Time Goes By So Quickly! - 07/21/2021

Today I was looking for an old account and happened upon this blog I started years ago!

2015 was the last post! 

I had logged on to an old email account and found a comment from my dad from back in 2011. 

God has been so good to me over the years and I thought maybe some of these old post would encourage others who might be struggling.

God Bless You And Yours!

Dee Stevens

God’s Great Plans…

When you learn to lean in and listen, God does wonderful things!

This morning I forgot to hit one little button which broadcast my voice on the air along with the music. (No not the microphone button...LOL)

A lady called me and said “I listen and haven’t heard your voice all morning, I didn't know if you were sick or what is going on but I’m praying for you” also adding that she normally didn't call the radio station.

You maybe asking yourself “how do you see that as God’s Great Plan”?

This is what God has put on my heart:

With me not hitting that button this morning, God laid it on this woman’s heart, who doesn't normally call in, to follow that small still voice.

In turn I was able to hit the button and also use it as a testimony then on the air and right now too!

See, we all need to listen to that soft still voice!

Because I didn't hit that button, God spoke and this woman listened and I listened too as I was able to not be ashamed of my mistake but to talk about it right then and now.

As we learn to lean and trust God’s will, he will show us how a stranger can do what is out of the norm for them, which then brought a voice with the music. Letting God’s will again flow through me by sharing this with you!

Isn't God so Awesome? (That’s a rhetorical question… LOL)

Yes! God is Good all the time and all the time God is Good!

Thank you Jesus for another day to praise your name!

Remember he gave you this day to Live, to Laugh and to Share his love! So get out there and do it!
Much Love, Dee

My Season...

Today is another day God has blessed me with!

I know we all tend to talk to ourselves and have a big back bone in the tone in our voice with what we'd like to say to people in our lives who seem to always want to complain about life?

If only they knew how much time is wasted complaining about things! Drama is something I've tried to remove from my life! Life is peaceful when there is no drama!

Personally, I'm in a season of learning to let go. Those close to me know I was engaged to be married to a man who I still love very much. I'm learning to move me up on the list we all should have... God then ourselves, family... etc.

All my life I've put others before myself! Whether it be my kids, my husband, family, strangers and then maybe me - It's always been this way as long as I can remember. 

This season has been one of the hardest for me because I feel I'm just not built that way. I know in my heart God is working on this with me and it is one of my lesson for this season. 

Knowing is step one of learning to change this about me so I will be prepared for what is next in my life. 

God hold's the biggest part of my heart and then there is my ex fiance'. I'm still mentally married to him! (Which comes to a surprise to some and not so much to others) It's like no matter how many times I've ask God to take the love for him out of my heart, his response has been NO! I don't know why, but I trust his answer to me. I have faith it will be revealed in God's timing. 

Letting go is a struggle for me. When things happen in my life my first thought is to pick up the phone and share with him. I now have taken those moments of wanting to share verbally to pray. At first I would just pray for him and ask God's will be done. I have now started praying for me. It's very odd because of my past with putting others before myself. 

Some who read this will not understand loving others more than yourself. It's a struggle for people like me to "move on" as I've been told. See my faith and season is teaching me a deeper love for others with the lesson of God wanting me to take care of me too!

I am human and change for any of us is hard but we ultimately have to for new growth! 

So far during this season I've seen such growth in me:
I'm able to speak to my ex fiance' and still see that wonderful person I fell in love with but he doesn't see in himself.
I've seen God bless me during the pain in my storm as I praise him in it.
Every time I've hit a low and lifted it up, God shows me what I need to know at that moment and blesses me!
My faith is stronger than it ever has been and I am continuing to learn about his timing and how perfect it is!

I prayed about the conversation I was going to have with my ex fiance' and asked for honesty. God gave me this along with learning to continue to listen not only with my ears but with my heart. (Which was the subject of a recent blog)

Learning to let go isn't always a process that takes a few weeks, months or years! My advise is: Each of our lessons are individual, just like our relationship with God. Some may fight God all the way and some may lean back and let him take control, which is always what he wants to begin with. Subtle nudges come from the Father letting us know he is there to take it from us - we just have to ask him!

Remember there is something behind every smile you see, laughter through the pain and love beyond our own understanding!

Be Blessed,
Dee

Listen with not only your ears but your heart too!

Do you find yourself so caught up in this fast paced world, when you don't get the answer quick enough you stop listening because you are already seeking the next question?

After much prayer about a personal matter, I prayed for honesty, along with courage and the words to say.  Today I sat down and had a heart to heart with this person who has been very close to me.

