Exercising Our Spiritual Muscles

I have been going to Physical Therapy due to the back surgery I had in June. I was down for six weeks before the surgery. Then it was another three months after surgery before they allowed me to start therapy. I did a lot of walking on my own around my home outside with a walker for several weeks. As I got stronger I was able to put that walker aside and use my cane. It wasn't long after that, and I was able to put that cane aside, and I was walking on my own. After my strength was built up, and was more stable on my feet,  I started walking on the treadmill. You see, the doctors said I would be down for 4 to 6 months. I was determined to get stronger faster than they said. So I took it upon myself to just simply walk daily. Even if it was slowly! But I walked and I got stronger and stronger every day. The Neurosurgeon was amazed at how fast I was improving. I was doing things at 2 months that he didn't expect from me until 4 months.

When I started Physical Therapy I was shocked when they told me that my back muscles were like mash, reduced to pulp, fleshy tissue. Due to the fact that I have had several fusions, I'm not allowed to bend or do any lifting at this time, so all my exercising and strengthening of my back muscles have to come from exercising my legs and abdomen. Believe it or not, after working out these muscles, I do feel it in my back. All the leg stretches, lifts, presses and so on, actually targets my back muscles as well. I feel great after a workout. I find it is much easier to start my day off with my leg stretches before getting out of bed. It works out the aches and pains and I can move much easier. Then if I hit the treadmill first thing after I wash my face and brush my teeth, I'm sure to have a much better day. But if I don't exercise on any given day, I always feel sluggish and ache all over. I don't want to move because it just hurts to much. All day I have aches and pains and I'm a miserable person.

I was thinking about this and it is no different in our spiritual life. If we don't exercise daily by Praying, our spiritual muscles will turn to mash, be reduced to pulp. We will become sluggish in our walk with Him. Our spirit will begin to ache and we won't want to move and we will become miserable people. We won't have the strength to stand against the fiery darts that come against us. We won't have the power or strength to fight off temptations, worldly lust and desires when they come our way. Our attitudes will not be Godly attitudes. We become impatient, hateful, short tempered, lustful, easily offended, lackadaisical, unthankful, unholy, disrespectful, etc. That's why Paul said in 1st Corinthians 15:31; "I die daily", meaning through prayer, he dies out to his flesh, his will and desires and gives way to the will of God. He is strengthening his spiritual muscles so that when things come against him he will have the strength to stand and not fall to temptation.

Reading the Word of God is another way to exercise our spiritual muscles. David said in Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." When we read the Word of God, we are growing strong in Him. When sin and temptation comes against us, we can use the Word that we have hid in our heart to fight off that temptation. Through the Word of God and Prayer we have built up the strength that we need to fight a good fight. Ephesians 6:10-17 reads "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

As much as we need to exercise daily physically, we also need to exercise daily spiritually. I was determined to grow stronger physically so that I could stand and walk on my own without the assistance of a walker or cane. I'm determined to build my muscles up in my back as well. It will take a lot of hard work and exercise but I have to work at it to succeed. I'm just as determined to stand one day and say as Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith."  I must die daily to do so.  I must exercise my spiritual muscles and keep them strong through prayer and the Word of God.

Now I Know How God Feels!

The other day I wanted to talk with my family and friends. I had something I wanted to share with them. But everyone I called would not answer their phones. Now I'm beginning to understand how God feels. He calls out our name. He too, has something He wants to share with us and He wants to spend time with us...........yet we're to busy doing other things and we don't answer.............

I called my sister three times but she was busy doing other things and really didn't have the time to talk to me. Yeah, she called me back. Said she was "BUSY" combing her hair. She even text me some pics until she had time to talk to me. LOL!!! But my point is, she was still to busy to answer my call. Combing her hair, brushing her teeth, Excuses, Excuses......Busy doing other things....just no time to talk when I call........Like I said....Now I know how God feels.........What excuses do we give when He calls to talk to us?

I then tried calling my best friend, Patty and her phone rang and rang and rang. She was home but she never heard it ringing. Just too busy doing other things......it really makes me stop and think.......How many times Has God called for me to spend some time to talk with Him and I was to busy? Has there been times when He called me and I was so busy I didn't hear Him calling? I better make sure I am in tune with that still small voice of God. I don't want to miss His call.

I tried calling my youngest daughter twice and she too, did not answer. All I got was her voice mail. When God calls us what does He get? Do we answer or does He get a busy signal, our voice mail, or do we just let the phone ring? Think about it?

