoming more and more clear to me that our own choice (overt or covert) to embrace the patterns and behaviors of the world are at the center of our demise.

The majority of us (when I say us I'm referring to believers) have adopted the same hurried lifestyle, pace and values of the world... we pile our plates high with the same rich food, we satiate our lust for more, we burn the candle at both ends and we practice very little restraint. All the while, disabling the God-given system for naturally building and sustaining health within our bodies. Then, we plop down in the Doctor's chair and expect some chemist's potion to miraculously cure -in reality only mask -  the damage that is a direct result of what we ourselves have either knowingly or unknowingly propagated against ourselves through poor lifestyle choices, neglect of  pursuing and applying truth in health practices and nutritional compromises. We have effectively incapacitated ourselves on a whole host of levels and virtually rendered ourselves ineffective for the kingdom because we look no different than the world around us!

That's a pretty bleak summation if it stopped there...but there is hope! The bible says in Hosea that we are perishing for lack of knowledge. It also says, in the Book of James, that Father delights in giving us wisdom. His truth and operating in the fullness of his principles really does set us free! We just have to seek it and then practice it on a daily basis...

Studies show (I and my family are living testimonies) that adopting a lifestyle of true health and wellness -including a healthy nervous system, organic whole foods nutrition, detoxing, exercise and renewing your mind in the truth of God's Word all work in tandem to effectively reverse and in most cases obliterate the plague of conditions and diseases that are robbing us of the abundant, long life God promises in his Word and intends for each of us to experience! When we start putting sound nutrition into play and eliminate emotional, chemical and physical stressors from our body's systems then, this amazing machine - God's pristine design~the pinnacle of his creation- begins to operate in it's perfect order: restoring, regulating and healing itself! All it takes is a willingness to pursue truth, shift our paradigms to it and practice what we learn on a daily basis.

It worked for Daniel! He refused to "defile himself" (Daniel 1:8) and the favor of the Father rested on him all the days of his life even in the midst of great adversity:

"At the end of 10 days[of eating healthy, nutritious food] they looked better and healthier than all the young men who were eating the king's food."

Daniel 1:15

In the 3 years of keeping covenant and pursuing health and not the world's way ...

" God gave....knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind...In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them 10 times better than all the diviner-priests and mediums in his entire kingdom."

Daniel 1: 17 & 20

To do what Daniel did takes resolve and courage! You will in essence be a salmon swimming upsteam...you will risk offending and even those closest to you thinking you're crazy or weird (Jesus did, too) but, in the end the narrow way will lead to fullness of life and freedom!

You can do it!

Resolve to be a covenant keeper and set your face like flint to the task and beyond that to the One who has called you to the task...Father will empower and equip you with all you need to rise to the challenge!

To your health and that of the generations that will be forever changed because of your courage "not to defile" yourself... May Father reap His glory from your faithful obedience and may his kingdom come through hands and feet surrendered and submitted to his way! AMEN!

Faithful into Captivity and Through it!

Daniel 1:

Father God gave the Israelites into the hands of the Babylonians- He sovereignly directed their captivity. It didn't catch him off guard or by surprise... it was by design! This captivity encompassed everyone -it wasn't selective - both faithful and unfaithful were bond and dragged away...

Think about it, for Daniel to take the bold stand he took in Verse 8 of Chapter 1, he had to have been grounded in an abiding faith and understood the very character of Father God toward him. That faith originated somewhere and I venture to say it was not birthed at the point of confrontation - emboldened maybe but, not birthed!

I believe his courageous action demonstrates a pure unwavering faith and confidence in Father God and HIS WAY...and the Word says that God granted him favor in that. One could surmise from that, that Father God was using captivity to test and prove Daniel's faith...

Judging by the extended favor and according to scripture, Daniel was passing the test and continued in that favor for the entirety of his life - although (and don't miss this) the Bible tells us in Verse 21 of Chapter 1 that he REMAINED there...he never left captivity and yet he maintained this faithful and favored status!

Father God led a faithful man into the dessert of captivity- surrounded him by his enemy - in fact he enslaved him to his enemy. He tested and grew his faith, and empowered him to make a bold stand. God granted him favor in the presence of that same enemy, increased his position, knowledge and spiritual understanding, as well as, his physical health. All the while, maintaining the captive status.

The question we are tempted to ask here is WHY?

Why would a loving God give his faithful ones into the hands of their enemies and allow them to be taken into captivity?

Why would he allow them to remain in that place?

I think the better question in this is...WHAT?

WHAT?

What was Father purposed in doing here?

What was the bigger picture goal?

