The Healing of Mind and Soul - Psalm 23

Ps. 23:1 "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want" 

This Psalm does not begin with a request or asking God for something, but rather it is a calm statement - The Lord is my Shepherd. We do not have to beg God for things. Instinctively the sheep know that the shepherd will make provision for them today, and also tomorrow so it lies down in its fold with no worries. We also have to know that God made provision for our needs long before we even had the need. Before He put man on earth He knew we would be hungry, so God put fertility into the soil and life into the seed. In Matthew 6:8b "...for your Father knows what you have need of, before you ask." In Matthew 6:25, 34 Jesus asks us to think if God will do as much for a simple bird or a flower in the field, how much more will he do for us. "My God shall supply all your needs." Philippians 4:19 and "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want" Psalms 23:1. With that faith we can work today without worrying about tomorrow.

Ps. 23:2a "He makes me lie down in green pastures" 

The shepherd starts the sheep grazing about 4 a.m. The sheep walk steadily as they graze; they are never still. By 10 a.m., the sun is beaming down and the sheep are hot, tired and thirsty. The wise shepherd knows that the sheep must not drink when it is hot, neither when its stomach is filled with undigested grass. So the shepherd makes the sheep lie down in green pastures, in a cool soft spot. The sheep will not eat lying down, so he chews his cud, which is nature's way of digestion.
When we study the lives of great people and you will find that every one of them drew apart from the hurry of life for rest and reflection. "Be still and know that I am God." Psalms 46:10 Elijah found God, not in an earthquake or the fire, but in "a still small voice." Moses saw the burning bush as he was out on the hillside. Saul of Tarsus was on a lonely, quiet road to Damascus when he saw the heavenly vision. Jesus took time to be alone and pray. Sometimes God puts us on our back in order to give us the chance to look up. "He makes me lie down." Many times we are forced, not be God, but by circumstances of one sort or another to lie down. That can always be a blessed experience.

Ps. 23:2b "He leads me beside the still waters," 

The sheep is a very timid creature. It is especially afraid of fast moving water, which it has good reason to fear. The sheep is a very poor swimmer because of its heavy coat of wool. The water soaks into the sheep's coat and pulls it down. The sheep will not drink from a moving stream. The sheep will only drink from still waters. The shepherd does not laugh at the sheep's fears nor does he try to force them, instead he is constantly on the lookout for still waters. If there are no still waters while the sheep rest he will gather up stones and make a dam across a small stream to form a pool from which the sheep will be able to drink from; even the tiniest one without fear.

God knows our limitations and He does not condemn us because we have weaknesses. He does not force us where we cannot safely and happily go. God never demands of us work which is beyond our strengths and abilities.
One of the best ways to relieve stress and tension from your life is to picture still water in your mind; a calm sea with gentle, rippling waves. This really does work, I have actually gone to the beach since I live in Florida and just sit there, close my eyes and just listen to the gentle, rippling waves. It literally feels like with every wave that goes back out it's taking away with it every tension and stress. Now picture that and as that becomes a clear image say these words "He leads me besides still waters."

Ps. 23:3a "...he restores my soul." 

David remembered that as the sheep start out in the morning to graze, each takes a definite place in line and hold that position all day. However, sometime during the day each sheep leaves its position and trots over to the shepherd. The shepherd gently rubs the nose and ears, lightly scratches the ears, and whispers in an ear of the sheep. Reassured and encouraged, the sheep takes its place in line again. (Isn't this so amazing?!) David lost his nearness to God. He did wrong. He became unhappy. His burden of guilt too heavy to bear. Then he repented. God hears, forgave, and restores. He became a new man. 

"He restores my soul" = He revives my life. Like squeezing juice from an orange and leaving just the pulp, life has a way of squeezing the spirit out of a person. A person can become "only a shell." 

The Bible tells that God made the first man "and He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7 And God has the power and the willingness to breathe a new breath of life into one who has lost.

Ps. 23:3b "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." 

We come to the forks of life's road and cannot decide which way to turn. There are decisions to be made and yet it is so hard to decide. We do get lost. We need guidance, and confidently David in Psalm 23 declares,  "He leads me in the paths of righteousness" (in the right paths).

