Today was my Grandfather's Memorial Service. I was not able to attend since it was in New York and I live in Florida. So on my behave the Pastor was willing to speak for me. Here's what I wrote for the service. I hope it touches your heart. My Grandpa was the greatest man I knew.


Hello, my name is Rebecca Besser and I am Edward Maas's Granddaughter, one of the things I am most proud to be able to call myself.

I jsut wanted to take a few minutes to share some fond memories and valuable lessons I have learned from my Grandpa.

One of my favorite memories was calling my Grandpa on his birthday every year. I was usually the last to call and to be honest; I liked it that way because he would always say :Now, I've heard from all my girls." I always felt so special. He called Grandma, his four daughters and two granddaughters, His Girls. He always said it with such pride but it was I that was proud.

I also loved to hear Grandpa talk. Whenever he would start to talk I just wanted everyone to be quiet so I didn't miss anything. See, I knew that when Grandpa spoke one of two things were about to happen. Either he was about to speak truth and wisdom that I didn't want to miss or he was about to say something so funny! The thing about Grandpa is that whenever he would tell a joke he would just sit there with a smirk on his face as the entire room would crack up laughing. He would never join in and laugh at his own jokes. He always made me smile.

There are so many lessons I have learned from my Grandpa. Lessons that came from listening to him talk about things like his first job picking up potatoes on a farm; to lessons I saw just by the way he lived his life. Lessons about working hard, tithing, giving to the Lord and about marriage. But the most important lesson I learned from my Grandpa is the one I wish to share with you today.

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20, King James Version)

My Grandfather lived this till the day he went to be with the Lord. Grandpa spoke the Truth of the Word of God at any cost. He was not affriad to offend. He spoke the Truth to all he could. Christians, listen, we need to speak the Word of God to all who will hear. We must not be affraid to offend. Our nation needs to hear it more then ever. Let us live uo to the Great Commission like my Grandfather did and as Christ instructed us to do so.

If there be anyone here that does not know of my Grandfathers Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ, as your personal Savior, I pray that today will be the day you come to know Him. If Grandpa was here, he would pull you aside and share with you John 3:16

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16, King James Version)

He would then encouarge you to read the entire gospel of John. So that is my challenge to you today.

Isaw Grandpa a few weeks ago and when it was time to go we both knew it would be the last time here on earth that we would see each other again but Grandpa would not say goodbye. For he knew that it wasn't really goodbye. He simply said "See ya later, gal." So, Grandpa, I love you and I'll see you later.

Thank you.

I have always loved this song but as I listened to it again today it really reached down and spoke to me so I thought I would share.

No need to fear.
No need to hide inside,
Just need to come alive and trust in God alone.

No need to fear.
Our God is still alive,
He still moves stones, your not alone,
No need to fear.

Even when the darkness come upon you,
Even when the storm has blown your way.
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Remember your the reason that He came.

No need to fear.
No need to hide inside,
Just need to come alive and trust in God alone.

No need to fear.
Our God is still alive,
He still moves stones, your not alone,
No need to fear.

Even when your friends have turn against you.
Even when your lost and all alone.
He is not against you, He is for you.
And He's coming back again to take you home.

No need to fear.
No need to hide inside,
Just need to come alive and trust in God alone.

No need to fear.
Our God is still alive,
He still moves stones, your not alone,
No need to fear.

Amen.

Desire for Joy.

It is so easy for us to not always see the joy in our lives. It is our sin nature to get caught up on what we don't have, what we don't like or what is unhappy about our circumstances, but that is not the way the Lord designed for us to live. We are to have joy in our hearts and songs of praise to Him. So how do we get that joy that we are supposed to have? How do we put a new song in our hearts while we may be in the mist of sadness or pain? By making Davids cry in Psalms 51 our cry.

⁸ Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
⁹ Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
(Psalm 51:8-11, New King James Version)



Lets ask the Lord to open our eyes that we may see His wonderous things (Psalm 119:18). One way to see His wonderous ways, restore joy and to have a new song placed in our hearts is to get into the Word of God. As I was reading and doing my study suddenly a song was placed in my heart.

Show me Your way.

"Show me Your way Lord, that I may walk with you.
Show me Your way Lord, I put my trust in You.
The cry of my heart is to Love you more, to live with the touch of your hand.
Stronger each day, show me your ways."

