Believe & Achieve!

The power of belief has been the key element for centuries for achieving success in something.

A tried and true concept even in the days when Jesus walked the earth. The word "believe" is actually in the bible over 150 times.

Jesus stated to his hometown that he couldn't do any miracles there because of their unbelief.
When people would stop Jesus and ask for a healing, he would state, "only believe" and they would respond, "I believe" or "help my unbelief" and then the miracle would manifest itself!

So in our modern day we too can see that belief is the key to achieving whatever it is we are setting out to do.

Having a positive mental attitude is great, but that can only last for a short time. Belief in the very center of our being is what changes things!
Whenever I had belief in something,

Only Two Things!

As I was spending time reading my bible today, I decided to read in Jeremiah. I am ashamed to say, I don't know too much about this fella's story, I am sure I read it years ago, but can't recall it now. However, as I was reading in chapter 26 in the Message translation the story goes like this......It was the beginning of the reign of this King in Judah who was actually the son of Josiah. Now, if you remember like I do, Josiah was an awesome King! He obeyed God in everything, and got rid of all the false idols in the land, He literally became King when he was 8 years old! Yes, 8! He reigned for 31 years! It says in 2 Kings 22:2 (that is a lot of 2's! 2's mean; look for the difference)

 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 


So this new king was Josiah's son, Jehoiakim, and he only reigned for 11 years. His reign was opposite of his fathers because he didn't obey God. His scene was one of luxury, extortion, & idolatry. He despised the warnings of our prophet Jeremiah! 

So, Jeremiah tells him, "God says to you Jehoiakim, (because you are the leader of my people), if you refuse to listen to me (which he did) and live by my teachings that I have revealed plainly to you, and if you continue to refuse to listen to my servants the prophets that I tirelessly keep on sending to you, but you never listen, then I am gonna make this city nothing, it will come to ruins!"

All the people mobbed Jeremiah! Right in the temple after hearing this!
 They didn't want to hear this news, that this city was going to be destroyed and they were going to be taken into captivity! Their freedoms were soon going to be over! God had enough of their rebellious ways!

Now here is the deal in the present time & space that we live in~

History always repeats itself!
We experience trouble because of one of two things going on....

#1 way is  if we are a christian, the trouble we experience can be from trials that just happen to us so we can become more like Jesus. Believe it or not, suffering is part of the christianity course! Suffering refines us and gets all the rough worldly edges off of us!

I know, I know, many of us don't hear that teaching from the TV preachers, but it is true!
We basically are the only nation who has not suffered for Christ I mean really suffered and come under persecution, but I have a strong feeling that time will soon come to America!

#2 way is if we experience trouble it could be because we brought it on ourselves because we have not kept God's ways. I know I am guilty of that. A few years ago, I got my eyes off of Jesus, and fell back into a life style I previously repented of. Never in my wildest imagination would I have found myself living the way I did but it was because of a  rebellious heart. But God in His mercy has forgiven me and has opened my eyes up once again to His truth.

God will not be mocked. His laws are the same yesterday, today and forever, and so is His son's. It says Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever!

He has kept His hand from giving America a big spanking, but because even His church is being rocked to sleep, I believe He loves us enough as a good father to give us a time out or bend us over His knee to paddle our behinds!

He is not mad at us, but He loves us and He knows we must not look like the world! But we are looking like the world!!! Guilty as charged! Pointing the biggest finger my way!

2 Peter 3:3 says, "Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts"

2 Timothy 3:1-5, "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, (the"selfie generation") lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people......

So my friends, I write this blog today so we will all bow our knee to Jesus today, and get our hearts right before the one true God! Time is running out! Just pray with me and ask Him to forgive us of not obeying His commands. 

He sums all His laws and commands into two things......

Love God with all your heart and Love your neighbor as yourself! If we come back to those two things, we will shine bright like a diamond!

Sending love your way! 

Lisa 

Climb Out Of That Pit!

We all at some time in our life, find ourselves in a pit. Sometimes we ourselves jump into it by our own choices, other times we are pushed in by those close to us that we trust, and other times we find ourselves there because of a trap that we were not aware of!