Sheep have no sense of direction. A dog, cat or horse if lost can find its way back. They seem to have a compass within themselves. Not a sheep. A sheep also has very poor eyes. It cannot see ten or fifteen yards ahead. Palestinian fields were covered with narrow paths over which the shepherds led their sheep to pasture. Some of these paths let to a precipice over which the sheep might fall to its death. (The sheep are not the smartest)

Some paths lead up a blind alley. But some lead to green pastures and still waters. The sheep followed the shepherd, knowing it was walking in the right path. 

Perhaps David remembered his forefathers as they made their way across the trackless wilderness from Egypt to the Promised Land. God sent a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. Following it, the Israelites did come to the land they longed for. Though God does not put a bed of roses on the battlefield or a carpet on the race track; though He does not promise us an easy, effortless life, He does promise us strength and He does promise to go with us. God doesn't drive. He is climbing the same hill we climb - man is not alone. 

As we take life one step at a time, we can walk with Him the right paths. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6 The person who sincerely seeks God's will, whatever His will may be, will know the leadership of Eternal Wisdom. He will lead you to the promise land.

Ps. 23:4a "Though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me." 

Valley of Shadow of Death

The valley of shadow of death refers to more than the actual experiences of physical death. It might refer to every hard and terrifying experience of life. In Palestine, there is an actual Valley of the Shadow of Death. It leads from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea and is a very narrow and dangerous pathway through the mountain range. The path is rough, and there is danger that a sheep at any moment to its death. It is a forbidding journey that one dreads to take. But the sheep is not afraid. Why, because the shepherd is with it.
So when those dark places in life we are compelled to pass. Death, disappointment, loneliness, and many more....Just stop. Be still and quiet, and in the midst of all that you will feel a strange and marvelous presence more powerfully than you have ever felt before. "I will not be afraid." Why, because "for you are with me." There is a power in His presence.

Ps. 23:4b "Your rod and your staff comfort me"

The sheep is a helpless animal. It has no weapon with which to fight. It is easy prey to any wild beast of the field. It is afraid. But the shepherd carries a rod, which is a heavy, hard club two to three feet long. The shepherd also carries a staff, which was about eight feet long. The end of the staff was turned into a hook. Many paths in Palestine were along the steep sides of mountains. The sheep would lose its footing and slip down, hanging helplessly on some ledge below. With his staff the shepherd would reach down, place the crook over the small chest of the sheep and lift it back onto the pathway. The sheep is instinctively comforted by the shepherd's rod and staff. 

It is comfort of knowing that the shepherd will be able to meet an emergency. There are needs in my life that I cannot meet, and,  like St. Paul it comforts me to say "Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think."Ephesians 3:20

Ps. 23:5a "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies"

In the pastures of the Holy Land grew poisonous plants which were fatal to the sheep if eaten. Also, there were plants whose thorns would penetrate the soft noses and cause ugly sores. 

Each spring the shepherd would take his mattock and dig out these enemies of the sheep, pile them up and burn them. Thus the pastures were safe for the sheep to graze. The pasture became, as it were, a table prepared. The present enemies were destroyed.

"You anoint my head with oil"

Ps. 23:5b "You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over."

In life, we expect to live it you must also except some bruises and hurt. And David thinking of that said "you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over." Sometimes, as the sheeps grazed, its head would be cut by the sharp edge of a stone buried in the grass. There were briars to scratch and thorns to stick. Some days the sheep had to walk steep paths under a hot, merciless sun. At the end of the day it would be tired. So the shepherd would stand at the door of the fold and examine each sheep as it came in. If there were hurt places, the shepherd would apply soothing and healing oil. Instead of becoming infected, it would soon heal.

As young children we would get hurt and run to mom who would kiss the hurt away. As older children we still get hurt. A heart can be broken, feeling can be hurt, and the world can deal creully and harshly. One can become discouraged and tired. 

Sometimes the burden of life can become unbearable. But also there is the tender Shepherd who understands the hurt of His children and is ever ready and able to minister to that hurt.