Be encouraged in the Psalm 30:5

⁵ For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5, New King James Version)

There may be something in your life that is robbing you of your joy. Maybe your wanting that promotion at work, or a house, or a husband, or maybe a family. Whatever it is trust me, someone not so patient and someone who has allowed my joy to be taken, don't be discouraged. Trust in the Lord and ask Him to make His face shine down upon You. To give you peace and joy as you wait upon Him.

¹⁴ Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Psalm 27:14, New King James Version)


Lord, I cry out to you! Open my eyes, Lord, that I may see You and the path You have for me. Help me not to rob myself of Your joy for me. Place a new song in my heart that I may sing praises to You all the day. You are good to me, may I never forget that above all, You died for me. What else can I possible need or desire other then You. Forgive me and restore me. Amen.

Notes on: "Lord, I want to be Whole"

Step 3: Deliverance (continued)

This next part is a little confusing to me. I have been hesitant to write notes on it because I was at a loss, but the best way to figure something out is to dive right into it and to see what the Word of God has to say. So here we go...

Stormie writes that her counselor spoke to her about being delivered from demon-oppression, not demon-possession. I understand what possession is, but I don't understand what oppression is in regards to us being demon-oppressed.

As born again Christians we can not be demon possessed. When we have Christ dwelling in us Satan can not touch our spirit.

⁴Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4, King James Version)

Now, even though Satan can not dwell in our spirit he can however, dwell in our souls. Which is what demon oppression is referring to.

We are of body, soul and spirit. Your spirit is the core of your being. You body is of course your outer layer. You soul is in between the two being made up of the mind, emotions and your will. Satan can get a hold of your body and your soul. He can attack both but if you are born again he can never touch you spirit, for that is the Lords.

So when Stormie and her counselor talk about demon-oppression it is referring to the attacks that Satan has on our body and soul. It is a very real thing but our Lord wants to deliver us from it.

Now that we understand the difference between oppression and possession and we know that we can not be demon-possessed as born again Christians lets look closer at being demon-oppressed.

The dictionary definition of oppression is-

Verb: come down on or cause to suffer
Adjective: burdened psychologically or mentally

How many of us can say that Satan many times has caused us to suffer or burdened us mentally and emotionally?

Here's some passages in the bible showing oppression.

⁷And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: (Deuteronomy 26:7, King James Version)

³⁹Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. (Psalm 107:39, King James Version)

⁹I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? (Psalm 42:9, King James Version)

So we begin to understand that it is a real thing. How do we get deliverance from it? Before we can get to being delivered from it we need to understand how it can happen.

Demon-oppression can happen...
1. Whenever there is direct disobedience to God's laws.
2. Where there are long-term negative emotions.
3. During times of involvement in any occult practice.
4. During times of tragedy or trauma.
5. During times of great disappointment.
6. By hardening the heart against God.
7. By inheriting spiritual bondage.

Satanic bondage begins with flesh bondage. Flesh bondage is about your wants, your way, your desire. If you continue to give into your fleshly desires then you give entry to the devil to establish a stronghold. We are what allows the devil to rule in our lives. We need to ask God for deliverance.

Some clear signs that you need deliverance are:

You have memories of past hurts and failures that never go away.
You have a hard time forgiving certain people even though you have tried.
You are addicted to drugs, alcohol and/or food.
You have a hard time controlling your emotions and/or anger.
You had adulterous affair or sex outside marriage.
You can not frogive your parents enough to feel love and compassion for them.
You are doing everything in the Lord you know to do yet are still depressed.
You can not sense God in your prayers or worship.
You feel empty, distant from God and don't feel as though you are growing in His path.
Small task and decision making are hard for you.
You have a hard time keeping and making friends.

If any of this sounds like you then you need deliverance. Ask the Lord to show you what it is in your life that is keeping Satans hold on you. Deliverance wont change you but it will let the real you come through. The you that the Lord wants you to be.




Now onto the Seven steps to deliverance that Stormie takes us through.

1.Confessing-The devil will continue to have a hold of you wherever there is unconfessed sin. If God shows you the work of an evil spirit in your life you must repent of anything you may have done to give that spirit control.

2. Renouncing-Confessing is to speak the truth about your sin but to renounce it is to take a firm stand against it and removing its right to stay. Know what it is and cast out that evil spirit. Pick a verse that applies to your situation and say it every time you are tempted. Make it clear that you will no longer entertain that spirit and it is to be removed from you in Jesus' name.

3. Forgiving-Any unforgiveness will hinder your deliverance. Ask God to reveal to you anything that needs forgiving and as it its brought forth in your mind give it to the Lord and forgive, no matter how long ago or how painful the memory was.