In my view, the answer is fourfold:

1) He is a just and Holy God who can not let sin go unpunished and will not yield His glory to another!
Israel, as a whole, was prone to wander and needed some redirecting (captivity seemed to do the       trick every time) In that, sin has far-reaching consequences and effects even the faithful.

2) This was a perfect opportunity to strengthen, grow and prove the faithful's faith...while demonstrating his absolute sovereignty over the situation (He is Lord even in captivity - there is no other).

3) In the places of deepest hardship, pain and wounding, he delights in being " I AM" -showering his favor and displaying his splendor... getting his glory from righteous lives - bringing blessing and light even to the darkest moments.

4) The bottom line, if captivity is the drawing force for his glory, fame and renown to be ushered in then, captivity is the place he will lead -not only to prove the character of those being led and transform them into the image of Jesus Christ but, to raise his standard that he might draw all men unto himself!

If I'm remembering correctly, the ultimate outcome for Daniel was the enemy captor declaring the sovereignty of the captive's God!

Goal accomplished!

Feeling lead to start a study from the Book of Daniel...having a "For such a time as this" urging...asking for revelation and renewed passion and vision for the Word and the truth Holy Spirit wants to reveal...more to come -as I go! Dive in if you wish...

The Book of Daniel (its one of the prophetic books towards the back of the Old Testament)

Matthew 24

Jesus Foretells the Future


 ¹ As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. ² But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

 ³ Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”

 ⁴ Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, ⁵ for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. ⁷ Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. ⁸ But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

 ⁹ “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. ¹⁰ And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. ¹¹ And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. ¹² Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. ¹³But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

 ¹⁵ “The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) ¹⁶ “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. ¹⁷ A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. ¹⁸ A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. ¹⁹ How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. ²⁰ And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. ²² In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.

 ²³ “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. ²⁵ See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.

 ²⁶ “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! ²⁷ For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. ²⁸ Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.

 ²⁹ “Immediately after the anguish of those days,

   the sun will be darkened,
      the moon will give no light,
   the stars will fall from the sky,
      and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

 ³⁰ And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

 ³² “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. ³³ In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. ³⁴ I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. ³⁵Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

 ³⁶ “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

 ³⁷ “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. ³⁸ In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. ³⁹ People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

 ⁴⁰ “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

 ⁴² “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. ⁴³ Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

 ⁴⁵ “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. ⁴⁶ If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. ⁴⁷ I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. ⁴⁸ But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ ⁴⁹ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? ⁵⁰ The master will return unannounced and unexpected, ⁵¹ and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Convinced!

      I am convinced now -more than at any point in our history- that we as believers need to know who we are in Christ, what The Word says to be true of us, and what authority we have over our enemy and his powers that operate freely in this world. We need to arm ourselves with truth and act upon the truth we know! We need to be rehearsing that truth and the stance we will take in the face of opposition. Our resolve must be strong and grounded in the overwhelming heart knowledge that we are abundantly loved and cared for even in the face of death and/or persecution. We need to take authority over the demonic forces coming against us and stand our ground in the power and name of Jesus Christ! We need to be proactive in our understanding of the times and current world events...we need to be creating community and establishing networks -readying ourselves to be self-sustaining and sufficient in a very practical and tangible sense - off the radar as it were...
       I believe a time is coming where we will be tested in these things and life as we know it may drastically change or not exist at all... I am not an alarmist by nature but, I am becoming more and more convinced of the truth of these statements and believe we need to be prepared and at the ready -not caught off guard! 

1 Peter 3:14-16

¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats^[a]; do not be frightened.”^[b] 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

2 Timothy 4:1-3

¹ In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: ² Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

Let's Be Ready!

Now That You Know...

As I was reading this morning, I came to verse I can honestly say I had never seen before or at least it had not registered with me in the way that it did this morning...

The context is the upper room -the night Jesus was betrayed - he has just taken off his robe and given the disciples an object lesson on servanthood by washing their feet... at the tail end He inserts this simple thought:

" Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them." ~ John 13:17

Jesus is very plainly laying it out for them...blessing comes in doing what we "KNOW" is true and right before the Lord...

How many times do we say, "I know I should, but....(fill in your blank here)"

The simple response to "I know I should..." is DO IT! If you know you should (and I am speaking most loudly to myself) then DO what you know you should!

The "doing"(being obedient) is what activates the "blessings" according to Jesus...and I believe it!

What was in that "blank"___________ -now- go DO IT and be blessed in your obedience!

Who He Is...Encouragement for the Day!

" The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness, His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ' The Lord is my inheritance, therefore, I will hope in Him!' The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him...