Ps. 23:6a "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life"

David is not wistfully thinking. He says surely, surely, surely. David was an old man when he wrote Psalm 23. He had seen tragedies and disappointments, but he had also come to know God - a God that know the needs of His children and abundantly provide for those needs, a God who can restore life and take away fear. We hear a lot of the wickedness of men and the destruction of the world. We know bombs can destroy city with one awful blast. We tremble. But, somehow, as our minds are filled with the picture of the Loving Shepherd leading sheep we feel confident that He will lead us through the dark valleys. Begin the morning with hope. Plant this firmly in your mind, "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me," and they will. 

Ps. 23:6b "And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"

David closes the Twenty Third Psalm with a mighty crescendo of the faith when he declares "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

David did not have the insights that we have. He never heard the words: "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die." John 11:25-26

Just knowing intimately a God like he describes in the Twenty-Third Psalm gave David assurance that at the close of life's day he would go home. 

A little story:

"He knows the Shepherd"

There's a story, I don't know the source of it, of an old man and a young man on the same platform before an audience. A special program was being presented and as part of the program each one of them had been asked to say the Twenty-Third Psalm. The young man trained in his speech went up and eloquently said the Psalm. When he finished everyone was clapping and asking for an encore. Then the old man got up leaning on his cane and in a feeble, shaking voice said the Psalm. He sat down and everyone remained silent.  It seemed like the people were praying. The young man got back up and said the following: Friends, I wish to make an explanation. You asked me to come back and repeat the Psalm, but you remained silent when my friend seated. The difference? I shall tell you. I know the Psalm. He knows the Shepherd!!!

Maybe in the modern day the figure of shepherd and the sheep may mean little, but let me tell if there were people in this world that really resembled scared sheep that would be us. Government are afraid of each other. People are afraid of the government, of other people, and even of themselves. 

This Psalm of David has sung its way across the barriers of time, race and language. For centuries it has been treasured in the hearts of people. Today it is more loved than before.

Why it lives? Not because it's great literature. Because it tells that above all the strife and fears, the hungers and weaknesses of mankind, there is a Shepherd. A Shepherd who knows His sheep one by one, who is abundantly able to provide, who guides and protects and at the close of the day opens the door to the sheepfold - the house not made with hands. 

The Twenty-Third Psalm gives men that same assurance. That is why it lives in the hearts of men, regardless race or creed.

**My notes taken from the book I was reading "God's Psychiatry by Charles L. Allen 

The book also includes God's Rules for Living - The Ten Commandments; How to Talk to God - The Lord's Prayer and The Keys to the Kingdom - The Beatitudes 

Steps On How To Get To Heaven - Part 2

If you are not saved, you who are reading this right now, you are lost from God. God loves you. He cannot bear to lose you forever. You might think you are not worth it, but God says you are very valuable to Him. He loved you so much and wants you to go live with Him where He has prepared a place for you that He gave His only Son to die on the cross. Jesus being obedient stretched out His arms dying on the cross for your sins, for your salvation; all out of love. You know maybe right this second as your read God is speaking to you. Maybe He has been speaking to you for a while and you've been ignoring him. You know you have been going the wrong way, turn around right now. Jesus, I don't want to keep going the wrong way, I want to go your way; walk with you. I don't want to live a life of sin any longer. I ask you to forgive me and come into my life and guide me to the road to Heaven.

Let's talk about the five steps you must take to get to heaven:


Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." We must accept and understand what I am in God's sight and accept what He says about me. See God says we are all sinners. We have all said and done wrong things. No one is perfect except one - God. You know how in the Garden of Eden told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the fruit of Good and Evil they would surely die. Well they did both ways. First they died spiritually because they sinned against God and that created a separation and physical death entered the world. Therefore, sin is a terrible thing. It hurts us, it hurts others and it hurts God. Do you know why it hurts God, because He is holy. The only one happy with this situation is the devil.

You know how many times we say I wish I could change what I said or did, unfortunately we cannot, but we can be forgiven. The Bible says "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." John 6:35 See the Lord Jesus can forgive all your sins and He wants to otherwise He would have never died and that cross and rose again on the third day. He loves all sinners, He just doesn't love what they are doing.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This is how I know that I know that He loves me! You know I read somewhere the when He mentions the "world" He's talking about you and me. Now this is how they taught me to say this verse to make it personal: For God so loved Debora that He gave His only begotten Son that Debora believing in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Try it, enter your name and say it. Isn't it more personal and hits more at home?