4. Speaking-Proclaiming your deliverance cements in our minds what God has done for us. Say it "The Lord has delivered me from _____ and I refuse to give way to it anymore. Amen!"

²Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; (Psalm 107:2, King James Version)


5. Praying-Deliverance happens by praying from the depth of your heart.

¹⁷The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17, King James Version)

Your prayers are more effective when you fill your mind with the Word of God. The knowledge and truth of His Word can liberate you.

³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32, King James Version)

6. Praising-Worship invites God's presence and in the presence of God deliverance happens.

7. Walking-The devil will always be there trying to kill the work the Lord has done and destroy you hope for a life different. Combat that by walking in the Lords way. Refuse to go back to your old habits, instead create new ones. Stay far away from the things that tempt you and say to Satan when he tempts you "Away, I will not be tempted by you, for I have been delivered by Jesus Christ."

The Lord never gives up on us and praise Him for that. He will continue to deliver us when we fail to walk in His ways but we will suffer because our wholeness is delayed.

⁴³Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. ⁴⁴Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: ⁴⁵And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. (Psalm 106:43-45, King James Version)

If we continue to reach out to the Lord and gave place for Jesus in us then He will restore us and deliver us. We will find that eventually we will be rid of the negative emotions and habits that keeps us from being all that God desires us to be. It wont happen overnight or even in a week, a month, a years time. It is a continual work in progress. You can't just read these notes or a few books and verses then be all better. It takes steps and time. Don't let Satan oppress you by telling you things like "it will never happen, you will never change, your not good enough or worthy, God has forgotten you." These are lies! Lies that we too often believe. Meditate on the Truth of the Word of God.

⁷Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7, King James Version)

Remember Always,
He Cares for You.

Lord, I pray that I may take the necessary steps to be delivered by you. I admit I am a sinner and I need your help. Help me, Lord, not to be discouraged. Not to loose hope as I go through this journey of being delivered. Help me to be all that you desire for me to be and help me Lord to always remember that You, the creator of all, cares for me. Give me the ability to stand strong against the evil one. Set me free from anything that keeps me from being all that you made me to be. I love you, Lord.
Amen.

Facebook Group

Hey there everyone!

I started a group on facebook called: Proverbs 31 Lady. If you are on facebook request to join the group. It is an easy way to get notified of when I post new notes on here.

Hope you all are having a wonderful day. I myself have had a great start. Spoke to some family via skype and got to see my beautiful nieces. They have grown SO much! Then spent some time in the Word of God and continuing my study on deliverance. Will post it soon. Now we are off to spend time with some great christian friends. This is the day the Lord has made! What are great day. Most special is that I have my hard working husband home for a week. YEA!

Take care friends. Hope you are blessed today.

Rebecca

Notes on: "Lord, I want to be Whole"

Step 3: Find Deliverance

Deliverance is all about becoming free of anything that keeps us from becoming all that the Lord intends for us to be.

Stormie starts by explaining that there is no need to fear the word or the action of deliverance. It is simply a "severing of anything that holds you, other then God." It could be a spirit of fear, anger, lying etc. or a behavior you have acquired for self defense like withdraw, overeating, loss of temper, etc. Being born again delivers us from death but we still need to be delivered from the dead places in our lives. Jesus is our deliverer.

² And he said:

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; (2 Samuel 22:2, New King James Version)


In Mark 9, Jesus is brought a son that had a "dumb spirit" (vs.17). Jesus delivered this boy casting out the spirit. Jesus said unto them that "all things are possible to him that believeth" (vs.23).

In Mark 16:17 Jesus says that "In My name they will cast out demons." He gives us the power to drive out all that is not of God, when we do it in His name.

Stormie writes what deliverance really is:

Behind every sin is an evil spirit. When you sin you give that spirit a foothold into your life. Deliverance is getting rid of the devil and refusing to let him have hold of you or any area in your life. We have to want deliverance. We have to want to be free. God's desire is to remove the burdens and evil spirits from our lives but we need to take the first step.

Deliverance is gradual. It takes time, little by little. He will deliver you one step at a time as you allow Him to work in you and as you are able. In some ares you may be set free at once but in others it will take time and more work. There is no one way to receive deliverance. Sometimes it happens in alone time with the Lord. Sometimes it is with others who counsel you or pray with you. It is in His timing and His way. I believe it is important to allow as many ways for the Lord to work in your life as possible...church, prayer groups, bible studies, private devotion and prayer time. I know that I want to give the Lord as many opportunities to work in me and deliver me as possible.

