Critical Spirits....Judge Not

Have you ever been around people who have a critical spirit? I've worked with adults and with students and I see the same behaviors. I've seen adults make remarks "Where did she buy that skirt?" in a put-down sort of way. I've seen students call each other names such as "whale" to the overweight girl or "retard" to the boy in special ed.

It has always bothered me. Why do people feel the compulsion to put other people down or criticize them? I have seen mothers with critical spirits and it is as if the child can never measure up to the expectations of the parent.

When this happens, I see the recipient of this criticism beat down. Their inner spirit is just crushed. The words they hear shape their inner voice and who they believe they are. It eventually shapes who they will eventually become, unless they understand who they are in the Lord.

The scripture says in Proverbs 18:21 that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." When we speak words of encouragement and love, we are investing love and hope into people. I think this is SO critical and important to change the thinking in our minds from being critical to positive.

I am also reminded of a wonderful song that D.C. Talk produced years ago called "Colored People." The song focuses on the fact that we are all of different races and need to get along. But, to me, it also emphasizes the fact that we all have our own story.

"Colored People" by DC Talk

Pardon me, your epidermis is showing
I couldn't help but note your shade of melanin
I tip my hat to the colorful arrangement
cause I see (the) beauty in the tones of our skin
We gotta come together, and thank the maker of us all
We're colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
We've got a history of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace
A piece of canvas is only the beginning
It takes on character with every loving stroke
This thing of beauty is the passion of an artist's heart
By God's design, we are a skin kaleidoscope
We gotta come together, aren't we all human after all?
Ignorance has wronged some races
And vengeance is the Lord's
If we aspire to share this space
Repentance is the cure
Well, just a day in the shoes of a color blind man
Should make it easy for you to see
That these diverse tones do more than cover our bones
As a part of our anatomy

God made us uniquely special and gifted in our own ways. This world would be so boring if we were all the same. My final thoughts are that we should follow God's Word.

John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you.

Luke 6:37
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

Have a Cheerful Heart!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Prov. 17:22

The other day I decided "Today is going to be a good day, BECAUSE I SAID SO!" I decided that every time I passed someone in the hall, I would smile at them and say "hello." After work, I went to the grocery store. I did the same thing. You wouldn't believe how my smile was contagious! I made a lot of people smile. It took so little effort and I felt so good. I felt like I was letting my light shine (God's light shine) in such a little way. It was so easy to do.

I had the joy of the Spirit! When it's in your heart, it bubbles over. Sometimes life can get too serious. Remember to take time out of the day to laugh.

Laughter is so good for the soul! Check out "I Like Big Bibles" below and have a good laugh for the day!



Jesus loves you!

I Don't Want to Gain the Whole World And Lose My Soul

"I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul" is the main chorus line in Toby Mac's song "Lose My Soul" from the album "Portable Sounds." I love the words to this song.

In Mark 8 Jesus told his disciples and the crowd "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." Mark 8:27:31-38 (NIV)




WOW! Sometimes I think we get so focused on the things of this world, that we forget there is nothing more important in life than what Christ did for us on the cross. Our precious Jesus loved us so much that He was willing to die a horrible death for us so that we could live forever. We should never be ashamed of him.

Here are the words to Toby Mac's song:

Lose My Soul / Afterparty Outro TobyMac lyrics
Artist: TobyMac

Father God, I am clay in your hands
Help me to stay that way through all life's demands
'Cause they chip and they nag and they pull at me
And every little thing I make up my mind to be

Like I'm gonna be a daddy whose in the mix
And I'm gonna be a husband who stays legit
And I pray that I'm an artist who rises above the road that is wide and filled with self love Everything that I see draws me
Though its only in You that I can truly see that its a feast for the eyes - a low blow to purpose And I'm a little kid at a three ring circus

Chorus:

I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul
Don't wanna walk away let me hear the people say
I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul
Don't wanna walk away let me hear the people say

The paparazzi flashes and that they think that it’s you
But they don’t know that who you are is not what you do
True, we get it twisted when we peak at the charts
Yo before we part from the start where’s your heart?
You’re a pimp, hustler?
Tell me what’s your title
America has no more stars now we call them idols

You sit idle
While we teach prosperity
The first thing to prosper should be inside of me
We’re free … Not because of 22’s the a range
But Christ came in range we said yes now we changed
Not the same even though I made a fall
Since I got that call no more Saul now I’m Paul

How do I sense the tide that's rising?
De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity
How do I sense the tide that's rising?
It's hypnotizing me from living in light of eternity

(repeat Chorus)

I love that TobyMac is speaking from his heart. Sometimes we forget that we can't take all this "stuff" with us. When I say "stuff" I'm not talking necessarily about worldly goods. Stuff could be prestige, position, power - whatever gets in the way of us putting God first.

If you are reading this blog, pray with me this short prayer.

Father, thank you for reminding us of the sacrifice that your son Jesus made on the cross. Thank you for the gift of eternal life that you have given us. Lord, help us to sift from our lives the things that would distract us or keep us from serving you with our whole hearts, minds, and souls. We bind Satan and his attempts to destroy our families and to separate us from Your Love.

Your word says in Romans 8:34-35 "Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God, and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" (NIV)

Lord, we desire to serve you and put you first in our lives. Amen!