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us." 

You see God loves you. He loves sinners. God is saying I'm showing you how much I love you by sending my only Son to die on the cross for you. John 3L16 says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Do you love someone that much, someone that you don't know and you know doesn't deserve a second chance give up your only child for their salvation, for their second chance? I don't know of anyone that would say yes that question. He died for you and He died for me. On that cross He bore the punishment for our sins. He did in our place, that punishment belonged to us. Guess what though? He didn't stay dead! He rose again and now He is the Living Savior! When He rose from the dead He was given all power in Heaven and on earth. He's the only one that can forgive our sins.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
 hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with
that person and they with me.
Revelation 3:20

Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart right now. This following verse tells us how to become His child. John 1:12 "Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."

In order for you to become a child of God you come as a sinner to the Lord. He demonstrates His love towards you by sending His only Son to die on the cross for your sins. Then Jesus rises from the dead so you have a Living Savior. You recognized you are a sinner. You  start hearing Jesus knocking at the door and you open the door....you are asking Jesus into your life. To take Jesus as your Savior, you ask Him to come into your heart. Like the verse and image above your heart is like a house with a door and Jesus is knocking. Once you ask Him to come in, you then become a child of God.

How do we know this? How can we be assured of this? Well, let's go to the source of all truth, the Bible. Let's read in John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them." 

Now it's your time to choose. You want to choose the road that leads to heaven, right? I don't think that anyone in their right mind would consciously choose the road that leads to hell. So after everything you've read, I hope you have been able to understand what I was trying to communicate to you. 

It summarizes to this: 

1. Recognize you are a sinner (sin separates you from God - broken relationship/communication)

2. God loves you

3. Jesus died for you (He took on your punishment)

4. He knocks like a gentleman at the door of your heart. You open the door and let Him in. You receive Him. You are now a child of God.

5. You now are assured eternal life in heaven with Jesus

If you have decided to ask Jesus into your heart, here is a prayer to help you:

Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I have been going the path of destruction. I believe that you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross for my sins and that you rose from the dead. I surrender my life to you right now and ask you to come into my heart and forgive me of all my sins. Thank you for loving me. I take you as my personal Lord and Savior." Amen

 How do I know that I have eternal life? Well 1 John 5:13 says "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life."

I've heard many people say "they said life was going to be easier as a Christian." It's wonderful being a child of God, but the Christian life while we are ON THIS EARTH will not be easy. Read what Jesus says:

1. John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. 

2. Hebrews 13:5b ".......I will never leave you; never will I forsake you."

Mark 8:36 "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and lose their soul?

I hope that this blog is a blessing to you, your friends and your family. I pray that God will minister to your life and that He will bless you abundantly. If you made the decision for Christ send me an email at debc711@gmail.com Comments are welcomed.

Please share the link with others so they may be blessed as well. Thank you! Debbie

God Is Not Finished With You Yet

Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this: he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ."

In the most difficult moments I feel I can no more; I feel like I don't know what I'm doing. Something is happening in my life, I'm being attacked from everywhere. So many test and trials. Sometimes you feel like you're not making the right decisions or choices to get you to where God wants you. You feel at times like the world has fallen on you. You lost your job, possibly your house, your marriage may be in danger. Gods says....

"God Still Has Not Finished"

If the storm arises
Give glory to the Lord

If war breaks out,

Give glory to the Lord.

They hurt you in thousands of ways

Well, give glory to the Lord.

Well this is only an indication.

Sickness entered your life,

Give the glory to the Lord.

Maybe financial battles,

Give glory to the Lord.

Maybe there is a crisis in your home,

Give glory to the Lord

For this is only an indication.

That God has not finished, not finished with you yet

God has not finished even if you're wounded

For He still has not finished

What He began in you

Stay still.

If a loved one departed from the Lord

Give the glory to the Lord

Someone slandered me,

Give the glory to the Lord.

Maybe God stayed in silence, 

Give the glory to the Lord

For all of this is indication

That God is not finished, not finished with you

That God has not finished

Even though you find yourself wounded

But God has not finished

What He has begun in you

Be still..

And I know, that you feel destroyed

You have given up

and you are hurting inside.

