Set Free!

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31,32 NIV)

The first-partakers of the Son’s grace–the Jews–who believed Him and then to “whoever believes” (adopted children), were told that if they held to His teaching, they were His disciples (followers). What did He teach? To obey the Father in all things and to love one another. What truth will they know? They will know the truth of God’s purpose for living (what He proclaims as sin) and be set free from it.

Some of those listening to Jesus didn’t understand Him and challenged Him because they thought He was referencing slavery–control and ownership by man–when He was referencing sin. They didn’t get it and many still don’t get it. In order to understand what Jesus is saying about freedom from sin, one must acknowledge they have sinned or are living in sin.

The reason many still are bound, enslaved to sin is because they have allowed others to teach them a “truth” that is their truth and not God’s truth. God’s truth never changes, but man’s truth constantly changes. Why? The more God allows us to know–about anything–the more some people begin to think they know more than God. If they think they know than God, they begin to proclaim their own truths–negating God’s truth–and remain enslaved to sin.

People are destroying the temple where the Holy Spirit would live by creating an environment within themselves that grieves Holy Spirit and He will not dwell in an unclean place. Legalizing drugs which alter the chemical make-up of brains–is not God’s truth; it is man’s because they want to appease flesh. And look how often man has changed this truth-from making drugs a crime to justifying its use.

The same is true for so many other events in our lives–pertaining to family and marriage, discipline and abuse, etc. When parents are told they cannot discipline their children, we end up with a society where chaos and confusion and violence run rampant because God said, “if we spare the rod, we spoil the child” (the rod of correction not beating them). When we attempt to force people to deny their faith in God, we open the door for Satan and his minions to govern and create havoc.

Look around us today! There is no peace because we have allowed our love for God to grow cold, heating up hatred and bigotry for any reason. Freedom of speech for some means they say anything that comes to mind–never thinking of how words impact and change the course of history. When our thoughts are not of God, then the behavior that follows is certainly not of Him.

If we really want to be set free–from sin–we have to acknowledge, repent of it, and receive His mercy and grace to move forward, determined never to be enslaved to sin again. While we yet have breath in our bodies and can speak, it’s not too late. Allow Him to loose the shackles that hold you hostage to sin and be set free, receiving His truth.

Advertisement

“Best Seller” Hour Reminder

ON YOUR MARCH, GET READY, GO!  myBook.to/TNT  Between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. every sale matters!

The first 5-star review for this book:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5Worth the wait- would love to see a series!

ByTammy DreamWriteron April 19, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is the first book I’ve ever read by this author, and I’m so glad I bought it! There were a few minor spelling and formatting errors, but nothing that really made me want to stop reading.I loved how the author used humor to replace swearing, and thought it was a very clever idea. The plot flowed at a snappy place- so snappy that I couldn’t put this book down until it was finished.

Here’s hoping that there will be more books to come!

Love to love you!

The Push for “Best Seller” Hour

I am so excited about the release of my latest book! I’ve already had a 5-star review and it was just released Saturday! My God is awesome!

At any rate, I’m pushing to make the best seller list for sales in one hour–from 6:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m. EST tonight. The book is selling for .99 and if you would join me in this quest, I’d appreciate it. This is the preliminary announcement of tonight’s event. I’ll send out a reminder around 5:30 EST.

While you’re waiting, go ahead and a look at the preview (Inside on Amazon) myBook.to/TNT

Not too long ago, my husband and I asked God for one million plus readers reading my books. Whatever I write, I have Him in mind–the romances, the mysteries, the fantasies, my blogs, everything. Now, I can see His response to our request coming to pass. If you’re reading them–thank you. If you’re not, God blessings upon you anyway :).

Gotta run to get on with my day. Don’t forget!

To Know Him Is To Know Them!

“Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” (John 8:19 NIV)

Knowing how to answer everyone who has a question about The Word with The Word is how we convince and what we say, will sometimes convict.

In this passage of Scripture, Jesus is teaching in the temple courts and He is being questioned by the Pharisees–those religious folks who claim to know God, but only so they can feel superior to others. When Jesus told them that He and His Father were witnesses of who He was, they challenged Him based on the Law–human standards which is all religious people have. The question–where is your father was about His human father (not understanding who He was) and when Jesus responded, the way He did, I can only imagine how their jaws may have dropped. They didn’t get it.