During our conversation I experienced a deeper form of listening. I shut up after I asked the question and just listened. Not only with my ears but with my heart. I was living in the moment and what I experienced was simply amazing! 

We all know that men and women think so differently! If we took more time learning to lean on God and taking our issues to him in prayer first our world would be so much different!

Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

To live this kind of peace beyond our own understanding is the most wonderful feeling in the world. If we live of or for the world there is turmoil, which the enemy delights in using part truths to spread his lies. Getting inside your head with doubts and fears.

When you allow this to happen you have no peace.

Job 3:26 (NIV) 

I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.

God's timing is not always our timing, nor do we get many season with people we love. I have had to lean, let go and let God handle it.

Daniel 2:21 (NIV)

He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Not only did I listen with my ears I also used my heart, and in the process I have learned - I can live in a moment, laugh through the tears all while sharing God's love Always!

Have a Bless Day,

Dee

Speak Life!

After our service today I found even a deeper meaning to the song and the video.

How many times do you speak negative things in your own life?

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)

The tongue has the power of life and death,  and those who love it will eat its fruit.

It’s easy to not speak life in a simple question like; “How are you doing?” How many times do you tend to answer with something along the lines of “Oh it’s been rough…” then start naming off all the bad things that have been going on in your life?

We need to really think before we start to answer, sure things might not be the best as to what we would like in the worldly way but answering in a Godly way! “I’m blessed!” Because honestly we are if God has given us another day we are blessed aren’t we?

What we say does play a big role in how we see ourselves. Did you realize that the more negative things you say to yourself or others the more self doubt and disappointment in yourself we let into our minds. And as you know the enemy just loves to attack our minds and the way we think. If he can get a stronghold there he can have us spiraling out of our walk with God!

Once doubt starts to take over we tend to lose faith in all that we have been praying for, which has our walk beginning down the wide worldly path instead of the narrow one!

Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

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

Learning to Speak Life, in you life is like anything else new in your life. It like changing a bad habit into a good habit. You have to set out to do it and repeat it over and over again until you have mastered it. Sort of like when we were babies learning to walk. We had to try over and over again and there were many times we stumbled and fell down before we mastered it.

We are all God’s children and often times like a I child we have to learn as we go to get to where we are going. Ultimately our final destination is our heavenly home!

Having a relationship with God will come with much ridicule at times. We can’t give up over a few folks who don’t understand our walk, our choices in life or how we let the Holy Spirit shine through us.

It’s up to us to open our eyes and allow God to guide us along the way.

Psalm 119:18 (NIV)

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

My prayer is for more of us to Speak Life into each others lives lifting each other up instead of swimming in a pool of pity, doom and gloom.

Take a moment to know how blessed you really are and spread laughter as you live and always share God’s love!

Have a Blessed Day,

Dee

Are you just the News Feed of the moment?

Recently, I made comment to a picture on Facebook. I purposely left it open ended. It could have been taken in a negative way, if someone tends to lean that way.

I was told my comment was meant to embarrassed this person. Which was the furthest from the truth. No matter what I said this person was convinced I was trying to make them look bad. I ended up editing my comment and added a public apology stating if anyone wanted to know why I posted what I did to send me a message.

Later that night I sent an email to this person letting them again I would never try to hurt them especially on Facebook, which was also in my edit to my comment on Facebook. Also added their life would be less stressful and happier if they wouldn’t worry about what other people think so much. There is only one person who’s thought really matters and that’s God!

I described the whole thing in a nutshell: “you’re just a moment of the Facebook newsfeed…” People don’t care about what was said, they’re more concerned about what’s important like family, friends and loved ones.

Unless of course they are people more focused on judging others.

God’s word talks about Judging Others:

Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV)

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Often I see people judging others while not even seeing what they are doing as judging. A person who judges says something along the following:

That person is sinning / not sinning

(Or more descriptively)

That person is acting / not acting according to God’s will

(Or more secularly)

That person is acting in a harmful / non harmful manner

(Or more comparatively)

I am acting in a better / worse manner than that person

So often, when focusing on the world we don’t even notice when we are judging a book by it’s cover! We are human and it’s going to happen but it’s up to us to ask forgiveness, and to look in our own mirror.

What amazes me is how many people with really low self esteem are more concerned about what others think than what God thinks. Yes, we are human and tend to lean more on what the world thinks and the people in it.

We need to really dive into God’s word and pay attention to the people that are brought into our lives for a reason. God speaks to us in many ways it’s up to us to pay attention!