You have gone through many trials

Mistreated in the storms

But repeat this with me

That God is not finished, not finished with you

That God is not finished

Even though you are wounded

God is still not finished

He hasn't finished what He started in you

God is still not finished

Be still

Because God is not finished, finished with you 

*Here's the video of the song, but it's in Spanish*

*translated song lyrics Louis Fosforito Garcia*

Todavia Dios No Ha Terminado

Filipenses 1:6 "Estoy convencido de esto: el que comenzó tan buena obra en ustedes la irá perfeccionando hasta el día de Cristo Jesus."

En los momentos más difíciles en el cual siento no puedo mas, que siento que no se lo que estoy haciendo o porque algo está sucediendo en mi vida, porque tanto ataque; porque tantas pruebas. Te sientes que no sabes si estas haciendo las correcta decisiones para llegar a donde Dios. Sientes que que se te cae en mundo encima...perdistes el trabajo, la casa, tu tu matrimonio está en peligro. Dios te quiere decir - es que......

“Todavia Dios No Ha Terminado”

Si se levanta la tormenta, 
Dale gloria al Señor 
Si se desata la guerra, 
Dale gloria al Señor. 
Te hieren de mil maneras 
Pues dale gloria al Señor. 
Pues todo esto es solo indicación. 

Si llego la enfermedad 
Dale gloria al Señor 
Quizás batallas financieras 
Dale gloria al Señor 
Quizás hay crisis en tu hogar 
Dale gloria al Señor 
Pues todo esto es solo indicación 

-coro-
Que todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Terminado contigo 
Que todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Aunque estas herido 
Pues Todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Lo que empezó en ti. 
Todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Quedate Tranquilo ahi. 

Que todavia Dios no ha terminado. 
-2-

Si un ser querido se apartó 
Dale gloria al Señor 
Alguien te calumnio 
Dale gloria al Señor 
Quizás Dios, quedó en silencio. 
Dale gloria al Señor 
Pues todo esto es solo indicación. 

Que todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Terminado contigo 
Que todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Aunque te encuentras herido 

Pues Todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Lo que empezó en ti. 
Todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Quedate Tranquilo ahi. 

Y yo se, que te sientes destruido 
Te has dado por vencido y 
Estas por dentro herido. 
Has pasado por pruebas 
Maltratado en la tormenta, 
Pero repitan esto conmigo. 

(Oooh) 

Que todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Terminado contigo 
Que todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Aunque estas herido 
Todavia Dios no ha terminado 
Terminado lo que empezó en ti. 
Todavia Dios no ha terminado, 
Quedate Tranquilo ahi. 

Que Todavia Dios no ha terminado.

By Louis Fosforito Garcia

Steps To Get To Heaven - Part 1

Have you ever wondered what heaven is like? Heaven is more beautiful than what we could ever imagine. The city of God is made of pure gold and all kinds of precious stones. Twelve gates lead into the city, and the Bible says each gate is of "one pearl."

In heaven there is no use for the sun or the moo, because the glory of God lights the land. From the throne of God and of the Lord Jesus there flows the river of water of life, clear as crystal. 

In heaven there will be no sickness, no pain, no sin and no death. There will be no sorrow because God Himself will wipe away all tears from our eyes. Our loved ones that are there will know us and we will know them. Best of all, we shall our Savior, the Lord Jesus, who made it possible for us to be in heaven.

In heaven, everyone loves and worships the Lord Jesus. You can walk the streets of heaven for a million years and you will hear never hear anything but but words of praise to Jesus.

Heaven is where Jesus is. Jesus called heaven "My Father's House." Those who love the Lord Jesus will be with Him in this wonderful place called "the Father's house." For those who refuse Jesus there will be no heaven for them. When Jesus talked to His disciples about Heaven, Thomas asked, "How can we know the way?" Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes unto my Father, but by Me." John 14:6

Have you ever asked yourself these questions:

• Where did we come from?
• Why are we here?
• Where are we going?

We came from God. The Universe is not an "accident," neither is man. God created the universe and He also created man. We see that the Word of God says in Genesis 2:7 "The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living person." Therefore, man is a created being. He did not come up from lower forms of life. Man was created as a living person. Man is the highest of all God's creatures because he was created in the image of God. Im the bible we find that in Genesis 1:27 "So created man in his own image, in the image of God, created He him; male and female created He them."

