Putting God First

I have had to make the decision to give notice of resignation to my employer. I love the company that I am working for and am going to miss my work family and the regular customers at my place of employment. It is heavy on my heart to put God ahead of everything and everyone else. The scripture "Exodus 34:21 NIV You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working, even during the seasons of plowing and harvest." and "Romans 8:10-17 NIV But if Christ is in you,then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation-but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." I can not deny nor do I want to deny my God. He has protected, healed, kept me, and enveloped me with peace that is beyond all understanding in the face of any adversity. I trust my God. I believe what his word is truth and I want to serve him better.

He has taught me how to think so that I am not depressed, anxious or worried about things that I have no control over. I have learned to depend on him in so many different aspects of my life. He has never left me nor forsaken me. He gives me favor. He loves me. He takes cares of me. I do not expect to live a life free of problems but I do expect them to be taken care of by my father because he loves me and I believe in him and his promises. This world is not where we will spend our eternal life. Our savior has gone to prepare a place for us where there will be no sickness, no sadness, no sorrow, no tears, no death. "Revelation 21:4 NIV He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Who am I to put anything ahead of my creator. He gives life and he takes it away. He has given me life.

One particular trial that I went through is a marvelous testimony to God and what he is capable of. He protected me from being paralyzed from the neck down and from experiencing side effects from pinched and damaged nerves, spinal cord impingement in two different areas of my cervical spine and spinal canal stenosis. He has healed me from depression, mitral valve prolapse, enlarged heart, seizures, endometriosis, a bone spur that was on my spine under the metal plate in my neck and so much more. I cannot not put him first.

"Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things."

To Drink Or Not To Drink

It has been heavy on my heart to write this article. When I first feel the need to write I should always go ahead and do it because it will flow freely and need very little if any corrections or rewrites. Now, I have had to go back over the scripture that was laid on my heart and meditate on it and pray to tap back into that flow. Life gets so busy sometimes that I forget what I need to do first and that is serve my God, my Father, my Creator. If only I made enough money writing to stay home and write and do more for my church and family. But I do not make writing my priority. That is no one’s fault but my own.

This article is on drinking alcoholic beverages.

James 4:1-17 NKJV BLB

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2. You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss (improperly), that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity (a reason for opposition) with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world make himself an enemy of God. [This being because the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ. *Strong’s Greek Lexicon, www.blueletterbible.org.] 5. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 6. But He gives more grace, Therefore he says: “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9. Lament and mourn and weep? Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10. Humble yourselves (lower one’s soul, bring down one’s pride; have a modest opinion of one’s self; behave in an unassuming manner; devoid of all haughtiness) in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the laws and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? 13. Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14. Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15. Instead you ought to say, “if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16. But now you boast (to glory on account of a thing) in your arrogance. All such boasting (rejoicing) is evil. 17. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

My relationship with alcohol has been rocky to say the least. I have drunk to find out why it was so good to others, because it was acceptable to my dad, to rebel against my dad, to deal with grief, because I was having muscle spasms and pain, to open my sinuses, to help me sleep, because everyone else was, to calm my nerves, because I was angry and depressed, and so the booze would run out quickly and I could secretly pour it out. I never cared much for partying. I hated clubbing and going to a bar but I enjoyed drinking while sitting around a fire talking to someone who had some sense, drinking in a warm bath to relax, and drinking while I was cooking to relax so I could eat. However, the ideal thing would have been to deal with the things and people that were causing me the stress and pain instead of using alcohol to keep trudging on.

I stopped drinking for many reasons almost 4 ½ years ago. I have drunk a few times since June 11, 2012. I have no interest in drinking thank God, and to me it is not an option because I choose to remain sober minded and to keep my mind on God and His Word and promises, and because I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia and fibromyalgia. Also, alcoholism runs in both sides of my family and I do not ever want to become dependent on alcohol. Some of the worst guilt I have ever experienced was when my children saw me drinking because I didn’t want to influence them to drink. Alcoholism runs in both sides of their family too.

Alcoholism like many other habits derive from wrong thinking patterns and it is developed and encouraged one thought and one action at a time. A decision leads to a decision which leads to a decision until that thinking pattern is locked in and becomes habit. We are predictable creatures and repeat what we think works for us not seeing the available alternatives or other choices that we have. I know people who will do without basic needs like food and shelter to drink and smoke. I know people who will work and drink and that’s it. They never go anywhere else or do anything else. Their ambition in life is to work for someone else and drink. Work to drink. Drink to work.

