Blessed are the poor in Spirit. . .

Don't ever let people cause you to feel ashamed of where you came from. . .they can't possibly know or predict where you're going. More on this story and others at eleven. ;0)

He Cares

1 Peter 5:7 (New International Version)

7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Give Thanks Post 1

Psalm 18:48-50 (KJV)


48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

To All My Friends

Poem on Friendship by: Amit

The best of friends,
Can change a frown,
Into a smile,
When you feel down.

The best of friends,
Will understand,
Your little trials,
And lend a hand.

The best of friends,
Will always share,
Your secret dreams,
Because they care.

The best of friends,
Worth more than gold,
Give all the love,
A heart can hold.

Thank all of you for being here for me and being this kind of friend the poem talks about. Love you , MWAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Transparency

How often I feel like I'm going through psychosis when I begin to see right through my facade! I see through my own facade? Ok, I know it's confusing. But we all do it. We hide ourselves from ourselves to keep from despairing of ourselves. Even more confused? Ok, let me start this way: Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if there were no class separations, protocols, chains of command and every man esteemed one another as alike? Are you imagining the conflagrations and utter chaos destroying the world yet? Okay, let's take it here: What if. . . the world had none of those systems we call "tools of organization and keeping order" and all our lives were tempered with the mind and heart of Christ? Do you still see utter chaos and destruction? Probably some yeses and some nos, right? I've been thinking(a very dangerous thing indeed), we all live under some sort of system that regulates how we think, how we behave, how we see the world, and how we treat others. Well now, I guess I just defined a paradigm. Even if we're not religious there are basic "rules" if you will, of how we should allow ourselves to be perceived and treated by others and how we should perceive and treat others based on the "signals": our speech, our behavior, our manners, our appearance, and our mannerisms. Some of us are perceived as poor because we "act" poor. We could have a lot of money, nice clothes, cars, homes, etc. and still be considered beneath someone else because we don't have the "mindset" associated with the "haves." Like I said, I've been thinking. Here's what it is: if we truly love Christ and want to follow his example, we have to realize that He had regard for no one. Oh, he had plenty of respect for people, but it was on such a different level. His regard for others was such that it literally ate some people up from the inside out. His regard was for each and every soul that graced the planet. There are no rejects, no dregs, no poor, no rich, no ins and outs, only people made by God's own hand in need. Here's where the difficulty comes up. We, . . .I have such a hard time with seeing through people's facades, my own facade, because to be transparent and to see people as people or souls made by God's own hand puts us all on equal ground. Every time someone hurts me or judges me, I cannot shift them down to another "level" nor can they shift me down. But we cannot shift ourselves up either because if we think about it hard enough, we have all hurt someone somewhere with our "masquerade." We all do things to alienate and hurt one another and yes, we are all still on one level. Needy. I can't put down or put up anyone based on any criteria whatsoever. Every last one of us, no matter how good or bad we appear, are all desperately and deeply loved by God and is given the same regard. We all have the same need. Nothing else will bring us closer to or push us away from His love. He can see right through us and loves us anyway. Now I'll ask you again: What kind of world would we have if we began to see one another as God sees all of us and we pushed aside all of the "stuff" that puts us all on different levels? Just a thought. . .

God is . . .

Isaiah 45:5-13 (King James Version)

5I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

8Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

9Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

10Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

11Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

12I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

13I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

A Prayer For You :0)

Ephesians 3:14-21 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Prayer for Spiritual Power

14 For this reason I bow my knees (O) before the Father [c] 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 [I pray] that He may grant you, according to the riches (P) of His glory, (Q) to be strengthened with power (R) through His Spirit in the inner man, (S) 17 and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. [I pray that] you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and width, height and depth, (T) 19 and to know the Messiah's love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able (U) to do above and beyond all that we ask or think (V) —according to the power (W) that works in you— 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Letters to the Seven Churches Part 2

Revelation 3 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Revelation 3

The Letter to Sardis

1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
"The One who has the seven spirits of God (A) and the seven stars says: I know your works; you have a reputation [a] for being alive, but you are dead. 2 Be alert and strengthen [b] what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God. 3 Remember therefore what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. But if you are not alert, I will come [c] like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come against you. [d] 4 But you have a few people [e] in Sardis who have not defiled [f] their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy. 5 In the same way, the victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, (B) but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.

6 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.



The Letter to Philadelphia

7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
"The Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and closes and no one opens (C) says: 8 I know your works. Because you have limited strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close. 9 Take note! I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying—note this—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. (D) 10 Because you have kept My command to endure, [g] I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come over the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, (E) so that no one takes your crown. 12 The victor: I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God—the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God—and My new name. (F)

13 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.



The Letter to Laodicea

14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
"The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator (G) [h] of God's creation says: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit [i] you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, 'I'm rich; I have become wealthy, and need nothing,' and you don't know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed [j] and repent. 20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. 21 The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne.

22 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."