In the beginning everything was beautiful because God made it that way. God was pleased with His work just like we are pleased when we do good work. In the Bible it says in Genesis 1:31, "God saw everything that He had made and, behold, it was very good."

Today you really cannot say the same. Everything is not so beautiful and good. There is so much hate, anger, deprivation, war, murder, lying (professional ones too), sickness, sin, and death in the world because they have a severed relationship with God. You want to know what went wrong? See in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had a constant communication with God and they had what many lack of so much today a "RELATIONSHIP" with God. This is our problem today as well. Sin has separated us from God. We do not have that relationship with God. We chose to walk our way, live our way instead of choosing God's way instead. However there is hope because you see even though you have chosen sin over righteousness and you've chose your way instead of God's way - He still LOVES YOU! He never stops loving you. He simply dislikes very much the things you are doing. He wants to bless you. You are God's "special creation" He made you in His image and He cannot bear losing you forever.

You know we were made to worship Him. He made us to talk and fellowship with Him. He enjoys when we talk to Him. We have His DNA and what father does not like talking to His children? Sometime we lose forget the instructions of our parents; the values, the respect, love and teaching of God and their desire is for us to return, but until then there is like a somewhat broken relationship. This is the same with God. Sin has separated us from God. But He has given us the Bible that we may know the way back to Him. In the Bible it says in Proverbs 22:6 it says "Start children off on the way to go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Teach your children about God, His love, mercy, kindness, and so many other wonderful things the Lord wants us to know and gives us instructions on how we should live loving one another, helping one another and sharing this knowledge with others. There's so much to learn.

We are heading to eternity! Where you decide to spend eternity depend on the decisions you make in life today. Jesus said in John 14:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled; trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." God wants you to choose Him. He wants you to choose Heaven! Like I said where you live for eternity depends on you. Did you know that hell was not made of the human race? That's right and I will show you this through the Word. In Matthew 25:41 it says "Then he will say to those on his left, depart from me you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." For this reason alone was such a place made. 

So now we are face with TWO ROADS......

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

How do we get on the narrow road that leads to heaven? Good question! In Acts 17:30b ".....but now he commands all people everywhere to repent."

We have to repent and take the Lord Jesus as our Savior. How many know what it means to repent? In the dictionary it says "regret a past action." However if we are going to look at this spiritually like we should. We not only regret our past action but we must stop realize we are going the wrong way and turn around. Why? Because we've been going our own way instead of God's way. Isaiah 53:6a says "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned our own way;" When we can say with all honesty that we recognize we have been going our own way and that with God's help you are going to turn around, that my friend is repentance. This can happen at any place or at any time - it doesn't necessarily have to be in a church. When you repent and ask Jesus in your heart, at that very moment it brings joy to God's heart. "I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance" - Luke 15:7

Part 2 - coming....

Forgiveness - Forgive and Forget is it Possible? Some of my experiences

Hi - How are you doing? Hope all is well and you are blessed by the Lord. God has been putting in my heart to talk about forgiveness and I've been trying to write about something else that is taking me way longer than it should. After spending several hours on another post, creating and adding images, etc. battery running low it is now 12:30 a.m. Friday June 6, 2014 and once again the Lord speaks to my heart "forgiveness."

I know I had an issue with forgiveness and today I can say that it so much easier to forgive. I sometimes might not do it immediately, but I do try to do it before the day ends.

Forgive: To grant pardon to a person; to grant (pardon) remission of an offense; to cease to feel resentment against: to forgive one's enemies; (this is the forget part)