(For a little humor, check out Toby's video blog on this song.)

Technorati Tags: losemysoul tobymac portablesounds Christ Jesus God Christian serve cross gainwholeworld Romans8 bible pray prayer

The Power of Praise

Praise is powerful. The other night I was reading Joyce Meyer's book "The Power of Simple Prayer" and was reminded about how praise is one form of prayer.

In thinking about praise, I think of the act of offering up to the Lord, words or songs of adoration. Joyce Meyer takes it further and describes the act of praising as "our response to God for what He has done, is doing and will do." She differentiates this from the act of worship where it is a "response to who He is." (p. 83).

What I like about praise is that it does a couple of things. First, it glorifies God. Secondly, it takes our focus off of ourselves and onto the Lord. When we begin to focus on God, it does a couple of things; (1) diminishes the intensity of our own needs and (2) opens up our hearts and minds to receive direction from the Holy Spirit.

When I went to look up scriptures on praise, I was amazed at how many times the word "praise" is used in the Bible! When we are born again, we naturally want to praise the Lord. However, it is something we must learn to practice. Our natural man does not always do that because we don't always want to put God first.

God inhabits the praises of His people. Praise Him!

The Lord Lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior! (2 Samuel 22:47)

But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more! (Psalm 70:14)

Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. (Psalm 47: 6-7)

One practical way to praise God is by starting off your prayer by praising first. "Lord, thank you for meeting my financial needs. I praise you Lord for ministering to my children." Be specific in your praise to Him. He knows you and wants to have a relationship with you.

If you are not sure how to praise Him. Simply, worship Him. Say, "I love you Lord. Thank you for being in my life. Thank you for your Word that is coming alive in my heart. Thank you for guiding me and helping me for making decisions that will glorify you." There is no right or wrong way to praise, worship or pray to God.

As I am typing this, I can feel the Holy Spirit leading me. He is so amazing. You can't praise God without it immediately putting you in touch with Him! God is so awesome! I know that this message is going to minister to someone. It is stirring something up in my spirit. Something that I have neglected in myself.

Another practical way to praise God is to journal. Either keep a private journal if you like to write, or an electronic journal like this blog.

One great way to praise God is to fill your mind with Christian music. Surround yourself with Praise and Worship music. Find a Christian radio station. If you've never listened to Christian music, there are many great artists and many great styles now. It is amazing what this will do to your spirit. It is so uplifting to wake up and Praise God on your way to work!

I encourage each of you, (and am reminding myself also) praise Him throughout your day. It will change your heart, mind, attitude, and how you act and behave towards other people. I believe it opens the "ears" of your heart and allows you to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. (Psalm 103: 1, of David)

Technorati Tags: praise joycemeyer worship Christian Jesus God exhault glorify magnify

Man Can Not Serve Two Masters

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24)

I found this scripture particularly timely. This is a widget that I have on my Google page and it displayed today. I have been struggling with making God a priority in my life. A friend of mine had a dream a couple of weeks ago. When she has dreams, you need to listen. Most of them are symbolic. I prayed that God would give her an interpretation of the dream - and He did.

She has worked for me for 7 years, and she has never dreamed about me. She dreamed that I was driving and she was riding in the back seat. I had a piece of paper and I was looking at it while driving. She said that the person in the back has no control, and she kept telling me to watch out. She said that I said, "I got it." However, I kept turning the page, and looking at the paper, rather than on the road. She said we then ran off the road, and slowly started flipping in the vehicle. She said she could see the glass flying.

She received the interpretation a week or so later. She said that I have had my focus off of God and not on the right road. She said that I needed to regain my focus, or that I was going to crash. She was scared to tell me this, because I was the boss. I told her I wanted to know, because I knew it was from God. She wasn't telling me anything I didn't already know. I am thankful for her honesty and am trying to taking steps forward.

I know that God has a plan for me. I know that He has called me to be an intercessor. I am to stand in the gap for people. For example, there is a woman that I pass on occasion, on the way to work. I pray for her when I see her, and whenever I think of her - in the shower, whenever. The name I have is "Angela." I don't know her, but God has put her on my heart to pray for her. I don't know why.

I pray Lord, that you will forgive me. Guide me. Give me wisdom. Help me to honor your Word. Let your Holy Spirit guide me. Help me to prioritize my life so that the things that are taking too much of my time will fall away. Help me to begin to operate in the gifts that you have given me. In Jesus name, Amen.

If anyone else out there is feeling the same way, or would like to share their thoughts. I will gladly agree with you and pray for you. Ms. Tina

Technorati Tags: 2masters, priorities, Jesus, God, serve

My New Blog

Greetings! Welcome to my newest blog! I started blogging a couple of months ago after the NECC 2007 conference. I created my first blog at wordpress, and have focused mostly on discussing topics of education and technology. As I began writing more, I found myself wanting to discuss things of a more spiritual nature. So, I thought it appropriate, to begin a new blog.

It also gave me an excuse to try another blog application, such as Google's application. I am enjoying exploring the differences. I want this to be a place for spiritual discussions. Please invite others to join the discussion. I have always enjoyed journaling, and am currently involved in an online bible study.

So, this is going to be a natural way for me to grow with the Lord. Please join me.

Ms. Tina