The only way they will ever change their thinking patterns will be to give their heart and soul to God or something that they think is bigger than them. Often it takes a life changing event to alter someone’s thinking patterns, an infomercial in the movie of their life so they are paused and see the light. I do not know if you have ever read a 12- step program but they are faith based.

I was not addicted to alcohol but I was addicted to nicotine and the habit of smoking. I tried patches, medication, chewing gum, and even making a promise to God because I thought that I would be strong enough not to break my promise because I loved Him too much to break my promise. WRONG! Then I had to deal with the guilt. I humbled myself to God and asked him to take the desire to smoke away from me and he did. I didn’t have any withdraw symptoms whereas when I tried to quit on my own my family would ask me to smoke because I became so irritable. I have not smoked since June 11, 2011 except for one time I got angry and discouraged and I took 2 draws off a cigarette. It was so nasty and I disgusted myself for doing it.

Let’s look in the Holy Bible at some facts about drinking. I have not found anywhere in the Word of God  that it is a sin to drink wine or strong drink but I have found guidelines for drinking. In Proverbs we read that it is not for king’s or princes to drink wine or strong drink because they may forget the law and pervert the judgement of all of the afflicted.

Proverbs 31:4-7 NKJV BLB

4. it is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for king’s to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5. Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. 6. Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. 7. Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.

We read in 1 Corinthians who will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

9. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators (a male who prostitutes, a man who indulges in unlawful intercourse), nor idolaters (a worshipper of false gods; a covetous man as a worshipper of mammon), nor adulterers (an adulterer; metaphorically one who is faithless toward God), nor homosexuals, nor sodomites (one who lies with a male as with a female), 10. Nor thieves, nor covetous (one eager to have more, especially what belongs to others), nor drunkards (drunken, intoxicated), nor revilers (a railer), nor extortioners (an extortioner, a robber) will inherit the kingdom of God. 11. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Have faith in God and know that His Word is truth. Trust in His promises. Do not take something that does not belong to you. Do not put anything or anyone before God. Do not drink in excess so as not to  cloud your judgement or become intoxicated. Do not use insolent or reproachful language toward someone. The list goes on. But all is not lost.

God equips us so that we can live in peace and harmony with him. We are made righteous through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Righteousness is our God given ability to stand before God without any consciousness of sin or guilt. Once we are forgiven of something people or the devil may try to remind us to bring us down or to try to suck us back into that old way but God will never remind us because we are washed. Our sins are as far as the east is from the west. They are no more. They are forgotten. God only sees his son’s blood and a heart that loves him.

Unless you humble yourself to God and go to him in the name of Jesus, aware of the sacrifice that he made so you can be forgiven of your sins, you are not worthy to enter into heaven. The blood of Jesus makes us worthy. We can never do enough to be worthy. Only Jesus makes us worthy. We have to trust God’s word and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and what he did for us to be made righteous.

First we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Romans 10:9-11

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Everything after that is us learning how to be better people, learning how to live an acceptable and pleasing life unto God, learning how to change our thought patterns and put on the mind of Christ, learning how to serve God, and help others in our family in Christ and lead others to Christ. God’s holy Word gives us examples and directions to living better from Genesis to Revelation.

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I am going to share one last passage of scripture with you before I close. If you have given your heart to God and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and need instruction or prayer you can contact me at lisa.clewis.lc@gmail.com.

Ephesians 5:15-20

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God bless you.

Written By: Lisa C Clewis 11-17-2016

I Can Not Imagine But I Believe

It is unfathomable to me what Jesus went through when he was beaten and crucified. I have read about it in The Word of God, the Holy Bible. I have heard it taught on and preached on. I have seen movies about it but even the movie The Passion can not depict the gruesomeness of what Jesus Christ went through for us.

A scourging was meant to do great physical damage to a person's body and to demean and humiliate the person who was being scourged. A Roman scourging was usually done by two Roman soldiers and they would alternate lashes. We know from the written Word that Jesus was whipped thirty-nine times.  Roman soldiers used different types of whips. Roman whips were made to cut into the flesh and to rip flesh from the body. A Roman scourging was considered a slow death that occurred over a period of two to three days due to blood loss and infection that would set in.  A crown of thorns was pressed into his flesh. Stakes were nailed through his hands and feet. People who were crucified eventually died from exhaustion and asphyxiation.