It could be a posting on Facebook, or in a conversation with someone close to you and even straight from God’s word!

Have you ever been offended by someone blocking you on Facebook? If we are honest with ourselves at first we are! As we start to question what could we have done to have this happen. Think about it this way, it’s their choice to do this and it could have nothing at all to do with you! As I’ve said before we tend to lean more toward our worldly rejection reaction then to step back and look at it as a blessing.

We all have choices in life and just because it’s not what we would do doesn’t mean we have to react in blaming yourself or something you could have done that caused it. People are brought into our lives for seasons sometimes.

I’m reminded of the passage:

Daniel 2:21

21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Sometimes we need to look before and after the scripture which comes to mind:

Daniel 2:19-23(NIV)

19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. The Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20 and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: you have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

How often do we not look at the bigger picture, the cause and effect, the meat of the meaning or in this case more of the before and after of the scripture that comes to mind as we learn even more as we try to grow closer and lean on our heavenly father!

Just sharing some love as I live another day and remember there is always a way to laugh. Let’s try harder not to judge others and remember when the season is ending as the next one is beginning!

Have a Blessed Day!

Dee

How many times have you said to someone going through something they think is so horrible; "you just have to have Faith you'll make it through it"! Sometimes they just give you that look "you have no idea where I am and how alone I feel"! You know that same look you gave someone at your life crisis of the moment. 

Yes, we all will go through some sort of 'Life Crisis Moment'! but it's just a moment in time, this too will pass. We just have to keep our faith strong.

Faith, a word that means so much! It's the foundation on our belief that 'God's Got This'!

I wasn't always strong in my faith, it took years for me to realize God is in control of it all! From the times I didn't have have a job or enough money for food, the rent or bills. Or even when I found out my husband wasn't faithful with questions of how can I raise my children alone. 

When I look back now I see God always made sure I had a roof over my head, food in the bellies of my kids and all the bills where paid!

You maybe going through a season in your life right now and you're asking "How in the world am I going to make it through"? One day you will reflect back on this moment and see how you made it through when you saw no way - God made a way!

Today instead of having a pity party for yourself and letting the enemy attack your thoughts, lean on Jesus! Ask him for guidance and then most important listen to what he has to say!

If I've learned one thing about faith it's no matter how alone you may feel in a 'Life Crisis Moment' you are never alone! God is with you always! Just keep your Faith!

Just sharing some love as I live another day and remember there is always a way to laugh where it may seem only tears flood your emotions. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, it will pass and you'll be better on the other side!
Have a Blessed Day!
Dee

Seeking God...

I hope you're having a Blessed and wonderful day!

So often we expect so much to just come to you when it come to God's Blessings. Let me ask you a question what have you put into the process besides prayer?

Like any relationship you invest time in it to grow right?

Ask yourself this, what time have I invested in my relationship with God today?

Something to think about when you make time for that favorite TV show... will it give you anything in return?

Just sharing God's love with you today!
Remember to live to laugh and to share God's love with someone today!
Have a blessed day!
Dee

Let's get caught up again

So it’s been quite sometime since I’ve updated my blog. “Life happens” as they say.

There have been rough seasons and now a season of learning to listen to the small still voice and following through in Faith!

I will attempt to update at least once a week from this point forward.

Time to play catch up now…

I am the Morning Show Host of Live, Laugh and Share God’s Love in the Morning on Christian 107.3 

(Formally Lloyd and Dee in the Morning) 

along with 

The Deelightful Midday Show on Christian 105.7 (Beginning Nov. 10th)

So many times we let time slip through our hands only existing and not living!

Someone close to me is doing just this. Instead of looking at all the blessing they have their hung up on all the ‘junk’ of the past. I love the person very much, and it’s hard to bring them up when they are compelled to dig their hole even deeper.

I've continued to pray for them and be there for them but recently I found myself sounding like a broken record of ‘glass half full’ even though it appeared to be going on deaf ears. I had to remind myself at that moment “God’s Got This”!

Often times we think we can help people without it affecting our own walk. It’s at those ‘light bulb moments’ we find as the human side of us wants to just give up and reject them - God has other plans and a lesson to be learned from it!

Don’t give up on those ‘bitter people’ in your life! Continue to pray for them.

Believe it or not I was once a ‘bitter person’ too!

God has taught me so much in my years here on this earth!

Each lesson has taught me it is our choice to be ‘better’ instead of ‘bitter’.

So the next time you see that person who seems to suck the life right out of you when they are around, pray God gives you the words to say or how long to listen before saying a word.

