Month: April 2014

April 24, 2014

My computer angel

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Sitting at my computer, gritting my teeth, desperately trying to hold back the non-Christian language that wants to gush forth, I growl loudly at the contraption in front of me and want to scream and run to get my gun and blow the thing to smithereens!

Okay, obviously I am not computer savy.  When I need to do some serious work, like creating a blog for the first time, or more importantly, creating a website for my ministry I wind up running for the gun within minutes.

Shooting out of my chair the voice of the Lord stops me dead in my tracks. “Call John!”

Oh what would I do without my computer angel? 744778-tn_Christian019_ssc_c_[1]

Ever so faithful and ever so helpful he has completely re-designed and made over the website he created for me a few years back. I gave him the title, “my computer angel” because the Lord sent him to me and even the small problems I might come up against he is always willing and able to help me.

My new website is very different from the other one. It’s beautiful, easy to navigate, (even I can do it) and even has my new novel, along with my other books, and blog posts on it. It just has a lot of really cool stuff! I am so thrilled with it!

 

      New Elah website

A big hug and a big thank you to J. Cornelius Consulting, Inc. in Canton, Ga.

~~~~~

” And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19

http://www.elahministries.com

Blessings to you. 🙂 

 

April 21, 2014

Religion vs. Relationship

I’ve re-blogged this from Jim Lupis. A sobering thought.

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I recently came across a great quote that really describes the difference between Religion and Relationship.

“Religion is a man in church thinking about fishing.    Relationship is a man fishing thinking about God.”

Think about it.

 

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April 19, 2014

Jonah & me

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Many of us have heard the story of Jonah, God’s prophet, who decided he did not want to obey what the Lord was telling him to do and wound up spending some time in the belly of a whale.

In Jonah 1:1-3 the Lord is telling Jonah He wants him to go to the great city of Nineveh and to “cry out against it, for their wickedness has come before Me.” Jonah decides he doesn’t want to do that so he boards a ship and heads the opposite direction. I guess he figured God couldn’t find him in Tarshish.

Do we really think we can hide from the Lord Almighty!?

Aren’t we much like Jonah at times?

I remember when the Lord had me moving from one state to another to another in His quest to teach me to trust Him and to be obedient. I was a fairly new Christian and although some of His requests scared me, thrilled me, and left me scratching my head many times, I did as He commanded. He didn’t ask me if I wanted to, He said that was what I was to do. So I would do it.

The Lord has given us free will. We have two choices; obey Him or not. At this particular command I did not want to obey! He was telling me to move to a place that I absolutely did not want to go. Much like Jonah and Nineveh. Jonah basically said, “Ohh no I won’t. I ain’t going there.”

I can empathize with Jonah! “I said, Oh Lord, no, no, no, I do not want to go there” and began fighting, justifying my reasons, crying, pleading, and begging. Before I knew it, I, like Jonah, was in the belly of a whale.

05.Rue.JonahintheWhaleW[1](Figuratively speaking.)

“But the Lord sent out a great wave on the sea…” (v.4)  In other words there was a big storm.

“Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17  The whale had Jonah for lunch.

I truly felt like I was in a storm. I can tell you it isn’t fun when you think you can argue your way out of doing what the Lord wants you to do.  Sitting in the whales belly, like Jonah, I prayed, I cried, I

stomped, and slept little.     inside the whale1[1]

It was three days and three nights of anguish. I really can empathize with Jonah! The stench of disobedience is rancid!

I was the one arguing! God was listening but He will not argue with us. He may explain His reasons and He may not. In this instance He chose not to but boy could I come up with all kinds of reasons why I should not move there! Jonah had his reasons and hey, I had mine. It was still a spirit of disobedience.

Finally, with a runny nose, bloodshot and swollen eyes, tears streaming down my face, and exhausted from the battle, I said, “Okay! But You have to promise…..”  Isn’t that just like us? “I’ll do what you want if you’ll do what I want?” We can’t bargain with God!

Once I realized that was exactly what I was doing, I broke down crying and confessed it to Him. “I want to go because I love you Lord, not as a bargaining chip,” I cried.

Burp!

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I spent eighteen months in that place where I did not want to go and the Lord did miracles in me, through me, and for me. I was blessed beyond anything I could have imagined and because of choosing to be obedient, for the right reasons, I not only learned to trust Him more but drew closer to Him than I had ever been before.

~~~~~

“Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commands always.” Duet. 11:1

Blessings to you. 🙂

Into The Light Ministry

http://www.intothelightga.com

April 11, 2014

Are we listening?

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This week I have heard and read numerous and disturbing subtle, and not-so-subtle, attacks  against Biblical truths. I cried out to the Lord and He heard me. Here is His answer.