Christ died because he gave up the Holy Ghost. It was finished. It was done. He finished what he came into the world to do. I can not imagine what Jesus went through or how badly he suffered but I know that he did it. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but to save and to heal everyone who believes on him.

Jesus suffered worse than anyone has ever suffered or ever will so that when we believe on him we are cleansed from sin, sickness and disease.  He took all of our sin on himself. He took all of our sickness and disease on himself. He didn't take part of it because we made a mistake or sinned or made a bad decision or was born into a family that has a certain disease that is passed through the bloodline. He took it all on himself and died for us while we were dead in sin that we will have eternal life. Then after being the atoning sacrifice for our sins he returned to the Father and asked the Father to send to us another advocate to help us and be with us forever, the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit.

When we allow our conscience or wrong thinking patterns to hinder us from receiving healing and enjoying peace and joy then that is our bad. That is our mistake. We make mistakes. Our flesh is sin. We have to keep putting ourselves back in line. We have to work on putting on the mind of Christ and living an acceptable way for the one who suffered and died for us. Every day we have to work at living and breathing the word of God so that it becomes natural to us but we will have a war going on inside of us until Christ returns for us because we are flesh and we are spirit. The Spirit is life.We have to change our thinking patterns so that our way of thinking lines up with the Word of God. Jesus did not halfway do anything. And what he has done is done. It is up to us to accept his forgiveness and it is up to us to accept and claim our healing.

Study the word of God and learn the promises that he has made to us. God never changes and the Word never changes. Accept the holy spirit and be born again into the family of Christ and allow the holy spirit to lead you, guide you and teach you. And very importantly in receiving God's promises, speak God's Word over you life and the lives of your loved ones. Your words either speak death or life into your life. It us up to you to control your thinking and the words that come out of your mouth and what you speak into your life. God bless you.

Thank You Father

Father,

Thank you for waking me up this morning. Thank you for a beautiful day. Thank you for creating me in your likeness. Thank you for giving me a heart after your own heart. Thank you for being my everything. Thank you for being my mother, my father, my sister and my brother, my aunt,  my uncle, my son and my daughter, and my husband. Thank for who i am today. Thank you for all the times that you have put me back on the potters wheel and kneaded me, and shaped me and molded me. Thank you for the holy spirit teaching me, leading me and guiding me. Thank you for keeping me, watching over me,  protecting me, uplifting me, unconditionally loving me. Thank you for for making me your child and for spoiling me. Thank you for restoring to me everything that has been taken from me. Thank you for preparing a table for me in the presence of my enemies. Thank you for anointing my head with oil. Thank you for making my cup to run over. Thank you for cutting away from me and my life everything that isn't of you. I ask you today my wonderful father, to use me, speak through me, bless others through me, use me to plant your seed,  use me to water your seed, and use me to say the right things to the little children and help them through this difficult time. Thank you for being my father. Thank you for choosing me before the foundations of the world. You are the one true God. You are wonderful. You are mighty. You are compassionate and a God of love. You know everything. You have my best interest at heart. I pray that your will be done in me and in my life, in my career and in my relationships. I pray that your will be done not my will in all things. I trust you with all of my heart. I trust you with my life here and my eternal life. I trust you to take care of me, heal me, lead me, teach me. I trust you to never leave me nor forsake me. You are my strength, both my commander and my comrade. I love you with my heart, mind, soul and life. Use me Father. Thank you for manifesting the fruit of the spirit through me. Thank you for the gifts of the spirit. Thank you that in Jesus name I cast out demons and heal the sick and speak in tongue's and interpret and prophesy. Thank you for discerning of the spirits. Thank you for covering me with armor to do battle from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head. Thank you for the sword of the spirit which is your word living within me and bringing into remembrance that scripture which i need in any moment. Thank you for covering me with your grace, enveloping me in your love and keeping me safe under your wings. You are perfect, you are loving,  you are kind, you are forgiving. You are my God and Father, my everything. I love you.

Why I Fast

I have found that I need alone time with God to be spiritually strong. I take the time to nurture my heart and spirit with the food that it craves by joyfully depriving myself of something fast my body doesn't need. Food is important for our health and fasting is food to our spirit. Our spirit should control our thoughts and actions not where the world takes us.