But then again, there are those in the 21st Century who still don’t get it. We cannot have a rational conversation–based upon spiritual truths–about Jesus or God, without referencing the other. They are One in purpose–without God–there is no Jesus and without Jesus–there is no access to God. Why people don’t understand this is because they fail to understand the first fourteen verses in the first chapter of John and the first chapter of Genesis. God is a spirit and He came down to earth in the likeness of man, wrapped in flesh, born of a woman, who named Him–Jesus–out of obedience.

If anyone knows what God said and meant–it would be Jesus--who did not come to change the course of mankind by changing the law (which man could not keep), but to make sure mankind would have access to all God has planned–the abundant life–a result of obedience to His Word and fulfilled by the work on The Cross.

No matter how hard we try, we cannot escape The Cross and what it means. Nothing we mere humans say can change what God intended and when we attempt to manipulate His Word and His Love, we deceive ourselves if we think for a moment that He is not aware of how we’ve been deceived. No cross, no salvation; no salvation no hope for eternal life, no Jesus, no peace.

When we understand the spiritual, the natural will fall into place and we will have peace in the land. It’s all about being in a right relationship with Them–and living according to Their purposes and not our own. Trying to understand God with our natural, limited minds only leads to confusion. We need to communicate with Him on a spiritual realm, so our natural mind can accept who He is and how He wants us to live.

As so many people have said, “going to church doesn’t make a person a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes them a car.” To be a Christian means to follow, represent and emulate Christ. When we emulate Christ, we acknowledge The Father and try to please Him. If we please one, we please both. To Know Him, is to know Them!

Watch Your Conduct!

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27 NIV)

I’ve seen on more than one occasion a Tweet or poster on Facebook that people would rather see a sermon than hear one. Now, this doesn’t mean that we should not hear The Gospel, but when we see people living the Gospel, it is far more effective in convincing others to hear what we have to say. And then there are those who know how to “talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk.”

One of the reasons that we are unable to convince people that God is real and salvation is ours, is the fact that what they hear from us and what they see us do is contradictory. We become hypocrites–doing what we urge others not to do.

Most of us–disdain the use of profanity when we hear it from others and are quick to correct or show our disdain, but when we’re upset–are we using the same language we abhor hearing from others? Are they hearing us, too?

We talk about sin and how our lives should be sin-free, but are we living sin-free lives? If we attempt to justify our own sinful behavior, or won’t recognize our behavior is sinful, are we not hypocrites?

Sometimes, if we cannot live the life we proclaim has been given to us–as new creations in Christ Jesus, we should just be quiet and work on ourselves, before we try to work on others. If we were honest with ourselves, the world–those unbelieving and hating Christians, would be thrilled since none of us have reached perfection.

But God would not want us to be silent (even if we aren’t perfect), He would want us to be aware of what we do and make every effort to represent Him in a way that draws others to Him, not drive them away.

Can we do it? We can if our goal is to please Him and not man (family, friends, co-workers, etc.). Watch your conduct--language and behavior–and remember, it is not just what we do in the presence of others that matter, God hears and sees it all.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I humbly ask forgiveness for every incident in which I did not represent You in the presence of others. Lead me by Your Spirit to know at every turn on a daily basis–to know what to say and what to do so others will want to come to know You. Thank You for hearing and answering prayer and loving us enough to give us chance after chance to get living right, for You!

Acknowledge The Work!

“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” (I Thessalonians 5: 12,13 NIV)

Many of us have often felt that the work we do in promoting the Gospel, encouraging others to live for the Lord, and warning and admonishing others when we see them out of the Will of God is a waste of time. We are criticized by unbelievers, isolated by some Believers who don’t want to live right, and ostracized if we dare to speak God’s Truth (not our own) and called hatemongers and belittled for our faith.

No one ever said that being a Believer would be easy–at least I hope they didn’t. It is not easy, but it is rewarding. Once we make a decision to truly live for the Lord, we find out who our friends really are. If we say what God says and live the way God wants us to say, many of those who proclaimed to be friends are convicted by our lifestyles and when we speak truth according to God’s Word. They think we are belittling them when all we are trying to do is to encourage them to be in position to receive God’s best.