...I called your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, ' Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!' Yes, you came when I called; you told me, 'Do not fear.' Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case! For you have redeemed my life."

~ Lamentations 3:22-25 & 55-58

He is absolutely faithful and loves us with a love we have no way of comprehending this side of heaven but, he is true to it no matter what! He will never leave us nor forsake us and he delights in showing us his power and glory and strength on our behalf! Lift your hands and let him dig you out this morning...come into the light -feel his glow on your face and know -without question that you are SOUGHT AFTER!

Educate!

I have been reading a book entitled, "What the Bible Says about Healthy Living." by Rex Russell, MD...excellent read!

It, in concert with Jordan Rubin's "The Maker's Diet" and "Maximized Living Nutrition Plans", has revolutionized my health and nutrition world view and I am more convinced now than ever that if we are to obtain complete wellness and the fullness of the abundant life that the Father promises we have to own our health and choices and EDUCATE OURSELVES (the scripture says, in Hosea 4:6, that we perish for lack of knowledge). From that, we must take action to align our choices - in as much as we have the control- with what the Word says about health, wellness, and nutrition.

These I have mentioned are excellent resources to accomplish this task and they go a step beyond to help us implement the new way we are learning.

The call is to step up, step out and get moving!

Are You Masquerading?

Do you ever wonder how someone can claim to be a believer but, then live a life consistently contrary to what they profess? In essence, masquerading...(whether consciously or not)

The scriptures speak to the root of that behavior. It is a hard word but, relevant and very much applicable to each of us.

Basic deception and unbelief are at the center and a lack of true, heart revelation - the understanding which leads to a life full of righteousness that is evidenced through, not just words, but life and deed...

It is not uncommon in the day and age in which we live to see this pattern of behavior (both in and out of the church) that the scripture addresses... does any of this sound familiar:

"People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power..." ~ Timothy 3:2-5

It is easy to see how the people described in the first part of the verse would set themselves up as separate from God but, the part that got me in this verse was the "having a form of godliness but denying its power" what is that talking about and more importantly whom?

I believe this one phrase is suggesting to us that there are those who claim to know God -have a form of piety/religiousness- but, are not walking in such a way that His power is truly being accessed or displayed in and through their lives -they are making a lot of noise but, true Holy Spirit life is not present within them. They in essentially fulfill what the scripture was speaking of in the following verse:

“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."~ Matthew 15:8

and again when Paul says,

" Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live." ~Titus 1:15-16a

The minds and hearts of such people are corrupt and full of unbelief. Their eyes have been blinded and are veiled from the truth -they are deceived!

I believe Father God is truly saddened by this reality. He longs that all would come into right relationship with Him through Jesus Christ and He desires that none would perish!

The dark reality is that there are those who will chose to remain in their sin and spend eternity apart from God... and even more disheartening is the fact that some of those will be ones who have had knowledge of Him - even called themselves believers - but never truly pursued Him with their whole hearts!

The question is:

Are you masquerading?

It's time to take action and humbly examine our hearts to see if there is any wicked way in us and cry out to the Father in repentance lest we be one of those of whom he speaks these things!

Father would you come in your kindness and turn our hearts towards you -that we could be made right in our thinking and pursuit of you - that we would know the depths and heights of your love and passion for us and truly experience you in our lives in a real and impacting way.

Forever Changed! AMEN!

It's Not About "Me"...

"If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God." ~ Oswald Chambers

Have you ever noticed the real truth in this statement!

If my goals and motives-what's driving me - is "me" consumed, the anxiety level at which I operate is through the roof...a frazzled mess! A proverbial gun half cocked and any little goal blocked can set off a tornado of putridness (Anybody with me?!?!)

We were not created to be "me" centered but, others and God centered. So, when we concentrate solely or "soul-ly" on self, we completely miss our God-given purpose and the end product of that is chaos, complication and a frenzied panic in our minds, bodies and spirits (James 3:16)...not good!

Maybe this is why Paul admonishes us over and over to consider others better than ourselves, to carry each others burdens and to build each other up in what we do and say (Phil. 2:3-4; Eph. 4:29; Gal. 6:2; Heb. 13:16; 1 Ptr. 4:10).

When we do this, we begin to live in Father God's full purpose and potential and in that dwells the simple, calm, relaxed pace Oswald was talking about... and believe me, people recognize and appreciate the difference!

Not only that...when we align ourselves with God's purpose and intention for our lives, we become effective hands and feet for His Kingdom work on this planet and He runs with it! The end result is calmness of Spirit (Prov. 29:11) that sets us apart and makes us a magnetic force -people are drawn to us and want to know "What makes us so different?"