No matter how we got in that pit, there is a way out if we choose to get out!

Some pit dwellers after the initial shock of realizing they are in a pit, find comfort there and choose to stay, because of the work it would take to climb out.

Others, despise it and will do whatever it takes to climb, scratch and claw their way out!

Lastly, there are a group of pit dwellers who want to get out, but need an extended hand to make the first move towards getting out.

This pit can be an emotional pit, an economical pit, a physical pit and even a spiritual pit.
No matter the pit, I am here to encourage you to choose to get OUT!

Do you need a helping hand? Do you need someone to extend the hand of encouragement to help you make your way out?
Are you desperate enough to do whatever it takes no matter if you get help from someone or not? Will you climb, scratch or claw your way out?

I find in our current society that many people are comfortable in their pit. They don't want out, because it has grown on them, it is easy to stay there, and as long as they are not in physical pain and get their basic needs met, they will tolerate it. Ugh!
God did not create your precious life to be one of mediocrity, but one of excellence, and victory!
Sure we all have our struggles, and pain, that is part of life's territory, but for the most part, your life should exemplify the finest craftsmanship by a creator that is extraordinarily talented and gifted! Your life is one of grand design, but comes with a price tag and is only lived with free will. YOUR free will and ability to choose! Yes! Your creator is not a dictator, but a handsome gentleman who allows you choice, freedom and liberty!
Whether it is the government trying to convince you to stay in that pit, or a close loved one who finds more comfort in your bondage than your freedom, or your own mind self destructing your life, you must choose today to get out of that pit! It is your choice, your decision and your actions that will help you climb out of that pit.
Where does your help come from? It comes from the one who made you, the one in heaven above!

The Lie Exposed!

The Lie will be exposed, but why are so many people deceived? 
I ask that every day!
Why? Because they lack knowledge! 
Even the good book says in Hosea 4:6, that people perish, (die) for a lack of correct knowledge. 
That goes for every area of our human life on this planet!

If you lack knowledge on how to invest your money, get out of debt and be a good steward of what you have been given, you will perish in the area of finances. 

The same goes for your  health. If you do not know what to put into your body, and how to exert the proper energy out, your health will suffer and you will not live the optimal health you could have.

Now, I say all that to say this is.... if we do not do our due diligence concerning our rights, and laws in American life, we too will perish. As a society, as a nation, as a tribe.

We have been ripped off! Yes! 
I say this because we are like the story of the frog who is in the pot of water boiling  slowly to his death. I believe that is what is happening to us in America.

I am very passionate about preserving our freedoms because I for one am all about being free! 
We only have one chance to live life on this planet and I want to do it having all the freedom I can! 
That is why I am an entrepreneur, so I can preserve my right and freedom to make the choices I do with my time every day! I am not told what to do daily, when I can take a break, make a phone call or even use the bathroom. NO THANK YOU! I love my freedom!
So, how have we been ripped off?
Let me tell you how......
I have said it on my facebook, but now I will explain

I am sure it started long before the Civil War, but for time sake let's start there.
The Republican party (which I am disappointed in these days) became a party because they wanted the slaves to have rights, options and a better life. The Democrats at the time didn't want to lose the slaves because they were skilled workers who could do what the Democrats didn't want to do or have time to do.
This is why Lincoln was killed, he had with the Republicans created the 13th, the 14th and the 15th amendments five years after the Civil War. Half the nation at the time were free and the other half were not! 
The 13th amendment abolished slavery that was in 1865, the 14th amendment created privileges and immunities for them giving them equal protection. That was proposed in 1866 and then ratified in 1868.
 The 15th amendment allowed them to vote, that was in 1869 and ratified in 1870. So you see it was in the best interest that all Americans, white & black be free and enjoy their new country!
So, the struggle was real and both women and blacks were still being opposed of their rights as free citizens.
In the 1920's & 1930's most blacks were Republicans because they knew that was the party who helped them become free. .....but after the great depression they had suffered so much, and lacked even their basic necessities, that the Democrats offered them help so they made the switch. The white Democrats also made a switch because of economics in the 1960's when the Republican party's ideology was "free enterprise" and an upward movement to prosperity so they made the switch to the Republican party because it was more in line with their way of thinking and what they wanted in their lives.
So, you can see there was a shift all because of economics on both sides.

