A Study of an Unhealthy Marriage: Ananias and Sapphira

Ananais and Sapphira was a financially well off married couple.  The scriptures do not go into how they lived.  They never disclosed if she was a woman who was selfish or abused.  They as a couple, sold some property.  Her husband, Ananias decided that they were going to keep some of the money but claim to give the full amount to Peter.  Sapphira agreed to this deception.

The thing that I found so strange was that Ananais and Sapphira came to Peter separately.  For Peter had two different very short conversations with each of them.  To Ananias, he explained that this deception was unnecessary.  He did not have to sell his property.  He did not have to give all his money.  He could have honestly given whatever he freely wanted to give.  In this case, like Eve in the beginning, Satan tempted Ananias to lie to Peter.  Peter educated to all present that he did not lie to him but to God.  As we all know, Ananias immediately fell dead.

Now it was Sapphira's turn, in three hours she showed up--three hours!   They did not come together with this deception.  I wonder why it took three hours to go to Peter.  Was she conflicted in telling the man of God a lie?  Was she busy doing something else at home? We have no idea.  All I know is that in God's infinite wisdom, he was giving this woman a chance to tell the truth about her household.  If her husband was there, she would have possibly feared that angry look he gives whenever he is unhappy.  Was she just as greedy and deceptive as her husband or did she fear her husband more than God?  Peter asked her directly if this was the price "You and your husband received for the land?"  She responded with a yes.  Peter then reprimanded her verbally by saying how can "ye (you) have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?"  She was then punished with the 'same' fate as her husband.

This story has shown me that in order to live for God, we need to live in truth and not fear what man may do to us.  In these last and evil days, we must stand up for what is right.  Even if it is standing up against family, children, spouses, and friends.  You may feel alone but you must know that this may be a test.   We MUST know in our heart and mind that we are never alone in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.  Because of him, we are able to freely and with power live an honest and upright life.

A Study of a difficult marriage: Nabal and Abigail

Nabal and Abigail
We begin  knowing that Nabal was a wealthy man.  It doesn't link Abigail as wealthy just Nabal.  The Bible names all of his property that has created his wealth status.   The Bible also tells us how these two married people are.  It first states that Abigail is sensible (with good understanding) and beautiful.  On the other hand, her husband Nabal is mean and dishonest.  We can assume that they did not have a good marriage.  We also know that at this time that it was not easy for a woman to leave her husband.  She was basically bound until his death.  There is no mention of her having children at this time.  It is safe to say that she was very unhappy in this marriage. 
In short, David protects Nabal's flock from enemies or predators therefore increasing his wealth status for that year.  David sends a servant to let Nabal know of how his situation of protection occurred.  Nabal dismisses David through his servant with an insult and David plans an attack on  Nabal's entire household.  This attack however is intercepted by the wisdom and intelligence of Abigail. 
Abigail is a smart young woman, and it can be assumed that she is respected and loved by Nabal's servants.  For Nabal's servants run to alert Abigail of Nabal's response to David's servant.  They view her not just as a woman but a very intelligent woman that can help this entire household.  She must live a godly and honest life.  Nabal's servant  daily observes a woman full of wisdom and integrity.  These servants could have run away and flee, but they had confidence that Abigail would know what to do.  Amazing! 
As we  read, Abigail runs to David, with food and supplies ahead of her, and alerts David of her husband's foolish behavior.  She tells David the truth and has confidence that God will quickly judge her husband himself.  Abigail  tells David that there is no need for David's vengence.  God will have vengence on her husband, she is confident of this and there is no need to interfere with God's plan.  The insight of young Abigail!  She knows the law and commandments of God.  Her only other request to David is for him to remember her after God administers the fatal judgement to her husband.
What happens next when Abigail gets home blows my mind.  She is not quick to speak.  She is patient and wise enough to wait until her husband is in a certain state to let him know what had transpired between David and herself.  She told Nabal when he was sober, and that was when God administered his judgement of sickness and death.
Did Abigail pray for God to deliver her from this man?  Did she know that her redemption was here when Nabal's servant told her folly of her husband?  I think she prayed and realized that her deliverance was here when  her husband disrespected and insulted the wrong man, David.
Living for God will be very hard at times.  We may be in a certain situation where we feel trapped unable to freely use our talent, intelligence, or gift.  But we must be ready when God tells us it's time for our deliverance from that situation.  It may be a very demanding and demeaning job.  It may be a marriage where there is physical, mental, or financial abuse.  It may be a relationship with a family member or friend that you are trying to get out of.  We have to not take things in our own hands.  We MUST continue to live honestly, godly, and full of integrity.  There is a saying that I love, 'you must live a life to where if someone tells a lie about you, no one will believe it.'
We must believe that we can give our life to God to where he will constantly perfect it and make us stronger.  He will guide us to all manner of truth.  We are limited and subject to mistakes and ruin, but God never makes mistakes.  He loves us and knows our end.  We must know and trust that truth.

