by admin | Dec 12, 2008 | Jesus Talk, Kingdom Comments, Relationship Not Religion!
I know, I know……we aren’t supposed to be offended. But, I was! Why? Because a man accused me of ‘saying I was religious.’ To be exact he said, “You say you are religious and yet you won’t take me off your email list, and I don’t want any more of your emails.”
First of all, I didn’t know he wanted off. It is so easy….there is a link at the bottom of each message where anyone can unsubscribe. For some unknown reason that did not work. So he was ‘hot’! I got the job done as soon as I knew there was a problem. I don’t send those emails out from my office….they go through another company (a really good one) Automated Sales Machine. We only want those on line with us who are blessed by the messages.
The statement that I said I was religious….got me ‘hot’…..one thing I live by and try to impart is that following and believing in Jesus is relationship not religion. Religion is what man must do for God and Christianity is what God has done for man.
Well, I argued with myself (a little), “Why did that upset me?” Then I decided to look up religion and religious in my concordance to see what it actually means. That was a surprise, because it means to worship or worshiping. And, religion and religious are only used 7 times, all in the New Testament. I pulled up definition from Webster’s Dictionary: “concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church; “religious texts”; “a member of a religious order”; “lords temporal and spiritual … having or showing belief in and reverence for a deity; “a religious man”; “religious attitude”
I had thought it meant a form of doctrines or beliefs of any kind, like Buddhist, Mormon, Muslim, New Age, Satanism and those all have doctrines about ‘working’ or pleasing a god, or the ‘god within’. In Christianity we accept Jesus into our heart, believing He is the ‘Way, the Truth, and the Light’ and we have eternal relationship with God, by His mercy and grace, not works. Then because we love Him we do work and serve Him out of desire not obligation!
This did give me a little different perspective. However, I think the words have come to mean what I described for most people, i.e. Tom Cruise refers to Scientology as a religion.
I did do what I preach…..I forgave the man and prayed he would know Jesus personally, that he would be blessed and God would take all judgment out of my heart. Amazing how God does just that when we do our part. So now I guess I am truly religious and might even say that because I do worship Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I doubt that I would claim it very often because I would never want people to misconstrue my meaning. Jesus is great, I am not. I am blessed and important in the scheme of things as is everyone reading this Blog. I have great confidence in knowing who I am in Christ Jesus, (See Home Study page at the right, #4 for more on that.) and extremely thankful for all He does for me! But my self-worth is in Him not what I do.
P S I am sure this will not be the last time I am offended….and it does matter what we do with an offense. It is to the glory of man to overlook an offense (Prov 19:11) and certainly shows ‘class’…..I’m going to work on that!
Pressing in and pressing on….
by admin | Dec 5, 2008 | Personal
There are no words to express my appreciation for all the wonderful comments and blessings so many of you have sent to me! It is awesome! My son and wife, and grandchildren here in Redding did an outstanding job of blessing me and making me feel, loved, needed and important! Gifts, food, some new furniture and fun….lots of fun! When my son, Greg flew from San Diego and walked into the room at dinner time, it was just ‘over the top’. I almost fainted I was so surprised and and tears began to flow.
Then, as if that was not enough, Greg surprised me with the previous Blog message regarding the birthday celebration and I have just been overwhelmed with all the blessings, kindness and love so many have sent. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
Now I want to share from my heart…..I was dreading this birthday….75 sounds sooooo old! Well, guess what, it is old! The problem is, my mind thinks I am 50….however, when I get up each morning my body thinks it is 100. So we have some discussion….my body and me….and I tell it we have things to do, places to go, and I am in control (with the Holy Spirit, of course). As soon as I do some movement, some exercise, my body gives in, and we do well together!
I was reminded of all the wonderful years and memories in 75! I have said for years that I never mind getting old, it is just one year closer to Jesus. So I don’t know why I let this one be a ‘hitch-in-my-get-along’ because I am no different than I was last week at this time. Pretty silly, huh? However, it is a big mile-stone, but a good one!
I am so thankful for my relationship with the Lord, for my family, my friends, the ministry I have the honor to serve, and all the new friends I am making in the last couple of years through the 5 Minute Miracle Family. I have a couple of ‘heros’ who are in their 80’s and still driving, and very active. I always feel they are younger than I am, when I am with them and that is inspiring.
I have many goals still in my life, with the Lord’s help:
- To reach people everywhere with the message that personal relationship with Jesus is possible and wonderful!
- To remain close with all my family, and remarry! (Yep, we ole’ folk still have ‘steam in the pot’)
- To be debt free, personally and in ministry, and to help more people!
- To launch a spiritual campaign against the epedemic spread of Bipolar and Alzhiemers Disease!
That is a tall order, but all things are possible with God! I wish I could celebrate the birthday of everyone I know. It is a special time–when we were born. Each person should have the blessings I received and more! I pray that will be true for all of you. You are already a part of helping me meet my goals and so again, I thank you, and thank God for you!