Forgive and Forget - this is a good one. I have heard many people say I will forgive but I will never forget. Do you know what you are saying? I grant pardon to that person (I will forgive) but I will NOT cease to feel resentment against that person. See this second part is the forget part. There are things in life that happen to us that are very painful and horrible, for instance being physically and sexually abused, raped, kidnapped, etc. these kinds of things - when you have gone through this kind of experience and you turn to God and ask Him to help you to not only forgive but to forget what you are actually saying is that you not only want to forgive that person but that you also want all feelings of resentment to be gone. You will notice that you will still have the memory, but not the pain or resentment towards that person - this my friend is true forgiveness. I can speak freely on this because I went through it in my own life. I was sexually abused when I was 11 years old. I remembered the horrible event in my mid 20's and in my mid 30's I forgave and in the late 30's I forgot. I didn't hold resentment towards that person, I didn't wish him no harm; instead I prayed for his salvation. You know one day I went to church after becoming a babe in Christ and I seen him there and I felt from God tell him you forgive him. I said within me, he should be asking me for forgiveness. However, I was obedient and went up to him and told him I forgive you and gave him a hug. He didn't say anything back but he didn't have to, that God allowing me to be totally be free from what was keeping me bound an unforgiving heart full of resentment. I had breakthrough. Only God does that!

Now I have to mention of those that I have also heard for myself that say no I am never forgiving that person because they were my friend and they did me wrong. Some, shame to say it are angry with their mom or dad maybe both or the entire family and won't forgive. Some say I'll forgive if they ask for forgiveness first.

Let's look at what the Bible says about that, Matthew 5:23-24 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift." The Word clearly states in this verse that if you know that someone has something against you it did not say if you have something you have against someone else. See we are always worried about our own selves. We are worried about our own feelings (did you even think for one moment about there feelings?) and how we were upset about what someone supposedly said or did because it usually comes through the grapevine, but not always (sometimes face to face). Here's another word people do not like HUMBLE. We feel that if we forgive someone we are humbling ourselves so that is a sign of weakness but in reality that is a sign of strength.

I have another example (See I like to share my own life experiences so that you know that I'm not just writing about something I know nothing about) I was a youth leader in Cleveland, Ohio. It was an early Sunday morning and the youth was there because we had a lock-in and we finished our weekend with a fast on Sunday. I went to pray in a back room behind altar and when I began to pray the thought came to my mind "so and so is upset with you and she won't talk to you." I said Lord I don't know why she won't talk to me I haven't done anything to her. So I got up and went and called her to come with me to the room. I told her I had noticed that she had been ignoring me and avoiding me and that she acted like she was upset with me to tell me what I did wrong because I truly did not know. She proceeded to tell me that it was that on one day when we were leaving church as I went around dismissing myself from the people that I was standing alone and starring towards her and that she said hello and I didn't respond back. I said sweetie there are times that it might look like I'm looking at you or any other person but I'm not and just off thinking, my mind is elsewhere. A simple misunderstanding that would have escalated if I would have ignored it and tried to pray anyways. I also, my own opinion, feel that how could God listen to my prayer if I seeing my brother or sister cannot forgive them when God didn't have to take my place or punishment so that I could obtain forgiveness.

Dear Reader, please forget about the little petty things. Small differences, disagreements, misunderstandings, things not going always your way - your friend has choices too - this is small stuff for you to go on with your life not wanting to forgive and forget.

Will you not forgive?

Many have lost good friends because of this, also spouses and children. Also it's not only words but also actions and body language sends out wrong signals that can be misinterpreted.

I don't know if it is because I've prayed to God so much about forgiveness; to give me a forgiving heart that if I know someone is upset with me even though I really didn't do anything wrong - I will automatically and immediately ask for forgiveness. Please understand that not everybody is willing to forgive, but once you've asked them for forgiveness you've done your part and you let it go. You see the person treat them like you always have. 

Do you know that the bible says if you don't know how to forgive men that sin against you, your Father (God) will not forgive yours? It sure does. Here are a few bible verses about forgiveness:

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15

God's forgiveness towards us and we should imitate His example:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalms 103:12

I, even, I am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case of your innocence. Isaiah 43:25-26

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it spring up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19 - This is after forgiveness; after salvation. I love this verse!

Remember...Forgive and Forget - it can happen overnight because nothing is impossible for Him. But it is a process and we have to be honest with God. My prayer to God every day was God show me whatever is going to stop your blessing to come down, whatever hindrance there is show me so I can ask for forgiveness and rid of it in my life. And He started doing it, through me it was through dreams. Very specific ones.

I pray that as you begin learning about God's forgiveness; that just as He forgives you that God will give you a forgiving spirit.

Note: I know I wrote a lot of bible verses this is why I made sure they were in a different color, If I'm going to speak about the Word of God, I want to make sure I back it up with Bible verses (What He said).