Notes on "Lord, I Want to be Whole."

Step 2: Obedience (continued)

The rest of this chapters talks about other very important areas of obedience.

By Renouncing the Occult: Practicing in any form, even as small as a so called game of Ouija board or checking your horoscope can open the door for Satan. Each experience small or large will ultimately lead to depression, fear and confusion. It will take you away from Gods desire, truth and blessing for your life.

There shall not be found among you anyone who...practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are in abomination to the Lord. Deut. 18:10-12

By Saying No to Sexual Immorality: Sexual immorality is having sex with anyone whom you are not married to. Sexual immorality is not just a physical encounter but it invades the soul. It joins one person to another. It scars our souls more then any other disobedience.

He who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
1 Cor. 6:18

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity , lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry...You used to walk in these ways...But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these.
Col. 3:5, 7-8

By Cleaning out Your House: Pray that the Lord will show you if there is anything in your home unpleasing to Him and get rid of it. Pray for each room in your house, that the Lord may clean it out spiritually. Replace anything that you get rid of with something of the Lord, like Christian music or movies. The less contact you have with things that are not of God the more contact you can have with God.

Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you like it will be set apart for destruction.
Deut. 7:26

Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Cor. 7:1

By Taking Care of Your Body: There are seven different steps to taking care of your body (these are the steps she writes about in her book "Greater Health God's Way." I have notes on this book as well). 1) Ask God to show you about the stress in your life. 2) Ask God to show you the truth about the food you are eating. 3) Ask God to show you about exercise. 4) Ask God to show you about drinking water. 5) Ask God to show you about prayer and fasting 6) Ask God to show you about spending time daily in fresh air and natural sunlight. 7)Ask God to show you about getting enough rest.

Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God.
1 Cor.10:31

By watching what you say: God created the world by speaking it into existence. We are made in His likeness and His Spirit dwells in us therefore we have the ability to speak our own world into existence too. When we speak negative about our lives and circumstances then we create our own negative world and can't give a possibility for it to be different then what we have spoken. Our words are powerful. Not just the words you speak out loud but words you speak to yourself as well. Words have the power to bring life or death to any situation and person.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Prv. 18:21

There is one who speaks like the piercing of a sword,
but the tongue of the wise promotes health.
Prv12:18

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
Prv. 25:11

By fasting and prayer: There are more then 80 references to fasting in the Old and New Testaments. In Isaiah 58, God describes benefits of fasting. He say the purpose of fasting is to "loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke."

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing but prayer and fasting.
Mark 9:29

Pray that the Lord shows you any and all area's that you are not living in obedience to His will. Reread this from time to time to reevaluate your obedience.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.
James 1:22


Therefore, to him who knows to do good
and does not do it, to him it is a sin.
James 4: 17

How do I start this post? Where do I begin?

I guess by first Praising the Lord for what He has done and is doing in my life. If you have read my notes on the book "Lord, I want to be Whole", by Stormie Omartian then you know that I am on a journey to becoming Whole. There is deep wounds that I didn't realize I had from my past that has caused me in areas to not be Whole according to His will and crippled me from being who the Lord desires me to be. I praise the Lord that He is working in me and revealing these things to me so that I may forgive what needs to be forgiven and release the grip that keeps me from being all that He calls me to be.

A few days ago was a struggle for me. I was tempted in the area that I am most weak in and unfortuntaly I gave in to that temptation. I gave in to my "feelings" of failure and giving up. Feelings that I will never be who the Lord desires me to be. Feelings that my goal in life for me and my marriage was never going to be a reality. But I praise the Lord that He kept me save and has provided a husband that will never let me fully give into those feelings. Even in the mist of his own struggles and temptation to give in, the Lord gave him the strength to lift me and our marriage up to Him. Praise the Lord that He is faithful in His Word.

He restores my soul. Psalm 23:3

As I read over my notes I come across the verse in Isaiah 43:18-19

Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?

It has been my struggle since that night to jump back on the journey. I have felt unforgiving of myself for my struggles but Praise the Lord that after I confess (1 John 1:8-9) He was faithful and just. Not only to forgive me but make me new. I am not to dwell in the old. The Lord is making me new!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

So I end by asking fellow Christians to pray for me and my struggles. Pray for my dear husband as he leads us in the right direction. Pray that the Lord continues to work in both of us and in our marriage. Pray that we are obedient to Him and all that His Word says. Thank you Christians and Praise the Lord for His unwavering faithfulness.