Even if you have only a few hours dedicate your time and fasting to God and get some alone time with him in the word and prayer and praise. We are almost constantly bombarded with worldly things and negatives and problems but how we spend our free time is our choice. When you make the decision to focus on God and worshipping and praising him and thanking him and give yourself the time to reinforce your mind and heart with positives and promises and faith you are giving yourself the ability to deal with the worldly stuff and negatives. You can fast by not eating during this time or not drinking your favourite soda or whatever. Just everything you do do it unto the Lord. I love everyone.

Jigsaw Puzzle

Life is like a jigsaw puzzle
Each moment is a piece.
Some are filled with laughter
Others filled with grief.

We can only see glimpses of what
Was and what will be
Would you rather trust God
Or fuss over a little piece

God can see put entire life
From beginning until end
Enjoy all the good parts
Give all the bad to him.

He is more capable than we
To fit the pieces together
We only see little glimpses
But he sees everything.

Written by
Lisa Lisa Collier Clewis
18May2016

What We Pray For

I used to pray that God strengthen people, he promises that he will. I used to pray for God to uplift people, he promises he will. I used to pray that God bless people, he promises he will. I used to pray that God heal people, he promises he will.

Then I thought about it. If people don't feel loved, if people don't feel worthy to be loved how are they going to accept all that God has to give them. So now when I pray, I pray that God make them feel his love for them in their heart. And that they feel how much God cares about them in their heart.

I am one of those people who has always felt like the ugly duckling, the least favorable, the most unworthy to be loved or cared about. I didn't have any trouble believing that God loved me and cared about me until I felt like I let him down. Since then it's been a battle to feel I'm good enough. But I realized that even when I was at my worst and felt the lowest he was watching over me, protecting me, saving my life, keeping me whole when my body was so broken.

God loves you. God cares about you. Even at your worst God sees only the good in you and he wants to love and nurture you to bring the good out in you. Trust God.

There Was No Bunny At Passover

I am not against anyone enjoying a holiday or enjoying buying their child an Easter basket full of goodies or taking their children Easter egg hunting. But I am concerned that a lot of children who celebrate Easter have no unearthly idea why they are celebrating Easter. So many people enjoy this holiday without ever being taught the significance of it. Without Jesus becoming sin for us and dying on the cross we wouldn't have salvation. Without salvation we are condemned to die guilty of our sins. Please, if you know of anyone who unknowingly celebrates Easter, witness to that person. Who knows? He or she may get saved.

I have prepared a short description of the Passover, how it began and why Christians celebrate the Passover. I hope that it will help someone meet Jesus for the first time, believe in him and accept him as their Lord and Savior. What a beautiful time it is when someone gives their heart to God.

Passover was instituted to commemorate the saving of the Hebrew firstborn in Egypt at the time when God, smiting with death the firstborn of the Egyptians, passed over the houses of the Jews who marked their homes with the blood of a lamb. To Christians it sets forth the great fact and consequence of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the shedding of his blood so that we can be forgiven of our sins.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16 KJV

References:

Passover Instituted. Exodus 12:14, Exodus 12:17, Exodus 12:24-27, Exodus 12:42
Christ Last Passover. Matthew 26:17-20
Significance to Christians. I Corinthians 5:7-8,

What Praise!

I sob with joy in your presence. My heart delights in praising you. My comrades in Christ on either side. We fight the good fight. You have armed us to the guilds. You have carried me through the valley. You have set my feet firm on top of the mountain. You have caused peace with mine enemies. I praise you. Only you are worthy of praise. My chin is lifted. Your light shines upon my face. There is peace in remembrance of my lost loved ones. Oh what joy you give. What praise! What praise! you invoke with your power. You are my wonderful father, the great I AM and my heart melts for you. I bask in your love. I praise you.

Who?

If I died tonight who would miss me? A lot of people. If I died tonight where would I go? To be with Jesus. If I died tonight who would take my place? No one. Jesus lives.

I am not great but I have come a long way from there to here. I am not perfect but I am trying. I am not through because I have just begun to live. Jesus saves.

Life

Do you ever feel like your caught between two worlds, you want to make one your home and put the other behind you? Or have someone to share the journey? I love my family in Christ.

How Could God Love Me

Some people are under the misconception that they have to be perfect, holy and without blame to be good enough for God and to be loved by God. Truth is God loves us just the way we are and He knows that the more we read the bible and pray and seek him in church and our everyday life, the more we will mature in Him and become more like him. If your child is immature, how do you treat him, love him, have patience with him, teach him? Do you not know that God loves each one of us and has thought ahead. Put your faith in his love.