Now, I say this with all respect, but once you think on this, you too will know it is true.
What has happened is the Democratic party is still manipulating the black people because, instead of putting them on plantations, they are repressing them in the inner cities of our nation. Once again they are disarming them and not helping them become productive and fulfilled as individuals. If they were they would have programs in place to help them climb out of poverty. But instead, they are giving them their basic needs and telling them if you work, you do NOT get any benefits we will provide. So, generation after generation out of fear of not surviving are helpless and codependent on the government. The government likes it that way.
They do not want them to have a choice or a future.
Choice brings them better opportunities, helps their young people have a better education and be able to live a life out of poverty.

I did not come up with this idea, but these thoughts are from those that have lived in the worst inner cities, aka Ben Carson (Detroit). 
Thank God for Ben Carson's mother who was so poor in Detroit, she didn't want her children living in the poverty and mirroring what they saw every day. So, being a good mother, she made them read! 
Reading enables you to have knowledge, and remember, knowledge is power! 
The lack of it causes you to die! Die mentally, physically and spiritually!
So in conclusion because I must get to work....
The government is ripping Americans off! They are taking away jobs from people, making them helpless and defenseless so that the government can become their savior! The government will provide for all your "basic" needs, so you won't work and fulfill your God given purpose in why you were put on this earth! 
NO, instead the government will tax the richest people who have taken advantage of their time, talents and opportunity and create programs to enable people to be stuck! So that we ask them for help! 
It is a sick system and that is why a bigger government is the wrong idea. It not only takes away from each citizen but it empowers a small majority to rule.
Didn't we fight for that when we became a nation? We fought big England and her enslavement and now once again we find ourselves back to that place. This time we are living in more dangerous times, because we have more enemies surrounding us and we do not have a land to escape to like the Pilgrims did in 1620. What we do have is the internet, books and all the knowledge to gain the truth, but the truth must not be suppressed, it must be shouted out for all to hear!

The Christ Like Life

Christianity was not popular when it first started out. Christians literally had to hide their new found faith so as to not be put to death by the Roman government. Thousands of years later, it has become more acceptable in the westernized world. Heck it is even cool to wear a cross, or attend church on Easter and Christmas! However, that is not the "Christ Like Life." When Christ gathered followers while on earth, it wasn't just to save them from the fiery hot flames of Hell, but to teach them a life that was selfless, and centered on others. It was a life like he lived one that was centered around his fathers plans and agenda. He was 100% man and 100% God, but while on earth, he laid the 100% God part down, so he could exemplify the life we are to live while we are on this earth. He talked about the golden rule, love your enemies, be good to those who persecute you, turn the other cheek, and go the extra mile. These are things our westernized churches are not teaching as much. We teach about prosperity, success,and boundaries, which are all good, but the very essence of who Jesus was and the example he wanted to teach was different. We are to offer our lives as a "living sacrifice", and the very word sacrifice means to surrender a possession or the act of giving up something that you want to keep. What is it we want to keep? It is our life, our rights, our comfort and our possessions! The Christian life is totally opposite of that. We are told to lay our life down, carry our cross, and that our life is hidden in Christ when we become a believer. We have lost the true art of that "Christ Like Life" by negating prayer daily, or the discipline of fasting, which is hard on the flesh believe me! Like any exercise it must be done daily to get better at it, even stronger. I am writing this post, because I have been a believer for almost 37 years, but the past 5 years have taken a major toll on my faith, and I have lost some of those disciplines I wish to gain back. So my commitment to the Lord and myself this year, is to totally surrender to the "Christ Like Life", and like exercise make it a daily discipline to take up my cross and bear the burden the Lord has for me daily. I have started a fast, and through this I am learning to listen and rely on God every second of the day! Let me leave you with this thought, Tom Landry quoted, "The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don't want to do in order to achieve what they've always wanted to be." In the same way, Christians are called to make themselves do something they would not naturally do...... and that is pursue spiritual disciplines, in order to become what they have always wanted to be, and that is like the Lord Jesus Christ! We are to live the "Christ Like Life!" Do what Jesus did and would still do if he were on the earth!

