Tag: Kingdom of God

To know Him is to love Him

Trust-in-the-Lord

Trust. It is a word that carries a lot of weight. When someone says “Trust me”, it is not always easy to acquiesce. Especially if we do not know them well.
Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God depends on trust. Yet how can we trust The Lord if we do not know Him?
This “Walking”, describes a concept that I came across. It was revealed to me, through scripture, inspired teachers, but most exclusively from inspiration found in my study of the Book of Esther. My posts in 2014 will catch you up. It describes a set of actions or beauty treatments that will help you develop an intimate relationship with The Lord. If you know Him better, you will trust Him. More.

Many of us say we trust The Lord. However, if someone was to look closely at our lives, the trust is not clearly evident.
We doubt. We question. We change our plans, all because we are only giving lip service to entrusting our lives to Him. I’m not preaching outside the lines here, I have my struggles. Nonetheless, the idea of “Walking as the Bride” is to help us know Him. It has improved my life so much and yet I have hopped off the Potter’s wheel from time to time (control issues, let’s be real). I return to my old ways of thinking; anxiety, self-doubt, etc.

The Holy Spirit is present to remind us, if we are listening. The still small voice asks, “Do you trust The Lord”? I will say, “of course I do”! The response will be, “So why are you in bed eating a quart of ice cream at 2 am”? No, I do not hear voices! I pray you get what I mean.

We all have our ways of dealing with stress or worry. I tend to eat. Too much! Since implementing these tenets, much of what I used to do , I do not do and there have been positive changes in many other areas of my life. Still, it is the “walking” that makes this work. It is active. It is a life practice. It is about a love relationship. Not to sound corny or to question your intelligence but God is a person. Not like you or I, certainly. I am just saying there is a Person to know. I will stop here.

Lol! I am chuckling because I imagine there are some reading this who are humming the theme to the “Twilight Zone”. That’s okay too. If this is meant for you, you will get it.

Trust and Rest when all around you
Puts your faith to stringent test;
Let no fear confound you,
Wait for God and trust and rest.

Trust and rest with heart abiding,
Like a birdling in its nest,
Underneath His feathers hiding,
Fold your wings and trust and rest.

Unknown.

December is here! Are you preparing for the New Year!

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After the Holiday feasts and parties, you have noticed some extra fat on the sides? I am not talking about “sides”, like mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese either! I have added some extra fat on the left and on the right-ugh!

I am starting a 90 Day Challenge today! The challenge is to achieve a healthier, prettier me and get ready for increase in every area of my life, now and in 2016!!
I will be featuring my successes along with pics of clients and friends who will be joining me. http://www.facebook.com/prettybodyetc

Beauty inside out is about revealing that which resides in you, by what you do, how you feel and how you look! In our reality t.v driven, “Keepin up with the dysfunctional” world, everything is visual.

Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God; Beauty Treatment #10 Consistency

The little successes along the way make you a success by doing those things that work over and over again, refining as we go. Admittedly, I have been slacking. Truth be told, I was so overwhelmed by what God has been doing in my life by following the “treatments” I became amazed and impressed with my Self and “fell of the wagon” as it were.

2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”. Galatians 3:2-6 NIV

Christ in you, the hope of glory!

The Fat Lady is not singing….Yet!

As we approach the celebration of the Thanksgiving Day in the United States, many are thinking about gratitude and being thankful in these times. It has been very trying for everyone in recent months and continues today, with all of the unrest going on around the world and very close to home; racial hatred, police shootings and terrorist attacks, etc., it is disheartening.

That is the point.

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6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matthew 24:6-14

We see these words from scripture played out every day on television and in the news media. Yet this is only a build up of things to come! We have yet to preach the gospel of the kingdom in all the world!
There is more to the Good News than salvation only.
Some say that Christianity is on its way out,that the hearts of the people are becoming dull to faith.

Don’t believe the hype!