The Absolute Necessity to Study the Word of God

This year, we had a conference on 'Women walking Into their Purpose' (April 30, 2016).
We all have different purposes in life.  We also do have two main purposes.  This is to live godly (to live for christ) and in our own way bring souls to Christ. 

Having children helped me understand and see the love and purpose of Jesus Christ in my life.  My children know that I love them.  I tell them all the time.   They know that they can come to their father and me for anything.  They can get a hug, food, snacks, information, and many other things.  They trust us.  On that same note, they fear their father and me.  If they break or disobey an order, lie, cheat, or steal, they fear the punishment that we are going to give.  
God is our father.  We trust him.  We know he loves us and provides everything we need.  Yet, I don't think we fear him enough as our father.  We still care too much of what this life has to offer.  We will be with our heavenly father one day.  Why don't we fear God.  We must know that judgement  will come if we are not obedient to His WORD.  We must study and learn his Word just like our children study and learn how to follow the rules to live in this world.   In the Word of God, we have learned and are learning  the many pitfalls, traps, and  dangers that will convince us to fall or go away from God's love and mercy.
Leaving off at 2 Corinthians 5, we find that we are and will struggle with the limitations, temptations, and weaknesses of our bodies.  We MUST know that these bodies are temporal.  They are not forever.  If we follow the Word of God, we WILL get new eternal bodies.  These bodies will lure us to be slothfulness, wanting to give up, or to live in the moment without thinking about the consequences and judgement of our actions.  We should focus on what it tells us in 2 Cor. 5.  The more we feel the weariness of these bodies, the more we need to be confident that this is not our home.  We need not to get fustrated or discouraged.  God has made these bodies to weaken with age.  This is to HELP us know that we serve a UNLIMITED God that will provide us a heavenly body that will never feel pain, sorrow, disappointment, fatigue, and many other burdens. 
Matthew 6 teaches us that we need to be genuine, unselfish, honest and generous.  We cannot be these things if we are just looking for accolades or a pat on the back.  If the Lord puts a work or a deed in our hearts, we should not  analyze and think about what we will get out of it.  We must do it.  We need to pray genuinely, unselfishly, honestly, and generously.  We should only try to please God.
1 Corinthians 10 shows how honoured and grateful I am that the Lord came to the Gentiles to offer his plan of salvation to us.  In Genesis, God chose Abraham and his seeds to be his chosen people.  These people were to show the omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience of God.  How? This power was shown by the plagues in Egypt, the deliverance out of Egypt, and the journey of his people in the wilderness from Egypt.  The children of Egypt should have unwaveringly believed in the power of God.  On the other hand, they doubted him and did one of the most offensive things to God, murmured and complained.  In this scripture, Paul warns us strongly to not do as what these people did.  He urges us to see what God's people had done in the wilderness and warns us of the propensity of us now as children of God to do the same.  Don't think you can be strong alone without the omnipotence of God.  If you don't recognize the power of God, we will fall in the SAME sin.  We must be careful in what we do on a daily basis.  Somethings may be allowed but it not helpful or necessary.  We need to make sure that in our daily and constant communication with God we are doing things that are necessary and helpful.
James 1 is so obvious in instructing us what we need to do in order to please the Lord and live for him.  Believe, have faith, and DO NOT WAVER in Christ.  Keeping the commandments of God seems overwhelming at times but we must realize that he has given us a way that we can follow that will help us in this walk.  We all CAN be like Solomon.  We can ask for wisdom and he will freely give it.  Don't think this walk is an impossible walk.  We can easily be what Jesus Christ wants us to be.  We just have to be QUICK to LISTEN and slow to speak.  This tongue can make this walk worthless.  We must study the Word to live for him and thus be more like him.
Romans 8, like in James helps us realize that Jesus has not left us alone here.  We may feel physically and mentally alone but we are not alone.  The enemy will try to convince our minds that we are lonely, powerless, condemned, forever flawed, forever broken, and so on.  In this chapter, it first tells us that there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who belong to Christ.  The definition of condemned is to judge someone guilty of a crime.  We are not guilty, Christ and no one else, has paid the price for our sins.   For the power of the life giving Holy Spirit has freed us.  We are not like those living under the Law.   We were bound to this flesh.  We, with our own limited energy and Will had to try not to sin.  And it was our nature to sin, we were born into sin.  But Christ with his infinite love and mercy, gave us a way where we can obtain help and be comforted  not to sin.  We are VICTORIOUS because of his Holy Ghost and the Word of God.  We are so fortunate and blessed beyond measure.  We can now have an intimate relationship with God through his Word.