None of us are perfect and until the end comes (however it comes) we won’t reach perfection. That truth does not mean we cannot continue to strive for perfection in our personal lives and certainly as an example for those we love. How can we say we love others if we don’t warn them when they’re headed in the wrong direction? This is what the “fair-weather Christians” don’t understand. They are Christians when it is convenient or expedient as a status that uplifts them, but they either don’t know what God said or don’t want to know because admitting knowledge means they should change their course. These Christians only believe what they want to believe, when they want to believe and will go along-to-get-along as long as it makes them feel good about themselves.

That’s the problem with most of society–the doing anything that makes them feel good. True Believers do what must be done–encouraging and correcting, and most of the time, what we do, doesn’t feel good, but we act out of out obedience to Him who saved us, not those who scorn us.

Those on the outside of His love have no idea what life is like when on the inside of His love. We are His children and with Him, we can accomplish all things, to His glory!

For those who are as determined as I am to do what God puts on our hearts to do, know you are not alone and the reward that He has for us is greater than anything we could receive from people who don’t know Him. Stay focused, determined and convinced of His love and His protection from all evil, doing all He has spoken to you. God loves you and only wants the best for you and all of our confidence should be in Him, not man (or woman) who has neither hell or heaven for us.

Let’s continue to love and obey so peace will reign in our lives!

Our Hope In Him!

“Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.” (Psalm 37:34 NIV)

How many times do we hear people say, “I hope?” How many times do we say it? Considering the climate in our culture–the intensity of hate, violence, and ever-changing downward slide of our economy, we all hope to see the end of negativity, chaos, and confusion. But where is our hope in Him?

No matter how many times we say, “I hope” nothing will ever change until we realize that our hope–for change in anything, has to be in Him and Him alone.

Hope that people will exercise wisdom in elections is pointless unless they all know The Lord.

Hope for peace in the land is pointless when world leaders don’t know The Lord.

Hope for confusion to end in the minds of others–those with poor parenting skills, gender issues, right and wrong, good and evil–all hope for change is pointless if people don’t know The Lord.

When our hope is in Him, we know how He wants us to live and we live to please Him, according to His Word and His Will, not our own.

When we exalt Him by how we live before others, He will exalt us and not allow the wicked or evil to reign in our lives. When we do what He says to do, we can be assured of peace, joy and happiness, and know He reigns in our lives. When we don’t succumb to wickedness, He destroys wickedness around us and He does it in His timing, no matter how matter how often we try to “hope” it away.

For real change in our society, let’s change our focus and place all of our hope in Him who can and will keep us in times of trouble and confusion.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we look to You and You alone for change in the land that honors You and all You are to those who love You. We know You can speak to the hearts of all who are willing to hear and change things in an instant. We give You praise for all things and declare the enemy’s infuence–ended–none of his plans shall succeed in our lives, and it is done!

Praying For You!

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Ephesians 1:15-17 NIV)

Many of us often receive prayer requests for various reasons–someone is having surgery, a child is missing, a life has been lost, someone has lost a job, and for those who are ill and suffering. When I pray for anyone, based upon a prayer request, I ask for the reason I’m praying since I don’t really like “generic prayers” for anyone. We have an awesome God who responds to our faith, about the specific details of our lives, so I like to pray specific prayers.

But for those who profess a faith and belief in God as indicated in their response to something I’ve said in a blog or by following me on Twitter or any other social media, I pray the type of prayer Paul discusses in this passage.

I always thank God for the connection with other like-minded Believers and with those who have shared interest in writing, the arts, literacy, and education. I pray for wisdom for all–those in authority and those who are governed by those in authority. I pray for wisdom for parents in guiding their children in knowing how to live a life that glorifies God. I pray God’s wisdom for spouses that their love will grow and cement their commitment to each other. I pray healing for all--from the crowns of heads to the soles of their feet and every organ, bone, muscle, and tissue in between. I pray God’s wisdom in all decision-making for everyone faced with tough choices. I pray for all to accept God’s love so we may have peace in our homes,  in communities,  in the nation, and in the world–with no hatred or violence against anyone. I pray for strength and courage for all who are tempted to succumb to depression and doubt and for those who stand firm in their faith, never wavering. I pray for all to come to a place where they accept the work on the cross and Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

And when I’ve finished these requests, I praise God and thank Him for hearing and responding to my requests and for speaking to the hearts of all who need to hear from Him in all things. I know that it is done in Jesus’ name.

