If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself...

I know it's been a while...I have missed you! Trying to balance everyday life is ughhh, not always easy! But God has a special way of nudging us when we get side tracked...

Luke 9:23 KJV: And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

God is using this scripture to help me stay focused on him and less on me. What I need to do, what I have to do, and what needs to be done, God puts things in its rightful places.

1 Cor.1:18 KJV: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.

Let's see what God is saying...

From the moment you wake up you should already be ready to lift me (Jesus Christ) up and deny yourself. Thank me for a new day then ask me for wisdom. Sing praises onto me. Ask me for my will to be done in your day rather than you make your plans which either does not include me or puts me at the bottom of the list. Understand that my ways are not your ways. My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Be ye always prepared, ready to accept the good and/or the bad which ever I send your way on today. Don't worry about tomorrow for being anxious never added a minute more to your life span. Seek ye first my Kingdom and my righteousness. Know that my will is what's best for you. Remember in your weakness, I am made strong. Toss your way of doing things to the side. Do things my way, by my spirit. Accept that it is not you who is in control but rather it is I, who have called you according to my will, for my purpose. Bind up your sins, your doubts, your fears, and focus on giving me all the glory for every thing; big or small. Deny/remove yourself/flesh and Invite me to lead...I want to be before your morning cup of coffee. I want to be before the start button on your computer. I want to come before text messages and FB. Give me your bills. Give me your children. Give me your spouse. Give me your thoughts. Give me your mind. Give me your heart. Most importantly, give me your attention.

Once you put me in my place then proceed to pray. Ask me for a Simon of Cyrene spirit, be compelled to take up your cross! Matt. 27:32 Simon was compelled to carry my cross. He was forced to assist me. No matter what may have been going on with him up until the point of him carrying the cross; assisting me became the highlight of not only his day but, the highlight of his life. When you take up my Cross think of my power. Taking up my cross daily is not just a daily highlight, it becomes the highlight of your life! My power heals. My power destroys the enemy, the thoughts, the foolishness, the doubts, the pressures, the worries. My power allows the blind to see and sends demons fleeing in seven directions. My Power causes spiritual resurrections. My Power protects your coming and your going. My power covers your children. My power declares "You are my friend!" My power raises the level of righteousness within you and around you. My Power is operating in you right now; moving behind the scenes, right now on your behalf. It is important for you to acknowledge and receive My power daily. This serves a daily notice to the enemy that, YOU belong To Me!

No problem, no circumstance, no situation is too great for me. I am a wonderful counselor. I will counsel you through this situation. I am a generous provider. I will supply what you need. I am an understanding God. I know the things on your heart. All that I am asking is for you to put me first. Remember me. I can handle anything this world offers because It was I who created this world. Greater am I, who lives within you, than he who lives in the world. Allow me to apply my power to your problem. Allow me to do all the hard work and difficult tasks. Give me the tough decisions. Let me handle things on your behalf. The one thing that I need from you...FOLLOW ME. Get behind me, let me lead the way. I know the way. I designed the way. I knew this day before it even began for you.

And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].

"Life will stop being so tough once you put me in my respective place. Follow me."

Amen! I wasn't expected all that. Amen for the Spirit that keeps us connected to our Father.

Praise God.
Baya...that Godly Diva

Bounce Back

Good Morning Love,

I feel this so heavy on my heart...you must know that one day does not define who you are.
One mess up does not dictate who you are in Christ. One wrong turn or one bad choice does not stop your flow with God. God has given you a "Bounce Back" spirit. Exchange your yoke for his yoke, which is easy to bare. Stop beating yourself up. It's done-there's nothing you can do about it. Instead of replaying what you should have, would have, or could have done over and over in your mind, accept the peace that God is offering you right now. Accept his forgiveness and move forward. Use what may seem like a set back to step up your discipline in Christ. Let this short coming serve as a reminder of how much you really do need the Holy Spirit in your everyday life.

I hear the voice of God...
"I know you are trying and I honor that. Some stuff you just cannot do on your own."

We think we have the answers. We think we know the way. We think we can handle certain situations. We think we are wise enough to figure out what's best for us. We think we have enough Jesus inside of us to handle temptations and tempting environments. None of us are exempt from falling short (sinning).

Not too long ago, the Lord spoke to me regarding one of my credit cards. He said, "Without my Spirit you cannot even manage a little plastic card." I remember repeating the words over and over in my head because it was the truth. In all of our wits and smarts, we still need the Holy Spirit for the simplest tasks. The bible says that God uses the foolish things to confine the wise.

John 14:26 AMP: But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things.

The Holy Spirit aka the Comforter lives inside of you, teaching you all things. There will be times when we totally miss the mark but that does not mean that we are doomed! It clearly means that we need to allow the Comforter to have more control in our lives. Allow God's spirit to do what he does best-he was sent just for you.

I hear God saying, "Accept my forgiveness. I forgive you. Now, allow me to comfort you."

It's a new day! Time to Bounce Back!!! Old things have passed, behold God is doing a new thing!
No more crying. It's time to fly! This time you take the passenger seat and let God be the pilot.

Have a great day.
Baya...that Godly Diva

Godly Pie... you want a slice?

Good Morning Love,

This was actually something God showed me a year or two ago but I am led to share this now, some of you may find yourselves "stuck" in your lives.

