WHEN THE EARTH ALL AROUND ME IS SINKING SAND, I GO TO THE ROCK

http://www.bing.com/search?q=i+go+to+the+rock&qs=LS&pq=i+go+to+the+roc&sc=8-15&sp=1&cvid=C8E6C2C1137A4C71B24686F37C386A14&FORM=QBRE&ghc=1

I Go To The Rock

By Whitney Houston

Where do I go when there's nobody else to turn to?
Who do I talk to when nobody wants to listen?
Who do I lean on when there's no foundation stable?

I go to the rock
I know he's able
I go to the rock

I go to the rock for my salvation
I go to the stone that the builders rejected
I run to the mountain and the mountain stands by me

When the Earth all around me is sinking sand
On Christ, the solid rock I stand
When I need a shelter, when I need a friend
I go to the rock

Where do I go, where do I go
When the storms of life are threatening?
Who do I turn to when those winds of sorrow blow?
And is there a refuge in the time of tribulation?

I go to the rock
I know He's able
I go to the rock

I know He's the rock for my salvation
I know He's the stone that the builders rejected
I run to the mountain and the mountain stands by me

When the Earth all around me is sinking sand
On Christ, the solid rock I stand
When I need a shelter, when I need a friend
I go to the rock

I know He's the rock for my salvation
I know He's the stone that the builders rejected
I run to the mountain and the mountain stands by me

When the Earth all around me is sinking sand
On Christ, the solid rock I stand
When I need a shelter, when I need a friend
I go to the rock

I go to the rock
I go to the rock
I go to the rock
I go to the rock

You can go to the rock
You can go to the rock
You can go to the rock
You can go to the rock

I go to the rock
I go to the rock
I go to the rock
I go to the rock

I go to the rock
I go to the rock
I go to the rock
I go to the rock

When the Earth all around me is sinking sand
On Christ, the solid rock I stand
When I need a shelter, when I need a friend
I go to the rock

© RAMBO, DOTTIE
For non-commercial use only.

© Universal Music Publishing Group
For non-commercial use only.

Data from: LyricFind

What Are Spiritual Gifts?

                      

        

There is a serious spiritual warfare going on within life– good verses evil; right verses wrong!  The enemy, adversary, devil, whatever identity you want to attach is a thief.  John 10:10 tells us “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  So if you are not prepared to battle, then you just may be taken into captivity.   

Pastors/Ministry and Leaders are not educating and empowering people enough.  I pray they will start teaching more about spiritual warfare to truly prepare believers and to encourage people to operate within their gifts.  If you are paying attention to the news, you have noticed the chaos in the world, in the communities, and maybe in your homes.  I call it “devil drama.”  If you review the previous posts, they are pertaining to the spiritual realm.  Hopefully, they will be a reference point for future post referencing the natural/physical realm.

First you should be made aware that everyday life is lived within a spiritual realm, good and evil.  We may function in the natural and see through natural eyes; however there are activities happening all around us within the spiritual realm.  Things that we can’t see or understand unless we have committed our life to God the Father and Jesus the Son whom give specific spiritual gifts.  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." John 4:24  In addition, you should know that God will bless those whom He sees fit with spiritual gifts because He wants to equip His people and wants them prepared to walk through the battlefield – and this earth is the battlefield.  God’s word, in 1 Corinthians 12, instructs us Concerning Spiritual Gifts

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. ³ Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Guard Your Heart

"Guard your heart" is easier said then done.  However if we truly realize that our heart determines the course of life, then we would guard our hearts more sincerely.   Not guarding your heart opens the door to emotional hijacking and possible self-destruction.

How can a battered woman guard her heart?
How can a fatherless child guard his heart?

These are two questions that ran through my mind after receiving the recent email below:

"Sorry, I called so late.  I am wondering could I ask you a question?  Do you still talk to XXXXX?  I can't call him anything other than that because he was never there for me.  The only thing I remember about him is how he used beat my mother and barely support me as far as clothing.  He even went to see if I was really his by doing a blood test and that was when I was in 5th grade.  I can remember these things vividly and I would like to give him a piece of my mind for not being responsible enough to be there as a man and tucking his tail like the coward he always was, is, and forever will be in my eyes, nothing but an absolute joke.  He will have to answer to a higher power when the day comes and hopefully will pay the price for doing what he did to my mother and I.  I've had a bad taste in my mouth for a long time now and would absolutely love to spit it all in his face,  I could never find it in my heart to forgive him for scarring all these years.  I would like to tell him that he is a straight clown and that I'm a better father, friend, and mentor to my children then he has ever been in his whole existence.  I have nothing but hate and rage for this man and that's how it forever will be.  Goodnight."

Fathers...men, should realize the impact of their absence from a child's life.  Some children carry thoughts and feelings, such as above, for their entire life.  Many self-destruct while others strive to do better than the absent parent.  Mothers...women, should realize the impact of keeping children away from their fathers.  Children are not toys and should not be used as objects of tug-a-wars.  Please remember children are very fragile and don't know how to guard their hearts - especially from parents and children should not have to guard their hearts when it come to parents.   It should be all about and nothing but LOVE from them and for them.

Unfortunately mutual love between a parent and child is not always the case.  As hard as it may be, in order to be free from the bondage of hate and to be in obedience to God's ten commandments, we still must honor our father and mother so that our days may be longer.  Where there are wrong doings, God will take care of that.  Work toward forgiveness and let God handle the rest for anything less will create a flowing mess.