Thank You,
Rebecca

Part of the Daily Devotion from Proverbs 31 Ministires.

"Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." Matthew 13:43 (NIV)

Last week my seven-year-old son and I were waiting for his sister to get her hair cut. As we sat in the waiting area, we had no choice but to listen to the radio that played in the background. The forecast came on and the announcer said that it was going to be partly cloudy. My son, who was playing with LEGOs® on the floor, stopped playing and looked up with an indignant look on his face. "Mom," he said, "That man said it's partly cloudy but it's not. It's partly sunny." Then he went back to playing.

I thought this was so cute! To get the full devotion click on my link below and it will take you to the website. Hope you enjoy and hope your day isn't partly cloudy but partly sunny! God Bless
Rebecca

Notes on "Lord, I want to be Whole"

Step 2: Live in Obedience (continued)

Live in obedience by taking charge of your mind!

2 Cor. 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

We must discard and choose not to think about anything against God's word. That means daydreaming too...we are not to meditate on things that we wish we had or hope to have. We are to be content it whatever our state. We are to mediate on the Lord's word and the things that are according to His will.

Phil. 4:8
Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue , and if there be any praise, think on these things.

God is specific to tells us what things we are to think about so we need to be obedient in our thoughts. Our minds is an easy tool for the devil to use. It is very easy for him to place thoughts in our minds that we would not want to think about and certainly do not come from the Lord. You have to recognize that these thought are a ploy from the devil and cast them out immediately choosing to not mediate or give reason to these thoughts but to remember what Phil. 4:8 say and obey.


What is the state of your mind?
The state of your mind affects the state of your heart which in turn affects your entire being. So we must keep our mind in check. Stormie says to ask yourself these questions.


*Do my thoughts make me feel sad, depressed, lonely or hopeless?

*Do my thoughts cause me to be angry, bitter or unforgiving?

*Do my thoughts cause me to feel self-hatred and self-doubt?

*Do my thoughts bring feelings of anxiety or fear?

*Do my thoughts constantly rehearse negative memories?

*Do my thoughts become dominated by immoral sexual images?

*Do my thoughts make me feel unclean or sickend?

*Do my thoughts cause me to feel anything other then peace and well-being?

If you said yes to any of these you need to start to take control of your thoughts. Living with these kind of thoughts is living with unneeded torment. You must control the outside influences that you allow into your mind. Watching the wrong t.v. shows or movies can leave you feeling empty, sad, mad or anxious. I used to love watching Lifetime movies until I realized that most of the time I was left feeling depressed, tired, worried and full of doubt. Not that every movie is bad but I certainly don't watch the ones about a husband cheating, beating or trying to murder his wife. I don't need that doubt creeping into my thoughts and my marriage. So guard your mind and what you allow into. Its even as simply as listening to a radio station that maybe most the songs are good but suddenly you are listening to a song that depresses you or has bad lyrics. Even having the t.v. or radio on in the back ground as you do your chores can allow negative thoughts to creep in. Make sure you are choosing whats playing in the background. You may not be playing close attention now but it is still going into your mind.


How do we defeat this war in our minds? War against fantasies, regret, past pain or suffering etc.? Feed your mind the Word of God. Fill the background with christian music. Sing songs of praise in you minds down time to keep the empty space filled with praise for the Lord so the devil has no moment to steal. Whatever goes into your mind becomes a part of you.

Romans 8:6
To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Lord, I pray that today I may keep you and your word the focus of my mind. Help me to choose what I allow into my mind to only be that which is pleasing to You. I want to feed my mind and heart only things that will bring me Your peace and life. Guard me Lord as I go into the World. Help me not to let the words and thoughts of the world to get into my mind and become a part of me. Thank you Lord, for the things you are doing in me. I praise you, Lord, you are good to me. I pray that you will guard my husbands mind and heart as he is out there in the world working. Protect him. Thank you, Lord.
Amen

Here's a little saying I heard somewhere, sometime ago.
Came across it again today and thought I would share.

Don't look now Lord!
I don't want you to see me,
standing here with my big foot
crammed in my mouth.

Don't worry child,
if I didn't love you
just as much with your
foot in your mouth,
I'd hardly ever get a
chance to love you!

-Rebecca

Notes on: Greater Health God's Way

Introduction to the 7 Steps for Inner and Outer Beauty.

Psalm 139:14
I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...

Romans 12:1
...That ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the Blood...