The Covering

As we begin a new year, let us all cloth ourselves with the right equipment needed to be successful in all our endeavors. Daily the minute we wake up and plant our feet on the ground we are in for a fight! A battle for our minds. The thoughts that whisper to us that we think are our own, are not, but are the thoughts of a being more intelligent than we are. His name is satan and I say with a little "s", for sneaky, sly and snotty! Our struggles that we deal with daily are not our spouse, or our co-worker, our boss, or even our children. The struggles we deal with are a mind to mind battle that sounds like it is our own voice, but it is the voice of an enemy that has been around for thousands and thousands of years! Have you heard that voice lately? A voice of accusation? Accusing your spouse of something that maybe they already apologized for. A voice questioning your friends loyalty and undermining that relationship. How bout the voice of pride, stating that your parent should have done a better job or should have known better in the way they raised you. We all hear the voices, the problem is we think they are our own voice when in reality, it is the voice of our enemy, who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Our daily struggle is not against people in our lives, but against these invisible rulers, authorities, and powers that lurk in the darkness. Once we recognize this, then we must do the proper actions and put on a covering....... A spiritual covering, because like I said, this battle we face is not physical, but it is with forces that can't be seen. It is a spiritual battle. There is a covering we have as Christians, the blood of Christ, however, if we didn't need armor God would not have listed it in Ephesians. If we are told to put the "full" armor of God on, then He knew we needed it! The day of temptation comes every day. It is crouching at the door, yet no matter how enticing the temptation, we are fully responsible for the choices we make. Putting on the armor, will keep you mindful of the daily battle. Like anything that needs to be practiced to be good at, we will need to practice discerning the voices we hear and separate them like separating an egg yolk from the egg white. Separate and recognize the voice of good from evil, God's voice from the enemy's, and our thoughts from secular influences. I am in no means giving the enemy any "kudos" or "woo hoo's" for being so cunning, but I am wanting to remind my peeps that his army is better organized than Isis or any earthly army you will see on earth. His army wages war against God and his people, and everything God stands for. Demons are brilliant, they do intelligence gathering, strategy, communicate battle orders, and are well engaged in warfare! Their modus operandi is to twist, deceive, mislead, but they are intimately familiar with the truth they twist. I know all this, but still get caught up in a hidden trap or danger weekly, because I become lazy and not do what I am told, by putting on the full armor. In real battles, if a soldier doesn't put on his armor, he can be killed. How many of us have had killings in our family life, careers, or ministries because we were not sober to put on the full armor of God? I am committing myself to be diligent and vigilant to put on the Full Armor that God has provided for me, and I am encouraging you to do the same! You have a covering, wear it! The weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds! 2 Cor 10:4 Muah! Happy New Year!

Time ...the comodity you never get back.

They say if you lose money, status, and possessions you can regain them back, but time is the only commodity you lose never to regain again. Once a moment is gone, it is gone forever. As I grow older, I realize this principle more and more. Like a vapor it is gone. The bible encourages us in Ephesians 5:16 to "redeem the time" for the days are evil. In other words, make the best use of your time. Sometimes we must seize the moment because that moment will never happen again ever! I remember when I was a young mother toting all the baby and kid paraphernalia around, by the third child I secretly wished for that season to pass quickly, but now looking back those were the most precious moments and I would probably pay a million dollars to do it again! I encourage moms to enjoy every second and stage of their kids lives, because soon "Father time" will snatch the years away! There is a season under heaven for every activity. If we don't take advantage of that season, we miss the opportunity and what could have been never comes to be. As we enter 2016, I can't help but be sober minded of the time and will take advantage of every moment with those who are in my life and take advantage of every opportunity that is given to me. Let me encourage you to do the same. Remember, time is tickin away!