Matthew 15:4
For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.'

Ephesians 6:2
"Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise--
Leviticus 19:3
"'Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 27:16
"Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

Are You Facing Your Giants - Internally or Externally?

In days when there is so much chaos surrounding us, I often wonder what is the root of the evil that leads people astray - saying and doing matters of hurt against fellow mankind.  People - prominent - professionals- authoritative are behaving like children who do not know their own minds. Giants' actions are those of the adversary - bullying, killing, dividing, and destroying.  Giants can come in disguise such as alcohol, drugs, sex (lust), abuse, stealing, the love of money (greed), racism - anything which controls you, holds you captive, and leads you astray.  Depending on which side you are dealing, giants are deceptive and can create everlasting chaos in your life and others.  Giants bring about fear, a false sense of power, and all manners of self-destruction - if you allow it.  I make it a habit to look at situations from two perspectives (the natural and the spiritual). When I think about giants, I first think about the story, Jack and the Beanstalk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN_C-eGzEEs

During my thinking, I reverted the attention back to me and did a self-assessment.  What are my behaviors?  Am I emotionally or mentally reacting or responding to any of the adversities that I witness?  Am I allowing my mindset to be shaped by the evil and greed that surrounds me?  Is what I am seeing creating a giant within me?  What are my giants and how are they controlling me or keeping me in bondage? Am I running from them thus allowing the giants to forever be on my trail or have I learned to face them?

One of the most famous stories in the Bible is that of  David and Goliath.  David's killing of the giant is recognized as a symbol of good over evil.  (1 Samuel, chapter 17).  What are you doing to destroy evil?  Are you overcoming evil with good?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7AWTRwNyUQ

There is nothing new under the sun.  We all have giants.  The key is learning how to face the giants. We can attempt to learn from other people - but from those whom have overcome the same or similar giant; and in that, we must remember that no two situations are exactly the same.  I, personally, have gravitated toward sitting at the feet of the elder.  Most of them have lived a life which has equipped them with wisdom.  They have lived through life's experiences and learned from them.  If they reference the Bible - which is the foundation of learning wisdom, I feel confident in the guidance I am given.  Psalms 37:30 states, "The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom and his tongue speaks what is just."  Wisdom is justified by works.  True wisdom knows the necessities for the real reason of ...Wise people accepts both sides of truth in obeying the call to repentance and faith in the Saviour.  Wise people realize they can not face their giants alone.  They must take God with them.

Handling Difficult Circumstances

How do you handle difficult circumstances?  Difficult circumstances can involve you directly or indirectly.  It can be a result of your choices or someone else's choices.  Just recently I was thrown into having to handle a difficult circumstance.  An adult son whom have never given me any problems -whether it was being in the wrong place at the wrong time, linking with the wrong person, or simple making a bad choice - triggered PTSD within me and took me back 10 years.  As a result, during those trails and tribulations, I wrote and published A Mother's Cry: He's Still My Child.  I thought I was over situations such as this.  The recent situation caught me off guard and I felt as if a bomb had been dropped on me.  My heart ached.  I cried.  For a couple of days, I was walking around in a daze.  I, literally, was emotionally hijacked.  But then, I quickly came to my spiritual senses.  I realized that nothing happens unless God allows it and He allows it for His purpose.  I don't understand the whys and what for, but I do understand that the difficult situation is a reality and I had to "handle" it so that I could empower others in handling it.  I also understand that God will not put no more on me than what He knows I can bare.  Through it all, God will never leave me nor forsake me.  

If I was going to "handle" this difficult circumstance decently and in order, I knew that I would have to walk in faith and keep my eyes, mind, and heart within the spiritual perspective.  For me, any other way, would oppress me, place me in bondage, and could make the situation worse than what it already is.  I quickly  removed myself from negative people, negative energy, and anything that was not uplifting me.  I called out to the positive and empowering people in my life, my fellow prayer warriors, and drew closer to God...just like Jesus did in the garden, out on the boat, and on the mount.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow, I received what I needed to continue to press forward.  May you be blessed through my pain...my experience...spiritual words of empowerment sent my way as a daily devotion by First Lady Patricia Ogden of Hill Street Baptist Church, Asheville, NC.

Handling Difficult Circumstances

Focus on Christ instead of the circumstances—God will comfort your heart and bring you safely through the trial.

Philippians 3:8-11

The apostle Paul understood how to handle tough circumstances. Even while confined in a prison cell, he kept his eyes on Christ and trusted firmly in the Savior. Therefore, despite being in chains, he was able to celebrate the Lord’s work in his life. In fact, the epistle he wrote from jail to the Philippians was filled with rejoicing and praise (Philippians 1:18; Philippians 2:18; Philippians 3:1).

Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation at hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a result, troubles look insurmountable and overwhelm us with a sense of failure.

However, fear and defeat can’t live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. I’m not saying you will forget what you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on His provision and care instead. He is the Deliverer (2 Corinthians 1:10). He is the Healer (Jeremiah 17:14). And He is the Guide (Proverbs 3:6). The believer who lays claim to divine promises discovers that God pushes back negative emotions. In their place, hope, confidence, and contentment take up residence (Philippians4:11). You aren’t going to be happy about any difficult situation, but you can be satisfied that God is in control and up to something good in the midst of trouble.

The Lord’s principles and promises don’t change, no matter how severe or painful the situation is. Focus on Christ instead of the circumstances—God will comfort your heart and bring you safely through the trial. Then you will be ready to answer Paul’s call to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).