Each of the Seven Steps contribute to a clean and healthy blood stream.

1. Peaceful Living

2. Pure Food

3. Proper Exercise

4. Plenty of Water

5. Prayer and Fasting

6. Fresh Air and Sunshine

7. Perfect Rest

*The Key is balance-none to the extreme*

Ecclesiastes 7:18
...The man who fears the Lord will avoid all extremes.

Notes on "Lord, I want to be Whole."

Step 2: Live in Obedience

This chapter starts by saying that Stormie would ask the Lord questions like:

When will I stop feeling like a failure?
When will I not be devastated by what other people say to me?
When will I ever stop viewing a hint of misfortune as the end of the world?
When will I be able to go through normal occurrences of life without being traumatized by them?

Do you find yourself asking the Lord or wondering to yourself any of these questions? I do, with a few of my own added.

When will I stop hurting about things I don't want to have effect me anymore?
When will I learn to trust again?
When will the fears, worries, and irrational thoughts that steal my joy (and the joy of my husband at times) go away?
Will I ever "get" it, will I ever be different?

Any of these sound familiar?

Then the answer came so simply...

Why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do the things which I say?
Luke 6:46

Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.
Luke 11:28

Obedience.


The next verses shows us that there is a link between obedience and the presence of God.

If anyone loves Me he will keep my word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.
John 14:23

If anyone obeys His Word, God's love is truly made complete in him.
1 John 2:5

Disobedience to the Lord can not bring restoration.

One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
Prov. 28:9

So if we are disobeying God in some way, how can we expect our prayers answered or for total restoration? We must fully die to ourselves and obey the word of God in its entirety. Not just the ares that are easy for us, or comfortable for us. We must fully obey. Like my husband says: "The bible is not like a build a bear, you don't get to pick and choose what you want." I like that!

If you are to obey there comes a deliverance and healing in you life. The bible says:

He who obeys instructions guards his life.
Prov. 19:16

There are many different ares of disobedience but in this chapter Stormie takes down a few that she believes is important to emotional health. That is what we will be looking at next.


Lord, I pray that I may be more obedient to your Word. I do not want to crumble every time I am shaken. I want to experience your Love and Presence but I know that in order to do that I must obey you so that there in nothing separating me from you. Please reveal in me anything that is unpleasing to you. Help me to obey. Thank you for all you've done and all you are doing in me. Amen.

Notes on "Lord, I Want to be Whole"

Step 1: Release the past (continued)


Forgiveness is a choice...we do it out of obedience not because we "feel" like it. Choose to forgive because God's word says to forgive. Stormie makes reference to Luke 6:37 where it says to forgive and you will be forgiven, but if you start in verse 27 and read all through to verse 36, the entire passage pior to this verse is about Loving our enemies. Here are some notes from verses 27-36.

Bless those who curse you.
Pray for those who spitefully use you.
If someone strikes you on one cheek offer him the other.
As you want men to do to you, you do to them.
If you love those that love you, what good is that? Do not even sinners do that?
Same goes for doing good to those who do good to you.
Love your enemies, do good and lend hoping for nothing in return.
Do that and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High.
For he is kind to even the unthankful and evil.

Wow, that's a lot to take in, huh!

Something Stormie wrote that I really liked is that...

"Forgiveness doesn't make the other person right, it makes you free! You may feel like the abuse from your past has kept you from becoming all you were supposed to be. But it's really the unforgiveness that keeps you from becoming all that God made you to be."

This is so true! I can not begin to tell you how just trying to forgive one step at a time has started to emotionally free me and help me to finally get going on this path to a Proverbs 31 Women that God calls me to be. He really couldn't do much with me before. Not with bitterness, resentment, and anger being locked up in my heart. When I finally released it to the Lord, then and only then could He start to work. Sometimes the things you are having a hard time dealing with and forgiving end up becoming something that you do. You have to let it all go to God and allow Him to meet you where you are to begin the transformation. Forgiving yourself. Stormie writes that emotionally wounded people often feel guilty about not being what they think they should be. Sounds like you? It sounds like me. As hard as it is to forgive other it is even harder to forgive myself. With unforgiveness we can not release the past.

Isaiah 43:18-19
Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Lord, hear my pray, to love and forgive as you command me to. Continue to reveal to me ares of unforgiveness that may be hindering Your will in my life. Help me to become emotionally whole and the women you call me to be so that I may be testimony for You. I love you and thank you for forgiving me and loving me. I pray that I may forgive and love others as you have shown me.
Amen.