Carol
Pressing in and pressing on!
by admin | Dec 1, 2008 | A Son's Perspective, Family/Marriage
Hi my name is Greg and I am Carol’s youngest son and that is a picture of me with my mother on her 75th birthday party.
Her party was held at my older brother Patrick’s house in Redding California and I flew up from Escondido California to surprise her. It was very exciting to see the look on her face when I walked in the door.
It was a great birthday that mom said she will never forget. My brother, his wife and kids did an excellent job on her party and we all had a fantastic time. Complete with great food, a cake and “birthday blessings” that brought tears to her eyes.
So I thought I would surprise her once again! So I got her username and password to this blog and I am making this post without her knowing. 🙂
Sharing her birthday with all of her blog followers…I thought you would enjoy!
I also wanted to say that I am so proud of my mother, she is incredible and our family is so blessed to have such loving strong spiritual leader in our family.
This web site, her 5 Minute Miracle Newsletter and her ministry is just amazing.
What she knows about working online is absolutely incredible for a person of her age and it has not come easy to her. She has worked for years figuring out everything about how it all works. Her patience and tenacity is a testimony to her passion to make a difference in the lives of people worldwide.
And last but not least I want to thank YOU for reading her blog, joining her teleseminars, buying her books and I pray and hope that this blog and my mothers newsletter is a blessing to you and your family.
by admin | Nov 24, 2008 | Uncategorized
That came from a speaker at something I attended recently. What does that mean? Well, I had to think about it for awhile. We tend to think ‘worship’ is singing, adoration or devotion to God. Looking a little deeper, what we think and meditate on, especially in fear can become a form of worship.
We hear all kinds of things like:
- What you fear will find you….
- Everything I feared came upon me….
- When we fear the problem becomes bigger and the solution less possible, or
- The more we fear the greater the situation becomes and the smaller God seems.
That becomes rather ‘scary’. Instead we need to think the beginning of wisdom is a fear (or reverence and devotion) of God. I ask the Holy Spirit all the time, “What do you think about this?” I rarely get an immediate answer but my point is, I want Him to know I want His version (or wisdom) on my situation.
I like to think about what I know about God and what His Word says…..I need to make a decision of my will, to have faith not fear because His Word does say, “What is not of faith, is sin.” And the reward of sin, any sin, is not good.
In thinking about this after listening to world and local news….the Holy Spirit did answer me with some Godly wisdom, “Repent of accepting the spirit of recession. And break the assignment of recession upon you, your family and your business.”
WOW! I got so excited, who would have ‘thunk’ there is a ‘spirit of recession’? Well, not me without help from the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things. So I share this so everyone will not accept the invitation of the world to go into depression about a recession. But will pray, rebuking that spirit to rid ourselves individually of the fear that comes with ‘bad news’.
Bad things happen to good people because there is a devil and his demons who come to kill , rob and destroy; there is evil in the world; and men and women have free will to use for or against each other. But, ultimately we have refuse and comfort in God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit was not relieving me of the necessity of prayer, quite the opposite. Prayer is heard in the supernatural realm and directs either Angels or demons. Overing coming evil with good is overcoming fear with faith. Agreement with God sends Angels on assignment–negative thinking and fear equips the demons on assignment. Which team will we be on?
I talk like this is a ‘piece of cake’ for me. No, quite the opposite, I am really good at seeing all the bad and evil things for myself and others…so if have to think quite often….”Better pray, better seize the moment….if not, why not…..what is the alternative?” Then it is easy to choose the right team!
‘Deluged with bad news, but not forsaken….it is faith not fear that moves mountains!’
by admin | Nov 12, 2008 | Jesus Talk, Kingdom Comments, Relationship Not Religion!
Why me? WOW….there is such a good reason you will love it.
Every-time we bless someone else, three things happen:
1. We have the thought of the blessing! (Good for your mind and soul. Phil 4:8)
2. We speak blessing through our mouth! (Words can bring life! John 6:63)
3. As we bless, we are blessed! (In words we are justified; declared righteous! Matt 12:37)
To bless means to:
- To consecrate or sanctify, or pronounce holy.
- To request of God, divine favor.
- To impart good of any kind.
- To commend as holy; glorify. (To bless God.)
- To protect or guard from evil.
Those are some of the definitions of the word bless. How wonderful that we can impart such awesome things in just ‘blessing’ a person or situation!
As we work in partnership with the Holy Spirit (He is the senior partner and we are junior partner), we use our mind, our mouth to speak, we are blessed, and the Holy Spirit does the rest, and He is soooo good at what He does! As it goes forth those who receive the blessing will be blessed, those who do not, the blessing will return to us! (Luke 10:6)
Whee…!!! What a blessing to give a blessing and be blessed! All because of Jesus, for Jesus and in His Name, we can rise up each day to over come evil with good! (Rom 12:21)
Blessing makes the heart sing!