The darkness is meant to wear you down, get you to cave in…Not a chance!
Praise is the answer! Shout that darkness out of your home! Keep a song of praise in your heart! Darkness will come, “but it will not come nigh you”!

Why not? The Light is in your heart! Your mind is filled with the joy of The Lord and all He has done and continues to do for you! Your light reaches others and they are changed. This is why you must stay filled with praise! We impact our world by being Whose we are, acting on that truth and the power of that will change the world!
And THEN the end will come….

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It’s working!

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Well welcome back huh!? I have been practicing what I preach and it has been an amazing journey, so far, so good! Not to say that I questioned the principles that I have been given…. Honestly, I was just going with my gut. That is where the yogi’s say your spirit resides anyway.

Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God has been a total makeover; inside and out! I will be publishing a little book to share with you very soon.
Short version of what I have discovered over these past months:
The law of Attraction works! However, “as a man thinketh” is the governing energy. You can SAY all you want but your mind and heart had better be on the same page!
God is good! But we know that already!
More to come…..

Psalm 126
A song of ascents.

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.

“By Myself I can do nothing.”

The Walk of the Bride in the Kingdom of God is continuously unfolding. It is as if each step taken opens to more and more of Him; that is Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.
These tenets or beauty treatments were inspired from studying the Book of Esther in the Holy Bible. The tenets are:

Prayer, Praise, Purity, Practicing the Presence of God, Beauty of Holiness
Mind of Christ, Humility, Giving, Trust, Consistency

In earlier posts, the tenets were described individually, to be walked out in our daily lives. As I have often said, I am walking it out as I go, along with you, Precious Reader! I believe The Lord has inspired this “Walk” to help us to grow in intimacy with Him so that we might increase in every area of our lives! This is His desire for all of His children but I perceive this specific inspiration is particularly for His daughters. The tenet concepts are for all, but the “feel” is female.

What about Beauty inside Out?
This theme is perhaps the foundation of what we are experiencing in this walk. Beauty is in Christ. It is to be complete in Him. Beauty inside; more of Him = Beauty inside and out!

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted”! John 15:7 NLT

Let this Mind be in you!

Mind-of-Christ
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit?
Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2 NLT

“Make up can only make you pretty on the outside, but it doesn’t help if you are ugly on the inside. Unless you eat the makeup”. Audrey Hepburn

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Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God

Beauty Inside Out

As the United States of America and expatriates everywhere prepare for the Thanksgiving Feast, it seems an opportune time to discuss a very important Beauty secret for the Walk of the Bride; fasting.
Fasting has many spiritual and physical benefits. When used in conjunction with prayer it is a powerful combination with equally powerful results. Our Heroine, Queen Esther and her maidens found the power of fasting to be useful. This is demonstrated by her decision to fast and pray before approaching King Xerxes without an invitation.

….. do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” EST: 4; 16 NIV

Why fast? Fasting redirects our attention. Fasting gives us the opportunity to put our flesh under subjection, to take our focus off of self-centered desires and pleasing our appetites. However this aspect of fasting is not what this post is about. According to the latest medical research:
Fasting for as little as three days can regenerate the entire immune system, even in the elderly, scientists have found in a breakthrough described as “remarkable”. Although fasting diets have been criticized by nutritionists for being unhealthy, new research suggests starving the body kick-starts stem cells into producing new white blood cells, which fight off infection.
Scientists at the University of Southern California say the discovery could be particularly beneficial for people suffering from damaged immune systems, such as cancer patients on chemotherapy. It could also help the elderly whose immune system becomes less effective as they age, making it harder for them to fight off even common diseases. The researchers say fasting “flips a regenerative switch” which prompts stem cells to create brand new white blood cells, essentially regenerating the entire immune system.
Knapton, S. (2014 June), Fasting for three days can regenerate entire immune system The Telegraph UK,
Retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/10878625/Fasting-for-three-days-can-regenerate-entire-immune-system-study-finds.html

With the New Year on the horizon, a Better You is usually one of the many resolutions we aspire to achieve. In the coming weeks, Beauty inside out will be our focus.