The perfect place -I think!

Psalm 145...

I have been reflecting on the goodness of the Lord in my life...he is always good and everything he does is good but, it has been especially evident in my family's life in the last 11 months and just completely lavish in the last month. The Father's love for me is irrefutable, his care of his children undeniable and his absolute attention to keeping his promises indisputable!

The fabulous thing about it is that I'm not the only one... if you are his then all of this is available to you!

Today I was reminded by a friend of this Psalm so I thought I'd share it with you...blessings!

A psalm of praise. Of David.

¹ I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
² Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

³ Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
⁴ One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
⁵ They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.^[b]
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
⁷ They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

⁸ The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

⁹ The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
¹⁰ All your works praise you, LORD;
your faithful people extol you.
¹¹ They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
¹² so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.^[c]
14 The LORD upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
¹⁶ You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

I pray that His love for you is magnified in tangible ways that you cannot deny in the coming days and weeks. He is truly our Jehovah-Jireh!

My New Found Way of Life...16 Months in the Making & BEYOND!

My journey into complete health and total wellness began just over 16 months ago. My husband was involved in an auto accident and came to a Chiropractic Clinic for pain. It was with great scepticism and little enthusiasm, I attended the first patient/spouse orientation night -we almost left! But by the end of that meeting, the Spirit said for such a time as this, pay attention -this is what you need to do! For months previous to this point and time, I had been diagnosed with colitis and was experiencing constant upper and lower back pain, as well as several abdominal pain episodes that the doctors had no explanation for. The pain in my lower back was so excruciating that I could not sit for longer than 30-40 minute intervals without having to stand up. Along with that, I was 5’2” and weighed almost 180 lbs. - I was not a healthy person! My family had come through the worst year of sickness ever...countless doctor visits and rounds of antibiotics -the standard way that most folks pursue relief from symptoms and what we would call “health care”- not realizing then that our veiled eyes were soon to be opened to the truth. That very night, my husband and I signed the remaining 4 of us up for initial evaluations for spinal health and our adventure into this new world of true health and healing began.

Very quickly, we knew we had made the right choice! We were all in and I began pursuing a new road...NUTRITION

I am a cajun girl -born and bred and if you know anything about the cajun culture -you know that it’s food is the center piece of it’s way of life and my family was no exception! Needless to say the thought of organic foods and alternative flours weren’t even on my radar and to be honest the thought terrified me!

Determined to be successful, I began diligently and persistently learning what healthy nutrition looked like and how amazing it could taste, too! I replaced all of the old tools in my proverbial toolbox with all the new healthful ones and begin to create - I love to cook as much as I love to eat so, I knew my families success depended on being able to turn out fabulous food that was yummy and good for us! With a strong dose of encouragement from my husband, children and new friends, I took the plunge and began creating amazing food - so much so, that I was constantly wowed and floored as to why this wasn’t the mainstream way of doing things...if folks just knew how delicious healthy food really is and that in reality we weren’t giving up anything we loved just making it in a healthful way and that in doing so we were reprogramming our bodies to function how God intended for them to function- fighting disease, sickness and producing health and wellness without sacrificing taste, flavor and satisfaction...

This thought consumed me and sparked a revolution! It has become my mission - to educate and train others in how to feed their families healthfully! If this cajun girl can do it -anyone can!

Today we are the healthiest we have ever been and it is only going to get better from here! Our bodies are being retrained to function how God intended them to function. Through chiropractic corrective and wellness care, healthy nutrition, eliminating toxins and exercise as well as the continual process of renewing our minds we have revolutionized our life and impacted our family tree for generations to come! Through this journey and as a result of these things working in concert with each other...I have personally lost over 50 lbs and no longer have any pain or colitis. I feel great! I have also seen an amazing difference in how our bodies respond to potential sickness - because we are freeing it to function how God intended it to-we are rarely sick and when we do experience symptoms our bodies fight, restore and recover much more quickly than ever before. This has truly changed our life dynamic forever and we are so thankful for it! We plan to be cruising at 89 and 100...

Look for recipes, tips and meal planning options to come in the near future...You can revolutionize your families way of life and health too!

Go to www.owltreenutrition.blogspot.com OR check out my "Links of Interest" to continue to follow my health and nutrition journey as well as find recipes and links to nutrition and other health information.

Health, Joy & Happy Eating!

Story Tellers...

I have such fond memories of listening to my grandparents tell stories from their youth- recounting adventures and life lessons learned. These memories of quality time spent and the truths gleaned from them are some of my most treasured moments. The thought has prompted me to pause and reflect and consider...