I thought to myself, How many times has God called to speak to me and yet I was to busy to stop to talk to Him for a few moments? How many times have I been so busy that when He called, I didn't hear Him?

My sister called me back as well as my best friend Patty, and my daughter when she got off of work. But when my sister called me back, I was busy with the baby and really couldn't talk, so I had to call her back after the baby was taken care of. I thought about my sister's return call. When she called me back, I was then to busy to talk to her. What "IF" God would be to busy for our return calls? He has called out to us so many times and we don't answer. We let the phone ring, or we let it go to voice mail, or He gets a busy signal and we think nothing of it. We will get back to God in our own good time. But what "IF" in our own good time is when we REALLY need Him and then He should be to busy to answer? I'm glad He is not like us! But don't take Him for granted.....One day you just may cry out to Him in need and He won't be there to answer your call. "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man…" Genesis 6:3

Jesus is calling you today! Won't you answer Him? "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: "John 10:27
Do you hear his voice today? Are you in-tune with Him? Are you following Him? He's NEVER to busy for you, Please don't be to busy for Him. Answer when He calls.

Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth.

Cleanliness....Is It Next To Godliness?

Today's bible reading really caught my attention. The reason being is I have seen people who are guilty of both parties of what goes on in this chapter. I must say that I have even been guilty of thinking "How gross!" After reading todays WORD, I have a new outlook on this whole aspect.

Matthew 15: "Some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat?" Question - How many times have we looked upon people with disgust because we watched them eating with dirty hands and/or they were dressed beneath our standards, dirty and smelly? Think about it.......passing judgment on them?

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’”

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

Let me say right here, that many times I have seen people get offended over the preached Word of God. Over what thus, is Written in the Book of Life. They got offended when Jesus spoke, and there are those who still get offended today when the preacher speaks. Why? Because it reveals who they really are, and what they are really doing. The WORD gets down to where they are living and they don't like it.

He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'"

Hmmmmm..........I think it's time we clean up our OWN hearts and our OWN speech before we pass judgment on the one's with dirty, smelly clothing and unwashed hands.

Remember Matthew 15:20 the next time you sneer at someone eating with unwashed hands. Someone you consider beneath you. Stop and check your heart real close.....you just might have a few things that needs cleaning out yourself.

"For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'

So back to the title...Cleanliness.....Is It Next To Godliness? When it comes to our heart I say yes!

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

Over My Head ~ Brian Littrell (lyric video)

I had never heard the following song before yesterday, yet when I heard it, I was instantly reminded of my Pastor's message this past Sunday evening. It was out of Ezekiel 47:1-6. This song goes along with my prior post. It speaks well of how I feel. I do believe that God is definitely calling me into deeper waters. Yes, a deeper walk with Him. I want to be in "Over My Head" in Him.

Deep Sea Diving!

I can't get last night's message out of my head & heart. It keeps echoing through out my inner being. I was sitting here thinking about that message & I thought about my son & Amalia, who loves to go deep sea diving. They have shared pictures & treasures of things they have brought back from their adventures from the deep floor of the ocean. Oh the wonders they have seen & experienced & shared just by going out into the deepest of waters. Such beauty, wonder, & awesomeness that can only be experienced by going into the deep waters. I have seen the look in their eyes as they talk about their experiences in the deep waters. Their eyes light up with excitement. They wanted to go deep sea diving so bad that they took the courses that were required. They bought the needed equipment for the deep waters. They did whatever was necessary, so they could enjoy the experience of the deep & the beauty it had to offer.

That is the same with us in the spirit. If we want to enjoy the deep waters then we must prepare ourselves. We must train for it. It takes prayer, DAILY. Reading of the WORD. We must do this to the point that we become saturated in HIM. This is how we get the needed equipment for deep sea diving, & the courage to jump in and let go and let God have control. This is how we let the Spiritual current take us where it will. The deeper we go in God the greater treasures we will find. There will be more beauty to see. Beauty that will leave us awe struck. Like my son & Amalia, we will want to collect these wonderful treasures and hold onto them for they are valuable to us. Then we will want to share them with others. We to, will want to tell others about what we have found. When we talk about what we have seen and found, our eyes will light up and shine for we have been to the deep waters in God.

Ezekiel 47:1-6 Thank you Pastor for an Awesome message!

Restoration & Salvation - Part Two

"My name is Esther. I am a queen, but most importantly I am a Jew." ~UnKnown~



Ruth & Queen Esther, My two favorite women of the Bible. One brought Restoration & the other brought Salvation.

In Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai who had been carried way from Jerusalem by an enemy army. He raised his younger cousin Esther for her parents had died.

King Xerxes threw a grand banquet. When he sent for Queen Vashti she refused to come. So the king was counseled to replace her as queen to let women everywhere know that this kind of conduct would not be tolerated. There would be no disrespect and discord allowed. So he set out to find a new queen. Esther was chosen as the new Queen.

Although Esther had been chosen to be Queen, she had two strikes against her. One, she was a female and two, she was a Jew. It was forbidden for anyone to approach the king without an invitation, yet an evil prime minister named Haman was plotting to kill off all the Jews. Esther's cousin Mordecai's plea to intervene meant risking her own life. It took courage for Queen Esther to take a stand.

God appoints for His purpose. "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)

Though Esther knew that it could cost her her very life if she went before the king without being summoned, she also knew that if she didn't, all the Jews, including herself were going die. So after she and the Jews had fasted for 3 days, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace in front of the king's hall, facing the entrance. When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

Before we approach the throne of the King of kings to make our petition known, do we cleanse and make ourselves ready? Think about it! Esther prepared herself! She fasted, then put on her royal garment and waited quietly before the king. She did her best to catch his eye. How many of us wait patiently, Quietly upon the King? and when He extends His scepter out towards us we approach Him and touch the tip of His scepter. Oh such reverence!!!

Then he asked her what her request was and that he would give her up to half the kingdom. Then she invited him and Haman to a banquet. They came and enjoyed such a grand meal. Oh such blessed acceptance by the king. I can imagine the joy and relief that flooded her soul. If we were to approach the King of kings this way can you imagine the blessings that would be bestowed upon us? After reading and studying the book of Esther, the way we approach Him and expect Him to answer our prayers is shameful!

After the banquet he again asked her what her petition was and said he would give her up to half of the kingdom. She requested for him and Haman to return the next evening to a banquet. The next evening after the meal, the king again ask her for her petition and she then reveals Haman's evil plot to destroy her and her people. Haman was hung on the very gallows that he had built to destroy Mordecai.

When is the last time we have just entered into the King's court and quietly awaited His approval and then when He acknowledged us we invited Him to come and have a banquet with us. To come and dine with us. When did we last serve Him with praise and worship so that as the King is feasting upon our praises and worship unto Him He looks at us and says, "My child, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request?"



Wherever God has placed you, He can use you to speak His truth-words of love, justice and faith to a lost world-even if it means being misunderstood or ridiculed. It may be difficult and you may be weary; but "never tire of doing what is right." 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Restoration & Salvation - Part One

Ruth & Queen Esther, My two favorite women of the Bible. One brought Restoration & the other brought Salvation.

The book of Ruth is an ancient story that follows the journey of one Jewish family's struggle for survival. Escaping famine, Elimelech traveled to Moab with his wife, Naomi, and two sons. But ten years later, we find Naomi in mourning at the loss of both her husband and sons. She is left alone in a foreign land with two Moabite daughters-in-law and no hope of future happiness, or it seems. Naomi is a woman who forgot her dream, but God had not forgotten her. God restores her joy through her daughter-in-law, Ruth.

When Ruth's husband died, Her mother-in-law, Naomi, had decided to return to Bethlehem. When she urged Ruth and her sister-in-law to stay in Moab, Orpah chose to stay among her people and pagan gods. Ruth, chose to follow her mother-in-law to the land of Judah.

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God."

Ruth chose to be loyal to Naomi, even though it meant going through some tough times and not knowing how life would turn out. Boaz,a distant relative of Naomi, saw Ruth's loyalty and faithfulness to Naomi and her hard work to earn enough to take care of Naomi and herself.

Through Boaz & Ruth, restoration is brought back to Naomi. They got married, had a baby boy and Naomi said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who gives an old woman like me grandchildren and a loyal daughter-in-law. She is better than seven sons!"

In Judah Ruth found new hope, a new husband, and a place in the genealogy of the Messiah. New life can come from the tragedy of death. (John 12:24) We've all lost someone dear, leaving an emptiness in our hearts. We go on, but we ache for their presence.

What do we do in the face of death? Do we blame God, as Naomi did? Do we stay in the nowhere land, as Orpah did? Or do we let God weave our grief into a new story, as Ruth did?

Our faith promises new life. God knows the deaths we've experienced. His plans for us are good, though they look different than we expected. We need to learn to rest in the knowledge that God uses every circumstance to strengthen our faith in Him. When we think that life as we know it is over, remember the One who said "I make all things new." (Rev. 21:5)