Ephesians 5:6-14 Live in the Light _______________________
Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of the things God's wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. 

5:7 therefore do not be partners with them.

5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are the light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

5:9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.

5:10 find out what pleases the Lord.

5:11 have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 

5:12 For the things they do in secret are shameful to even mention. 

5:13 but everything exposed by the light becomes invisible. 

5:14 For it is light that makes everything visible. This is the way it is said:

"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Lord, You rescued us from darkness, and You shine Your light in and through us. 

May I be fruitfully alert to avoid drifting back into darkness and to make myself available to be Your light in this dark and dying world. 

Pretty clear what God demands of us.
Stop fighting it and surrender to Him!!

Gossip

Gossip is like a spider and a web. When we walk in darkness we don't see the web that is spread out in the back yard. Yet we end up tangled in it.
Gossip is just like that once the spider has grabbed the insect it hard to escape.

Why is it so hard to stop? Proverbs 18:8 says, The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

 This past weekend has been tough for me! I was the insect that got trapped in the spider web! Gossip is an area I'm leaving behind. After an incident this past Sunday I really had to analyze myself. I felt guilty for opening my mouth. I felt the need to protect my brother from what was being said. I didn't see it as gossip but by me listening to what ever was being said is another form of gossip. I'm okay with moving on with people who hold me back away from my purpose: I want to live like Jesus and follow him!

The bible says : Proverbs 17:4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue. Ouch!!

By me not only opening my mouth I ended up hurting someone I love. I should have know better than to believe what was coming out of that person's mouth was gossip the way a coward communicates!

The bible says: Proverbs 13:3 Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.


I spoke rashly an now I'm paying the consequences! Is it fair? No it not fair. I ask my Lord to help me learn to pray and forgive Lord, for those who slander me.I pray for all who speak lies and hurt people and so that I can learn to ask for your guides before I open my mouth or take action. I pray to keep my focus in you Lord and to remember that gossip is looking for feedback. I pray so that what ever comes out of my mouth are words to glorify You.



All this left me hurt all I can do is pray for wisdom and become better than yesterday.

Love Your Enemies- The bible says: Matthew 5: 43-48  

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

New Advanture by The Hand of Jesus

Over the past two weeks I have been getting prepared to become a leader for the next Good Morning Girls Bible study that starts on September 2. Enrollment starts just in THREE day :) How awesome would it be to love like Jesus did! Are you ready to follow Jesus and get to know Him in a closer relationship? If you are saying YES then come and join me in this new adventure!! The time is now don't miss another day without getting to know Jesus!!

 

Head on over to  Good Morning Girls to get signed up and ready to Love Like Jesus!

 

 

I’m inviting you to join me in this study!  Please let me know here by a comment or email that you would like to participate in my group. We will have a small group on Facebook. On facebook we will be able to interact, pray, help each other and get to know each other!! I can not wait to meet you my sisters in Christ!

 

In my Pj's

Who said you can't be sexy in Pj's and a tee-shirt?? All you need is some makeup and some sexy shoes :)

My ladies next time you are feeling down I encourage you to take your camera out and snap a few pictures of your beauty!!

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me" Philippians 4:13

Honor God

The moment you start to feel jealous of other people you are no longer honoring God! God made each one of us unique and each one of us has a purpose in this world. We just have to learn to LISTEN to God and trust Him. We can practice our talents by honoring God and helping those in need.

Social media many times is not what it really is! A great example is facebook. Facebook can become overwhelming at times. There is time where I have to disconnect for a day and walk away. I sometimes see post that are often not true from people that I know and it sometimes makes me anger. Who am I to care or judge what they say or do. I need to trust the God is in control and at the end He will take care of it.

You can become envious of the things people have and that is also not honoring God! You should feel happy for that person and never wish to have the life of that person. I know that I can have anything if I trust God and go out there and fight for what I want but always doing it in the way of honoring God.

When I'm having a bad day because of something I don't have I always think to myself I could be worse. There are kids starving and I'm over here complaining for something so meaning less. I praise God that my family is not starving, that we have a home, we are healthy and best of all we have the love from God!

So today I will leave you with these two prayers that I found on Morning Prayers Coffee with God 

“For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil". James 3:15 

† † † 

Father God, help me to understand that the playing field is not always level. Today may be my neighbor’s day to be blessed, while mine may not come until weeks from now. Even though I have been waiting longer, I have no right to be jealous or envious. Instead, let me be happy for them. Amen



“For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity”. Proverbs 24:16 

† † † 

Father God, today, if for some reason I get knocked down, I will get back up. As long as I know You have my back, I am determined to get back in the ring, and take a swing. Amen



 Meet Bear!! He has brought so much joy to our house! The little things that makes us happy!

God's Creation

Just enjoying the presence of God!

~Happy Memorial Day~

To those who courageously gave their lives.........and those who bravely fight today or at 

some point in their life........THANK YOU

Love, The Upchurch Family!!