“Stand tall and bold children of God for the enemy is at war. The deception and destruction is mighty and goes far and wide. The I AM is greater and His will and His purpose shall prevail. Listen not to the teachings and scribbling’s of those whose “wisdom” come from darkness. I am the light! Be not fooled by your so-called scientific facts for they come from human knowledge. Be aware that the enemies influence is powerful for many are not aware, or care, that I AM the I AM, and I AM is in control! Be not led astray by the foolish words that come from darkness. Be not fooled by those who have no light. Their heart, mind, and soul is greedy for all things that are in the world.

Stand fast! Stand bold! For I shall appear in a blink of an eye and ALL shall bow before Me. I have spoken!”

~~~~~

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.” 1Cor.3:19

http://www.elahministries.com

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Blessings to you. 🙂

April 5, 2014 Aside

Heart wounds

imagesCA9DYNHO When my husband went to be with the Lord I felt the loss deeply. His laughter, his smile, his humor. The fun we had traveling, the pillow talks late at night. Sitting across from each other having our morning coffee and the love that shown in his eyes. Oh yeah, A big hole in my heart was left upon his passing.

Over the years I’ve thought about how people try to fill those holes left behind by any number of life’s circumstances. For some it’s alcohol, others drugs. What about promiscuity or numerous marriages?

I know of one woman who quickly adopted a child to replace the daughter she lost. It particular irks me when I have lost a beloved pet and am told, “You can get another one” like I just lost a tea cup and can run down to Walmart for another one. Or how about, “Your young, you can marry again?”

Losses are heart wounds regardless of the loss! It takes time to heal our heart.

Humans are fickle people to be sure. We often think that someone or something can replace what we have lost. Be it on a conscious or sub-conscious level. But can we replace what was lost? Can I replace a lost childhood due to abuse? Can I replace the rejection of a parent? Can I replace the love that I felt for a pet or a friend? No!

Regardless of who or what the loss we will have some memory of the loss; be it good, bad, or the ugly. The Lord Jesus knows our hearts. In Palm 147: 3 He says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” He doesn’t say He gives us amnesia.

We can’t fill the hole but we can find comfort. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

If the hole is due to parental rejection the Lord our God says, “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.” Psalm 27:10

Instead of trying to fill  that empty place in our heart we can cherish the good, heal the broken, and count on our Lord and Savior to help us through, overcome, and move on in love.

~~~~~

“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2cor.12:9

http://www.elahministries.com

http://www.suecass.tateauthor.com

elah501c@bellsouth.net

Blessings to you. 🙂

 

April 2, 2014

Building walls

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What kind of wall are you building? Walls come in all shapes, sizes, and material. We also build emotional walls. They are built easily but can be very difficult to tear down. An emotional wall is built from hurt, frustration, anger, guilt, false beliefs, shame, bitterness, rejection, and un-forgiveness, to name just a few.

Growing up is difficult and with each hurt we encounter, it’s as though we pick up a stone, brick, or cement block and begin building our wall.IMGP2247

An angry scream from a parent can send a negative message and we place another cement block on the wall. Divorce places yet another, feelings of rejection builds the wall higher. Child abuse – oh my, we’ve put in place a towering wall of solid rock! One that only the Lord our God can bring down. With each infraction or perceived infraction, we pile more and more in our emotional storehouse of cement blocks.IMGP2248

We think, consciously or subconsciously, that by building our wall we are protecting ourselves from further hurt. What we are doing is attempting to control our immediate world. But sadly what we have done in reality is imprisoned ourselves. If we build the wall high enough, thick enough, and long enough then we have encased ourselves in darkness. No light can get in. Love is hindered on both sides of the wall.

The higher and longer our walls are, the more difficult they become to tear down. IMGP2250

The first step is to recognize that we have built a wall and begin to sort through what each cement block represents. Is this cement block put in place because of a particular incident that happened many years ago that maybe we forgot about?

If we go to the Lord in prayer He will reveal what is hindering us. I like to say that He is like a bright flashlight beam in a very dark room. He will light up the issue because when we dwell in emotional darkness it gets in His way of helping us to become whole, happy, and free.

Once the Lord has revealed what that part of the wall is then we confess it to Him. Un-forgiveness, many times, are several of those blocks that fortify our wall.  As we forgive and receive His forgiveness the wall begins to crumble one block at a time.

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As each block is laid at the foot of the Cross the emotional aspects of our being become stronger and the wall becomes weaker.

The walls we build are not put in place by the One who is love and the God of Redemption. The enemy of God, Satan, does not want us to be all God created us to be and will do all he can to help to keep us in bondage. Walls bind us as tightly as though we had a series of heavy chains tightly locked around us.

There’s a song, I can’t remember the title, but some of the words are; “We are free to sing. We are free to dance. We are free to worship You.” That’s how God, through His Son Jesus Christ, wants us, free from the bondage of emotional walls to be able to sing, dance, and worship Him.

~~~~~

“In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free.” Ps. 118:5

http://www.elahministriesinc.com

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elah501c@bellsouth.net

Blessings to you. 🙂