I CAN FINALLY COOK!!!!

My experience with taking Cooking Matters for Adults has been enlightening.  I am only afraid of snakes, rats, and cooking.  Yes, I was afraid of cooking.  Wouldn't you be afraid of something you did sooooo poorly. 

I grew up in a neighborhood full of immigrants from Russia, Poland, Greece, Puerto Rico, Korea, China, and other countries in Europe and the Middle East.  I had smelled so many scents coming from different kitchens.  I guess my palate became picky and confused.  I had one love.  I loved every type of vegetable.  Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, spinach and so on.  My mom rarely seasoned it so I tasted each vegetable in its pure form. 

Fast forward to today, a married woman with kids who cannot cook to save her life.  I have burned more pots than food.  My meat, vegetables, and starch so void of seasoning my husband sneaks a burger from hardees just to make sure his tongue works. 

So one day the family development specialist at TAP Head Start invited me to a FREE cooking class that is sponsored by my daughter school.  I looked at her with apprehension but agreed to take it.  The first day was daunting.  These people did not know how horrible I was.  I almost didn't show.  On the other hand, I am a woman that likes to be challenged. The objective was to go for 6 weeks and if I did, I would receive a gift at the end.  I always loved an attendance challenge. 

My first day was great.  I knew about nutrition but I didn't know about labels, costs, methods in cutting, and seasoning.  To make the LONG story short, these people taught me how to shop, cook healthy and delicious meals for my family economically.  I couldn't help but practice after each class because they actually BOUGHT my food for me to try out.  So, here are the masterpieces I made at home because of this class. My meals were so delicious; my husband thought I bought them from the store.  What a compliment!

Overflowing Financial Waters

Overflowing financial waters

I need to encourage someone right now concerning financial situations; especially when I am IN the midst of a financial crisis.  Our financial situation is so perplexing that it just looks like the Lord wants to see his Glory in the result of it.  Like some of you we have overflowing amounts of overdue and outstanding bills that just cannot get paid.  It is embarrassing and I am truly ashamed at being here.  My husband and I know that it was mostly a result of our financial irresponsibility and poor stewardship over money.

In 1 Kings 18:30, I saw that Elijah fixed up a broken down altar and added 12 stones to it representing the 12 tribes of Israel.  He then made a huge trench surrounding the altar.  Elijah instructed to have 4 barrels of water poured over the burned sacrifice AND wood.  He commanded this to be done 3 more times.  Elijah then filled the trench with water. 

The amount of water placed on this altar reminds me of the amount I owe.  It’s an overflowing amount of debt and bills.  My husband and I are finally seeing ‘eye to eye’ when it comes to our finances and that is a blessing.  We are both working and doing the best we can.  Like some of you, we need a miracle.  Jesus did perform the miracle in that we are finally not arguing about money anymore.  We are able to come together and talk about our bills.  That was impossibility in the past.