The scripture charges us to spur one another on to good works (Hebrews 10:24) to encourage each other in our faith (1 Thessalonians 5:11)... to set up places of rememberance...

This account out of Joshua 4 underscores the importance Father God places on marking our journey with him, calling and recalling his faithfulness, goodness and absolute provision to our minds and setting his glory as president -worthy of being retold to the generations...

Joshua 4

1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

8 So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, 11 and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the LORD and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. 12 The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. 13 About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war.

14 That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.

15 Then the LORD said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.”

17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

18 And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.

19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”

In the New Testament Peter sets that same bar to a new level...

1 Peter 2:5 says:

"you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Our very lives become the testimony- a living rememberance of the Father to the generations. We paint the real time picture of who he is. Just as Jesus was the visible manifestation of the invisible God when he walked on this earth (Colossians 1:15), we as his children, are to be the same to this generation and our "stories" should be stood up as stones of rememberance for the generations to come for the glory of the Father and his kingdom.

The question is "What is your story telling?" and will it be set up as a reminder of all that the Father is for those who follow you?

Let it be YES and AMEN for His fame, glory and renown!

A Declaration for the Season...and Maybe a Dose of Encouragement!

Father knows the plans he has for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and they are plans to prosper us...

[this prosper is not just what we americans would consider prospering- it is one of the spirit and righteousness as well as, but not limited to nor required to be- monetary or comfort]

...and not to harm us but, to give us a hope and a future...

[the hope is Jesus and that of the blessings of sonship that we are granted and bestowed as the Father's children and the future is one of his chosing -that will further his kingdom and bring glory and fame to his name].

He promises that he will supply ALL of our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19) and that...

He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deut. 31:8)

Doing more that we could ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20) -answering when we call (Jer. 33:3) -giving us wisdom and discernment to know what to do and when to do it! (Isa. 33:6; James 1:5)

He is Good and everything He does is good! (Psalm 119:68) Praise Him!!!

We are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) and because of Jesus...

we are healed, whole and able stand firm -sheilded against the attacks of the enemy -no weapon formed against us will prosper! (Isa. 54:17)

We stand firm then and see the deliverance of the Lord! (2 Chr. 20:17)

Speaking his truth over our families knowing that he has great things ahead and we are called to walk obediently with his truth in our hearts and his words and praises on our lips! Go and make disciples! Be the doorkeepers into His presence... radiate His joy even in the hard place - its most likely where the real treasures are found!

AMEN, Father -as you wish!

1 Corinthians 2:13, Psalm 31:19

Blessings of peace, rest and face-like-flint faith as you march forth in His power to accomplish and move in his purpose with the power and authority given to those who truly believe through His Spirit by the resurrection blood of the LAMB!

Rise up, Church, In Jesus Name!

Swimming Upstream...

Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple."

While walking this morning I had a divinely inspired thought about this verse...

When you read this verse, if you are like me, it makes no sense at first blush. Why in the world would the God of the universe command us to hate (even connect it as a hinge of discipleship) when we are created in his image and put on this planet to display his splendor and bring glory to him and he, at his very essence, is love and incapable of hate...confusing isn't it!

As I thought about it in light of things the Father is doing in my life I realized it's not a literal hate of these people that the Father is commanding but, the ability to step away from the traditions and patterns of behavior- ultimately the world system and its way of doing things that he is demanding...

Many times -if not always - the Father's calling and mandate on our lives, as believers, goes against that which the world surrounding us would encourage, support or even understand (including those closest to us) and we have to be willing in surrendered obedience to swim against the current. Our relationship to the Father supersedes earthly ones and He expects our full affection as we live according to the full counsel of His word in every aspect of our lives.

Whatever He is calling you to step out in - take courage and start swimming!

Our True Source...

2 Corinthians 9:10

"Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness."

Father God is the absolute true source for all things -through Jesus he made the way back to himself for us - something we cannot do for ourselves... the word says [of Jesus] that everything has its being in him and nothing that was made was made apart from him...

God is our supply and this word implies that not only does he supply what we physically need...seed to sow & bread for food...he is our sole resource eternally and spiritually - "the harvest of your righteousness"

This word is active present tense and future tense as well... "who supplies" being present tense and the "will" being future - demonstrating the Father's continual action on our behalf.

The cool thing here is he is the one who accomplishes this in us and for us and through us and will continue to do so!

This is not only us personally who are transformed by his power but implies that that the transformation in our lives radiates out to those we influence and reaps a harvest in their lives, too.