We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made.

Righteousness is the truth revealed and working in you!

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Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God

The tenets of this path were inspired by the Book of Esther.
The beauty treatments prepared for the maidens who were to go before the king consisted of 6 months of purification with oil of myrrh and 6 months of perfumes and cosmetics. As I continue to “walk as the Bride”, I am growing in understanding as I experience it. Prayer, Praise, Purity, Practicing the Presence of God and the Beauty of Holiness are metaphorically speaking, the ingredients that detoxify our hearts and minds, to increase our capacity to receive spiritually. As we activate the 1st 5 treatments, we are being cleansed of the dead weight that we have been carrying around most of our lives. Low self-esteem, guilt, insecurities, past hurts, shame, etc.; all these and more are drawn out and burned by the fire of the Holy Spirit as we pray, praise and practice His presence in order to heal and make us new in Him.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61

Let me be clear, this walk is about Christ Jesus! The above scriptures were spoken by our Lord when he introduced his ministry on earth (Luke 4). Christ is our Bridegroom. Our growing in intimacy with God through Christ brings the reality of “Christ in you” to bear in our lives!

The cleansing water of the Word of God and the precious Blood of Jesus entitles us to partake in that which has been obtained for us. It is our intimacy, our developing relationship with the One who loves us that enables us to acquire and establish the Kingdom of Heaven within. Not head knowledge only but a true experience that can be seen and demonstrated in our lives. Thus the purpose of becoming “oaks of righteousness”, whereby those in our circle of influence may come under our shade to grow in the things of God and to establish His Kingdom in their lives.

You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
Psalm 30:11-12

From Glory, to Glory, to Glory…….

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“Initiatic Science regards the human being as a microcosm created
in the image of the macrocosm, the universe. And since the Lord
reigns from the highest point of the universe, in human beings
there is also a peak representing the Lord – their higher self.
So when you concentrate on the Lord to ask him to grant your
wishes, you touch the highest point of your being, and very pure,
subtle vibrations are released and spread through you, producing
highly beneficial changes. And even if you do not receive from
the Lord all that you asked for, you do gain something, some very
spiritual element.
It is true that your request often is not granted, because from
heaven’s perspective what you are asking would not be
particularly good for you, and so it may be refused you. But your
request is useful in that you have succeeded in reaching this
peak within and so been able to release a higher power, which
spreads through you, influencing all your cells and all the
entities within, and bringing you extremely valuable elements.”

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Romans 8:29

Reach out and touch somebody’s hand and make your world a better place!

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:19-20

There have been many positive changes in my life since I began Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God. Over the past year, I have continued to grow spiritually, increase materially and change physically- lost 30 lbs and I no longer have high blood pressure! The path is an ongoing process as I do not think you “arrive”; you just go higher and higher in Him.

One area that has been a challenge for me: People. I am not one to migrate to large groups or cliques so I tend to be careful about whom I engage one on one. I attended corporate prayer at my church this weekend and the prayer minister asked that we join hands with someone to share a prayer that we have on our heart. I watched everyone pair up and planned to continue to pray on my own. I noticed a man that I had never seen before and I felt a familiar scratchy feeling in my spirit (haven’t figured out how to describe it yet) that inspired me to go to him. As I shared my prayer, the man squeezed my hand. When it was his turn to share, he had a similar request. After we prayed he said, “Maybe The Lord sent you over here because we are praying about the same thing”.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Romans 12:4-5

On Monday, the concern that I had prayed about was resolved. I believe my answer was resolved quickly because of my obedience to that “scratchy feeling” that inspired to me “touch and agree”. Most of all, I believe it was a demonstration of the Word of God in action.

It is up to us to activate the Word!!!