We are all supposed to love one another and how can we do that with rejection toward what God has placed in your life as a lesson!

Just speaking from the heart and sharing a little more “Sharing the Love of God” with you!

Have a Blessed Day and remember to Live, Laugh and Share God’s Love with someone today!

Dee

11/3/2014

Jesus My Best Friend...

Hello again!

I wanted to say thank you for all your recent prayers and add keep them coming!

As my Pastor Jeff says “God is good all the time”!

Last week he started his series on My Best Friend and it was great! He continues this week with more eye opening reason to let Jesus be your best friend!

Many people only look at the fact God sent his son Jesus to earth to die for our sins and never think about how he was on the earth for 33 years before dying on the cross.

Do you know what Jesus’ occupation was? Many already know the answer, he was a carpenter. 

There is no way to smoothly transition to this next train of thought but...

Have you ever notice how politicians are like chameleons? Let me explain, when someone is running for office they will always appear to know peoples pain. Say a politician goes to a big benefit for bankers, he will always have a way to connect or tie himself in to ‘understanding the problems’ of those there by referring to being related to someone in his immediate circle who was or is a banker? Then his next stop might be a constructing site, he will change his appearance dawn a hard hat and still share a story which relates to the workers and follows it up with “I know your pain” or “understand how you feel”.

So when you think about it, Jesus being a carpenter really showed us how he dwelled among us a hard worker way before he preformed miracles.

Jesus came as a man to teach us through example in his life before teaching us through his word.

It is written: God is a God of mercy and he is a God of wrath too! Jesus, on our behalf, took our sins to save our souls.

The Bible goes to Great lengths to show us Jesus was just like you and me.

We are all tempted in life, but being tempted is not a sin. It’s what we do after being tempted which is determined through our actions.

In the Bible it teaches us that Jesus was a great man. But before he died on the cross he lived a life like you and I. He was a child that played, went to school, had half brothers and sisters, worked, lived and died. As a man, he went through many things we go through!

What do you think of when you think of the Thrown of God? Many think of Judgment and Fear.

There are 3 things Pastor Jeff pointed out about the Thrown of God today:

1 It is a Thrown of Grace

2 It is a Thrown of Sympathy

3 It is a Thrown of Help!

In the Bible, Jesus never tells us to fear the Thrown of God but he always says come to the Thrown of God. He says to come to the Thrown boldly!

Jesus is not only concerned with the religious part of our lives but for ALL of it! That means not just on Sunday’s! 

Every hour of every day of every month of every year… He is concerned about us all the time! 

Are you a Sunday Friend of Jesus? Are you living every other day of the week without talking to Jesus about your problems you have?

Jesus knows what we go through because he went through it too!

Jesus understands Relationships:

He knows what it’s like to be single, in a married person’s world!

He knows what it’s like to be married because we are his bride. 

He knows what it’s like to have an unfaithful bride.

He knows what it’s like to have family who doesn’t understand where you’re coming from.

He knows what it’s like to have close friends; to be loved and betrayed by them.

Jesus understands work:

Jesus was in the market place way before he was in the ministry.

Remember he was 33 years old before he died on the cross.

Jesus understands pain:

Not only did he endure physical pain he knew what it was like to feel emotional pain too.

Can you imagine the ridicule he went through when his peers heard of his virgin birth?

He knows what it is like to lose a love one in death. His earthly father Joseph died when Jesus was 13 or 14 years old.

The facts are Jesus has gone through everything we have gone through and more! He worked endured pain and love in his relationships with friends and family.

He is our Savior but he should be our Best Friend to share our everyday lives with. He is the answer to any problem big or small we feel we are having. 

Are you having trouble in your relationship? Tell him about it! 

Are you depressed and feel all alone? Tell him about it! 

Are you having problems at work? Tell your best friend Jesus!

We all need to stop keeping Jesus at arm’s length and have a closer walk with him and it will change your life!

If, in this high tech world, you feel you don’t have time to sit down and read your bible, think again!

There is an App for that! I have several Apps on my phone which send me a daily notification of scripture. I have another one which has audio to hear scriptures while I’m driving! (Link to apps)

So when you think you don’t have time… think again! You have time for Facebook, Myspace and games on your phone you have time to get closer to Jesus, who really should be your best friend!

Again thanks to Pastor Jeff for a great sermon today!

Check out his service online sometime at http://www.arranlakebaptistchurch.org/

Thanks for letting me Share the Love of God with you today.

Have a Blessed Week!

