12 Things to AVOID for Strong Spiritual Health

1. Self Righteousness
2. Personal Truth
3. Lies of every kind and type
4. Jealousy
5. Greed
6. Self Deception
7. Trusting the false strengths of this world
8. Foolish jesting
9. Sexual Promiscuity
10. False idea of "cleaning up" before coming to Christ
11. Rejecting the Grace of God and holding unto guilt
12. Rules of man, particularly in church settings, that bind & condemn in the flesh

REPOSTING THIS IN HONOR OF MY MOTHERS 80TH BIRTHDAY:

Forgiving my mother was the greatest gift I have ever received.

Not just imagined slights, words misunderstood or minor infractions every parent commits.  I had real, serious emotional and physical injury inflicted.  Mental, physical and sexual abuse.  Neglect.  Spiritual abuse. 

The day I forgave her every single bit without regret, without holding back, I also received forgiveness.  I forgave myself for the little child who didn’t know better.  I forgave myself the pain and hurt I’d inflicted on myself over the years as a result.  I forgave myself for the thick, horrible walls I’d built trying to protect myself, which had only isolated me from much of the world, and kept me from relationships that might have been, if I’d been emotionally healthier.

I forgave myself for the parenting mistakes I made, the tense manner in which I raised my children and the fear I’d held onto that stole so much of my young adulthood.

One day, there came the right time to tell my mother that she was forgiven.

What happened next was nothing short of miraculously amazing. 

All those years I’d let unforgiveness fester, thinking SHE didn’t deserve it, or that I couldn’t forgive until she asked forgiveness.  The day I told her I had completely forgiven her (a good number of years ago now) is the day she actually asked me to forgive her.  It’s the day she owned every rotten horrid thing that had occurred and tearfully asked me to forgive her.  She had a little trouble believing I had already forgiven her years before.  But since I already had, fully and without reservation years ago, that was the day true healing took place.  

Not slowly.  Not over time.  Immediate.  God healed me as completely as I’d forgiven Mom.  

Mom and I began to build a loving relationship from that very moment.  In a few very short years, it became the strong mother daughter relationship I’d always longed for.

Pastor Marie and her mother.  This year, the whole family will come together to celebrate Moms 80th birthday!
Mom was born again and saved 15 years ago, and most of the immediate family has accepted Christ

God healed me.  God healed her.  And God healed us.

You think whatever was done to you, whatever slight was perpetrated against you just can’t be forgiven.

I’m telling you it’ll be the most awesome gift you will ever receive; to forgive others, and really, truly give it over to the Lord.  Vengeance is mine, says the Lord, I will repay.  You know the forgiveness is true and complete the day you ask God to forgive that person or persons, and withhold vengeance from them.

It will be the most freeing day of your life!

WAITING

Waiting is a tough thing to do.  I know I find it exceedingly difficult to  wait.  The way our current systems are set up we are encouraged to expect everything NOW! 

High speed internet = everything at our fingertips.  Instant messaging, texting, email all fast efficient communication methods, though they do lack some of the finer points of communication.  Fast food, and even that wasn’t quick enough so first they gave us the microwave and then they gave us the drive thru. (or maybe it was the other way around?)  Drive thru banking, pharmacies and even liquor stores in some areas of this country!

Is it any wonder we have such a hard time waiting on God?   Our desire for speedy results results in terrible decisions, which we then bemoan to the Lord and wonder why our lives aren’t the way we would like them to be?  Where is the peace? The Joy?  The time for quiet reflection and growth and planning?  In business and in our personal lives the push is on for now, now, NOW!

Our religious activities have taken on the same mentality.  Radio, television and the internet means we can “reach” millions of people all at once and evangelize the world NOW.  No time for discipleship, here’s a personal bible study online and good luck to you.

This just isn’t the way of the Lord.  Abrams friend took time to visit with him, eat with him and talk with him.  Moses’ Lord took 40 years to prepare him for ministry, was patient for 40 more years while disciplining and preparing the people.  David was anointed King and God worked with him for many, many years before he actually took the throne.  Saul spent about 17 years being prepared before he was released into his ministry as Paul the Apostle.  Jesus developed His disciples at close range 24/7 for 3 years – and there is no better teacher!

We don’t grow in the Spirit by consuming Bible classes and programs and ministry activity.

Not the growth God desires for us anyway.  We might get big and fat in head knowledge (puffed up the Bible calls it) but heart growth takes place at a God pace.  

Drop by drop, precept upon precept, word upon word, God opens wisdom and understanding in our hearts.  Daily.  We don’t run to church, get a “good word!” and BAM! We grow that week and don’t need to think about it again for awhile.

We get a step, a bit, a deepening grasp and growing wisdom jot by jot as the Lord directs our steps and leads us.  It isn’t in our great rushing movements we gain spiritual understanding.

"Be Still and know that I am the Lord."  Why must we be still?

It is when we are STILL and listening that the whispers of the Rock of Ages instills Eternal secrets in our souls.

Silently

Taking

In

LifeGiving

Love

WAIT upon the Lord, for His plans for you are designed by Him to last your whole lifetime through.  There is no hurry.  There is only eternity with our Creator, who holds all time in His Hands. 

Join in the Daily Bible Reading with Turn the Tide Ministry.  

Print out the schedules provided under the Daily Reading tab, enjoy growing in spiritual wisdom and understanding daily, consuming the words of LIFE that will transform your life.  

Then SHARE with us what God is doing in your lives, so we can all encourage one another as ONE BODY IN CHRIST.  

Those who have been sharing – THANK YOU!  Your words and stories encourage us GREATLY and we pray for you!

We welcome the Church in Kenya, affiliating with us for Gods Glory!  We will meet face to face - either here or in Eternity!

God bless your journey.