The Lord gave me a vision...

The Lord showed me a pie. This pie was perfect! It was golden brown, perfect in size and height.  It smelled so good. Just like in pictures, the pie had perfect slits on top where steam filled the air. Now personally, I'm not a pie eater, but this pie looked so perfect it made me want to have a slice! The Lord showed me that he personally made this pie for you and for me! Each person in the body of Christ having their own personal pie baked by Jesus Christ himself! The pie sat on the table, waiting for someone to dig in.  He said, that this pie would be a pie of favor.  That if you needed favor, you could cut a slice and give it to whomever you needed favor with. With one taste you would receive instant favor from that particular person.  He told me that this pie was fulfilling.  Any void, anything that you were personally missing in your body, spirit, mind; one bite would instantly fill the void.  He told me that this pie would never run out (filled with his fruit). Anytime you needed strength, wisdom, encouragement, direction, you could take a bite of this pie and instantly have strength, wisdom,encouragement, or direction.  He showed me this pie would bring  prosperity. This pie was so favorable and so tasty, that you could take it out to the markets and sell it. People from all over the world would travel just for a slice. He showed me that this pie brought new opportunities. Business executives in high places would want to make deals with you, invest in you, put the pie on the market and on the shelves in many different stores around the world. Wow, all this from a pie! 

Then the Lord showed me,a person who came to the table to taste the pie.  The closer the person got to the pie, it didn't look as perfect as it did from far away. It didn't smell as good either.  The person cut a slice and worms oozed from the soiled fruit inside; The sight was disgusting! Worms and maggots were within the pie and now surfacing to the top. They were crawling all over!

God said that the worms and maggots represented the sin in our life.  The sin is causing areas of our lives to become rotten/soiled. Everything that God wants to do for us, give to us, show us, and take us-sin is destroying. What was meant to be a divine blessing  is now spoiled.

The pie represents his blessings. (I'm reminded of the fruit inside...)
Sin has caused many believers to become stuck in their lives.
Isaiah 64:6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

God with his love and his grace does not want us to give up or feel bad.
Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

He wants us to clean up our act so that we can move forward. The proof of this is: he did not allow us to hit rock bottom, instead he put us in a place of being still. Being still allows us to look to him for the next move. It is not to punish us but, to have us humble ourselves and repent. He wants to make the next move in our lives. He desires to bless us!

 

Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

"It is time for you to move forward," says the Lord.

1 John 1:8-9 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

 "It is time for you to move forward," says the Lord.

Proverbs 28:13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

Enjoy his blessings. Receive favor, fulfillment, prosperity, endless wisdom, strength, direction, and new opportunities. Do not let the worms and maggots devour what God has prepared for you!

Colossians 3:5-6 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.

Galatians 5:19-21 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

This is what the Lord wants to leave with you...

"Let me help you move forward", says the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin

1 John 2:1-2 MSG: I write this, dear children, to guide you out of sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father: Jesus Christ, righteous Jesus. When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good—not only ours, but the whole world's.

Jesus already took care the hard part. Now it's up to you to make a choice...Repent and Receive.

Enjoy your day.

Baya...that Godly Diva

Spiritual Fruits vs Spiritual Gifts

Good Morning Love,

Seems like there is such an emphasis on spiritual gifts but none for spiritual fruit? Many people want the power and manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit but there is not a high priority to the call of living a holy life.

Matthew 6:33 NLT: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Spiritual gifts are given while spiritual fruit is developed. The fruit of the Spirit is the display of the character of Jesus Christ. His presence within us, enables us to develop spiritual fruit in our lives.

Whenever I want to know if someone is truly about their father's business-I immediately look at their fruit. You can tell me that you love Jesus all day long but if your behavior does not exemplify that, then I am left to believer that either you are a new believer, a back slider, or not who you say you are. There is a difference between having a bad day, or even a bad week;missing the mark from living a lifestyle opposite of God's word. It is God's will for you to bare spiritual fruit. 

John 15:5 &16 NIV: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; 16: You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

If you want to produce spiritual fruit then you must reject sin. There is a saying that implies the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Well I believe the way to God's heart is by your fruit. Please do not be fooled. Just because someone can pray in the spirit (speak in tongues) does not mean that they reject sin. We all know that there are many spirits other than the Holy Spirit operating in this world today. Bearing fruit is a supernatural process: Jesus produces the fruit, we bare the fruit and God, the Gardner, supervise the process.

John 15:1-2 NIV: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

He cuts off...meaning God prunes us so that we can bare fruit! Every trial, tough situation, or difficult circumstance that you face does not mean the Devil is attacking you. We give Satan way too much credit . (Amen, that's for another day and another blog.)

Galatians 5:22&23 KJV: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE - The first three fruits focus on your relationship with God.
LONGSUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS - Next 3, focus on your relationship with others.
GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS - The final three fruit focus directly on you (individually).

So, how can I discern who's who?

Matthew 7:17-20 NLT:You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.   

Why I prefer spiritual fruits over spiritual gifts?  Well, the gifts will cease 1 Cor. 13:8-10. However,
2 Peter 1:4-10 sums it up...

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
NKJV:
⁵ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
 ⁶ And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
 ⁷ And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
 ⁸ For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 ⁹ But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
 NLT:¹⁰ So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. ¹¹ Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Baya...that Godly Diva