I don't know if anyone even reads this but this is a way to put into writing how I feel, what I am learning, and my struggles. I way to just get it out and down. It helps to keep a journal of sorts whenever you are on a journey. This is my journal of my journey to trying to become a Proverbs Women.

Tonight is a hard night. I feel as though I'm knocked off my path and by someone I thought would encourage me in my journey. Just when you think you getting better in an area of yourself that you are working on someone you value, trust and love, lets you know, "hey your not doing so good!" Now I'm not saying they mean to and that is their exact words but your left feeling like you have made no progress when you thought you had. You feel as though nothing you do to change and become better is making any difference in the area you thought it would. You feel like giving up.

All I know is that my actions will never be perfect but my heart is in the right place. I can honestly say that. I sit here wondering does anyone know my heart? Is it worth it? Will I ever be enough? Should I even keep trying?



Then a gentle whisper..."I know your heart" says the Lord. "Your enough for me, I died for you. I will give you strength, keep trying, don't give up. I wll never leave you or forsake you. I will not turn away. I will not stop believing in you. I will always love you."




And I am at peace. Maybe not with that person right now but with myself and the Lord. After all this journey can not be about pleasing SOMEONE but about pleasing the ONLY one.

Thank you Lord for searching me and knowing my heart. Help me to become more like you. I'm sorry. I love you.

Rebecca

Did the Lord challenge me?

So just a few days after studying about unforgiveness and how Stormie found it difficult to forgive her mother as thing continued to happened I was faced with a similar situation. Not abuse in any way but there is someone that I am working on forgiving (they don''t know it) and something happened that caused me to feel hurt, disappointment, and resentment towards this person. I am glad I had my study just a couple days prior. Let me tell you it was not easy to release the feelings and try to act and feel what the Lord would have me feel. To be honest I think my prayer is still "Lord, help me to forgive" and not "Lord, I want a heart like your." At least towards this person. Funny how different situation affect our heart and prayers. So I am working on it. I am just so stubborn! Ask my husband, he'll tell ya! :)
So fellow Christian Ladies, please say a prayer for me to summit to the Lord fully so that I may have a heart like His. I want to even though part of me really doesn't want to for this person...but after all we love becuase He first loved us. Thank you for the prayers.

Rebecca

So I saw this last night as I was searching for verses and pictures that I liked. It was a good thing that I was reminded of this last night because when I woke this morning and took a look in the mirror my face was covered in bumps! I have no idea if it was an allergic reaction to something or a break out which I never usually get at least not this bad. I was getting frustrated trying to cover them all up so I could look decent for church, spending way too much time on it and then I remembered this verse. Well, I quit fussing so much and got right to church for I knew that in the Lords eyes I was beautiful. Bumps and all because He saw my heart and not my bumpy face! Amen!

I was reminded that I desire to become a Proverbs 31 Lady and in Proverbs 31:30 it states...

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting;
but a women who fears the Lord is to be praised.

So, that's, that!
Thank you Lord for that gentle reminder.

Notes on "Lord, I Want to be Whole

Step 1: Release the past (continued)

The foundation of ongoing forgiveness.

Stormie writes that in her counseling session she was explained that:

"You don't have to feel forgiveness in order to say you forgive someone. Forgiveness is something you do out of obedience to the Lord because He has forgiven you."

It reminded me of this verse:

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19

After all isn't forgiveness an act of love. So if He first loved us, first forgave us we must love and forgive others. Is there any sin He will not forgive? Are we worthy? No to both, but we still receive His forgiveness, unconditionally so how can we give anything less then that back to those you have sinned against us? It isn't easy but like Stormie's counselor stated it is an act of obedience to the Lord.

I personally have found it much easier to forgive, to love, to be more self-controlled when I learned that it isn't about the other person or myself, it is about obedience to the Lord. Funny how that simple truth that I knew all along but never really held onto frees me from so much. I still have a ways to go and I could talk about obedience to the Lord is every aspect of life from what you watch, how you spend your time, what you say, etc. but we will touch on all that in our journey to becoming a Prv31Lady. For now it is simply that when you grasp that truth and change your thinking to His thinking suddenly everything you say and do, you start to ask yourself if it is in obedience to the Lord. My answer is no too many times then I want to admit. How about you? But the first step is to be asking yourself. Next is to be obedient. Soon your saying yes more then you are saying no. That's a good feeling.