I am so encouraged to know how God sent fire from heaven to show the children of Israel the omnipotence of God.  When Elijah called to God to send fire from heaven it consumed 5 things completely.  The fire consumed the burnt sacrifice, the wood, stones, the dust, and the water in the trench.   How wonderful would that be if God can do our debt and outstanding/overdue bills like that!

Be encouraged and know that God is with you when you obey his commandments.  The Lord had me read and think about this passage this week about Elijah.  The funny thing is that my Pastor TODAY spoke about Elisha praying for his servant in 2 Kings 6:15.  Imagine!  Elisha had a DOUBLE portion of what Elijah had.  Elisha prayed for his servant to see the hosts of horses and chariots of fire surrounding them to protect Elisha.  How great is that.  We can pray for God to open our eyes and see God working in our lives.  Again be encouraged and know that he cares for you in all aspects, including our finances.    

 

 

Beware of the Church Bully in You or In Others!

In Acts 9:1-7, we read about how Saul was maybe on his high horse going to help his Jewish people rid the world of these Jesus Christ followers. God had to knock him off his "high horse" and strike him blind to see what he was doing.

I have encountered bullies since the age of 7 and found them not only unpleasant but paralyzing. If you are already looking at yourself fearful that you may be one of these "church bullies" then you may NOT be, if you are quickly dismissing yourself as one only to quickly think of others that may be these "church bullies," well then you just may be ONE of them.

Church bullies are people who somehow develop this mechanism of defense. They are very defensive and find it very difficult to look at self. It is so easy and often automatic to see others faults and shortcomings. They are easily irritated with other people’s issues than their own. They often like to either form clichés or surround themselves with prominent important people, often respecting a person. They often notice the tattered hat or the over used dress worn Sunday after Sunday. They can mimic what you do and how you do it. For some reason they like to wipe that joyous smile off your face rather than encourage it. They love to hear gossip and hear everyone else’s gossip all for the sake of prayer. On the other hand, refuse to let others know about their messed up business.

  They get really upset with the person with the “blessing” they always wanted. They feel they deserve that blessing more than the other person. The unfortunate thing is that they will try to give that person a hard time verbally or physically. They might even try to make that person give up that blessing that they always wanted. The results of the church bully are usually making the person feel unwanted, unlovable, undeserving, and a total misfit.

So either watch out that you don’t leave a church because of them or be one of them. Remember Matthew 7:3, you are constantly seeing specks in others eyes but seen not one beam in yours in years.

I AM HERE, THANK GOD, I AM HERE!!!!

Yes!  I have started blogging again.  I had to pull all blogs and videos down to focus my time and energy to managing my family.  I constantly want to make sure that I am on the correct path with God. 

I had to definitely take inventory and discard unnecessary things.  I need to build and develop things for growth. 

For example, I had to give up knitting in order to focus and master my sewing skills.  I also had to hone and specify my sewing skills to repurposing clothes (not making things from scratch).  It took too much time and was hard to put up from my kids.  Surprisingly, I find this repurposing fun and rewarding. 

I encourage you all to make list of your needs, wants, desires, and passions and look at the time and energy you possess.  Sometimes you have to take a long hard and maybe painful look at what is worth taking time or energy away from your duties to your family.

I had to form new goals tailored to my lifestyle.  I want a simpler life. I need to focus on:

1.       My mother/wife wardrobe

2.       My involvement in my children's education

3.       Our finances

4.       Household decor/organization/cleaning

5.       Shopping/ food planning

6.       Gardening

7.       My extracurricular activities goals -piano playing, and learning 2 main languages

8.       Self maintenance-hair, skin, and simple/basic exercise

9.       Reading goals

10.   Self rejuvenation- taking time for relaxation and spa days

I notice if I don't take time out to work on this aspect of my life, something or someone will suffer.

I am also going to focus on growing and maintaining my knowledge of what I do at work.  I am a Clinical Laboratory Scientist and really need to encourage myself as well as others to keep current on skills, techniques, and knowledge.  My other blog, "www.theContinualLearningScientist.blogspot" will focus on that.

Thank you for watching this journey I will be on and I hope and pray that I am encouraging and inspiring others to be great and do well in their "niche."