Dee Stevens

5/01/2011

Enjoy this video:

The above video is property of CBS, it is only borrowed to share on this blog. 

My Heart and Soul, Forgiving, Loving, and Confessing the Stressing!

When I love I do it with my whole heart and soul, never thinking of anyone but the person I’m in the relationship with when planning for the future. Yes, I’m a planner.

There are times when life gives us something we don’t plan and it’s up to us to pick and choose what we do with those plans. Today is one of those days!

I know in my studies in the Bible we don’t know when the end of time will be. Just like we don’t know when we will die.

When I was younger, in my early 20’s, I would have fears of my husband leaving me to take care of my children along. And I worried about something happening to me with no one to take care of them. For years I did this and the only thing it got me was grief, nightmares and an overall feeling of unhappiness. As the years went by I began to understand more about life and death and the biblical teachings of it. I found peace with what I had learned and eventually I was able to let go of that fear.

Seems I always have a way of picking them as they say. Unlike many people I just can’t fall out of love nor can I just throw away my feeling so easily. What I do know is there are not a lot of people out there like me. I like to say “I’m not stupid I’m in Love”…I see so many give up on love because of seeing signs and then just look for the next one in line. I guess I’m just not built that way mentally.

I just know firsthand when a man starts to drift away… be it his fear of commitment or fear of dying. (There are other things too but let’s just focus on these two for a moment)

The fear of losing your ‘freedom’ or maybe you think things in your life will change forever. If you think you are the only one who has this fear, you’re wrong because every man and woman has the same fears.

Then there is the fear of dying. “We are born to die” was a quote I read from a man who was over 100 years old. It’s so true and yet from the day we are born those days are counting down as they simultaneously are counting up. It’s only at times when life changing events happen do you see how fragile life is and begin to prepare for things or we just shut out everyone and don’t LIVE you just EXIST! Why?

You can come up with all kinds of excuses, but they are just excuses and the same things will happen over and over in every relationship you ever come into until you realize one day, when the light bulb goes off what you’re doing. Sometimes the moment is too late and the one thing, person or life you wanted just slipped right through your fingertips never to return again.

A life changing event can also have you rethink a lot of things and your life in general. Remember this doesn’t only change your life it affects those around you too.

I have always been able to go with my gut and I find my heart has been racing from feelings and seeing signs which have been screaming at me for weeks from the man I’m in love with: being preoccupied, being secretive with text and phone calls, less and less time for us to spend together, excuses of being too tired, short tempered, and the lack of communication between us.  Pulling away from church and there are others but they are just not important at this time.

Let me continue by saying we’ve both been under extreme stress with news of me taking a job away from the area. It’s not far… but it has changed things. I have felt him push me further away every day.

I’ve tried to talk about it with him and I know he has no doubt in his mind where my heart is…it’s just very hard to see the bigger picture, or some might say the light at the end of the tunnel. Yeah the tunnel it has 2 ends just like a story… so I’m just sharing how I’ve seen things from my end. I’ve explained before he’s a very private guy about his life being shared on the web so I’m sure I’ll hear about it later. (At least I’m keeping his name out…LOL)

Some may see this blog as a rant or venting but there’re actually lessons to be shared when it comes to our lives at this moment in time.

God teaches us how to forgive!

Forgiveness is a wonderful thing not only is it part of being a Christian it is a part of healing our hearts to move past the hurt and pain to live another day.

Love!

God is Love and Love is God! Once this fills a person’s heart - the healing starts.

How the devil works!

Satan focuses his eyes on those who are reborn, the newest Christians who have rededicated their lives. Casting doubts in their minds and believe systems.

When listening to the pastor today he said it so well about forgiveness… He gave several examples about forgiveness. Jesus has forgiven us from our sins if only we confess them to him. We have to be accountable for what we do.

For a Christian, no matter what the wrong is, we are to forgive. Pastor Jeff went on to say there are so many people who sit around ticked off because someone has said something about them on FaceBook or in the case of a man or woman saying “but preacher you don’t know how bad my husband did me” or “you don’t know what my wife did to me”.  (Yes, we are in the South and I wrote it the way it was said..LOL)

Below is a breakdown of what he said.

Ways not to confess your sins to God:

Don’t beg for forgiveness

Don’t bargain with God

Don’t bribe God

How God forgives:

Instantly

Repeatedly

Freely

When knowing how God forgives us and how to pray we should learn and share what we know! 

Many will die with their sins forgiven but will go to hell for not owning those sins through confession of them to God the father in prayer.