Stormie says that it was a continue struggle for her as her mother, the person she was forgiving, was continuing to abuse her. Every time that happened her feelings of anger and unforgiveness toward her mother would come flooding back. She would pray, "Lord, help me to forgive my mother." Then one day she was praying for the Lord to give her a forgiving heart and her prayer changed to "Lord, help me to have a heart like Yours towards my mother." She states that almost immediately she had a vision of her mother, she was beautiful, fun-loving, and a gifted women who bore no resemblance to the mother she knew. She was seeing her the way God had made her and not the way she had become. You see her mother was mentally ill causing her fits and abuse that Stormie had lived with. Stormie says that now she had compassion for her mother. Then she goes on to explain the tragedies that her mother had which led to her emotional and mental illness. She wasn't just compassionate but understanding as well. What a transformation.

Shouldn't we pray "Lord, let me have a heart like yours." I want that to be my prayer. When it is how can we still be angry, unforgiving and hateful? That is not the Lord's heart. But when we have a heart like His we can't help but have compassion, understanding, love and forgiveness.

So let that be our prayer today.


"Lord, let me have a heart like Yours." Amen

Notes on: Lord, I want to Be Whole.

Step 1: Release the past

The foundation of confession.

How many times have you just said , "Whoops, Lord forgive me" when you have sinned, in such a casual, "my bad" way?True confession is to lay down each of our sins to the Lord so that we will not only be forgiven but released from the sin.

Daniel 9:4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments.

Stormie writes of a counseling session she has and in it she is asked to write down all her sin and confess each one to the Lord as she remembers them. When she asks the counselor why since she thought that all her sins had been forgiven when she received Jessus she was told this...

"Jesus' death on the cross means He took all that we had coming to us, which is death, and in return gave us all that He had coming to Him, which is eternal life. Receiving Him means being freed from this death grip. However, the bondage that accompanies each sin must have a point of severance though confession. "

1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

To confess is to declare something. Not to simply acknowledge it but to declare it to the Lord. Stromie's counselor suggested writing a list. That's a good idea and make sure to throw it away, once you have confessed it all to the Lord, you are released of it so don't hang onto the list. Do you have to write a list, no but it may help you to focus, be still and listen to what the Lord is revealing to you. You might be surprised with what you realize you are still trapped under.

Welcome!

Hello Friends!
I am excited to have you visit my blog. Please leave a message, your favorite verse or a prayer. I would love to hear from you. I hope this blog can become a group of fellow lady's who love the Lord and are striving to be all that Proverbs 31 calls us to be. It isn't easy but with the Lords guidance we can achieve His will for us.

Notes on the book Lord, I Want to Be Whole by Stormie Omartian

Introduction: Steps to Emotional Health

"Emotional Health is having total peace about who you are, what you're doing and where you are going both individually and in relationship to those around you."

In having total peace with who you are, I guess, would mean even in the area's of yourself that you are not pleased with for instance with me that would be my temper at times and my weight/health. I must surrender these things I am unhappy with and give them to God. I acknowledge them and work on correcting them but I must still live at peace even though I am not perfect. Same goes for those who you are in relationship with. Learning to except them for who they are and letting go of the pain, hurt and disappointment they may have caused you. As long as you hold onto those feelings towards yourself and others you will never be at peace. It will be a constant battle within.

"To know that you are in line with God's ultimate purpose for you and being fulfilled in that."

What an amazing thought. I always desire to be do the Lords will but can I really say that I know that I am in line with His will? So many times we question ourselves but to have that peace and fulfillment that comes from knowing you are in line with His will. I WANT that!


The Seven Steps to emotional health Stormie takes us through in this book are:
1. Release the Past (oh boy, get right to the hard stuff!)
2. Live in Obedience
3. Find Deliverance ( to recognize where the enemy is in your life and separate yourself)
4. Seek Total Restoration (refuse anything that is less that what God has for you!)
5. Receive God's Gifts
6. Reject the Pitfalls (don't get paralyzed in neg. thoughts/actions that keep you from your goal)
7. Stand Strong (With God, I can do ALL things. Read Phillippians 4:13 Amen!)




This is a journey...it will not happen over night. It is not a quick fix. It takes time to rethink and discipline yourself. Very much like getting your body into shape...it takes time and hard work. There will be struggles along the way, temptations like chocolate, or cookies to the dieter but 1 step back and 3 steps forward! Just like staying fit, you don't reach your goal then stop...you will get unfit again. You must continue along the path.

He restores my soul. Psalm 23:3

Here I go...on the journey to emotionally whole!