Someone wrote a song indicating they understood someone–maybe someone they didn’t even know, had prayed for them–“Somebody prayed for me and I’m so glad they prayed.” I know some of the people who prayed for me when I was living my life for me and I’m so glad they prayed, I’m so glad they prayed for me! So, I do not hesitate to pray for others, whether I know them or not, God knows every need, and I expect, with great anticipation, that He will respond to those needs. Hallelujah!

Be encouraged, I’m praying for you!

Great is He!

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:3-5 NIV)

For those who have heard the disdain in the voices (or the printed words) of those who don’t understand God, take heart! No matter how many times or how many ways, the unbelieving attempt to undermine our faith, we know–Our God is great!

If having a broken heart from a broken relationship or the loss of loved ones led to our deaths (naturally), the world’s population would be at a deficit–for all who are compassionate. When we feel as though our hearts are shattered, He comes in like a flood, washing away all the hurt and pain, and overwhelming us with His love (if we allow Him to do it). Sometimes, people are so hurt behind the death of a loved one, especially a child or parent, they feel they simply cannot go on. But we can continue to move forward, appreciating life and the time we have on earth to do great things–in memory of those we have lost.

When we incur injuries that need to be bound to contain blood lost, the tighter the binding–bandage, wraps, whatever it takes, the greater the likelihood, we stem the flow of blood until we can get medical attention. God does the same thing for our emotional wounds that others cannot see. He binds them tightly, stemming the flow of anguish and bitterness until His love seals the wound and makes us whole again. 

Since we know He cares enough about the stars to know their number and names, how much more can we expect Him to care about us? He knows our thoughts before we think them, He knows our desires before we speak them, the very hairs on our head are numbered by Him, and He cares about everything that will keep our focus off Him. His love is amazing and His mercy endures beyond our individual lifespans from generation to generation.

When He delights in us–there are no limits to what we can do when we do all to glorify Him. He is our Father and like any loving parent, He only wants what is best for us. And since that is the case, sometimes, He has to deny our requests that will distract us or harm us. So, when we don’t always get what we want, we must remember–He knows best, and He will always provide our needs.

Great is He who loves us beyond measure!

Has That Day Come?

“In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9 NIV)

Looking at all of the natural disasters–those caused by human error, and demonic influence–most people are wondering if God is even paying attention to us. I can imagine people living in some countries where man’s greed and arrogance is causing uproar and chaos are having a difficult time believing God cares. I can imagine that families who have lost children to abductors and tragic accidents cannot believe a loving, caring God still exists. I can imagine that loved ones lost due to the depression of others who for a moment, controlled their environment are not happy with God–how could they be, when such tragedies occur? In the midst of every tragic situation–our God still reigns. It is not that He cannot keep the tragedy from occurring; everything in life is part of a plan and God will not control what other people do, unless He’s invited to do so. This is what we’re missing–God must be invited to situations and everyone must submit to His will before we will see any lasting change in our world. Are we there yet? Does sin still reign in the minds of those who will not submit to God? We’re not there yet, but many are on their way. We realize that everything we do, influences the outcome of how we live and what we are able to do for others. We have submitted and we do all we can to encourage others to seek Him and submit to Him, so we can watch the devil flee. For as long as the enemy can influence the thoughts of those who have not submitted to God, evil will exist and create havoc in the lives of many. But on that day, when we see people turning their lives over to God in total submission, we will see the hand of The Lord, settle the minds of people and peace will reign over all the earth. On that day, we will thank Him for all He is doing and will do on behalf of all who love Him. On that day, we will stand proudly, proclaiming our trust in Him. On that day, we will rejoice in the God of our salvation–who saves to the utmost! Until we get to that day, those of us who know the power of prayer must continue our vigil, interceding on behalf of all who have yet to submit to Him, so we can see change and peace for all of God’s people. Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to understand the urgency of the times, seek You for direction and wisdom in all things, and submit to Your will in everything we do.