While you have read this blog I hope and pray for forgiveness with my eyes more open as to how I have been praying in the past and knowing how God forgives is a great blessing in life to have!

Some things are simple while others a bit more difficult with twist and turns in them and to us down here on this earth we may see things as we are so wronged and it’s hard to find a place for forgiveness in your life…Just remember God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross to forgive us… Nothing compares to that extreme forgiveness! A love which has lasted all these years!

Find it in your heart to forgive yourself, so you can learn the great gift of forgiveness we have today!

I’ve got the nickname of Dr. Phil from the love of my life - you know the one who I gave my heart and soul to - along with a few others nicknames too. I told him last night I didn’t regret one moment we have spent together. He asked me why I would say such a thing… This is why:

You helped me…

...learn to not short change my talents so much,

…learn to love and trust again,

…listen to the birds more,

…listen to my gut and not sweep it under the rug,

…speak my mind no matter what, even when it’s hard,

…not to sit and wait on life, because it is short and special,

…not everyone is like me,

…living in the past isn’t for me,

…forgiveness is so important,

…learn I’m never alone because God is with me always,

And reminded me about leading a horse to water… the words and way you described it will always remain in my memories along with those few times you really let me in. Believe in yourself like I do.

Only God knows what the future holds. No matter what happens; my wish for you is true happiness in life!

Forgiving, Loving, and Confessing the Stressing, Heart and Soul are just a few things I’ve learned in the past few weeks!

Come back over the next few days for more blogs.

Have a blessed day!

Dee Stevens

03/27/2011

Tests, Trust, Tithes, and Love…

Life is full of happenstances!

Recently I found myself in a discussion on views about having friendships of the opposite sex. During this conversation I mentioned trust for the loved ones involved. Then it just so happens God, in his perfect way, made sure I was in the right place at the right time on Sunday as Pastor Jeff spoke on Tests, Trust along with Tithes.

As he began to talk he made it clear this was not going to be just a sermon on Tithes but sort of a history lesson of how the 10 percent came to be along with how God Test us in our lives.

I learned many things I already knew but felt the need to share with others.

God does not change! He is perfect and there is no room for improving perfection! Now we, as Christians, can always improve on our lives.

We should always remember to put God first in our everyday living. God cannot bless second best!

There may be times when we see our neighbors or friends who have more than we do but do they really? Let me use myself as an example here. I’ve gone through a lot and I’ve had to sell just about everything I own and am starting all over again. But in my eyes I feel very blessed! God is first in my life and he has blessed me with my parents who have been my rock through the low point in my life, my health and a wonderful man who loves me!

Someone who doesn’t believe in God or put him first in their life might see only the fact I’ve lost so much, with having to sell a lot of my personal belongings. Sure I could focus on what has happen to me and be bitter but how does that help me in my life now? Others might say that God cursed me by some of the rough times I’ve had but God does not curse you… you curse yourself when you step out of living your Christian life to be brought closer to him.

God continues to test us in our lives. God is the reason for my Faith, Family, and Finances. How I live my life is to be a reflection of how a Christian should live. It’s how I want to show others about his Love!

Love is God and God is Love this is what love means to me! He has blessed me with so much more than many have and I know he will continue to bless me as long as he allows me to walk on this earth. Trust is knowing God knows where I’m going from here!

I found out the Bible is full of numerology! The number 10 means Testing! Tithing is a test! God is testing us to see if we give back what he supplies us to begin with. If it not for him we would not be where we are right now. And it was no happenstance a tenth of what we get should be given back to the church.

God will test us frequently to make sure we are putting him first! Say you make a little bit more money this month than last… Will you include that amount in your tithing or make an excuse to spend it on something else. Take for instance gas prices are so high right now that you don’t think you should spare the money. This money you received as a gift from God and should be included right? Even if it is just one dollar- a penny should go in your tithing.

(The following is from Malachi 3 NIV)

Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes

 ⁶ “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ⁷Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.

   “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

 ⁸ “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.

   “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

   “In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty. ¹² “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.

The above scripture was part of Pastor Jeff’s Sunday service. God Test us to put him first in our lives.

Although there may be times when you are struggling to give your tenth to the Church you will be blessed and not cursed.

Remember to always put God first in your life, not just on Sunday but every day!

Take time to look at your life and see where God is in your pecking order of what is important in your life. Could a few things be rearranged to start seeing more blessings come your way? For this to happen you may have change the order of things in your life to let your blessings start to flow.

Have a Blessed Day,

Dee Stevens